AndrewTalksHoops

Everybody knows OKC missed J-Dub. Watching the WCF against the Spurs and then the Finals against the Pacers back to back, it's way more glaring than I thought.
The Thunder are out for revenge, but the Spurs are young too and only getting better. It's looking like a real rivalry may be loading.

"None of that against Wilt. Gimme dat."
I got versions of this all over the "Shaq is the Most Dominant" video, so I went back and watched a full Wilt vs. Russell playoff game.

Some possessions looked exactly like what you'd expect from a game played nearly 60 years less to build on, like the game today. But other moments, especially from the best players on the floor, showed me a side of that era I hadn't fully appreciated before.
Also, there was a guy that I knew of, but didn't know his game... and wow, could he play.

Golden State won the series and eventually the title, but for four and a half minutes to close the game, Ja Morant completely took over.
He scored Memphis’s final 15 points, finished with 47, and did it against a defense cycling through different matchups and coverages trying to keep him out of the paint.
Can he get back to this and contend for the top seeds in the West?? Only time will tell!!

Most unguardable single move in NBA history. Kareem's Sky Hook, Hakeem's Dream Shake, Dirk's One Legged Fader all come to mind, but give me the dropstep for the surest bucket ever in the sport.

These are all clips from the games with the highest stakes possible and he is still out there "dominating" like we all say, but doing some things I don't think of when we use that word for his game as well.


Shaquille O' Neal

I wish Keyonte all the success. I’m sure he’ll cope just fine with a video questioning his contract while his bank account grows by $157M. I’m just not convinced this was the time to lock in $157M before we know exactly what his role becomes as this roster shifts from 22-60 toward actually trying to win and reach the goals Will Hardy and the front office have for this group.

I’ve never fully believed in “empty calories” in the NBA because these are still the best players in the world. But I also learned watching Andre Drummond with my Pistons that losing teams create opportunities and usage that don’t always exist once every possession starts mattering more. That’s where I’m at with Keyonte.

I see more Jordan Poole in Golden State, Jamal Crawford with the Clippers, or Lou Williams as that instant-offense guard who can take over stretches, get heavy usage in his minutes, and completely change a game without needing to be a top-three offensive option on a contender. And with those names as comparisons, I’m obviously not slighting his talent or potential impact.
Ironically, I think all three of those guys could’ve put up similar numbers to Keyonte on a team with a similar record and roster as the Jazz had last season.

The real question is what Keyonte’s production and role look like now that Utah drafted a high-upside combo guard at No. 2, has money committed to Lauri with trade rumors constantly resurfacing, Jaren Jackson Jr. now in the mix, and several young players who will eventually need new contracts.

Utah clearly believes Keyonte is part of that long-term picture.

Let’s add some context to one of the most viral moments in NBA history. Still all over the timeline 25+ years later.
I think there’s a little rewriting of the narrative to be done here. Ty Lue was actually stepping up in a major way in this final's opener.
But A.I., with all that confidence and charisma, still got the final exclamation point on a historic Game 1.

The Lakers won every game after this, but this was the one that stopped a perfect postseason.
..and honestly, knowing how well Lue was playing makes the step-over even colder

Everyone knows the reaction. The context is what makes it interesting.

Kawhi was only 21, LeBron was in his prime, and the possessions leading up to this moment show why Kawhi was already such a brutal matchup.

Not because he “stopped” LeBron, but because he made everything harder.

LeBron got the last "reaction" with the series win and FMVP, but Kawhi laid the groundwork to follow it up with the same accolades in the same matchup the following season.

KAT isn't getting enough love for how much he adjusted and sacrificed during this championship run.

Go back to Game 2. He shot 67% and the Knicks lost by one. Four games later he shot 25%... and New York won by 51, the largest playoff victory in franchise history.

What changed had almost nothing to do with making shots. He fought harder to catch it deep instead of getting pushed off his spot. He stopped rushing the first read and let the defense tell him what was open. And defensively he stopped chasing guys Atlanta didn't actually want shooting, so he could stay near the rim

Same team. Same stage. Six months apart.

Downhill Dylan with 21 points in December and 25 points in June.

This is why the stats don't give the full story, but the TAPE does.

Harper with an all time rookie playoff run and the fact he is ALREADY this good is scary for the rest of the West. The improvements are in hidden within the film with this one.

6-for-24. 0-for-6 from three. And it's the game that proves he's ONE OF the GOATs of the game.
Bynum couldn't grab a board, so Kobe went and got 15 himself. That wasn’t it though!!
This one gets "held" against his legacy and it shouldn't.