2025 NBA Finals Ruminations (Game 3)

Everybody's been talking about how it isn't a good idea for the Pacers to allow the Thunder to build up a big lead early in the game.  But it also isn't wise to be down by anything close to 10 points in the fourth quarter against Indiana at home, complete with a confident Tyrese Haliburton.  You're not likely to overcome those odds.

Chet Holmgren once again showed why he's perhaps the most-unique player in this series, and the Pacers' interior defense, like most teams in the league these days, sucks.  But also like most teams these days, the Thunder play like they don't know how to capitalize on a size advantage.

That said, if the Pacers themselves play a more versatile game, i.e. using their bigs in the post more during Game 4, they may be able to deliver a knockout punch.  They've re-established control of the series, but honestly it still kinda difficult to declare them forthrightly as the better team.

One thing I say about the NBA is that, in theory, any team can beat any other team.  "You have to be in it to win it", as the saying goes, and you know, you can't actually beat Lebron unless you first on the right of being on the court with him.  The way the Pacers have been winning this offseason, now facing their third opponent in a row who is, all things considered, superior, kinda gives the impression that their winning was meant to be.

SHOUTOUT TO T.J. MCCONNELL

Besides for Haliburton, Turner, Siakim and Toppin (and to a lesser degree Thomas Bryant), the only other Pacer I'm sorta familiar with is T.J. McConnell.  And again, an overachiever.

The biggest fantasy of any basketball nobody, even those of us reading this blog, is to one day make an impact in a big, championship-level game.  You can't really ask for more as a C-lister.  And at the end of the day, that may be the one biggest advantage Indy has over OKC.  Their role players like really-really step up.  There are stretches when Indiana's big three aren't really doing shit, but the team is being carried by someone you like never heard of.  And that includes Obi Toppin.  The only reason I really know who he is because he used to play for the Knicks.  Meanwhile, OKC's role players also step up from time to time, but they don't like takeover games.

Meanwhile, you have dudes like Mathurin, like whodafuk is that nigga?!  Dude's first name is deadass "Benedict".  And then, remember that time Neismith dunked on Mitchell?  I don't like using the term 'catching a body' in reference to someone getting dunked on, but Neismith deadass bodied Donovan Mitchell during Round 2.  When you look at Neismith and Mathurin, they have like average NBA player height, build and color.  But again, overachievers.

All things considered, it's hard to make suggestions on how OKC can right their ship, if such is actually necessary.  Again, Indy winning a couple of games doesn't instantly make them the better team.  Me being the type of analyst I am, I would say that the Thunder need to focus more on their height advantage.  But again, teams don't even know how to do that these days.

I BELIEVE IN 'THE GREAT WHITE HOPE'

As a longtime fan of the NBA, I know that No. 1 draft busts are a lot more common than outsiders may think.  So I understand, all things considered, how there's a significant amount of skepticism surrounding Cooper Flagg.  I would like to think, in part due to this blog, that the days of blind dickridin are over, or at least they may be as far as draftees are concerned.

But I believe Flagg is going to make an immediate impact and may thrust the Mavericks back into contender status.  The reasons I believe so is because:

#1 - The NBA powers-that-be more or less gave him to the Mavericks.  The way I see it, Cooper was too popular to let him go to some middling organization.  You know, live and learn.  I think the NBA now understands that a popular draftee who is chosen by a poor organization may result in irreparable damage to that player's standing, and that's not good for business.  All because Flagg is good doesn't mean he'll prove to be a franchise player like out of the gate.  He doesn't come off as being a Shaq or a Duncan, but he reads like exactly the type of player this roster needs, even more than a PG.

Most No.1 picks come into the league with a significant amount of pressure.  Remember how Cade Cunningham was expected, at least by fans, to instantly turn the Pistons around.  That's not the case with Flagg.  From the jump, he's going to be protected by AD, arguably the second-best C in the league, besides being backed by future HOFer Klay Thompson and a Dallas roster overall that's above average.  If they suck this season or otherwise disappoint (which I doubt, since they have favoritism from the NBA), there's bigger names of the list to serve as scapegoat than Cooper.

# 2 - He's White.  In fact, having now followed the NBA for 30+ years, I can't remember even once that a White American player was a consensus No.1 pick.  Off the top of my head, I can't even recall a White American player being a lottery pick.  So again, the league wasn't about to let this one go to waste, you know, being drafted by the Wizards or some other organization that doesn't excel at player development.  And also, if he were drafted onto the Pelicans or some shit, you know, do they even have any nationally-televised games scheduled for next season?

# 3 - Cooper Flagg is classified as a wing, but he has the size of a PF, and the way things are sounding is that Dallas intends to use him as a big.  I would say it's a lot easier to excel in the frontcourt than the backcourt, so long as you can rebound and shoot, both of which he's apparently exceptional at.

2025 NBA Finals Ruminations (Game 1)

FUK IS CHET?

While watching the highlights from Game 1, the thing that kept playing in my mind is 'where is Chet Homlgren?'  Like why aren't the Thunder going to him more?  They de-factored him, basically.

Either Indiana outsmarted OKC, or OKC outsmarted themselves. They got sucked into sort of a fast-paced, athletic game.  The Thunder can run with the best, but still, downsizing their strategy to match the Pacers' speed wasn't particularly smart, almost like they forgot what got them here in the first place.  Holmgren may be hell of a basketball player, but he isn't necessarily fast and athletic.  The Pacers' win wasn't overly convincing, in terms of them proving that they're actually a better team, but they did win the mind game.

To my knowledge, Isaiah Hartenstein has been starting throughout the entire Playoffs.  So why now all of a sudden they decide to bring him off the bench?  Are the Pacers truly that intimidating, that you have to change what works, and then still lose?  At least lose a game with the proven starting lineup before making changes.

THE SIZE FACTOR?

The one clear advantage OKC has over Indiana, all things considered, is their size.  The Pacers aren't exactly small themselves, but since Myles Turner doesn't play like a traditional C, nor Obi Toppin like a standard big, still there's a size advantage.

It may be debatable how much size is truly advantageous against a team that not only favors the three but also tends to make them.  But again, let the Pacers actually beat the bigs before concluding that the starting lineup needs to change.  Now, if OKC does roll out the starting bigs in Game 2 and lose again, oh my goodness, confidence shaken.

The thing about the Pacers is that there's so many guys you have to keep your eye on.  You have these long stretches where like Tyrese Haliburton doesn't really seem to do shit.  Sometimes, it looks like he's even hiding. like 'please don't pass me the ball'.  But when they need him most, he shows out and succeeds.  If Indiana also wins Game 2, you know, on some last-second play type shit, the "miracle" implications are going to reach a whole new level.

SHOUTOUT TO OBI TOPPIN

Of all the players in this series, the one I would like see win a championship most is Obi Toppin, not saying I necessarily want Indy to win, but still.  He was one of the first players, upon the Knicks recently going into GM Lebron mode, who ended up being devalued and eventually 'traded to the Pacers for two future second-round picks', despite being a NY fan favorite.  Damn, the disrespect.

SHOUTOUT TO PASCAL SIAKIM

Pascal Siakim isn't necessarily what you would call a superstar.  Like he seemed, after a hot start, to sorta fade away as Game 1 wore on.  But that hot start was exactly what the Pacers needed, like 'yeah, it is possible to beat OKC in the Finals on their homecourt'.

Pascal is aging, but he's always been more or less a supporting star anyway.  And that's the thing about Indiana, like their entire roster is made up of (overachieving) supporting players.  Even Haliburton, you know, he may be "Steph of the East", but he isn't like a deadass Steph, like he hasn't reached (prime) Curry's level of consistency yet, if ever.

These guys all like compliment each other well.  The mark of a good team isn't when all players are perfect but rather when they mitigate each other's deficiencies.  OKC is also like that, to some degree, but they need to stick to the gameplan, win or lose, that got them here.

NBA Reflections (2023 November 6)

I haven't been following the NBA super-hard for these first couple of weeks, sorta besides the Warriors and the Spurs.  So there are still a number of teams I haven't seen play yet.  But I do have a few observations I wanted to share, albeit nothing, as for now, that probably hasn't been stated in one way or another before:

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

As long as they're around as a tangent, Steve Kerr is going to start the Splash Bros. + Draymond, a decision which, all things considered, I've come to respect.

Green may not be as agile as days past, but he still has a defensive presence.  Meanwhile, Steph has never been a stopper.  And whereas I do sorta remember a time when Klay was applauded for his defense, that time definitely isn't now, the way Donovan Mitchell recently ran roughshod over him.  In other words, the Splash Bros. can be considered akin to defensive liabilities.  But in most cases, they're able to counteract that reality with their historically-unparalleled offensive output.

That said, if those three are going to start no matter what, then Kerr should perhaps be considering adjustments elsewhere, lest the Dubs have serious problems with younger teams that actually have their shit together (i.e. the Thunder).  I'm a strong advocate of experimenting with starting Jonathan Kuminga over Andrew Wiggins.

Neither, to my knowledge, are known for their defense.  But I can envision Wiggins making more of an impact coming off the bench than as a starter at this point.  And maybe having the lanky Kuminga start over him will make their starting five more intimidating defensively, kinda like how Victor Wembanyama is able to intimidate offensive players solely with his length.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

Speaking of Wembanyama, anyone who's been reading this blog knows that I'm a strong advocate of the traditional strategy of the biggest guy on the team playing in the post.  But one of the issues in that regard with Victor is that even though he's hella tall, he really isn't that big.  Also, his current skillset is more akin to a 2 than a 4 or 5.

I don't know if Tim Duncan is still lingering around, but what Wembanyama really needs is someone of a similar stature to himself, like Duncan or Olajuwon, to teach him post moves.  If he learns how to play with his back against the basket, it's hard to imagine any defender in the NBA getting up high enough to block his shot attempts.

That said, the Spurs almost recently beat the Raptors, which would have been an impressive win, even if in San Antonio.  But ultimately, their lack of depth showed.

BOSTON CELTICS

I have to give it to the Celtics that they've started off a lot better than I thought they would be.  From what I've seen, Jrue Holiday is not playing a traditional PG role.  But he's so good of an all-around player that he's had the desired effect nonetheless.  And I have to tip my hat because the way I've seen him exploiting defenders all around the court has caught me by surprise.  Like he may actually be Boston's best post player.

I also have to give it up to Kristaps Porzingis.  There are certain teams in the NBA (Jazz, Mavericks and esp. the Celtics) who I believe are more conducive to the development of White players than others.  And it may just be all in my head, but Kristaps now looks happier than I've ever seen him in his entire NBA career.

He's no longer burdened by high expectations - as he was in New York and, to a lesser extent, in Dallas - because there are at least two or three other guys in Boston who are generally considered to be better than he is..  Also, for the first time ever, he's on a contender.  So here's to hoping that his health keeps up, and maybe I'll no longer look like a fool for once predicting that he may one day be better than Lebron.

NEW YORK KNICKS

The success of last season was sort of a fluke - for lack of a better way of putting it - for the Knicks.  With that in mind, you have to wonder why they traded Obi Toppin (for a couple of second round picks?!).  He wasn't putting up major numbers but was visibly a key cog in the team's unexpected success.  Oh, the fukin Knicks.

Meanwhile, Jalen Brunson is still averaging 24ppg but obviously isn't a number-one option.  Even back when he was overachieving in Dallas, still everyone knew that the true alphadog was Luka, even if he was injured.  So it wasn't necessarily like the onus was on Brunson, sorta like it is now.

Julius Randle, when in his stride, is the most-impactful player on this team.  But it's now becoming increasingly evident that he too isn't an alpha per se, at least not on a night-in, night-out basis.

So what the Knicks need now is an exceptional strategy.  This team is still relatively, even if not intimidatingly, deep.  And Thibs running dudes into the ground or whatever isn't going to solve the problem.