***Official 2024-2025 NBA Thread***

[KC_Connection]

Season starts tonight with Knicks and Celtics followed by Lakers and TWolves.

Will history be made early in the 2nd game?

[tyecopeland]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Sure. Looking at a career 20+ year sample makes just about as much sense as looking at a single game or two, so it was a response in kind.

Actually it doesn't. Since the original post only referenced the Lakers being better without lebron. Had nothing to do with the cavs or heat.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

In his career, LeBron James' teams have a 76-123 record (38.2%) in games he's missed.

That's odd, I'm told he's played on nothing but super teams.

— Barry (@BarryOnHere) March 14, 2025

I mean the hell if I intend to go through all those game logs, but the best I can figure, James has been on rosters for 1,766 career games and has played in 1552 so he's missed 214 games.

Our boy Barry seems to be missing 15 games in there.

[DJ's left nut]

Missed 10 games removed from the calendar in the 2nd COVID season. I still think he's missing a couple, but it's awfully close.

79-125 is what I get.

Then again, Steph Curry's teams are 91-151 without him on the floor (.376%). James teams bested that figure without him.

Turns out having really good players that take up really big chunks of your salary cap actually on the floor is kindof a big deal. Wow -- who knew?

[BWillie]

Welp, the Bucks are out and Lilliards career is possibly over.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Man, OKC is so good and a blast to watch. Incredibly deep and play great basketball. No JDub, no Wiggins? No problem.

With them getting significant contributions from guys up and down the roster, it makes me wonder: Is the player identification, player development, or both? UDFAs, 2nd rounders, late firsts. They all play well.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Man, OKC is so good and a blast to watch. Incredibly deep and play great basketball. No JDub, no Wiggins? No problem.

With them getting significant contributions from guys up and down the roster, it makes me wonder: Is the player identification, player development, or both? UDFAs, 2nd rounders, late firsts. They all play well.

I don't know but some of it has to be Mark Daigneault. It is not everyday that a coach is plucked out of the G-League to be a NBA Head Coach.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Man, OKC is so good and a blast to watch. Incredibly deep and play great basketball. No JDub, no Wiggins? No problem.

With them getting significant contributions from guys up and down the roster, it makes me wonder: Is the player identification, player development, or both? UDFAs, 2nd rounders, late firsts. They all play well.

The Clippers made a Hershel Walker trade with them and that helped. A lot. It netted them SGA and Jalen Williams (and more, though they make so many trades, some of that's hard to track).

Then they picked a good year to suck and the lotto balls fell their way to get the 2nd overall pick in a 2 player draft to land Chet.

They've missed plenty. Mann, Jaquez and Jones were pretty much nothingburgers for them. But they just got so damn many picks when Presti blew it up that they just kept swinging and with an average hit rate managed to do pretty well for themselves.

And i think they're pretty well coached. I mean Hartenstein is a nothing of a ballplayer having a great year because he's in a great situation. Jaylin Williams is an efficient player because they use him in a specific role. Wiggins is pretty similar though I could see him being decent with higher volume (just nowhere near this efficient).

Dortz is a JAG but he was a JAG that didn't cost them anything to speak of so that's a good get. Wallace is another nice fit in that they were able to get a nice defensive wing for but he was essentially a lottery pick (swapped with the Mavericks and took him).

They just had so much capital that when you combine that with a superstar that fell in their laps in SGA, they're gonna have a really good team.

[KC_Connection]

I still love the Caruso acquisition for the playoffs in particular. He's one of the more underrated players in the game and he's one of the few (only?) guys on that team with actual playoff experience/success.

[KC_Connection]

“He’s like on a Taylor Swift tour run right now…He couldn’t wait for the video to come out...”

- LeBron on Stephen A. Smith

(Via @PatMcAfeeShow )

pic.twitter.com/Ex7qQD9Vi3

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 26, 2025

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

The Clippers made a Hershel Walker trade with them and that helped. A lot. It netted them SGA and Jalen Williams (and more, though they make so many trades, some of that's hard to track).

Then they picked a good year to suck and the lotto balls fell their way to get the 2nd overall pick in a 2 player draft to land Chet.

They've missed plenty. Mann, Jaquez and Jones were pretty much nothingburgers for them. But they just got so damn many picks when Presti blew it up that they just kept swinging and with an average hit rate managed to do pretty well for themselves.

And i think they're pretty well coached. I mean Hartenstein is a nothing of a ballplayer having a great year because he's in a great situation. Jaylin Williams is an efficient player because they use him in a specific role. Wiggins is pretty similar though I could see him being decent with higher volume (just nowhere near this efficient).

Dortz is a JAG but he was a JAG that didn't cost them anything to speak of so that's a good get. Wallace is another nice fit in that they were able to get a nice defensive wing for but he was essentially a lottery pick (swapped with the Mavericks and took him).

They just had so much capital that when you combine that with a superstar that fell in their laps in SGA, they're gonna have a really good team.

Dort's defense is elite and Wallace's is very good. I think that side of the ball often gets overlooked. Regarding the draft, on draft night, I was THRILLED they took Lively and then disappointed when that pick was moved for Wallace, although he's turned out fine. I also never understood moving Sengun, as I loved him as a draft day pickup as well.

Regarding Chet, that feels like revisionist history. Most folks assumed the Thunder would go with Jabari Smith, as he had been mentioned as the #1 overall pick. Hell, most were shocked the Magic took Banchero over both.

J Dub was an incredible pick, as most folks had little idea who he even was.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

I still love the Caruso acquisition for the playoffs in particular. He's one of the more underrated players in the game and he's one of the few (only?) guys on that team with actual playoff experience/success.

It was a good pickup, but it cost them Giddey, who I suppose they didn't want to pay anyway.

[KC_Connection]

Stephen A Smith says he would’ve swung on LeBron

“If that man would’ve put his hands on me. I would’ve immediately swung on him. Immediately.”

(h/t @gifdsports )

pic.twitter.com/PwMkLrRZYL

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 26, 2025

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

It was a good pickup, but it cost them Giddey, who I suppose they didn't want to pay anyway.

I like Giddey but he absolutely does not fit with the roster. It was a great trade for both teams.

On a bad team Giddey is by far the better player when he is a Top 2 or 3 option. On a good team Caruso is by far a better option to provide his role of great pesky defense, good straight line driving ability, fast breaks and timely 3s.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Stephen A Smith says he would’ve swung on LeBron

“If that man would’ve put his hands on me. I would’ve immediately swung on him. Immediately.”

(h/t @gifdsports )

pic.twitter.com/PwMkLrRZYL

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 26, 2025

As he should. Lebronso is such a baby. Stephen A gets PAID to provide an opinion and James being the bitch he is.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by BWillie

As he should. Lebronso is such a baby. Stephen A gets PAID to provide an opinion and James being the bitch he is.

Wait - what?

Stephen A Smith should've swung at LeBron James?

Dude - self preservation says otherwise. LOUDLY.

I'm obviously no huge James fan but he would literally kill SAS in less than a minute if he felt so inclined. He wouldn't even break a sweat.