NBA Thread

[Demo]

Just now, jermhoosierfan said:

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/46928742/sources-mavericks-expected-fire-general-manager-nico-harrison

Where do we begin?  He trades his best player when he is just entering his prime.  He doesn't just trade him, but he didn't even offer him around to get the best deal that he could.  He gets an aging AD and some other player with a pick, and he says that Luka is out of shape and doesn't play defense.  Luka gets into shape over the off season, and he has the Lakers at 8-3 while the Mavericks at the bottom of the Western Conference and lucked out to get Flagg.  He pretty much deserved this.

There aren’t many better examples of a guy believing he’s the smartest guy in the room than this deal. But I’ll never get over that ownership signed off on trading a 26yo top 5 player in the world because they thought he was too fat for a supermax. Don’t care if the dude was eating BBQ during time outs, you just don’t.

[jermhoosierfan]

1 minute ago, Demo said:

There aren’t many better examples of a guy believing he’s the smartest guy in the room than this deal. But I’ll never get over that ownership signed off on trading a 26yo top 5 player in the world because they thought he was too fat for a supermax. Don’t care if the dude was eating BBQ during time outs, you just don’t.

They peeved him off and got in shape, and he is now averaging about 40 points a game!!  Cuban is now a minority owner in the team and was basically telling them they were stupid to trade him.  I want Luka to rub their faces in it all year, but that does mean the Lakers will be good. I can live with that for a little bit to embarrass them even more.

[HinnyHoosier]

So, at the current rate, the Pacers will be battling it out for a top lottery pick in the '26 draft. Top 3 on the board are Peterson, Dybantsa, and Boozer. I haven't put eyes on any of these guys yet; at this point I can only go on what I've read. Thoughts?

Edit: Youtube and Disney reached a deal just now and my ESPN has magically returned. Maybe I'll get to see a small sample of Boozer before Duke-ISU heads into full garbage time.

[Demo]

Love Isiah as much as any IU fan but, man, he is just straight bittered up and wrong here. And pretty sure RMK agreed with me.

[jermhoosierfan]

20 minutes ago, Demo said:

Love Isiah as much as any IU fan but, man, he is just straight bittered up and wrong here. And pretty sure RMK agreed with me.

There is a reason why MJ didn't want Isiah on the Dream Team.  They didn't like each other much after those Detroit and Chicago matchups in the late 80's.

[Demo]

5 minutes ago, jermhoosierfan said:

There is a reason why MJ didn't want Isiah on the Dream Team.  They didn't like each other much after those Detroit and Chicago matchups in the late 80's.

He also orchestrated freezing out Jordan during MJ’s 1st All-Star game. That thing was such a shame because those guys would have been awesome complimentary pieces.

[Demo]

OKC now 26-5

vs SA  0-3 with two bad double digit losses

vs rest of the League  26-2 

[OliviaPope40]

On 12/19/2025 at 11:53 AM, Demo said:

Love Isiah as much as any IU fan but, man, he is just straight bittered up and wrong here. And pretty sure RMK agreed with me.

The Last Dance is so good you could tell when they interviewed Isiah he was still bitter.

[Demo]

This is a pretty damned interesting question. Jokic is becoming a Rorschach test for how someone sees the game. How do you rate the greatest offensive center ever who’s  an above average rebounder and at best an average defender?

[jermhoosierfan]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/47454834/nuggets-nikola-jokic-miss-4-weeks-hyperextended-knee

The Nuggets feel a lot better.  Their season would be over if it was worse as he makes that team go.

[Demo]

Hate to sound old as hell, but I straight up don’t know what a travel is in the NBA now. That gather step has metastasized into a monster. It’s so gross.

[Hovadipo]

24 minutes ago, Demo said:

Hate to sound old as hell, but I straight up don’t know what a travel is in the NBA now. That gather step has metastasized into a monster. It’s so gross.

You'll have people sit there with a straight face and tell you this is all legal. I've seen better footwork on my 7 year old's city league squad.

[Pagoda]

27 minutes ago, Demo said:

Hate to sound old as hell, but I straight up don’t know what a travel is in the NBA now. That gather step has metastasized into a monster. It’s so gross.

I can’t resist piling on.

I can’t stand the gather.  This isn’t how basketball is supposed to be played.  When a player moves they’re supposed to be dribbling and it’s a skill and an art.

I think it was Ben at Thinking Basketball that made the point the gather has made NBA ball more horizontal vs. vertical.  All these extra steps keep the player on the floor (usually for a layup) vs elevating over defenders.  It makes the game look quite a bit different.

I like dribbling and bball being played vertically — this is the stuff that makes the game look amazing and best showcases the players.

I dunno, I don’t get the gather at all.

[TheWatShot]

9 minutes ago, Pagoda said:

I dunno, I don’t get the gather at all.

The gather is an excuse to travel. Kids have embraced it because they want to score, and an extra step makes it easier. 

[LIHoosier]

Paul George has been suspended 25 games for violating the NBA Drug Policy

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/47787888/76ers-george-banned-25-games-violating-nba-anti-drug-rules