***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?

[loochy]

Originally Posted by BWillie

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/...C%20truly%20is.

OKC Thunder surpass Michael Jordan's Bulls with best net-rating in NBA history

So far this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been nothing short of spectacular. Boasting the best defensive rating in the NBA, OKC has led the league in almost every defensive category all season and has solidified themselves as one of the best defensive teams of all time.

Now, after their dominant 137-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans Monday night, Loud City has officially reached the pinnacle of NBA basketball.

When it comes to a team's net-rating, it is the difference between the team's offensive and defensive rating. More specifically, it shows the team's overall efficiency on both ends of the court.

The previous record holder of this statistic (13.4) was none other than Michael Jordan and his 1995-96 Chicago Bulls. This is the same Bulls team that went 72-10, won the NBA title, and is widely regarded as one of, if not the, best team of all time.

And the 2024-25 OKC Thunder just replaced them.

With a current net-rating of 13.5, the Oklahoma City Thunder now have the best recorded net-rating in the history of the National Basketball Association. With teams like the 1996-97 Bulls, 2016-17 Warriors, and 2023-24 Celtics all below them, this measurement goes to show how good OKC truly is.

And of course, all of those mentioned teams went on to win the titles in their respective years. With Loud City having the second-best odds to win the title this year (+230) according to ESPN Bet, history may be on OKC's side when it is all said and done.

and Luka can own them again in the playoffs

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by loochy

and Luka can own them again in the playoffs

Want to know their record with at least Chet or Hartenstein...let alone both?

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by BWillie

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/...C%20truly%20is.

OKC Thunder surpass Michael Jordan's Bulls with best net-rating in NBA history

So far this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been nothing short of spectacular. Boasting the best defensive rating in the NBA, OKC has led the league in almost every defensive category all season and has solidified themselves as one of the best defensive teams of all time.

Now, after their dominant 137-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans Monday night, Loud City has officially reached the pinnacle of NBA basketball.

When it comes to a team's net-rating, it is the difference between the team's offensive and defensive rating. More specifically, it shows the team's overall efficiency on both ends of the court.

The previous record holder of this statistic (13.4) was none other than Michael Jordan and his 1995-96 Chicago Bulls. This is the same Bulls team that went 72-10, won the NBA title, and is widely regarded as one of, if not the, best team of all time.

And the 2024-25 OKC Thunder just replaced them.

With a current net-rating of 13.5, the Oklahoma City Thunder now have the best recorded net-rating in the history of the National Basketball Association. With teams like the 1996-97 Bulls, 2016-17 Warriors, and 2023-24 Celtics all below them, this measurement goes to show how good OKC truly is.

And of course, all of those mentioned teams went on to win the titles in their respective years. With Loud City having the second-best odds to win the title this year (+230) according to ESPN Bet, history may be on OKC's side when it is all said and done.

The NBA's Baltimore Ravens

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

The NBA's Baltimore Ravens

You'll see.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

They're better situated to beat Denver than they were.

I said in the playoffs last season that the biggest sin from Ham was that he subjected this team to Denver in the 1st round.

Both teams were built from the middle out, Denver was just built in that fashion but better. The Lakers had no chance to beat that team because Denver did the same thing LAL did but they had more talent doing it.

I said the Nuggest were gettable (turned out they were) but they had to be beaten by a team that did something DIFFERENT than they did and executed that thing at a higher level over a 7 game series. Because nobody is going to go play Denver and beat them at their own game while they have Jokic.

This team can go be a team that does something different, executes that thing, and beats Denver.

Now can they beat Oklahoma City? That's a different animal entirely.

But yeah, I think this team can absolutely being Denver now because they're not trying to beat them doing the same thing Denver excels at.

Who is going to guard Jokic for the Lakers? They got swept in '23 and lost 4-1 last year with AD.

I am the opposite of you, I think they a low chance to win against Denver but can and probably will beat OKC.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Who is going to guard Jokic for the Lakers? They got swept in '23 and lost 4-1 last year with AD.

I am the opposite of you, I think they a low chance to win against Denver but can and probably will beat OKC.

They're going to just try to deny the entry pass with improved perimeter defense. I mean Reaves ain't a lock-down guy out there (though he HAS improved), but the bar was D-Lo. Merely having DFS out there along with the length of Rui, Lebron and Luka will be more effective than them trying to body Jokic up down low.

They were never going to shut down Jokic. They didn't get it done with Davis, they weren't going to get it done with Williams either.

The idea isn't to beat him on the defensive side of the ball -- it's to wear him out on the offensive side of the ball and simply to pressure the guys bringing the ball up in such a way that prevents him from handling the entire game.

Bottom line is that Jokic is getting 30-12-10 whether you want him to or not. He got it against KAT in the playoffs last season. He did BETTER than that against Davis. He's going to get his.

So you try something else. If he can manage 40-15-15 for a series, you lose.

But I don't think he will. I think he'll do the same thing against LAL that he was doing when we HAD Davis. But now we may just have the passing and perimeter shooting to answer back.

[KC_Connection]

Free agent 7-footer Alex Len will sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, agent Mike Lelchitski tells ESPN. Len intended to sign with the Pacers but has decided to land in LA after the Lakers rescinded the Mark Williams trade and created new opportunity. pic.twitter.com/pjqV5HaK4n

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 11, 2025

Boom, there's your Jokic stopper.

https://www.landofbasketball.com/gam...oogle_vignette

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Free agent 7-footer Alex Len will sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, agent Mike Lelchitski tells ESPN. Len intended to sign with the Pacers but has decided to land in LA after the Lakers rescinded the Mark Williams trade and created new opportunity. pic.twitter.com/pjqV5HaK4n

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 11, 2025

Boom, there's your Jokic stopper.

https://www.landofbasketball.com/gam...oogle_vignette

As soon as the deal with him and Indy was "put on hold" you knew where he was headed...

I still think they'll try to go small to go around Jokic rather than through him, but we'll see.

I think folks forget that the 'small ball' Lakers are pretty goddamn big.

James: 6'9"
Luka: 6'7"
Rui: 6'8"
DFS: 6'7"
Reaves: 6'5"

That's just a LOT of length in the passing lanes. No, there's not some massive 7 footer in the middle in that lineup but that's not the goal with that defensive alignment. They're just looking to get in the way of things when they do that.

And now if they WANT to go big, they have that 7 footer in Len. Hayes is a 7 footer (though I think he's more like 6'11" with a bit more wingspan than that). Even Vanderbilt is 6'8" and Knecht 6'6".

If you look at a 10 man rotation they have ONE guy who's shorter than 6'5" in Gabe Vincent at 6'2".

It's a BIG team. But it doesn't have to be. They have a lot of versatility they can use.

They're far better situated to take on Denver now than they have been in the past.

[DJ's left nut]

I wonder if they still have room under the 2nd apron to convert Jordan Goodwin's deal into a full-time contract to potentially have him available in the playoffs to absorb some of the perimeter defense responsibilities off the bench that they lost with Christie.

Goodwin ain't as good as he's been, but he's a tenacious defender with pretty quick hands from what I've seen. That's not the worst use of their remaining space.

They waived Wood to make room for Len (so Wood must be cooked at this point) but they could probably waive Markieff Morris or even Cam Reddish if they wanted to clear the roster spot to convert Goodwin. And he'd be far more likely to give them viable rotation minutes than either of those guys.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Free agent 7-footer Alex Len will sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, agent Mike Lelchitski tells ESPN. Len intended to sign with the Pacers but has decided to land in LA after the Lakers rescinded the Mark Williams trade and created new opportunity. pic.twitter.com/pjqV5HaK4n

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 11, 2025

Boom, there's your Jokic stopper.

https://www.landofbasketball.com/gam...oogle_vignette

Hahahhaah

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Hahahhaah

I mean...how many centers does a team in the West even need to worry about?

Jokic
Wemby
Davis

Who else is there? I mean Sabonis is good but he ain't gonna make the post-season in all probability (if he does, it may come at the expense of Dallas and Davis).

Am I supposed to lose sleep over Sengun? Gobert?

And if LA gets to the finals, Adebayo won't be there with Miami. So that leaves KAT with the Knicks.

{shrug}

It's just not something we need to worry a great deal about. There was one guy likely to be a problem in Jokic and he was a problem BEFORE we moved Davis.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I mean...how many centers does a team in the West even need to worry about?

Jokic
Wemby
Davis

Who else is there? I mean Sabonis is good but he ain't gonna make the post-season in all probability (if he does, it may come at the expense of Dallas and Davis).

Am I supposed to lose sleep over Sengun? Gobert?

And if LA gets to the finals, Adebayo won't be there with Miami. So that leaves KAT with the Knicks.

{shrug}

It's just not something we need to worry a great deal about. There was one guy likely to be a problem in Jokic and he was a problem BEFORE we moved Davis.

If you wanna bet me that the Lakers will win the Western Conference Finals, I mean I guess Ill take your money. Let me know.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by BWillie

If you wanna bet me that the Lakers will win the Western Conference Finals, I mean I guess Ill take your money. Let me know.

I already said I don't think they're the favorite to come out of the west and that I think that OKC is. And that was before the Williams trade fell through (which would've made them better this year).

I'm simply saying it's possible. And that the lack of a true dominant defensive center isn't ultimately what will make the difference either way.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I already said I don't think they're the favorite to come out of the west and that I think that OKC is. And that was before the Williams trade fell through (which would've made them better this year).

I'm simply saying it's possible. And that the lack of a true dominant defensive center isn't ultimately what will make the difference either way.

Agree 100%.

It will take Luka having his best playoff perfomance ever, but it's possible.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by staylor26

Agree 100%.

It will take Luka having his best playoff perfomance ever, but it's possible.

Will it?

Honestly, I think it's just gonna come down to OKC being a little fools gold.

If they're as good as their metrics say they are, LA can't beat them even if Luka has his best series. If they're aren't, I'm not sure Luka has to be any better than his historical averages in the post-season to beat them.

But I'm obviously biased. I thought LAL had the talent to be the 4 seed LAST season and got Darvin'd into the play-in. I've liked a lot of the guys on this roster for longer than many.

I just don't think this Lakers team was ever as mediocre as they looked last season at least when they were healthy. And right now they're pretty damn healthy.