NBA 2025 notes, news, plays

kane

kane

EOG master
I played two futures so far and both were off market prices, a couple of months ago one of my outs put out the Nuggets to win the Chip +1250 and the Hawks +5700. The Hawks was more of a flyer, they should be good enough to make the postseason, and with the East being as wide open as it is who knows. The Nuggets bet is the one I really like, I liked the moves they made in the offseason. They picked up Jonas Valanciunas to back up Jokic, a solid veteran who should be able to provide good minutes when Jokic is off the floor, They traded MPJ for Cam Johnson, Johnson is a good defender and can shoot the three ball, and playing with Jokic he'll get more open looks due to Jokic's passing ability which might be the best in the league. The Nuggets saved a lot of money with the swap that helped them sign Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway, Brown was with them the year they won the Chip, he was well liked and a good locker room guy, a solid bench player, and Hardaway gives them three point shooting off the bench. Last year's weakness was their bench, Valanciunas, Brown, and Hardaway take care of that. OKC is the clear preseason number 1 team in the West, but I can make the case Denver is 2nd, they're certainly right there with anyone, and regardless of who the play in the playoffs they'll always have the best player in the series. Let's see how a young OKC team handles winning a title, now they'll have a target on their back and will get everyone's best game. The Hawks play was just taking a flyer on a bad number, but I was planning on taking the Nuggets anyway, and getting the nice price I got just made the play all the better.

I don't know what their SL will look like, but if I had to guess
Jokic
Johnson
Gordon
Murray
Braun

Coming off the bench
Valanciunas
Brown
Hardaway
Strawther
Watson

I think this is a dangerous team and a legit threat to OKC in the West.
 
Eddie Walls is one of the most knowledgeable guys around when in come to the NBA, he gave out two win totals that I tailed.
LA Lakers Under 49.5
Pistons Over 45.5
 
kane said:
Eddie Walls is one of the most knowledgeable guys around when in come to the NBA, he gave out two win totals that I tailed.
LA Lakers Under 49.5
Pistons Over 45.5
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T-Wolves Under 50.5
Grizzlies Under 40.5
Mavs Over 40.5
 
LeBron James is expected to miss the first 3-4 weeks of the season with Sciatica. As someone who's dealt with this a couple of times let me tell you it's not fun, the most pain I've ever been in, and given his age and wear and tear on his body over a 20 year career, this might be something that hinders him all season
 
homedog said:
They will likely play better without him.
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Probably true as far as ball movement. Unfortunately you're going to get some bad shot selections from Luka who thinks he has to do everything.

Let's not forget, there's still a James in play 😁
 
kane said:
I played two futures so far and both were off market prices, a couple of months ago one of my outs put out the Nuggets to win the Chip +1250 and the Hawks +5700. The Hawks was more of a flyer, they should be good enough to make the postseason, and with the East being as wide open as it is who knows. The Nuggets bet is the one I really like, I liked the moves they made in the offseason. They picked up Jonas Valanciunas to back up Jokic, a solid veteran who should be able to provide good minutes when Jokic is off the floor, They traded MPJ for Cam Johnson, Johnson is a good defender and can shoot the three ball, and playing with Jokic he'll get more open looks due to Jokic's passing ability which might be the best in the league. The Nuggets saved a lot of money with the swap that helped them sign Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway, Brown was with them the year they won the Chip, he was well liked and a good locker room guy, a solid bench player, and Hardaway gives them three point shooting off the bench. Last year's weakness was their bench, Valanciunas, Brown, and Hardaway take care of that. OKC is the clear preseason number 1 team in the West, but I can make the case Denver is 2nd, they're certainly right there with anyone, and regardless of who the play in the playoffs they'll always have the best player in the series. Let's see how a young OKC team handles winning a title, now they'll have a target on their back and will get everyone's best game. The Hawks play was just taking a flyer on a bad number, but I was planning on taking the Nuggets anyway, and getting the nice price I got just made the play all the better.

I don't know what their SL will look like, but if I had to guess
Jokic
Johnson
Gordon
Murray
Braun

Coming off the bench
Valanciunas
Brown
Hardaway
Strawther
Watson

I think this is a dangerous team and a legit threat to OKC in the West.
Click to expand...
Obviously love the Nuggets play here and as a "homer" I’m pumped. Adding a legit starting center like Valanciunas as a backup is massive. The Nuggets have always been elite with Joker on the floor but struggled hard without him. Their biggest issue was having to switch up their entire style when he sat. Val fixes that. He’s not Joker (nobody is) but he can pass, hit threes, and do a lot of the same things, just not as well. Now they don’t have to flip the whole offense when Jokic rests and that smoother transition is huge.Your starting lineup is spot on, just swapping MPJ for Cam Johnson. I wouldn’t call Cam a straight upgrade but he’s smarter on the court. MPJ could look lost sometimes and you could tell the team got frustrated with him, body language gave it away. Cam as the third, fourth, or even fifth option will get wide open threes thanks to Joker's playmaking and hit them at a similar clip to MPJ. He’s way more solid defensively, though he’s not quite the rebounder MPJ was. It’s at least an even trade, which is big.The bench is where I'm stoked. With the MPJ trade saving money, they added Valanciunas, Bruce Brown, and Hardaway. You didn’t mention Jalen Pickett, DaRon Holmes or Zeke Nnaji but I think they’ll get real minutes in the regular season. Pickett’s the only true point guard, which matters on nights Jokic or Valanciunas sit, even if the second unit runs through Valanciunas. Holmes and Zeke Nnaji will be solid too. Zeke was stuck playing center the last few years which was a terrible fit but now he can slide back to his natural spot as a dunker like Aaron Gordon. This roster feels stacked. I’m not sold on Hardaway getting minutes he feels more like a glue guy keeping the bench tight. I could see them trading some of these bench pieces later in the season. Gordon says he's in peak form believing he's the most well rounded and best basketball player he's ever been at this point in his career. Jamal came into camp the same weight but with much more muscle and a lot less fat. It feels like these guys have been in the league forever but don't forget Jokers the only one who's even turned 30. As a homer, I’m hyped, and I love, love, love Adelman over Malone. This team’s got serious potential to win it all. I mean they took OKC to 7 games with a bare bones roster compared to the loaded one they have now.
 
kane said:
MVP Jokic +325
DPOY AD +1500
DPOY Mobley +1800
ROY Tre Johnson +750
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I just don't see a scenario where Joker wins MVP this year. He won't need to do as much as in past seasons more than likely playing fewer minutes. Not having to carry the team will impact his stats. He'll still be very efficient, but I don't think his numbers will be gaudy enough for MVP not to mention voter fatigue. I think Jamal Murray is the one to watch. He's coming into this season with a real chip on his shoulder. Not sure if it was tension with Malone or frustration over the Westbrook signing, but something was off with his attitude last year. I can see him earning his first AllStar appearance this season.
 
NowshesmyRuca said:
I just don't see a scenario where Joker wins MVP this year.
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I don't think they'll give it to SGA again, although it's not like no one has ever won it consecutive years, and other than Jokic the top candidates are Doncic, Giannis and Wemby, everyone else is more of a long shot, I don't think the Lakers, Bucks, and Spurs will win enough games. Denver could end up the second seed in the West, and Jokic should put up Jokic type numbers, even if he plays fewer minutes, his numbers across the board will be there. Anthony Edwards might be worth a look, but Jokic is the best player in the league playing on a team that should win 50 + games,
 
Good luck this season, kane. Will start an NBA thread of my own when the season starts. Hopefully another good one for both of us.
 
Give Kevin Durant agent credit, not too many 37 year olds get a two year extension for 90m in NBA.

However, he's a good fit to mentor some of the young Rockets.
 
The Rockets lineup will be interesting to watch early with 6'11" going across four positions....

Although athletic, let's see how they match up when opponents go small...
 
Heim said:
The Rockets lineup will be interesting to watch early with 6'11" going across four positions....

Although athletic, let's see how they match up when opponents go small...
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They're the tallest team in the league. The Warriors are the shortest
 
I had the Blazers circled tomorrow as a potential banger, Warriors coming off the Laker win opening night, play the Nuggets tonight, great spot to fade them, but now with the Billups news I don't know how it will affect the team
 
Heim said:
Well....so much for the Gabe Vincent starting experiment.

Redick already re-thinking lineup.
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There have been numerous non drafted no name players the Heat have found and developed through the years, and every time one of them leaves for a bigger contract they're never the same player they were in Miami, Vincent being the latest example
 
The things Wemby can do on the court have me in awe, a player of his height shouldn't be able to do the things he can do, he truly is a Unicorn
 
Let the record show this occurred when he played in Charlotte and has nothing to do with the Heat
 
Rozier is that he told a person named Deniro Laster that he would take himself out of the first quarter of a March 2023 Hornets game with an injury so that Laster could bet on it.. Rozier removed himself,
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la cosa Nostra Basketball Association ...
 
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