NBA Season/Playoffs 2025-26

[Donoghus]

Atkinson really knows how to read the home.

They can hang the analytics banner before the season opener come October.

[Who]

Towns, Anunoby and M Bridges are shooting 70+% TS in the playoffs for NYK.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Kenny Atkinson -- "we won 3 out of 3 or at least 2 out of 3 analytically in expected score"

He continued to say "if you believe in process" essentially you should be happy with how things have gone. If "you are only outcome based" obviously it is bad but analyitcally they have played well and outplayed than NYK.

Essentially it is just bad luck that CLE is down 0-3.

Atkinson essentially is saying that game plans have been right and the "expected score" analytics show that. That CLE should be ahead in this series. That they are doing the right things. They just haven't gotten the expected result. But you keep doing the same things because over time that will even out and you will get those results.

I think Atkinson is missing a key advanced stat that some coaches lose in the flurry of numbers they deal with.

Points for and points against.

[Vermont Green]

Harden is just jogging up and down the court. Like he isn?t even trying.

[Who]

I don't think Cleveland should be wearing those LeBron era jerseys. They are unlucky. They are the past. Let the new group forge their own identity instead of running back into LBJ's shadow.

[Who]

I don't know what Mike Breen & Richard Jefferson were on about when they said Cleveland came out with the right aggression / intensity tonight or something like that. They are jogging on multiple possessions. Not getting back on D. Getting beaten to loose balls.

The only guy with aggression is D Mitchell and that is only when he is trying to score the ball.

[Who]

Cleveland are so slow ...

I don't know how they turn this group into a title contender next season. They are fatally flawed. You can't just get out-run like this over and over again.

[Donoghus]

What do the analytics say about that first quarter?

[Goldstar88]

This postseason, the Knicks are shooting 52% from the field and 40% from 3pt. Reminds me of that Miami Heat team that made it to the Finals. 

[ozgod]

This postseason, the Knicks are shooting 52% from the field and 40% from 3pt. Reminds me of that Miami Heat team that made it to the Finals. 

And Cleveland are shooting 40% overall and 29% from 3...make-miss league 

[Donoghus]

It sounds like a Knicks home game

[smicker16]

We may have underestimated the Knicks a bit. They do have a really good starting 5 and Brunson does not turn the ball over a ton for his usage rate. They have found some good production out of their bench which has been big and a bit unexpected for sure.

Personally I am really hoping OKC or the Spurs make quick work of them but do not think it is going to be that easy for them. I bet on the Knicks to win it all earlier in the playoffs to hedge my emotions at least.

[perks-a-beast]

Knicks are 1 of 10 teams in history to go on a 10+ game win streak in the playoffs. They have been really impressive. I dont find them a particularly entertaining team to watch, but I give them a ton of credit.

[Donoghus]

Analytically, the Cavs are still winning this in 6.

[perks-a-beast]

Clevelands in season trades did not work out at all.

I know Garland and Mitchell werent really working out but I gotta think they could have gotten more for Garland than a rapidly aging Harden, who couldnt even crack 20 points in any games this series and has been a turnover nightmare all playoffs long.

Shroder and Ellis werent really able to give them anything. They probably would have just been better off keeping Hunter.