NBA Season/Playoffs 2025-26

[Who]

Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 Underdog
@big_business_

Devin Vassell said that Dylan Harper was upset about his playing time and certain role with the team during the season:

"I think we all knew he was talented I don't know if anybody knew he was this talented besides himself, he was upset with playing time and different roles n we needed him most he stepped up..."

Dylan Harper should have been upset with his role. I was upset with his role. I couldn't understand his lack of playing time. He was clearly the most talented player on the bench and he was getting only 22mpg.

That was part of the reason I was bemused at Keldon Johnson winning 6MoY because he Keldon was not even the best bench player on his own team. Nevermind the rest of the league.

Dylan Harper would have been an 18-20ppg 5rpg 5apg player on any normal lottery team and most playoff teams. It was crazy to see how little San An were playing him.

[Goldstar88]

Fox had 7 points, 5 assists in 37 minutes yesterday and committed a flagrant foul in the 1st. Went 3-15 shooting. Meanwhile Harper only played 30 minutes. Fox wasn't providing much on defense either. Spurs only have themselves to blame, especially the coach. The Knicks adjusted and played to their strengths and even in some critical moments went with the hot hand and what was working. Mitch Johnson didn't.

Castle was worse with 6pts/5rebs/4ast/3TO on 1-10 shooting. Brunson abused him all game as well. Fox only had 1 turnover. He is a much better ball handler. Spurs should start Fox and Harper. Castle off the bench.

Yeah I acknowledge Castle was bad too. Ultimately though, Harper needed to play more and it seems Fox just got preferential treatment as a whole. Even Barnes couldn't get any minutes. Idk, a veteran like him might have been able to make some plays or steady the ship a bit when the Spurs were constantly blowing leads, at least try it. Spurs were already young and inexperienced going into the series, see if the veteran could help steady things.

Completely agree. It was so obvious but Mitch couldn?t figure it out. This is why they need to fire the coach.

[Celtics2021]

Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 Underdog
@big_business_

Devin Vassell said that Dylan Harper was upset about his playing time and certain role with the team during the season:

"I think we all knew he was talented I don't know if anybody knew he was this talented besides himself, he was upset with playing time and different roles n we needed him most he stepped up..."

Dylan Harper should have been upset with his role. I was upset with his role. I couldn't understand his lack of playing time. He was clearly the most talented player on the bench and he was getting only 22mpg.

That was part of the reason I was bemused at Keldon Johnson winning 6MoY because he Keldon was not even the best bench player on his own team. Nevermind the rest of the league.

Dylan Harper would have been an 18-20ppg 5rpg 5apg player on any normal lottery team and most playoff teams. It was crazy to see how little San An were playing him.

Disagree.  I think San Antonio wanted to avoid Harper hitting the rookie wall since they had eyes on the postseason.  He averaged more minutes in the playoffs than in the regular season, and I think if played 30 per night through the year he would have been drained by the playoffs.  He might be frustrated because he could have showed more in his rookie year, but it was the right move for a team trying to contend with a teenage rookie as a key player (he just turned 20 today).

[Who]

Issue with Fox has always been the jumper. When he's hitting his threes and pullups he's all-nba caliber. When he isn't, you don't want him on the floor because he has tunnel vision, doesn't have gravity and isn't a playmaker. I know people aren't ready to hear this but Harper is essentially the same player. Harper without a consistent jumper is no better than Fox without one. People will quickly learn this should Fox be traded.

I saw this comment on D Fox and I agree with a lot of this.

Dylan Harper and D Fox are similar on the offensive end.

This is part of what was bugging me about their guards throughout the series. None of them are capable jump-shooters. Not capable outside shooters. Not capable midrange shooters. Fox is actually the best midrange shooter of the 3 of them but he gets more inconsistent the further out he goes (long 2s, 3s).

None of D Harper, D Fox or Castle are true pass first playmaking guards. Fox and Harper are both scoring guards. Castle has the most passing instincts of the 3 of them but he is also mistake prone. Similar to Russell Westbrook.

Main advantage of Harper over Fox is defense & rebounding. A bigger guard who can help on the boards and switch onto bigger players comfortably. Fox is a good defender in his own right. Just not as good as Castle or D Harper.

---------------

I thought D Sabonis did a lot to put D Fox in positions to succeed. His high post passing allowed Fox to get the ball on the move without the defense setup against him. Wemby doesn't do this enough. He doesn't help Fox enough. This forces Fox to play more against a set defense instead of a defense that is moving and not loaded up on him.

Wemby needs to do more to help his guards. He has the skill. Just not the desire. He wants to score. He should concentrate more on making his teammates better. He has players around him who can score but he doesn't maximise them because he is too focused on his own scoring.

[Moranis]

Harper is also a rookie and Castle is in his 2nd year.  Acting like they are finished products is super weird.  Heck Wemby is only in his 3rd year.  I mean Jordan didn't even win a playoff series until his 4th year and was 1-9 in the playoffs his first 3 seasons.  Maybe they are the Dolphins with Dan Marino, or maybe they are more like the Jordan Bulls and just have some growing pains. 

[Atzar]

Harper is also a rookie and Castle is in his 2nd year.  Acting like they are finished products is super weird.  Heck Wemby is only in his 3rd year.  I mean Jordan didn't even win a playoff series until his 4th year and was 1-9 in the playoffs his first 3 seasons.  Maybe they are the Dolphins with Dan Marino, or maybe they are more like the Jordan Bulls and just have some growing pains.

Agree with all of this, and it's the story of the series imo.  Young teams don't win chips.

Almost all superstars take several years before they get over the hump.  Those that do break through young do it with the help of an established, experienced costar - Kawhi had Duncan (and wasn't a star yet when he won with the Spurs), Duncan had the Admiral, Kobe and Wade had Shaq. 

SGA's win last year at 26 was about as quick as it typically gets.  Wemby and this Spurs unit claiming the trophy this year would have been arguably the biggest outlier season of all time.  And frankly, unless the Spurs make significant changes to their roster, that will remain the case for the next few years.  They're THAT far ahead of schedule.