Category: NBA

Another Knick turns 30 this week! Days after Mikal Bridges reached the milestone, Captain Jalen Brunson celebrates his birthday today.

Born August 31, 1996, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the Knicks captain hits the 30-year mark about 11 weeks after delivering New York its first NBA championship since 1973 and earning Finals MVP. Brunson capped the series with 45 points in the championship-clinching Game Five against the Spurs, a Knicks Finals record. Not a bad year so far, all things considered.

Brunson spent much of his childhood in southern New Jersey, including Cherry Hill, but his father’s basketball career kept the family moving. Rick Brunson played nine NBA seasons before transitioning to coaching, and the family eventually settled in the Chicago area, where Jalen attended Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois. His mother, Sandra, played volleyball at Temple, where she and Rick were both student-athletes.

At Stevenson, Jalen won a state championship and Illinois Mr. Basketball honors. At Villanova, he won national championships in 2016 and 2018, then became the consensus National Player of the Year as a junior. Dallas selected him with the 33rd pick in the 2018 draft, making him the last of four Villanova teammates called—a fact most definitely not lost on the uber-competitive Jalen. Over his first four seasons, he developed from a reserve into a central figure on the Mavs team that reached the 2022 Western Conference Finals.

That summer, Jalen inked a four-year, $104 million contract with the Knickerbockers. The deal drew skepticism at the time, but Brunson quickly became the lead guard New York had spent decades seeking. He has since earned multiple All-Star and All-NBA selections, won the 2025 NBA Cup and its MVP award, and led the Knicks to the 2026 championship. On August 6, 2024, he became the 36th captain in franchise history.

Before Jalen arrived, the Knicks had made the playoffs once in the previous nine seasons. Four years later, they were champions. Rick had played for the 1998–99 Knicks, the franchise’s previous Finals team, and Jalen completed the circle by leading the orange-and-blue past the Spurs, the same team that defeated Rick’s Knicks.

The connections that brought Brunson to New York ran deep. Knicks president Leon Rose began his career as Rick’s agent and later represented Jalen. Tom Thibodeau had known Brunson since childhood through Rick’s NBA and coaching career, then hired Rick as an assistant in June 2022.

And the personal connections continue: the front office not only traded for Jalen’s BFF and Villanova teammate, Josh Hart, but also surrounded him with former teammates Bridges, Donte DiVincenzo, and Ryan Arcidiacono. Sometimes it seemed like Leon’s long game was less about Jalen and more about luring Jay Wright to the NBA.

Brunson practices his trade with strength, footwork, and deception. The 6-foot-2 left-hander changes pace, backs down larger defenders, pivots through traffic, and uses his body to create space. He absorbs contact, is a league leader in drawing charges, and is unafraid of smashing his way through much taller trees (especially French ones) or taking the game-winning shot as the clock expires. The steel in his veins and his big-shot chutzpah helped make Captain Clutch the King of New York.

At 30, the mileage from that contact-heavy style will be worth monitoring, and coach Mike Brown may increasingly look for ways to preserve his champion. The injuries start to pile up as the seasons tick by: Jalen has suffered numerous ankle sprains, fractured his left hand during the 2024 playoffs, and played through a left wrist injury during the 2026 championship run before undergoing surgery in July. But his unparalleled craft should age better than a game dependent primarily on vertical explosiveness.

His 2024 extension includes a player option for 2028–29, allowing him to negotiate another contract before his 32nd birthday. By signing early rather than waiting for free agency, Jalen gave the Knicks the financial flexibility to build a championship-caliber roster around him. Reports estimated that decision left hay bales of money on the table, but he has trusted the organization to take care of him in time.

So happy 30th birthday to a man destined for the rafters of MSG and the halls of Springfield. If there is a birthday cake involved, I hear he likes the marble cheesecake at Veniero’s Pasticceria in the East Village.

Go Knicks.

The Spurs may still be a few weeks from training camp, but Julian Champagnie is already representing the team. This Saturday, September 5, the Spurs three-point assassin hosts a meet and greet at Physicians Premier Emergency Room at the corner of Potranco and Grosenbacher on San Antonio’s westside.

See the Facebook post:

Physicians Premier Emergency Room

“JULIAN CHAMPAGNIE IS BACK AT PHYSICIANS PREMIER POTRANCO!

We’re excited to welcome back San Antonio Spurs superstar Julian Champagnie to Physicians Premier Potranco for another special Meet & Greet! 

Join us for another opportunity to meet Julian, snap a photo, and grab the autograph of one of your favorite Spurs!

Saturday, September 5th

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Physicians Premier ER– Potranco
12314 Potranco Rd., #102
Corner of Potranco & Grosenbacher

Bring your family, your Spurs spirit and your cameras! 

This is a FREE community event. We can’t wait to see you there!“

Champagnie signed a 3-year/$45M contract this summer. He’s an essential component of the Spurs continued success. He has also bee one of the more visible members of the team, making multiple appearances. His infectious and warm demeanor have endeared him to fans of all ages. This session is a great way to engage Spurs fans and prepare them for the 2026-2027 pandemonium soon to ensue.

---

Welcome to The Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, do not troll and watch the language.

The Wizards got a fascinating prospect when they chose Will Riley 21st overall. He’s 6-9, skilled, has a funky tough-to-defend (especially if refs keep letting him use that carry elongated hesi dribble) game, and a good helping of competitive moxey.

He had some good moments last season, though I was less enamored with even “the good stuff” than many others seemed to be. I’m still in the maybe he could be good someday if he works hard camp. As befits a 19-20-year-old rookie, Riley needs to get better at everything.

Getting stronger is a given — that’s necessary for virtually every young player, and he’s no exception. I’m not entirely sure he’s done growing yet. Don’t be surprised if he measures at 6-10 when training camp begins. He’s not just young, he looks youthful — like a teenager still developing physically. That’s not criticism of him or the pick, by the way. It’s good that he had some of those positive games last season given where he is physically.

His game has promise, but “not bad for a young guy” doesn’t last long in the NBA, especially when the team is shifting from losing on purpose to competing for wins. Riley last season was average to below average across the board. He shot worse than average on twos and threes, though he did knock down 80% of his free throw attempts. Getting to the line was a relative strength — he was slightly above average in free throw attempts per team possession.

I think there’s some relatively easy fixes on the three-point shooting. Specifically, I’d like to see him stop clicking his heels, kicking a leg forward or back, and generally manage his footwork to give him a more stable shooting platform when possible.

If he was on another team, I’d likely be annoyed by the ball handling, which is heavy on what the rulebook would say are egregious carries. Since he’s on the Wizards, I’m more worried about how he’ll adapt if the league office tells officials to start calling carries in a manner resembling the actual rule.

Specifically, Rule No. 10, Section II-d:

A player who is dribbling may not put any part of his hand under the ball and (1) carry it from one point to another or (2) bring it to a pause and then continue to dribble again.

Perhaps a bigger issue for Riley is increased competition for minutes. He’s a forward who can play traditional SF or PF roles (depending on the opponent’s size, strength, and athleticism). At forward, the Wizards will have Anthony Davis, Alex Sarr, AJ Dybantsa, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly, and Justin Champagnie in the mix. Possibly Khris Middleton too, unless he’s taking over for Anthony Gill in the Team Dad role.

Even if Coulibaly, George or Dybantsa pick up some guard minutes (perhaps cutting into Tre Johnson’s or Bub Carrington’s time), Riley’s going to be in a battle for playing time. Hopefully he’s using the summer to prepare for it.

Let’s talk doppelgangers. This is the latest installment of the annual dog days tradition of running Wizards players through my Statistical Doppelganger Machine. The Machine compares the player’s performance across 14 categories and tells me which NBA player seasons since 1977-78 are “most similar.”

The Machine includes age as a factor, but not height or position. Despite that, players tend to get comps from the same position group.

1. Shaedon Sharpe | 2022-23 | Portland Trail Blazers | Age: 19 — This was Sharpe’s rookie year, and it wasn’t bad for a teenager (PPA: 64). He was “about the same” in year two before improving to close to average the past couple seasons. One potentially important difference: Sharpe is a plus athlete with an array of stunning highlights. I think Riley had more craft in his game as a rookie than Sharpe did in year four, however.
2. Malaki Branham | 2022-23 | San Antonio Spurs | Age: 19 — Branham’s age 20 season is next on the list, which is somewhat disconcerting because he didn’t get better. His 275 minutes with the Wizards last season was probably the best stretch of his career, and he managed just a 57 PPA — exactly what Riley posted last season. Branham’s rookie PPA was 53. Keep in mind, replacement level is 45.
3. J.R. Smith | 2004-05 | New Orleans Hornets | Age: 19 — Smith was an athletic wing with some questionable decision-making. His most famous NBA moment was probably getting yelled at by LeBron James for dribbling out the clock in a tie game of the NBA Finals instead of initiating an action to attempt a potentially game-winning shot. That said, Smith wasn’t bad — he played 16 seasons, eight of which were in the average-plus range.
4. Ja’Kobe Walter | 2024-25 | Toronto Raptors | Age: 20 — I’m sure I’ve seen Walter play, though I don’t have a distinct memory. The numbers say he improved in his second season — shooting a lot less but much better.
5. Kevin Porter Jr. | 2019-20 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Age 19 — I think Porter’s name showed up as a comp for one Riley’s teammates. Porter’s talent was undeniable. His maturity and on-court decision-making were challenges, however. He’s on his fourth team in six seasons, and he’s actually been good for the Milwaukee Bucks. It seems improbable that Riley would have the kinds of off-court issues Porter did, and the Wizards are surely hoping he can make faster on-court progress.

Some of the honorable mentions are interesting, like Peja Stojakovic and Stephen Jackson. Riley doesn’t shoot it like Stojakovic, and he’s not a maniacal competitor like Jackson (at least not so far).

Next up: Tre Johnson

In the history of the NBA, there have been over 350 head coaches, and among all these coaches, there has never been an individual who exerted a greater influence on the shape of professional basketball than one Arnold “Red” Auerbach.

Auerbach’s legacy is not just the championships that he won as a coach and as a general manager; it’s the influence that his players have had on the game, as they became coaches themselves, and as they mentored players and assistant coaches.

When Red passed away in October, 2006, the Boston Globe published a coaching tree which showed that 23 of the league’s 30 coaches could trace their lineage back to Auerbach.

Rather than dwindling away over the past twenty years, Auerbach’s coaching tree is as robust as ever. Today, 28 of the 30 coaches in the NBA can trace their lineage back to Red Auerbach, with many having multiple paths back to the Celtics legend.

It has been over sixty years since Red coached his last game, and almost twenty years since he passed away.

So why has his coaching tree thrived? In part because Red had a habit of acquiring smart players who turned into successful coaches themselves. Four players coached by Red Auerbach went on to win NBA titles as coaches themselves (Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, Tommy Heinsohn and KC Jones), with a fifth, Don Nelson, coaching 2,398 games. In the 69 years since Red Auerbach won his first title in 1957, he and members of his coaching tree have accounted for 40 of the championships awarded during that span.

Going back to coaches active in 1966, Red’s last year on the bench, only Alex Hannum and Fred Schaus can claim coaching trees of any magnitude in today’s NBA, and for both of them, this is because they coached Larry Brown, who, through Gregg Popovich, has had a massive impact on coaching in the NBA. Today, Gregg Popovich has connections to thirteen NBA coaches, which is an impressive achievement for a coach who has only been retired for a couple years.

For Schaus, the only branch active today is the Popovich connection through Larry Brown, and for Alex Hannum, there are only two branches active: His connection through Larry Brown and his connection through Pat Riley.

On the other hand, Red’s coaching tree has impacted the NBA through five distinct branches. Coaches that can trace their roots back to Bill Sharman, K.C. Jones, Tommy Heinsohn, Bob Cousy and Don Nelson can be found on NBA sidelines today.

Note: to conserve space and minimize redundancy, full lineages to Red are only given once for each coach in the narrative below.

Atlanta Hawks: Quin Snyder was an assistant for Mike Brown. Mike Brown was an assistant to Rick Carlisle, who played for KC Jones, who played for Red Auerbach. Snyder was also an assistant to Mike Budenholzer, who was an assistant to Gregg Popovich, who was an assistant to Don Nelson, who played for both Tommy Heinsohn and Red Auerbach.

Boston Celtics: Joe Mazzulla was an assistant to Ime Udoka, who both played for and was an assistant to Gregg Popovich.

Brooklyn Nets: Jordi Fernandez was an assistant to Mike Brown

Charlotte Hornets: Charles Lee was an assistant to Mike Budenholzer, as well as Joe Mazzulla.

Chicago Bulls: Tiago Splitter played for, and was an assistant under Gregg Popovich

Cleveland Cavaliers: Kenny Atkinson was an assistant to Mike D’Antoni, who played for Bob Cousy, who played for Red Auerbach.

Dallas Mavericks: Dusty May – No connections to Red Auerbach

Denver Nuggets: David Adelman was an assistant for Michael Malone, who was an assistant under Don Chaney, who played for Tommy Heinsohn, who played for Red Auerbach

Detroit Pistons: J.B. Bickerstaff was an assistant under his dad, who was an assistant for KC Jones with the Washington Wizards. He was also an assistant to Kevin McHale, who played for KC Jones.

Golden State Warriors: Steve Kerr played for Gregg Popovich

Houston Rockets: Ime Udoka played for, and was an assistant under Gregg Popovich

Indiana Pacers: Rick Carlisle, who is the longest tenured coach currently active in the NBA.

Los Angeles Clippers: Tyronn Lue was an assistant under Doc Rivers, who played for Pat Riley, who played for Bill Sharman, who played for Red Auerbach.

Los Angeles Lakers: JJ Redick played for both Doc Rivers and Stan Van Gundy. Stan was an assistant under Pat Riley.

Memphis Grizzlies: Tuomas Iisalo was an assistant to Taylor Jenkins who was an assistant under Mike Budenholzer

Miami Heat: Erik Spoelstra was an assistant to Pat Riley

Minnesota Timberwolves: Chris Finch was assistant under Kevin McHale, as well as being an assistant under Michael Malone.

New Orleans Pelicans: Jamahl Mosley was an assistant under Rick Carlisle

New York Knicks: Mike Brown, who was an assistant under both Rick Carlisle and Gregg Popovich.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Mark Daigneault – Has no connection to Red Auerbach

Orlando Magic: Sean Sweeney was an assistant under Dwane Casey who was himself an assistant with Rick Carlisle.

Philadelphia 76ers: Nick Nurse was also an assistant under Dwane Casey.

Phoenix Suns: Jordan Ott was an assistant under Kenny Atkinson

Portland Trail Blazers: Micah Nori is connected to Red Auerbach through Dwane Casey, Michael Malone, and Chris Finch

Sacramento Kings: Doug Christie was an assistant to Mike Brown

San Antonio Spurs: Mitch Johnson was an assistant to Gregg Popovich

Toronto Raptors: Darko Rajakovic was an assistant to Taylor Jenkins

Utah Jazz: Will Hardy was an assistant to Ime Udoka as well as Gregg Popovich

Washington Wizards: Brian Keefe was an assistant under Luke Walton, who was an assistant under Steve Kerr.

Warriors star Steph Curry recalls how his early failures led to success originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Stephen Curry stepped on the court during an AAU tournament in Nevada, determined to prove deserving of a scholarship to a major college. Maybe even Duke or University North Carolina, a couple hours’ drive northeast of his hometown of Charlotte.

All the big-name coaches were in the building and Curry, a scrawny but earnest teenager, would provide them with a glimpse of all his greatness and glory.

He was awful.

And it was one of the best things to ever happen to him.

Asked on Sunday to recall a memorable brush with failure, Curry paused briefly before reliving the moment during a panel discussion at the University of San Francisco. 

“I was in the recruiting kind of window of the time, and I was trying to find my way to the highest level of basketball that I could play,” he said. “And there was this one tournament in Las Vegas, an AAU tournament that I played in, and it was the first time that I knew that all these coaches were going to be around the court. The Who’s Who. I grew up in North Carolina, so the who’s who of ACC country, and I put so much pressure on myself.

“It’s like this is my moment. If I want to play high Division I basketball, I have to take advantage of this weekend – or else the opportunity is going to pass me by.”

It was the game of the day, in the afternoon, and Curry planned to take his fellow youngsters to basketball church and deliver a hoops sermon. Stardom was beckoning.

“That was a game where all the coaches were there,” Curry recalled. “And I had 14 turnovers.

“And what came out of that, was in my mind, I had failed. I had kind of underperformed, got overwhelmed by the moment, talked myself out of just enjoying it. Playing the way that I know how to play.”

What Curry could not have known was that lurking in the shadows of such famous coaches as Mike Kryzyewski (Duke), Roy Williams (North Carolina) and Tom Izzo (Michigan State) was another coach with a much lower profile but insight that proved keener than his more acclaimed colleagues.

Davidson College coach Bob McKillop saw the turnovers. Probably counted and winced at each one. But he noticed something else that lit up his mind.

While Curry was profoundly displeased with his performance, McKillop looked beyond the stats and came away impressed.

“He told me it was the fact that my body language didn’t change, and the way that I talked to my teammates didn’t change, and my ability to hustle back on defense,” Curry recalled. “None of that stuff was in my head. It was just how I played the game. It was all about the failure of the results and the stats.

“And for him, that was one reason – or the main reason – why he wanted to offer me a scholarship that next month was because he got to see the intangibles of things.

“So even through failure, you’re going to have an opportunity to show who you really are.”

McKillip saw a kid whose character remained intact when it might have been forgiven if he had lost his composure. Or barked at the referees. Or threw up his hands in disgust. Or worse, point fingers. The coach realized he was watching a unique 16-year-old. One who did not allow an appalling performance to crush his spirit.

“I didn’t really understand that element until he called it out,” Curry said. “And so, for a failure to be a reason that I got an opportunity at the next level, I kind of took it and ran with it.”

Curry describes McKillop as “a mentor.” Even now, nearly a quarter-century after they met, they share a bond that stays too tight to snap. Curry still reaches out to his college coach and McKillop has made numerous trips to the Bay Area to spend a couple days with the kid who became a superstar.

It’s important to note that McKillop always stressing education to his players was among the reasons Curry returned to Davidson in 2022 – less than two months after leading Golden State to an NBA Finals victory – to earn his degree in sociology.

The journey traces back long before Curry led the Warriors to four championships or won back-to-back MVP awards. Before he entered the NBA, much less playoff basketball.  Before he was “Steph.”

Curry’s road to ultimate career success began with an epic failure that didn’t turn him sour. His emotional integrity remained in place. All these years and accolades later, that has not changed.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Anybody else in Dub Nation get tired of Portland smacking the Golden State Warriors around last year? The Warriors spent most of last season fighting for their lives in the Western Conference standings, and somehow a Trail Blazers team that wasn’t supposed to be anywhere near the top of their list of problems kept showing up and punching them in the mouth.

Welcome to the next stop on our tour through the Northwest Division. Unfortunately for Warriors fans, this is a team in the group that showed a ton of confidence in their matchups with the Dubs last season. Portland dropped 139 on Golden State on opening week, and beat Golden State two more times before the Warriors finally got one back at Chase Center in January. Portland had the Warriors’ number and that was true even in a season where Portland was still figuring itself out.

And then the Blazers went and made the playoffs for the first time since 2022. They clawed into the No. 7 seed by beating the Suns in the play-in, and then this summer they went out and made the biggest move of anybody in this division. Portland traded Jerami Grant, Kris Murray, and cash to Memphis for Ja Morant who still has two years left on his deal.

I’m in love with this squad bro

Most underrated team in the NBA 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SSRY0tO7li

— 𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘𝐘𝐘🌹 (@shaesharpeshow) August 31, 2026

His trade value has taken real hits from the injuries the last couple years, but this is still a former All-Star walking into a backcourt that already had a healing Damian Lillard back in the fold, Scoot Henderson on the rise, and Jrue Holiday’s tenacious leadership. That’s a lot of guards! But good players are always valuable regardless of position and ESPN applauds the talent:

Portland has seven players who project to be at least slightly positive, which is the fourth most in the league. None of those players projects to be significantly positive, though, and the top two are Lillard and Morant, who both missed a lot of time in recent seasons. The Blazers are built to withstand some injuries and be solid to good but are not built for going deep into the playoffs, at least not without luck restoring Lillard and Morant to their past heights, which were formidable. 

They also took care of their own, re-signing Robert Williams III to a three-year, $44 million deal, giving Portland real insurance behind the behemoth Donovan Clingan. The only part of the offseason for Portland that was saddening if you’re a fan was Shaedon Sharpe tearing his meniscus, which is going to keep him out until March at the earliest. Losing a 20-plus-point scorer for basically half the season is no joke, which matters with what the backcourt looks like on paper:

Not many players who averaged over 20 points per game last season are coming off the bench in 2026-27, but Sharpe is an exception. The team is integrating Lillard back into the fold after recovering from his torn Achilles and trading for Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. Sharpe is a better player when he starts, averaging 21.9 points per game last season compared to 15.4 when he came off the bench. He also had that with more minutes in the starting lineup compared to a reserve. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, Sharpe is someone the Blazers will have to rely on this season.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe sustained a torn meniscus in his knee and is expected to miss six months, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Gvhf84bNrc

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 24, 2026

So how good is this team supposed to be? I think you can pencil these cats in for about 45 wins. The Dubs will see them plenty this season. Hopefully the Warriors atone for last year by getting busy and wiping out the Blazers, no matter how any guards they throw at GSW.

Earlier this summer, sports streaming service DAZN announced a major exclusive streaming deal with New York-based sports teams. In the announcement, Sports Business Journal’s Austin Karp, citing NBA sources, mentioned it would not be the only NBA deal for the 2026-2027 season, specifically mentioning the Spurs, among other teams, with deals in the works.

Since the initial story, two more teams have made it official. Washington Wizards and other D.C. sports broadcaster, Monumental Sports, announced a partnership with DAZN, growing upon its pre-existing infrastructure. More interestingly for Spurs fans, though, is the deal with the Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers and the NBA made the announcement recently, stating that DAZN will be the exclusive provider of regular-season Pacers games via a team-branded streaming service set to be available on most all devices very soon. That is great for Indiana fans; however, what Spurs fans will be interested to learn, as they await a deal of their own, is the price offerings.

First off, DAZN will be providing 22 regular season games for free on the DAZN app, with 15 of them being simulcasted over-the-air. This was expected, as Sports Business Journal originally reported, to “draw in viewership.”

For the remainder of the games, access beyond the Paywall is priced at $119.99/year with the option of an Early Bird Season Pass carrying a 50 percent discount for those who sign up before October, coming out to $59.99 for the season. Monthly options are also available at $19.99/month. Pacers season ticket holders will be gifted a free season pass as an added perk.

NBA League Pass subscribers should note these prices are only applicable within the Indiana geographical market. Pacers games will still be broadcast nationally via the League Pass app or TV provider subscription.

While it should be reiterated that none of this applies to the San Antonio Spurs, it could be an indicator of what is to come. Indianapolis has notable similarities to San Antonio in terms of market size and cost. That doesn’t make it unfathomable to think a Spurs-flavored offering would look very similar.

Nonetheless, while nothing is confirmed, a deal will need to be done soon as the season is less than two months away.

Why is there a picture of James Harden? Read on.

Welcome to Part Two of three covering what I believe is a high stakes season (in terms of sports for entertainment) for the Houston Rockets. One of the reasons to divide the team into the three parts, management, players and coaching, is to look at the relative strengths, weaknesses, and pressures on each. Another is ask the question: can a team be successful without all three elements being strong on their own, and also working at least fairly well? If by success you mean, finish with a decent record, make the playoffs, the yes, that’s very possible. We’ve seen it with these Rockets, and not that long ago we saw LeBron James drag not particularly impressive Cleveland teams to the NBA Finals (albeit in a pretty weak Eastern Conference).

If by success you mean make conference Finals, maybe an NBA Finals, then no, I don’t believe a team can do that, absent a truly generational player like James at his peak. If a team lacks that, and I’d argue, for example, the Knicks who almost swept three rounds of NBA playoffs do lack such a player, then the other elements of coaching and players must be good as well. I think higher level success in the playoffs is won at the margins. Those margins, those fine distinctions are where an inadequate coach, an incoherent roster, or players who are unsuited to their roles, will limit success.

Or sometimes the distinctions and margins are not really a razor’s edge at all. Sometimes they’re a dull axe blade.

The question is this: are the Rockets players suited to run the offense and defense they’re being asked to run? If the players job on the court is to run their coach’s scheme, and in essence it is, rather than it solely being a series of discrete actions that can then be quantified and ranked, are the Rockets players fit for this job?

Well, yes and no. That sounds weasely but it isn’t. Yes on defense, no on offense.

This isn’t the usual question of, (perceived as a bag of stats and measures), is an individual player any good? That’s a good question to ask, of course, but it’s also now the easier one to ask, as we now have a welter of public information, and of course even more is available to teams and other professionals. It can be a way of answering the same question, of course, as well.

What it can’t answer as well is: Is this player any good at what he’s being asked to do, and might he be better asked to do something else, or do things differently?

The Rockets defense is very good. We might perceive it as having slipped from when it was fun, but it’s still good for 6th in the NBA. That’s in a title winning range (title winning teams are almost always top 10 in both offense and defense, and usually around top five in one of those if not both). It’s not a particularly creative scheme of defense, and it doesn’t seem to have a number of go to moves, when it appears an opponent has solved it over the course of playoff games. The go to move is “try harder and maybe let’s try a zone”. This has worked, but in my opinion is exhausting, and costs the team in various ways. Reflexively adding more defense when points are what’s needed is an odd way of looking the world, but the Rockets defense isn’t in need of fixing, particularly.

The Rockets, though, are suited to playing good to great defense in the style they are being asked to play. If Kevin Durant weren’t the defensive equivalent of a coat rack on the court, except when he sniffs a badass block in the air, the rest of it would look better. I think a lot of “glaring mistakes” by other players are a result of him not really guarding anyone on certain possessions, or even attempting to fight through screens.

There’s more to say about other players and issues they have: Sengun isn’t really a rim protector, Sheppard is targeted on defense, Tari Eason makes bizarre choices. That said, those are the kind of things other teams are routinely able to live with. Especially with defenders like Amen Thompson, and let’s be fair, Jabari Smith, on the court. (I think Jabari and Amen were asked to play outfield for Durant a lot.)

So I’d say this group of players is fit to run the defensive scheme they are asked to run. We’ll leave the question of “Is what they’re being asked to do good enough?” for tomorrow.

Now for the “no”. Are the Rockets players suited to run the offense they run? No. Absolutely not. Why?

This one’s easy, because essentially the Rockets under Udoka run a less complex version of the offense the Rockets ran at the peak of James Harden’s and Mike D’Antoni’s tenure. That specific offense typically starts at the top of the three point arc, with an initiator who is capable of breaking down a defender off the dribble and either passing him by or getting him on his hip for a driving finish and maybe a foul. If that doesn’t work, the center (usually) sets a screen that gives him the space to get to the rim, and the screener also rolls to the rim sometimes for easy dunk finishes. Young Clint Capela was a star in this role. If the rim is closed off, and the center covered, the initiator can pass out to the perimeter where shooters are waiting in the left corner, and at other points on the arc. Or it the attack can be reset elsewhere on the court.

In the case of Harden and MDA, the Rockets took a player who wasn’t especially highly valued early in his career, and gave him a crucial role, in PJ Tucker. Tucker was a rugged defender who could defend above his size, and could make corner threes. The other players can also shoot 3pt shots, and hopefully one of them can also initiate (Chris Paul) or get his own shot (Eric Gordon).

That’s how that offensive approach worked (circa 2017) when it was going well. That is, without much exception, what the Rockets attempted to do in 2025-26.

Do any of the current Rockets resemble any of the key parts here much? Are the players fitted for the roles they need to play in this scheme?

No. They aren’t.

First, there’s no James Harden, an offensive player so dangerous in his prime that one team literally doubled him with a player always following behind him, so he couldn’t shoot his step back three point shot. (Hello, Ricky Rubio pic!) Is there anyone even resembling that player on the Rockets roster? Again. No. It certainly wasn’t Kevin Durant. There is no one player who can individually break down the defense and get a good shot from a contested position at the start of the possession. Not one in any quantity anyway, and the Rockets offense generates that problem, and question, nearly every single offensive play, for these Rockets. Without James Harden, or anyone close.

Well, what about other spots? Is there a center that operates off that player the Rockets don’t have? One that gets easy looks off the threat of the initiator and his movement? No. There’s a mobile center, without a lot of vertical ability, who is really better set in space closer to the basket, and allowed to pass to moving teammates, where he can be special, and create and operate fluidly.

Does such a center as the Rockets actually have clash with the Hardenesque Scheme? Yes. Violently. It doesn’t mesh. They’re in the same space by the basket, and surprise, since that almost always happens, you know who else is in that space? You know who else values that same real estate close to the basket? Kevin Durant. So given the scheme, the center, and KD, who else might want to occupy this same court space? That’s right, the defense. NBA defenses can get away with playing a college scheme to beat the Rockets when it really counts. All they really have to do is close the paint, and nothing really works, barring a hot shooting night.

Now, are there fairly reliable shooters in the corner, waiting for a pass? Sometimes there’s Jabari Smith (36%) or Reed Sheppard (39%), but oftentimes there’s Amen Thompson (21%). (PJ Tucker took 74% of his 3pt shots from the corner, where he shot 38% for his career, peaking at 45%.) In this Rockets offense Amen (23%) is in the corner more than Reed (49%). Amen shoots the easiest three pointer in the game at 23% from the corner, where he takes 58% of his threes. Worse, though, because Amen knows he’s such a bad shooter, he often passes up the open shot the offense laboriously generated, often leading to a grenade to someone else. Sheppard shot 49% from the corner, where he shot 14% of his threes, Smith went 37% from the corner and shot 35% of his threes from there. No, I can’t make it make sense.

Once again, players that aren’t suited for a role are put in that role anyway, to fit a certain scheme.

In fact almost the entire Rockets roster, including “fits anywhere” Kevin Durant don’t, haven’t, and won’t, fit this approach. Historically (yes, we can refer to Durant’s career ‘historically’ at this point) Kevin Durant has always been best off ball, and not dribbling unless he’s trying to get to his middie. Which is EXACTLY why you cast him the the James Harden Role. A role that requires, demands, insists upon, an immaculate handle, and coolness under pressure when passing, and an ability to get anywhere on the court to force the defense into problematic positions. If you thought you saw that from Durant last season, welcome KD Burner Account! If you think Fred VanVleet is some sort of James Harden analog at 32, well, it’s nice that you read the Dreamshake, Mrs VanVleet. At least he can dribble, if not get a shot at the rim.

I could go on, and have, but I think that’s enough for now.

So, by my reckoning the players are fine, and even very good at the defense they’re being asked to play, and they’re almost entirely unsuited to the offense they’re asked to play. And yet they still can score. That, to me, is actually a fantastic sign for the future of these players (wherever they end up). Imagine what they could do if they did what they were good at, instead of doing some weird cosplay of the the 2017 Rockets offense?

Next up, ahem, coaching.

“I’m Back.”

Aaron Donald paid tribute to Michael Jordan announcing his return 🔥

(📸 @RamsNFL) pic.twitter.com/nbJprGHLpo

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 30, 2026

Some sports moments transcend a single franchise. They become defining moments for an entire generation of fans. Michael Jordan returning to the Chicago Bulls after his first retirement remains one of those moments. Jordan’s simple two-word statement—”I’m back.”—sent shockwaves throughout the sports world and immediately transformed championship expectations.

Now, Aaron Donald is creating his own version of that moment with the NFL and Los Angeles Rams.

Aaron Donald’s decision to unretire today and return to the Los Angeles Rams carries the same type of significance.

I hope in all of this, Aaron Donald finally understands that he is Michael Jordan in the eyes of Rams fans.

Nothing in this franchises history would be more invigorating than seeing him back on the field. https://t.co/LmFhzBEqZM

— Rams Bros. (@RamsBrothers) June 3, 2026

Aaron Donald is officially adding his name to one of the rarest lists in sports: legendary athletes who walked away from competition, only to eventually return. The Los Angeles Rams announced that the three-time Defensive Player of the Year is coming out of retirement to play during the 2026 season, more than two years after initially stepping away from the NFL.

Donald now joins a select group of iconic athletes who have reversed course on retirement, including Michael Jordan, who famously returned to the NBA with the Chicago Bulls in 1995, and Serena Williams, who returned to professional tennis competition in 2026 after nearly three years away. While every comeback story is unique, Donald’s return is particularly fascinating given his dominance before retirement. Now, at 35 years old, he will attempt to prove he still has plenty left in the tank.

Back at it Dub Nation, taking a virtual tour around the NBA’s offseason division by division to see what’s happening. The Golden State Warriors are trying to recapture their championship magic against a bunch of teams that are more than happy to put the dynasty to sleep for good. We’re still cruising through the Northwest division, so let’s talk some Utah Jazz basketball.

Last year the Dubs went 3-1 against Utah, beating them pretty much at will as the Jazz’s season spiraled into the dumpster. When I was a kid, the Jazz were a respectable franchise battling Michael Jordan’s Bulls in the NBA Finals. Even when Karl Malone and John Stockton left, they still had dudes like Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, and Andrei Kirilenko making noise. Utah fell off though. Last year they finished 22-60, tied for the worst record in the West. They landed the No. 2 pick and used it on Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, an electric player sure to bring some excitement to Salt Lake City.

Darryn Peterson joins @malika_andrews on NBA Today to discuss his expectations for the Jazz this season, his mentality playing in summer league and watching Ed Reed highlights 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ur1l1trFRr

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 17, 2026

Peterson wasn’t even the first sign Utah was serious about this. Back in February they traded for two-time All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. while they were still tanking their way to that No. 2 pick. That’s not something rebuilding teams usually do in the middle of a lottery push, and it tells you the front office had already decided the losing was over on a timer.

Then the front office got weird with it, in a good way. Utah agreed to a sign-and-trade sending Walker Kessler to the Lakers for two unprotected first-round picks and two additional swaps. They also brought back Jusuf Nurkic on a two-year deal and added Jaxson Hayes, so the center spot goes from “Kessler starts” to “whoever’s healthier between two guys who used to be backups.” Check out what Jazz blog SLC Dunk has to feel about it:

There’s no doubt that Utah will miss some of the elements of Kessler’s game, mostly on the defensive end. Although, Utah has set themselves up to be one of the most lethal offenses in the league and Jusuf Nurkic will be a major part of it.

Nurkic has a surprisingly good steal rate for his position and is a legitimate weapon assisting the ball in the Jazz offense.When you consider that Jaren Jackson Jr. provides the blocks and weakside shot blocking that they’ll miss in Kesseler the trade makes a ton of sense. Utah will also have Nurkic as an offensive hub at times and Jackson can play off of him at multiple spots on the floor. 

Nurkic you say?

Shams Charania reported the Jazz sent Cody Williams and John Konchar to Minnesota for Josh Green. Lets check back in with Jazz Nation to see how they feel about that, shall we?

The Jazz get a 6th-year shooting guard who shoots accurately (career 39% 3PT) but not at high volume. He defends serviceably, posting a career Defensive Rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) of 117. Much like last year’s Colin Sexton/Jusuf Nurkić trade, this may end up being a case of addition by subtraction. There was nothing wrong with Colin Sexton—he is a good basketball player—but he wasn’t a good fit. As a bonus, Nurk turned out to be a fantastic fit. Now the rotations will be even more open for Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey, and Keyonte George.

The Jazz are not bringing Josh Green in to play 25 minutes per night. He is here a) to make the salaries work and b) to provide a modest boost off the bench as an 8th 0r 9th man. He’s a solid player who knows his role and plays it well:

New Jazz guard Josh Green:
-#18 pick in 2020 Draft
-6.3 PPG, 48 FG%, 39 3%, 71 FT%, 2.5 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.7 SPG in six seasons (349 gms-129 starts)
-played for DAL and CHA
-last season: 4.3 PPG (46-42-89 splits), 1.8 RPG, 0.8 APG
-Best season: 9.1 PPG (54-40-72), 3.0 RPG, 1.7 APG…

— David J. Smith (@davidjsmith1232) August 29, 2026

See, that’s why you gotta do a little research. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the Jazz are actually shaping up to be more competitive next year and beyond. Don’t forget they’ve got Keyonte George, who exploded to 24 points a night last season and is apparently going to keep the ball in his hands with Peterson still adjusting. Now it’s easy to imagine that the Nurkic-Hayes timeshare is just a worse version of what Kessler was doing. It’s also fair to have some concern about Ace Bailey’s back after his summer league got cut short by spasms. ESPN called Bailey the team’s X-Factor:

Bailey could get lost in the shuffle as Utah starts making a real effort to win games; he’s not yet a proven NBA contributor like Markkanen and George, but nor is he an exciting new addition like Jackson and No. 2 pick Peterson. But Bailey is only a year removed from going fifth in the draft and turning in a solid, if understated, rookie season: 13.8 PPG on below-average but not disastrous efficiency.

The Warriors shouldn’t lose sleep over Utah in November. But Steph turns 39 next season, and Utah just assembled Peterson, George, Laurie Markkanen, and Jackson Jr. with two extra Lakers first-rounders sitting in the drawer for whenever they want to speed this up. The clocks are running in opposite directions. And if Utah’s wise with what it’s building, maybe one day this group can finally do what Karl Malone couldn’t and bring a title home.

Wait weren’t the Warriors supposed to trade for Markkanen?

I am so excited to see Lauri Markannen play meaningful hoops in the NBA this season and not just on the international stage

For years, he’s patiently waited as the Jazz rebuilt themselves

Now, he has a chance to establish himself as a centerpiece of that pic.twitter.com/L8DJKzGpCQ

— Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) August 30, 2026

Nash and Amare. Stockton and Malone. Peanut butter and jelly. Batman and Robin. We’ve always had a fascination with dynamic duos.

In the context of the modern NBA, analysts often consider two-man lineups. These allow a good sample size of more minutes than three- or even full five-person lineups. Further, they provide an isolated look at chemistry combinations that work. I looked at the top 25 (minutes volume) Suns two-man combinations from last year and sorted by net rating. Here are the ten best combos:

Player 1	Player 2	Net Rating
Goodwin	Ighodaro	7.8
Goodwin	Gillespie	7.5
Gillespie	Dunn	7.4
Booker	Gillespie	7.0
Gillespie	Ighodaro	6.9
Booker	Ighodaro	5.5
Booker	Goodwin	4.5
Booker	Williams	3.7
Ighodaro	Dunn	3.6
Allen	Ighodaro	3.5

Key implications

1. Oso Ighodaro appeared in five of these top ten combos. This underscores his impact. Phoenix needs to find more ways to get him on the floor. And he needs to keep working on his shooting. A bump of even a few percentage points in free throw shooting or short jumpers would increase efficiency, and more importantly, allow him to be on the floor at the end of quarters when over the team foul limit.
2. Jordan Goodwin was a beast last year. The numbers bear out what many of us saw watching the games. As team depth has improved, it’s important he gets minutes and stays engaged.
3. Ryan Dunn appears twice in top 10 combos. There is still good value with this player, and like Oso, just a small shooting consistency improvement will make a big difference.
4. Booker and Gillespie were each part of four of the top combos, and it’s interesting that the two of them together was Book’s top pairing at +7.0. This justifies playing them together heavily even in staggered lineups to allow optimal starting size and evaluating the Green/Booker dynamic. 
5. The five worst combinations all included Grayson Allen or Royce O’Neale (-2.7 to -8.7 net ratings). This surprised me. For floor spacing purposes and to allow minutes for the top combos above, it will be important for Luke Kennard to get his long-range shots, Gillespie to continue at a high clip, and Booker to get back above 35% on three-point FG%, as he has done six of his eleven seasons.

What about the key new piece? Miles Bridges is bound to get a high volume of minutes as the primary addition. I looked at the same top volume lineups for the Hornets. His best pairing (+11.2 net rating) was with Moussa Diabate, a center who stands only 6’10” but is athletic and an effective rebounder. That sounds a lot like an Oso-Miles pairing! If Khaman Maluach can develop a shot, Oso can then play some at the four-position for a big frontline of Maluach/Ighodaro/Bridges. 

Each season has its own dynamics, chemistry, and player development. This look backward at last year’s duos gives clues on what to watch and hope for as the Suns start camp. I can’t wait to see it play out. Comment below if you see other implications from this data.

---

Welcome to the Bright Side writing team, Mark Bowser!

CelticsBlogNeemias Queta’s early exit vs. Spain was precautionary, says Portugal’s head coach

SB Nation Reacts: fans split on Starter PP

CLNS MediaA peek inside Brad Stevens trade talks with Celtics

Neemias Queta Injury Update from Portugal win vs Spain

Bob Ryan Has Low Expectations For the Celtics This Season

Can Jayson Tatum Handle the Pressure Coming This Season?

Celtics WireAmari Williams helps Britain blow out Slovakia 97-72 in FIBA play

Today in Boston Celtics history: Robert Parish born; Boston wins G1R2 series vs. Raptors in Bubble

What are the big questions for the Boston Celtics ahead of the 2026-27 NBA regular season?

Boston Sports JournalNBA Notebook: Celtics abroad, late-summer trades, and more free-agency drama

Hardwood Houdini Predicting the Celtics’ starting 5 after Jaylen Brown’s departure

Latest Zion Williamson forecast doesn’t change why Celtics should pass on him

Celtics will soon learn a Mitchell Robinson lesson that the Knicks already know

Stephen Curry to the Celtics dream appears all but dead

Celtics must avoid signing suddenly available wing once linked to them

ESPN’s latest major Celtics trade prediction seems unlikely

CLNS Media/YouTubeA peek inside Brad Stevens trade talks with Celtics | Still Poddable

Neemias Queta Injury Update from Portugal win vs Spain | Celtics Daily

HeavyCeltics Fans Receive Concerning Update on Neemias Queta

NBA Trade Rumors: Top Deal Candidates for All 30 Teams

Hoops RumorsCeltics Notes: Queta, Stevens, Robinson, Mazzulla

PFSN Joe Mazzulla Gets Real on the ‘Burden and Love’ of Coaching the Celtics, Reveals Surprising Goal

Fan RecapKyrie Irving Is Back In A Celtics Trade Debate Fans Wont Ignore

Payton Pritchard Now Faces A Celtics Role That Changes Everything

Celtics Final Roster Spot Creates A Depth Dilemma They Can’t Ignore

Celtics Built Their New Offense To Avoid An Old Playoff Trap

Stephen Curry Just Gave Celtics Fans A Reason To Keep Dreaming

Brad Stevens May Be Waiting On The Celtics Move That Really Matters

Celtics Today/YouTubeBoston Celtics Fans Just Got MAJOR NEWS On The 2026-27 NBA Season

Roundtable SportsBoston Celtics Center Reportedly Dealing With Injuring Following FIBA Quaifying Game

OpenCourt 9 Years Ago Today: Kyrie Irving Was Traded To Boston, Beginning A Celtics Partnership That Never Lived Up To Its Promise

Duke Wire Jayson Tatum links with legendary UFC fighter during NBA offseason

Clutch PointsWhy Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla wants to be ‘forgotten’ after coaching career

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope went to Philadelphia hoping to help the 76ers catch lightning in a bottle. His introduction to the city delivered the real thing first.

The former Los Angeles Lakers guard’s new penthouse was struck by lightning just minutes after his wife, McKenzie, signed the lease, according to her TikTok account of a chaotic moving day that ended with water pouring from the ceiling and the family scrambling down 14 flights of stairs.

“Minutes after I sign the lease, you guys, I hear the loudest bang I’ve ever heard in my life,” McKenzie recalled in a video.

She said water quickly began flooding the unit, while the lightning strike disabled the elevators. Movers who were still bringing the family’s belongings upstairs reportedly became trapped in one and needed assistance from firefighters.

The strangest part came later.

McKenzie said an electrician who inspected the damage told her there was a “1 in 400 million chance” of a unit being struck in that fashion. The precise odds have not been independently verified, but the bizarre incident still made for an unforgettable welcome to Philadelphia.

The 33-year-old landed there after agreeing to a buyout with Memphis and signing a one-year deal with the 76ers, reuniting him with former Lakers teammate LeBron James.

Caldwell-Pope and James already know what winning together looks like. KCP started throughout Los Angeles’ 2020 championship run, including a 17-point performance in the title-clinching Game 6 against Miami. He later won another championship with Denver in 2023.

Philadelphia is betting that kind of experience can help stabilize a loaded group featuring James, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe.

Caldwell-Pope is chasing his third ring after averaging 8.4 points in 51 games for Memphis last season before right pinky surgery ended his year.

A lightning strike is usually a terrible way to start life in a new home. For a 76ers team taking a big swing at a championship, it can only hope it was a preview of the kind of lightning it is trying to catch.