NBA Season 2025-26

[SparzWizard]

Wow OKC mollywhopped LAL and Doncic leaves game with an injured hamstring.

[Larry for 3]

And Luka is one game short for all nba. He?s played 64 games. Thats a shame lol

[Who]

Anthony Edwards is no longer eligible for NBA postseason awards after missing the Minnesota Timberwolves' 113-108 loss to the Detroit Pistons due to illness.

Edwards has played in 59 games, though only 58 count for the league's record of games. The Wolves have six games remaining in the season.

So even if he plays the remaining 6 games, gets to 65 games played, he will still be ineligible because one of those games does not count. Presumably because he did not play enough minutes before leaving injured / ejected.

Yeah, one game he played only 3 minutes. Left with injury. Missed next 4 games. Early in the season. 3rd game of the season.

This is ridiculous. Ruling guys eligible or ineligible over 1 game.

[Celtics2021]

Anthony Edwards is no longer eligible for NBA postseason awards after missing the Minnesota Timberwolves' 113-108 loss to the Detroit Pistons due to illness.

Edwards has played in 59 games, though only 58 count for the league's record of games. The Wolves have six games remaining in the season.

So even if he plays the remaining 6 games, gets to 65 games played, he will still be ineligible because one of those games does not count. Presumably because he did not play enough minutes before leaving injured / ejected.

Yeah, one game he played only 3 minutes. Left with injury. Missed next 4 games. Early in the season. 3rd game of the season.

This is ridiculous. Ruling guys eligible or ineligible over 1 game.

Not ridiculous.  What was ridiculous was Joel Embiid being 1st team All-NBA playing 51 games in a season in consecutive seasons.  They needed a rule, they made a reasonable one (play in 80% of games), and Luka will miss it because he got hurt (and also was suspended for getting too many Ts.  Maybe he needs to look in the mirror).

[Who]

Kon Knueppel leads Cooper Flagg in the NBA Rookie of the Year race by a comfortable margin in a straw poll conducted by ESPN's Tim Bontemps with 80 first place votes compared to 20 for the Dallas Mavericks franchise player.

Rookie of the Year Straw Poll
1. Kon Knueppel (80 first place, 19 second place, 1 third place votes)
2. Cooper Flagg (20 first place, 79 second place, 1 third place votes)
3. VJ Edgecombe (2 second place, 92 third place votes)
4. Dylan Harper (5 third place votes)
5. Derik Queen (1 third place vote)

Knueppel

31.5mpg 18.8ppg 5.4rpg 3.4apg - 0.9 stocks 1.9 turnovers
48.2% FG 43.1% 3PT 86.3% FT 64.3% TS

His offensive efficiency is exceptional. Takes 8 threes per game out of 13.4 total shot attempts. 2.9 FTs - a lowish number but not bad considering how many 3s he takes. 2.9 FTs against 5.4 two pointers.

His defense has been solid. Excellent physical strength in fighting off drivers and handling switches. Decent lateral quickness. I am surprised he hasn't had more problems on help & recovery because he looked slow in those in SL but he hasn't. He has handled himself well on D. Probably a net positive defensively.

Cooper Flagg

33.8mpg 20.3ppg 6.6rpg 4.5apg - 2.1 stocks 2.4 turnovers
46.7% FG 27.8% 3PT 81.2% FT 54.3% TS

That lack of three point shooting is hurting his scoring efficiency. Only takes 3.4 threes per game out of 16.6 shot attempts. Shooting only 33% on jump-shots 15-23 feet. So he isn't an effective threat outside of 15 feet. He is a 15 feet and under player. Kinda like Giannis - only without Giannis' hugely prolific and efficient inside scoring & FTAs.

I am surprised Flagg only takes 4.7 FTAs per game. I thought his size and athleticism would help him get to the foul line more than that. A FTr of 28.6%. Not bad but not that good either.

Not much of an advantage in passing. 4.5 ast : 2.4 turnovers vs 3.4 ast : 1.9 turnovers for Knueppel. So an extra assist per game at a cost of half an added turnover per game.

Defense has been good but not exceptional. I don't think there has been that much of a gap between the 2 on D.

Conclusion

The gap in offensive efficiency is huge (TS% 64.3% to 54.3%). Knueppel has outplayed Flagg. His team has had more success as well as they are set to make the playoffs while Dallas underachieved all season long. Knueppel deserves to win.

[Who]

VJ Edgecombe has had a nice season.

34.8mpg 16.1ppg 5.6rpg 4.1apg - 1.9 stocks 1.8 turnovers
44% FG 36.2% 3PT 82.8% FT 54.5% TS

That scoring efficiency is low. Mainly because he doesn't get to the foul line. It is shocking how little gets to the foul line. Only 2.4 FTAs per game on his 13.7 FGA. For a guy who is as explosive athletically as he is; that is shocking. He has a fantastic first step. He can blow by people. He is shifty changing directions. He is a great leaper as well. He should be able to draw contact. Clearly does not know how to draw fouls yet. That would both concern me long term (avoiding contact) and encourage me (can boost TS% in a big way if he learns how to draw contact).

The outside shooting has been solid. 36% on 3s. Shootin 42% on midrange on 49% on low volume long 2s. Finishing shots in the paint when he doesn't get all the way to the rim is an issue. Only 37% on 3-10 foot shots. Shoots 63% when he gets to the rim. Needs a floater.

I really like what I see in his ball-handling and passing. He has been a very effective secondary ball-handler. The 4.1apg vs 1.8 turnovers shows a 2:1 AST:TOV which is what you want from a wing creator. Good job.

Also doing a good job on the boards. 5.6rpg is great. 1.9 stocks is good. Even a positive 1.9 stocks : 1.8 turnovers. Also great. So a lot like in his non-scoring. Ranks 15th in the league in deflections per game with 3.2. Good defense. A little small in bothering guys shots but uses his speed well to create turnovers.

[Moranis]

Anthony Edwards is no longer eligible for NBA postseason awards after missing the Minnesota Timberwolves' 113-108 loss to the Detroit Pistons due to illness.

Edwards has played in 59 games, though only 58 count for the league's record of games. The Wolves have six games remaining in the season.

So even if he plays the remaining 6 games, gets to 65 games played, he will still be ineligible because one of those games does not count. Presumably because he did not play enough minutes before leaving injured / ejected.

Yeah, one game he played only 3 minutes. Left with injury. Missed next 4 games. Early in the season. 3rd game of the season.

This is ridiculous. Ruling guys eligible or ineligible over 1 game.

Not ridiculous.  What was ridiculous was Joel Embiid being 1st team All-NBA playing 51 games in a season in consecutive seasons.  They needed a rule, they made a reasonable one (play in 80% of games), and Luka will miss it because he got hurt (and also was suspended for getting too many Ts.  Maybe he needs to look in the mirror).

the 51 game seasons were the 2 covid shortened sessons and Embiid made  just 1 2nd Team in the 2nd of those.   The Sixers had the best record in the East that year.  Kawhi made the 1st team with 52 games.  The league MVP was Jokic who played 61 games.  Lamelo Ball was rookie of the year with 51 games only 31 were starts.  The 2 covid years were weird seasons.  Basing anything on those 2 sessons is ridiculous

[Who]

The 65 games thing is even more annoying when the other guys who are up for MVP are barely playing more than that. It is not like it is 60-65 game guys against 82 games guys. It is 60-65 game guys vs 65-70 game guys.

The difference isn't enough.

[Larry for 3]

Forgot about Luka getting suspended for the techs. Ha. Serves him right.

[Donoghus]

Not a great look for the league.

[Vermont Green]

The 65 games thing is even more annoying when the other guys who are up for MVP are barely playing more than that. It is not like it is 60-65 game guys against 82 games guys. It is 60-65 game guys vs 65-70 game guys.

The difference isn't enough.

I agree with this.  The MVP will probably end up with <70 games.  Call it 68 games.  But someone with 64 games is excluded.  It seems dumb to me mostly because I don't think it is impacting how many games these guys play.  All the teams these MVP candidates are on are fighting for playoff seeding.  They will play when they can play.

[Donoghus]

If they're not gonna eliminate it entirely, there are some interesting proposals out there that would make some sense to an extent.  Read an interesting one where essentially where there would be scaling depending on the award.  So something like All NBA 1st team would require 65 to be chosen First-Team All-NBA, 60 to be chosen Second-Team All-NBA and 55 to be chosen Third-Team All-NBA.  MVP might be 70 games.   

Another one was aligning it with the stat leader minimum of 58 games.

Obviously, still not perfect but makes more sense than the current setup.   

[Roy H.]

Anthony Edwards is no longer eligible for NBA postseason awards after missing the Minnesota Timberwolves' 113-108 loss to the Detroit Pistons due to illness.

Edwards has played in 59 games, though only 58 count for the league's record of games. The Wolves have six games remaining in the season.

So even if he plays the remaining 6 games, gets to 65 games played, he will still be ineligible because one of those games does not count. Presumably because he did not play enough minutes before leaving injured / ejected.

Yeah, one game he played only 3 minutes. Left with injury. Missed next 4 games. Early in the season. 3rd game of the season.

This is ridiculous. Ruling guys eligible or ineligible over 1 game.

What would you propose instead of a bright-line rule?

[Who]

Anthony Edwards is no longer eligible for NBA postseason awards after missing the Minnesota Timberwolves' 113-108 loss to the Detroit Pistons due to illness.

Edwards has played in 59 games, though only 58 count for the league's record of games. The Wolves have six games remaining in the season.

So even if he plays the remaining 6 games, gets to 65 games played, he will still be ineligible because one of those games does not count. Presumably because he did not play enough minutes before leaving injured / ejected.

Yeah, one game he played only 3 minutes. Left with injury. Missed next 4 games. Early in the season. 3rd game of the season.

This is ridiculous. Ruling guys eligible or ineligible over 1 game.

What would you propose instead of a bright-line rule?

I would get rid of the rule and go back to way it was before. It was not perfect but it was working better than this.

Let the voters decide how much to punish / downgrade players for how many games they missed.

If they're not gonna eliminate it entirely, there are some interesting proposals out there that would make some sense to an extent.  Read an interesting one where essentially where there would be scaling depending on the award.  So something like All NBA 1st team would require 65 to be chosen First-Team All-NBA, 60 to be chosen Second-Team All-NBA and 55 to be chosen Third-Team All-NBA.  MVP might be 70 games.

That is a good alternative. At least guys like Cade & Luka & Ant aren't excluded completely. They Cade and Luka just drop to 2nd Team All-NBA instead of 1st and Ant was likely 2nd team anyway.

Punitive but not as punitive.

Not sure I like the MVP at 70 one though.

Another one was aligning it with the stat leader minimum of 58 games.

I am partial to this because I still love the Bill Walton MVP. He deserved it. He was the most dominant player in the league that year. Basketball history would be worse off for Walton not winning that MVP. His style of play & team ethic was beautiful.

l Walton led the Portland Trail Blazers to a dominant 50-10 record before a foot injury sidelined him. With Walton, the team played at a +15.7 net rating; without him, they went
8-14 in the final 22 games

POR were on pace for a 68 win season with Walton.

Without Walton, they were on pace for a 30 win season.

[Vermont Green]

My understanding is that the rule was put in place so that stars would have an incentive to play more games.  Not because the awards were given to unworthy players.  But the evidence is clear that it isn't making any difference on how much stars play.  They play when they are not injured, maybe taking off one of a back to back off here and there.  And there will probably be some games at the end of the season where stars are held out, just like always.  Load management has not changed.

I don't believe there is even 1 MVP or all NBA candidate that is sitting out games just because.  Load management is not a bad thing.  If you don't sit stars here and there, they will be more apt to suffer more serious injuries and miss even more games, completely defeating the purpose of what the rule is trying to accomplish.

I would get rid of the rule altogether and let the voters decide.  If they think player A who played 64 games is more valuable than player B who played 74 games, so be it.  Or if one player averaged only 28 minutes vs. another who averaged 36 minutes, voters can consider this as well.