Being one of the top personalities in NBA media, ESPN’s Shams Charania had a lot of pressure on him Friday night.
The NBA Insider was taking the court for the All-Star Celebrity Game. When it comes to non-media celebs who participate, they aren’t under a microscope with players. In Charania’s case, the players he reports on wanted to see how he would play when the roles are reversed.
As the game was playing out, a shot of Charania checking his phone while on the bench stood out to the Houston Rockets superstar, Kevin Durant. The forward took to social media to call out Charania.
“My goodness, have some respect [Shams Charania]…during the game??????????”
Being plugged in to most rumors and transactions across the NBA, Charania is typically attached to his phone, checking in on the latest scoops around the league.
Durant and many other NBA stars have commented on Charania and his reporting before. The veteran wanted to poke fun at the fact that he couldn’t keep his phone away for the entirety of the game, while the superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo continued taking shots at Charania throughout the night, making fun of his basketball skills.
For Antetokounmpo, Friday’s action was a good opportunity to get his payback after Charania spent a chunk of the 2025-2026 NBA season reporting on Giannis’ future with the Milwaukee Bucks, suggesting he could move before the NBA trade deadline.
Ultimately, nothing happened on the Giannis trade front. Antetokounmpo remains with the Bucks throughout the remainder of the season. He is expected to return sometime soon after missing a few weeks due to a calf injury.
As for Charania, his on-court debut at an NBA event probably didn’t go as planned. He attempted four shots from the field, none of which were successful. According to Underdog, Charania checked his phone three times throughout the event, but didn’t log a single point.
Fortunately for Charania, he can go right back to the insider game after having a tough night on the court, personally.
It can be easy to forget, in a sports city like Houston, that there are real bright spots. Sure, they are often fleeting, but hen they shine they do shine pretty brightly. Right now, that spotlight is on the Houston Rockets.
Houston is, ultimately like the rest of Texas, a football city. But, when the Texans are, well, the Texans, and the Astros are starting their slow inevitable decline after a decade of excellence, we are lucky that the Rockets are here to pick us up. At 11-4 with the third best record in the Western Conference, they give us a lot to be thankful for, so on the eve of Thanksgiving, let’s give thanks for…
Ime Udoka
Udoka went from a suspended former coach in Boston to one of the best young talents in the NBA. His almost monotone demeanor and willingness to bench literally anyone in pursuit of greatness was exactly what this franchise needed after years of rebuilding and futility. He immediately brought credibility to a moribund team that was running 19-year-olds on the floor every night as starters. He has quickly built this into one of the most dangerous teams in basketball with an innovative and forward-thinking approach to a game that, often, feels like one tweak away from a complete left turn. Kudos to a coach who is beloved by his team and deserving of all his accolades.
The Terror Twins
At the moment, Tari Eason is injured, but it’s more about how he and Amen Thompson have instilled a sense of never quit into the Rockets defense. This is a team that will finish the season near the top of the league in defensive efficiency yet again and their relentless perimeter length (this includes Jabari Smith, Jr. and, eventually, Dorian Finney-Smith) absolutely befuddles opponents. The length of this team morphs good teams into sputtering messes and will keep them in any game they play no matter who they face.
God bless Kevin Durant. Credit: Cody Barclay
The Double Big Lineup
The Houston Rockets are out offensive rebounding opponents by a greater margin than the league has seen since the 1970s. They can turn the ball over on offense, miss jumpers, even launch ill-advised shots and still win games because no team in the NBA rebounds the basketball like they do. Credit Udoka’s creative use of the unique talents of Alperen Sengun, Steven Adams, and now Clint Capela. Instead of clogging up the offensive end of the floor with a bunch of big slow guys, this massive (biggest in the league) lineup forces other teams to adjust and is spawning clones across basketball.
Kevin Durant
Going from middle of the league on offense to first takes more than scheme, it takes transcendent talent. Welcome to Houston, Kevin Durant. He has shot 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three this season, just like the rest of his storied, Hall-of-Fame career. His offensive efficiency has literally transformed a team from one of the worst offenses in basketball to one of the best in one offseason. It is impossible to understate his impact on the Rockets as a 37-year-old veteran.
Rafael Stone
Just look at the moves that the Rockets GM has made. From drafting Jalen Green, Sengun, Eason, Smith, Jr., Thompson, and (now) Reed Sheppard, to bringing in savvy veterans like Adams and Fred VanVleet to making the tough but necessary move to trade for Durant, Stone has been remarkably consistent in pulling every right string to turn this into one of the most talented and deepest teams in basketball. And the Rockets have all kinds of assets including draft picks and pick swamps to continue to improve an already insane roster.
The Houston Rockets fell to the Denver Nuggets with a close 112-109 loss at the Toyota Center Friday night. Reed Sheppard had a stellar night putting up a career high 27 points, but ultimately the Nuggets pulled out a narrow win with big contributions from Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic. (Photos by Cody Barclay)
The Houston Rockets came back to defeat the Orlando Magic with a 117-113 overtime nail biting win at the Toyota Center Sunday night. Kevin Durant led the way for the Rockets with 35-points, with Alperen Sengun also providing his crucial 30-points and twelve rebounds. (Photos by Cody Barclay)
The Houston Rockets were the number two seed in the NBA last year, a tremendous feat given they were just a couple years removed from a losing record for three years in a row. Their defense and some of the best offensive rebounding the league has seen in a long time catapulted them onto a list of contenders in the 2024-25 season.
Those defensive attributes and the offensive rebounding hasn’t changed, but what has not only makes them contenders again, but arguably one of the real threats to dethrone the Thunder in the Western Conference.
1. Field Goal Percentage Rank Last Year: 21st (45.5) Rank This Year: 7th (49.4)
You might be tempted to pin this almost entirely on Kevin Durant and, well, you’d probably be right. Durant is shooting just under 50 percent from the floor for the season. He is a career 50 percent shooter from the field. The math isn’t complicated. Jalen Green shot just 42 percent from the floor last year. Durant from 15-17 feet is like someone else shooting a layup. Other Rockets are at or just below their career shooting from the field. Add a great shooter to a team of so-so shooters and suddenly your offensive net rating goes from 110.3 (12th) to 121.7 (1st), a massive jump for a team that already dominates on the other end of the floor.
2. Three Point Percentage Rank Last Year: 21st (35.8) Rank This Year: 1st (42.8)
Look, this number is not going to stay here. Expect the Rockets to come somewhat down to earth as they go through the season. But, anything above 36 percent would be a huge leap. If they shoot over 37 percent, they will likely be in the top 10 in the league. Considering they’ve gone from close to the top in attempts to literally the bottom of the NBA, Coach Ime Udoka will probably look to increase those numbers, which will push that percentage down. But, even marginal improvement is going to make them insanely tough to guard every night. Most teams in the league are average or below average on defense. The Rockets are going to steamroll a bunch of them if they keep shooting like this. And if Alperen Sengun goes from a career 28 percent from three to a very robust 39 percent (what he is shooting currently), he becomes practically unguardable.
3. Free Throw Percentage Rank Last Year: 30th (73.8) Rank This Year: 15th (78.8)
Credit everyone here for really working on their game. Steven Adams alone has jumped almost 40 percentage points, Sengun 11. There was a particular emphasis on freebies coming into this season, particularly with a career 90 percent shooter in Durant joining the team. They missed way too many last year. Even climbing to mediocre is a big improvement that will result in better success on the offensive end this year.
This blog contains links from which we may earn a commission.Credit: LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR-Unsplash
The Philadelphia 76ers have built their reputation on more than just star power; they thrive on defensive intensity, tactical discipline, and adaptability.
As the NBA evolves into an offense-driven league defined by pace, spacing, and three-point volume, the Sixers continue to assert themselves as one of the few teams capable of neutralizing high-octane attacks.
Their ability to defend elite offenses like those of Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, and even the upstart Houston Rockets tells a compelling story about where this team stands, and what it will take to make a deep postseason run.
Let’s take a deep dive into the elite opponents the 76ers could face and what that reveals about Philadelphia.
When the Philadelphia 76ers face the Cleveland Cavaliers, the matchup becomes a showcase of defensive intelligence versus calculated offense.
Cleveland thrives on tempo control and physical half-court sets driven by Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell. Yet, Philadelphia’s defense, anchored by Joel Embiid’s rim protection and reinforced by versatile wings, forces Cleveland’s guards into uncomfortable midrange attempts.
The Sixers excel in closing driving lanes and switching seamlessly between pick-and-roll coverages, limiting Cleveland’s second-chance opportunities. Tyrese Maxey’s quick rotations and Kelly Oubre Jr.’s length have become essential in stifling perimeter scorers, forcing the Cavs to rely more heavily on interior playmaking.
According to recent trends on FanDuel, the Sixers often hold the Cavaliers below their season scoring average, underscoring their ability to dictate tempo and defensive flow.
This matchup reflects what defines Philadelphia’s defensive identity: physical containment, communication, and a refusal to let opponents dictate pace.
Dallas Mavericks: Neutralizing An Elite Offense
Few teams present a greater tactical challenge than the Dallas Mavericks. Kyrie Irving’s shot creation creates a near-impossible puzzle for most defenses, but not for the Philadelphia 76ers. Philly’s defensive strategy against Dallas focuses on calculated containment rather than overcommitment.
By deploying length on the perimeter and funneling drives into Embiid’s area, the Sixers force Dallas to take tough step-backs rather than create open looks for shooters.
Philadelphia’s help defense is among the most disciplined in the league; rotations are crisp, and double-teams are timed to disrupt rhythm rather than simply pressure.
Against Dallas’s spread offense, the Sixers rely heavily on switching versatility. The 76ers’ defensive IQ and Tobias Harris’s mobility allow them to handle mismatches without compromising structure.
The result is a system custom-built to frustrate Dallas’s preferred pace and expose the Mavericks’ overreliance on isolation play, a testament to how fundamentally sound the Sixers’ defense remains.
Denver Nuggets: A True Test of Defensive Structure
Defending the reigning champions, the Denver Nuggets, is the ultimate measuring stick for any contender. Nikola Jokić is an offensive system unto himself, capable of dissecting defenses with surgical precision.
Yet, the Philadelphia 76ers have found ways to challenge his dominance through layered defensive schemes.
When Embiid anchors the paint, the Sixers can afford to stay home on shooters, forcing Jokić into contested hook shots rather than wide-open kick-outs. Philadelphia alternates between drop coverage and soft doubles, ensuring Jokić sees multiple looks without exposing weak-side vulnerabilities.
Perimeter containment is equally vital: Maxey will disrupt Jamal Murray’s timing, while Oubre’s wingspan deters entry passes. Against Denver’s movement-heavy offense, the Sixers rely on communication and positional awareness, hallmarks of a mature defensive identity.
The result isn’t always perfection, but Philadelphia’s ability to slow the Nuggets’ efficiency demonstrates how preparation and versatility can stand up to elite offensive orchestration.
Houston Rockets: Young Energy vs. Veteran Discipline
While the Houston Rockets are still developing into a playoff-caliber team, their youthful energy and uptempo offense provide a valuable test for the Philadelphia 76ers’ defensive endurance.
Houston’s attack thrives on pace, quick decision-making, and aggressive penetration, the kind of approach that punishes sluggish defensive rotations.
Philadelphia inevitably responds with discipline. The Sixers excel in limiting transition points, forcing Houston’s young guards to operate in half-court scenarios where mistakes are magnified. Embiid’s rim presence discourages reckless drives, while defenders use physicality to deny second-chance buckets.
In these matchups, Philadelphia’s experience becomes its greatest weapon. The Sixers slow down Houston’s rhythm, impose half-court sets, and capitalize on defensive rebounding.
Their ability to neutralize high-energy teams showcases how defensive maturity can outlast youthful exuberance, a defining characteristic for a team aiming to contend deep into the postseason.
Bettor Takeaway
For bettors, understanding the Philadelphia 76ers’ defensive blueprint offers a clear advantage. While many wagerers focus on offensive trends, defense often dictates the spread and total outcomes.
Credit: LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR-Unsplash
When the Sixers face top-tier offenses, their ability to hold teams below average scoring outputs can make under wagers particularly appealing.
The Sixers’ consistency in forcing inefficient shots and slowing the pace translates directly into betting value. Games against Cleveland and Denver, for instance, tend to be lower-scoring affairs, while matchups with Dallas and Houston often depend on how well Philadelphia controls the first quarter.
Savvy bettors on platforms like FanDuel recognize that the Sixers’ defense doesn’t just win games, it reshapes odds.
Moreover, Philadelphia’s combination of Embiid’s rim protection and elite team defense often leads to in-game betting opportunities, such as live unders or player prop unders for opposing stars.
Understanding these defensive patterns is key for bettors looking to capitalize on value that others overlook.
The Blueprint for Sustained Success
The Philadelphia 76ers’ identity rests on defense, intelligence, adaptability, and relentlessness.
Against elite offensive teams, from Cleveland’s methodical approach to Denver’s fluid precision, the Sixers continue to prove that defense can still win in a league dominated by offense.
Their ability to impose pace, protect the paint, and frustrate superstars isn’t just a byproduct of talent; it’s a philosophy.
When the postseason looms, the Sixers’ path to contention will hinge not only on scoring power but on maintaining their defensive DNA. In an NBA landscape where points come easy, Philadelphia reminds the league that containment, communication, and discipline still separate the great from the merely good.
For fans and bettors alike, the message is clear: the Sixers’ defensive evolution isn’t just about stopping opponents, it’s about redefining what it takes to win in modern basketball.
It’s basketball season. It’s game one. The Rockets are hyped this year and were playing the defending champions on their ring night on national TV. So, of course there are going to be overreactions no matter what happened. But, it doesn’t mean at least some of them aren’t justified.
Thing is, what happened is the Rockets nearly took out the champs in a double overtime thriller. If this is anything like what this season will be, well, get the antacid ready and maybe keep your cardiologist in your phone favorites.
Fans were mostly mixed in their reactions, but the tendency to freak out definitely happens, so let’s dive into four of the notable early season panic mode narratives and whether or not they have real merit.
Kevin Durant didn’t touch the ball enough, especially in crunch time.
Validity: 3 out of 10
Lou Dort is one of the league’s most tenacious defenders and he spent all night living inside Durant’s shorts. He denied him the ball over and over. Rarely will the Rockets face a defense like they did in Oklahoma City. It could be argued these are the two best defenses in basketball squaring off, so it’s no surprise they both had their struggles on offense. Undoubtedly, Durant will find his footing and begin asserting himself as the season moves along, but on one night, anyone can be shut down. Conversely, Alperen Sengun went OFF for 39, which is what happens when you have multiple studs in your lineup. This is something that will solve itself in time.
This team still doesn’t shoot well.
Validity: 6 out of 10
Speaking of Sengun, not only did he hit a career five threes, but he looked absolutely comfortable taking them. If he can shoot even close to this over the course of the season, his transition to Jokic-lite may be complete. The problem is, take away Sengun’s 5-8 from downtown and you’re left with the rest of the team going 6-31 including 0-11 from Durant and Amen Thompson, who launched 7 threes. Reed Sheppard went 2-7 and Jabari Smith, Jr. 2-6. Tari Eason, 1-4, in a particularly bad outing for him.
Some of these numbers will improve. Durant is a good distance shooter and Smith should be solid again this season. The jury is out on Sheppard (more on that in a minute) and Eason. Anything we get from Thompson is gravy. But, this is still a team that will rely on offensive rebounding and defense to win games. If anyone thought they would suddenly vault to the top 10 in shooting, they were fooling themselves, especially against a team as good as the Thunder.
Reed Sheppard is a bust.
Validity: 4 out of 10
We can all agree the 2024 draft was…well…not great. Sheppard was drafted third to a team that didn’t really need another rookie, but hoped he could become a solid point guard option and, in particular, sniper. While he improved as his rookie season went on, we are still looking at a very young, very inexperienced player on the floor. It showed in his first game of the 2025-26 season. He had 9 points and 4 assists with 2 turnovers, but defensively, he looked overmatched against the champs.
To be fair to Sheppard, he probably wouldn’t have gotten heavy minutes in OKC (27 total) if not for the FVV injury. He did what he could to manage what must have been an overwhelming situation in a playoff atmosphere despite what the calendar said. It was trial by fire and he got burned. But, don’t assume that he cannot contribute. This team will be good with or without Sheppard, but they would be better if they can get something from him, particularly in the dog days of the season when they will need his energy and shooting.
Our point guard spot is a problem.
Validity: 7 out of 10
We knew this. Fred VanVleet’s injury is a problem for the Rockets. His presence on the floor and his knack for not turning the ball over will be sorely missed. We saw it on night one when the team turned the ball over 20 times before overtime. But, the problem isn’t just FVV, it’s the depth issues that he created when he was injured just weeks before training camp.
Most believe that Amen Thompson will make more than a capable replacement and his size makes the Rockets opening night lineup the tallest in NBA history. The bigger concern is what to do when Thompson isn’t on the floor. Sheppard will have to step up, but if he is unable, that leaves Aaron Holiday, a capable backup, but not for extended minutes. And if Thompson misses any time — his end-of-game leg cramps were a problem in game one — this will become an even more glaring weakness.
The Rockets have been on an upward trajectory the last three seasons finishing second in the Western Conference in the 2024-25 season before bowing out in the first round of the playoffs. It’s a far cry from three straight seasons of absolute misery and high draft picks. But, as the organization would say, improving is not enough. They feel like they are now ready for actual postseason contention in a stacked conference.
GM Rafael Stone did his part in acquiring Kevin Durant from Phoenix this summer while also adding wing Dorian Finney-Smith and bringing back veterans like Fred VanVleet and Aaron Holiday. Now, it will be up to head coach Ime Udoka to figure out how to blend this very talented, but slightly off-kilter lineup to try and top where he took his squad last season.
There are plenty of questions to be answered about the upcoming season. Let’s try to answer a few of them.
How do they make up for the loss of VanVleet?
The Rockets are a big-heavy team. It makes them formidable defensively and on the glass, but they are less flexible in the backcourt. Losing VanVleet the week before training camp to a torn ACL makes an already light guard group look downright concerning. FVV was critical for the team less because of his pure numbers and more because of the steadiness he brought on the floor. Prior to his arrival, the Rockets were one of the worst turnover teams in basketball. Since, they have been near the top of the league. He really does make that substantial of a difference.
Now, this will be more of a point-by-committee situation with Amen Thompson (more on him in a moment) and Reed Sheppard (also him) splitting most of the duties while sprinkling in Aaron Holiday. Can they re-create FVV in the aggregate? We’ll see.
Are they really going to go that big? Really?
The “double big” lineup of Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams was effective down the stretch last season. Udoka has already said they plan to employ it liberally this year, especially now that they’ve added Clint Capela and Durant. But how big will they go, exactly. Udoka has hinted at a lineup of Adams, Sengun, Durant, Jabari Smith, Jr. and Amen Thompson. They could sub in Tari Eason or Dorian Finney-Smith at one of the wings as well.
While not a row of seven footers, they might as well be with their collective wingspan. The issue is whether or not that lineup would be effective for more than short bursts of time. Defensively, they would almost certainly need to employ mostly a zone defense, which can be susceptible to good shooting teams and those that work the baseline. It will be fascinating to watch, but hard to imagine they could use this as much as some might believe.
Is Reed Sheppard ready?
It feels a little strange to wonder how a player who was mostly an afterthought last season could be the lynchpin to the Rockets success this year, but when VanVleet went down, Sheppard became their most viable option for a traditional point guard currently on the roster. While he was the third pick in the 2024 draft, it was a pretty weak draft year. In other years, he might have gone later in the first round.
Still, Sheppard has a lot of the qualities the Rockets need in a point. He’s a great passer and ball handler. He shot lights out from three in college. And he’s got very quick hands which made him one of the better pickpockets in the draft. But, is he ready? After limited minutes in his rookie season, he’ll get the first crack at holding down a big chunk of the point guard duties this year. The Rockets probably won’t fall off the edge of the Earth if he isn’t up for the challenge, but if he is, and becomes a quality NBA guard this year, their ceiling seems almost unlimited.
Will Amen Thompson become a superstar?
The other likely guy to see time at the point is Thompson, a wonderfully athletic, gifted player who made All-NBA First Team Defense last season. He is still working hard to improve his outside shot and, if he does, he has the stuff to be one of the best players in the world.
This is his third year and he’s already showing signs of being that guy. The Rockets will need him for a lot this year. Defense, getting to the rim, finding open players on offense, and, most importantly, helping to keep the team together. It’s a heavy burden he will have to carry, but he seems up to the task.
How healthy will Durant remain?
Since missing all of the 2019-20 COVID season to injury, Durant has struggled to remain healthy and on the floor. In the four seasons after 2020, he played in 35, 55, 47 and 39 games. The last two, however, he’s played in 75 and 62 games, which is about as healthy as he has been since they year before his season lost to injury.
At 37, he is still one of the best in basketball (ranked 15th by ESPN this year), but there is no question the Rockets will do everything they can to maximize Durant’s longevity for the playoffs, including resting him when needed. If he plays in 60-plus games this year, it would be a victory for everyone. The key is having him healthy for the postseason.
Could Stone make another huge deal during the season?
The Rockets are absolutely loaded with tradable assets, more than any other contending team in the NBA, thanks to Stone’s clever managing of the team’s draft and player salaries. They own two first round picks from Phoenix and a pick swap with Brooklyn over the next few years when both of those teams promise to be awful.
Additionally, they have some young players on reasonable contracts including Smith and Eason. If the Rockets wanted to make a big swing during the season for another franchise-level talent, they probably could. Obviously, with the VanVleet injury, it would be tempting to eyeball backcourt help if they need it. For now, expect them to stand pat and wait. They can afford it and understand they will likely be repaid for their patience.
new video loaded: The N.B.A. Returns to China After Six Years
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transcript
The N.B.A. Returns to China After Six Years
The N.B.A, returns to China this week, after a hiatus sparked by a controversial 2019 tweet. In Macau, New York Times business reporter Tania Ganguli reveals the behind-the-scenes stakeholders who orchestrated the league’s return.
I’m in Macau, the gambling capital of the world. I’m here for the NBA’s return to China for the last six years, there haven’t been any NBA games here. looking at these big banners that are draped over buildings. Reminds me of being back here in 2019. the players were sitting in their hotel and they could see workers tearing those same types of banners down, peeling their faces off the building. A few days before, the Houston Rockets general manager, Daryl Morey, had sent a tweet in support of protesters in Hong Kong. Well, this made the Chinese government very upset. The NBA backed him. We are not apologizing for Daryl exercising his freedom of expression. And then chaos enveloped. That whole week. Sponsors pulled out. And a lot of the players were worried about if they would even be allowed to go home if things got worse. It was it was that surreal. they lost about $400 million. Just from that one situation The Chinese market is huge for the NBA. There are a lot of basketball fans here…. and the league has been working on cultivating them for decades. And so coming here to Macao and playing a game in China again is a very big deal for the league. when you ask anybody with the league how did these games come together? The name that they mentioned is Patrick Dumont. He’s a top executive with the Sands Casino. And owner of the Dallas Mavericks. in 2021, the Chinese government was renegotiating what’s called concessions with the casinos here in Macau. In those concession agreements, the government required that the casinos spend a certain amount on non-gaming activities like entertainment, like sports. And Sands had this arena at the Venetian, so Dumont saw bringing the NBA here as an opportunity to satisfy that requirement. One of the other main players here was Joe Sy, the owner of the Brooklyn Nets. Joe tsai is the chairman of Alibaba Group, which is a Chinese tech giant. he has a lot of deep ties to the Chinese government, the nets, and spent a lot of time over the last few years meeting with Chinese officials, having events that celebrate Chinese culture. they have spoken to Chinese media outlets and said, this market is so important to us. We care about this market more than any other NBA team. They even launched a reality show. That’s a dance team competition to choose dancers for their games here in Macao Sound up: “The brooklyn nets will find the best dancers in china” There’s a tremendous amount at stake for these teams because. The league saw what happened when something went wrong and they lost this market even briefly. there is a feeling that this has to go right, and that this is a big opportunity to get back something that they lost.
The N.B.A, returns to China this week, after a hiatus sparked by a controversial 2019 tweet. In Macau, New York Times business reporter Tania Ganguli reveals the behind-the-scenes stakeholders who orchestrated the league’s return.
By Tania Ganguli, Christina Shaman, Kassie Bracken and Christina Thornell
October 11, 2025
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Tania Ganguli, Christina Shaman, Kassie Bracken and Christina Thornell
One preseason game in and all is well with the Houston Rockets. Alperen Sengun continues his offseason dominance, first with Eurobasket and then with one half against the Atlanta Hawks. Kevin Durant is set to make his debut Wednesday and most everyone is completely healthy.
If the season ended today, the Rockets would be in the postseason!
We kid. Point is, it is one of four preseason games in and we really don’t know what this team is going to be. We can guess they will be quite good, maybe even championship caliber. But, at this point, who can speculate? We can!
Let’s start with a much, much too early look at the 15-man roster because we have time on our hands and nothing to worry about…yet.
STARTERS
Alperen Sengun Kevin Durant Amen Thompson Jabari Smith, Jr.
Coach Ime Udoka has basically said these four will be in the lineup when the ball is tipped in game one. From a purely size and athleticism standpoint, this is going to be a beast for teams to wrangle. The question is whether Thompson will fill the point guard role or remain a wing with someone else starting at the point. The front line of Sengun, Durant and Smith will do damage.
STARTER OPTIONS
Reed Sheppard Tari Eason Dorian Finney-Smith
Here is the intrigue. If Sheppard can make a jump from his rookie season, he could fill the shoes of injured guard Fred VanVleet. Interestingly, he has a similar size and style of play to FVV, but in only his second year, he will need to make a lot of progress. If Udoka decides to go with Thompson at the point, expect Eason here to start the season with Finney-Smith possibly getting his way into the starting lineup after fully recovering from offseason ankle surgery. Regardless of who is in the starting five, the other two will be critical components in the Rockets rotation.
KEY RESERVES
Stephen Adams Clint Capela Josh Okogie Aaron Holiday
Adams and Sengun formed the double-big lineup that was so successful toward the end of last season and Udoka intends to continue deploying it, but now with Capela as an added wrinkle, both because he has a different set of skills from Adams and because Adams will not play every game this year. Okogie, who signed with the Rockets as a free agent, might surprise some. He’s a skilled defender with a wide body at just six-foot-four. Holiday hopes to continue his 50-percent-plus three-point shooting from the final third of last season as a safety net at point guard.
FILLING OUT THE BENCH
Jae’Sean Tate Jeff Green
Tate and Green were part of a trio of Rockets players brought back (including Holiday) both for continuity and skillset. Tate is a spark plug defender who out-hustles virtually everyone on the floor. Green is the solid veteran big man who provides both in-game experience and a solid mentor for the younger players. Neither will play every night (maybe not every week), but they provide quality depth to a team that is pretty loaded on talent.
ON THE BUBBLE
JD Davison Kevon Harris Cameron Matthews
Out of the three, Matthews, and unrestricted rookie free agent known for his tenacious defense, probably has the best shot of making the roster since both Harris and Davison are two-way players who can be shuttled back and forth from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. This final spot could also be filled by a veteran if the Rockets sign someone in camp. But, don’t sleep on Davison, the G-League MVP last year. He can straight up shoot the ball as evidenced by his 17 points on 5-7 from deep against the Hawks.
First-year Atlanta Hawks forward Kristaps Porzingis (right) works on his three-point form during practice on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
The Atlanta Hawks will begin the preseason away from home. The preseason opener will be in Houston on Monday night (8 p.m. tipoff).
On Sunday morning, the Hawks practiced at the team facility in Brookhaven, putting in some work before heading to Houston.
Newcomers Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, and Kristaps Porzingis will play significant roles on this year’s team. On Sunday, Porzingis could be seen knocking down three-pointers during a drill. On the other side of the practice court, Kennard engaged in a three-point shootout with teammates like Vit Krejci, one of the team’s better long-range shooters last season.
Asked if they are looking forward to taking those three-pointers into an actual game, Lennard said, “Definitely looking forward to it.”
“We have been pushing each other hard this last week of training camp. You’re going up against the same guys every day, so we’re excited to be all together as one team and compete as a group,” Kennard said.
“I’m super-excited to compete wi th the new guys, and it’s going to be great. We have a lot of good people around here, and we’re just trying to put it all together,” Hawks reserve guard Vit Krejci (above) said. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Krejci, who has been with the franchise since the 2022-23 season, said it has been a “long offseason” and he was ready to start playing in games again.
“I’m super-excited to compete with the new guys, and it’s going to be great. We have a lot of good people around here, and we’re just trying to put it all together,” Krejci said.
Monday night will be the start of a new season for Atlanta.
“I’m sure it’s going to take a couple of games, a couple of practices, but you can see from the start till now that we are getting better and understand each other more as teammates,” said Krejci.
The Atlanta Hawks (above) will play the Houston Rockets in a home-and-away this preseason. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Last year’s runner-up for NBA Rookie of the Year, Zaccharie Risacher, returns to the court with added confidence and more experience. His role as one of the team’s scoring options will change with the return of Jalen Johnson from injury. And then there’s All-Star guard and the team’s leading scorer and assist man, Trae Young.
With one year remaining on his current contract and a player option for $48.9 million for the 2026-27 season, Young will be playing for more than a division title and playoff spot this year. He wasn’t available to talk to the media after practice on Sunday. Young was all smiles while hoisting three-pointers with his teammates when the media was allowed onto the practice floor.
Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder after practice on Sunday. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Hawks head coach Quin Snyder said there were certain things any team wanted to accomplish during the preseason and that these next four games were “an opportunity to put different lineups on the floor.”
The preseason schedule, following the game in Houston, will include a game in Memphis against the Grizzlies on Saturday, Oct. 11, and a pair of home games against the Miami Heat (Monday, Oct. 13) and the Rockets (Thursday, Oct. 22).
The Hawks’ regular season begins at home at State Farm Arena against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Atlanta finished the 2024-25 season with a record of 40-42. It was the eighth consecutive season the Hawks finished with 43 or fewer wins in an individual season.
When one door closes, another opens. Such is life in Houston sports with the Astros flaming out ahead of the postseason only to be replaced by the Kevin Durant-led Houston Rockets, who held their annual gathering of the media on Monday at Toyota Center.
This year was a bit different for this Rockets team coming off their first postseason appearance since the pandemic bubble year of 2020 and introducing their latest acquisitions. It’s always all smiles on Media Day, but there was plenty to talk about.
Media training for the team when it comes to contract discussions is on point.
When ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst asked GM Rafael Stone about Durant signing a contract extension, Stone said, “You can ask, but I won’t answer because we don’t talk about contracts.” When a similar question was asked of Tari Eason about his own contract status, he responded, “You can ask, but I won’t answer because we don’t talk about contracts.” OK then.
Kevin Durant gave interesting and thoughtful answers at Media Day.
Kevin Durant is fascinating.
Forgive this reporter’s first impressions of Durant, someone I have never covered, but he seems like one interesting guy. All his answers are measured and thoughtful. He’s clearly “nerdy” as he described his detail oriented approach to perfecting his game. When he gave answers, he sounded almost guru-like. Also, he said he has no doubt he’ll sign an extension, so I guess he talks about his contract.
Jeff Green wants no part of coaching.
Jeff Green is never ever ever going to coach.
The last answer for the 19-year veteran who gave long and considered responses to every reporter was only two words, “Hell, nah!” The question: After all your experience as a player, do you think you’ll want to pursue coaching? Green dropped the words and then the mic before leaving to chuckles from the audience.
Dorian Finney-Smith is one of a handful of funny guys on this roster.
This team is full of characters.
If Monday was any indication, the Rockets won’t need a laugh track, but they might need a 7-second delay for bleeping out curse words. Multiple players jokingly dropped F-bombs in their answers — most notably Steven Adams who is known for his sense of humor and occasional R-rated language. When Adams was asked about Durant, the person, he said, “I mean, he’s not a dick.” Newcomer Dorian Finney-Smith said of Amen Thompson, that he should “Not give a f****” and just shoot. Later, Thompson would say, “Yes, I don’t want to give an eff.” How polite.
Clint Capela is really happy to be home.
Clint Capela is happy to be back in Houston, like really happy.
The former and now current Rockets center gushed about his “home” here in Houston. He didn’t say that he was unhappy in Atlanta, but he was beaming about his return, both to the city and the team where he got his start.
Jabari Smith, Jr. put on some muscle this summer.
Jabari Smith, Jr. is noticeably more muscular.
When Smith walked into the assembly area, it was clear he spent a LOT of time in the weight room over the summer. He shoulders were bulkier and he looked really lean. He said he spent a lot of time getting stronger and trying to improve his ability to handle the game. He seems extremely confident.
Reed Sheppard is ready for his second season.
Everyone is excited about Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard.
The love for Thompson should come as no surprise. He could be one of the league’s best young players with an extremely unique set of skills and he said he improved significantly on his distance shooting, which is bad news for the rest of the league. But, hearing players rave about how good Sheppard looks is promising (especially since he will get more minutes now with VanVleet out). Sheppard said he spent the first three weeks of the offseason not even touching a basketball, just playing defense and lifting weights. He’ll need all the strength he can get this year.
No one seemed as upset about Fred VanVleet’s injury as Alperen Sengun.
Everyone is bummed about Fred VanVleet.
Perhaps no one more than Alperen Sengun, who looked devastated when he spoke of the point guard’s torn ACL — he learned about it on the plane back to the states. VanVleet even spent time with Sengun his Turkey and it was pretty clear from the answers and he and Sengun have gotten pretty close.
Imagine Amen Thompson is the shortest guy in the lineup.
Could we get a massive all-big lineup?
Speaking of Sengun, if you saw any of his performances in the EuroBasket tournament, you should be excited. He looked phenomenal. With the return of Adams and the addition of Capela (never mind Durant), this is a team loaded with big men. When you factor in how well the team played in the double big lineup last season and the loss of VanVleet, we might see a jumbo package on occasion. Coach Ime Udoka hinted at the idea of the “biggest lineup in basketball” with Thompson at point alongside Smith, Durant, Sengun and Adams or Capela.
The league should be on notice about Tari Eason.
Tari Eason is pretty damn confident.
Feisty is certainly a word you can use to describe Eason, but he seemed genuinely perturbed at being left off the NBA top 100 players list over the summer. He spent his summer working on ball handling and shooting. His defense and toughness have never been in question. When asked if he wanted to see an expanded role on offense, he leaned into the mic and said quite directly, “Yes!” He’s also fully healthy to start the season. If his game is as big as the chip on his shoulder, other teams are in trouble.
The new hot dog with brisket is mighty tasty.
One of the great benefits of Media Day is being fed — often new food items — by Toyota Center staff. This year was no exception with some nice additions to the menu including a spicy brisket hot dog with pickles. You’ll want to check that out. I will never sleep on the cookies, which are some of the best you’ll ever try. And, this year, they have a make your own tart/pie station? I got fatter just looking at it.
The year in 2025 Houston sports continues apace with the Astros close to missing the playoffs amid a record number of injuries, the Texans starting their season 0-3, and now it is being widely reported that Rockets starting point guard Fred VanVleet could miss the entire season with a torn ACL, which happened this summer.
Fans said over the weekend the combination of Astros and Texans news couldn’t be much worse for Houston. Houston Sports said, “Hold my beer.”
With training camp opening next week, what exactly can the Rockets do? While VanVleet’s numbers don’t jump off the screen, when he was absent, the Rockets often looked lost on offense. He remains one of the best assist-to-turnover guards in the NBA on a team that really cut down on turnovers last season under his leadership. He is also the de facto coach on the floor, which is the main reason the team re-signed him to a two-year, $50 million deal in the offseason.
On the cusp of what could be one of the most interesting and exciting years in team history thanks to the trade for Kevin Durant, we get this very early lump of coal in our stockings. Bah humbug.
The Rockets cannot sign anyone at the moment.
If you’re thinking, “Hey, they can go grab a veteran to fill VanVleet’s Li Nings,” not so fast. The Rockets are over the tax apron, which means they are unable to sign anyone, even a veteran for the minimum, without first clearing salary, which is unlikely to happen given their roster. The next timeframe they will have to make a move would be in January.
Next Up: Amen Thompson?
The natural move here would be to put Thompson at the point, but is that the best option for the team? Thompson is still young and not a classic point guard or advanced passer. His size makes him formidable defensively at the position, but it might not be best for him on offense. At the ends of games, is Thompson the guy you want with the ball in his hands calling plays?
More importantly, the trickle down impact of Thompson moving to point could be significant. He is going to start, for certain, but he seemed like an ideal candidate for shooting guard or small forward, where he can play off other playmakers and defend anyone. This could negate that.
Next Next Up: Reed Sheppard?
The second-year guard has the right toolbox to be the point, but is he ready? He only played sporadically last season, mainly due to the fact that the one thing he seemed to have that was NBA-ready (his shooting) turned out to be a tad unrefined. If his shooting improves, he does have the kind of passing ability teams love at the point, but will Coach Ime Udoka trust him in key moments? If this is truly a championship contender, do you want that in the hands of a second-year guy who barely played as a rookie?
Next Next Next Up: Aaron Holiday
Bringing back the veteran Holiday now seems like a genius move now. While you wouldn’t want him playing big minutes, he makes smart plays, shoots well and is a surprisingly tough defender. It would probably be a surprise if he started, but they are going to need him more than they would have if FVV was healthy.
So, where does that leave the team?
At this point, it will likely be point by committee until they can find some kind of groove. The hope is that Thompson takes yet another step toward stardom, Sheppard turns a corner in his sophomore season, and Holiday gives the team quality minutes when needed. The Rockets do indeed have depth on this team, which helps. It just so happens that their most tenuous depth was behind VanVleet.
The Houston Rockets have been one of the most aggressive teams in the NBA throughout the 2025 offseason. Acquiring Kevin Durant was arguably the biggest blockbuster move that any team made.
While the Durant trade was a big one for the Rockets, the team was connected to another high-profile move. Houston was one of the teams talked about as a potential trade suitor for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo has been at the top of the NBA rumor mill this offseason. He has yet to fully decide on what he wants for the future. Will he stay with the Bucks?
Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks celebrates a three pointer against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center on March 01, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks celebrates a three pointer against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center on March 01, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Entering the 2025-26 season, that remains one of the biggest questions in the league. It’s entirely possible that Antetokounmpo could end up wanting out of Milwaukee by the trade deadline. Next offseason would be another possibility.
With that being said, the Rockets’ general manager spoke out with a revelation about Antetokounmpo.
During a recent interview on ESPN Houston, Rafael Stone spoke out and shared that Bucks’ general manager Jon Horst and he had a conversation about Antetokounmpo. It was made clear to him that the “Greek Freak” will not be traded.
He was asked specifically about whether or not Houston could trade for Antetokounmpo before the start of the 2025-26 season.
“No,” Stone said. “I deal well with Jon Horst (Bucks GM), I really like him. Jon was very clear that they weren’t doing anything. So, that was that.”
No one should be surprised about that statement. Milwaukee is still 100 percent determined to build a championship contender around Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo also seems to prefer the idea of staying with the Bucks. He simply wants to be in a position where he can compete for another ring.
It will be interesting to see what the future has in store for both Milwaukee and Antetokounmpo. Things can change in the blink of an eye when it comes to the NBA. More should be known about that situation by the end of the upcoming season.
At this point, the Rockets will not be able to acquire Antetokounmpo. But, if he is made available on the trade block down the road, Houston will be a team to watch.
For more on the Houston Rockets and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta said former owner Leslie Alexander bought the team for $77 million in 1993. “This facility cost $75 million,” he said as he unveiled the Memorial Hermann Houston Rockets Training Center to media on Tuesday.
Sitting on a corner lot on Old Katy Road — the Landry’s offices next door and Fertitta’s Post Oak Hotel conveniently just a couple miles away — the new massive facility is the latest in Fertitta’s growing empire of spaces (including restaurants, hotels, casinos and, oh by the way, the Toyota Center) and one of the most impressive.
On Tuesday, team President of Business Operations Gretchen Scheirr led a contingent of media on a tour of the space that includes offices, training rooms, locker rooms and dining space all centered around a pair of full-sized courts in the center. Here, everything literally revolves around basketball.
Current players like Amen Thompson and Jalen Green along with Rockets greats Elvin Hayes, Calvin Murphy, Hakeem Olajuwon and Rudy Tomjaovich were on hand to christen the latest jewel in the Rockets crown.
Former Rocket greats like Hakeem Olajuwon (right) and current players were on hand Tuesday.
Photo by Jeff Balke
Both Fertitta and GM Rafael Stone were quick to brush aside the idea that the new center, one of the finest in the sport, might bring them more respect around the league. Respect is something they both believe the team has already earned around the NBA. But, the impact on the Rockets is evident with Stone calling it a “game changer.” There is no question this huge gym-slash-office is a first rate addition for the Rockets, from its brand new luxury war room for draft night to the million-dollar training hill in the back yard.
In addition to the amenities for players and staff, it is replete with a separate locker room for visiting players should they need it, particularly if they stay in Fertitta’s nearby luxury hotel, which he hopes for out loud. And who can blame him? He is nothing if not outspoken in his desire to provide his team with the absolute best money can buy.
It also helps that it is close for the owner himself. “I’m a convenience guy,” he explained, praising the fact that it is on his route to work and even has a helipad next door.
The team has been working out in the new digs for a few weeks and training camp, which opens next week, will convene here as well. Stone admits the two full courts is probably the most important aspect of the facility for the team side. The more space to scrimmage, the better.
But, it’s not as if the Toyota Center will be abandoned. They still play all their home games there and with remodeling in the works for the downtown building, the practice facility provides them plenty of options. If whatever they are planning for the Toyota Center is anything close to the training facility, the team will certainly want for nothing.
It’s not often I jump into the NBA fray in this space, not because I’m not an NBA or Houston Rockets fan, but largely because my good friend Jeff Balke already does such a phenomenal job covering our squad. So you may not know that I’ve spent a large part of my childhood and adult life as a HUGE nerd for the NBA Draft. HUGE nerd.
Back in high school, in the run up to the 1984 NBA Draft, back when I was a card carrying Philadelphia Sixers fan, I would spend every study hall feverishly jotting down mock drafts in my notebook (when I DEFINITELY should have been actually, ya know, STUDYING). I loved the NBA Draft, like I loved nothing else in sports.
Through the years, the NBA Draft has become more tedious to follow, with so many players being one-and-done freshman, if not overseas players of whom I’ve watched practically zero film. This just in — a draft is way more fun to watch when you know who the players are!
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that’s changing any time soon. However, the NBA has done several other things to mangle and mutilate my beloved NBA Draft that are very fixable, and I am here to fix what can be fixed, and at least make my beloved NBA Draft remotely resemble the gathering I’d come to know and love back in the ’80s and ’90s.
So, here you go, Adam Silver! You’re welcome!
Make “who has what picks” less complicated Teams have been trading picks since the advent of the draft, either for players or for better picks. That’s nothing new. Somewhere along the way, though, in the last decade and change, teams trading first round picks have been include to attach “protections” to them, where the picks may not convey to their trade partner if their pick is in the top 4, or top 10, or whatever is agreed to. Additionally, teams have started using pick swaps as a poor man’s substitute to trading actual first round picks, where a team can choose to flip flop spots with a team in the first round. Well, this whole phenomenon, where it feels like half the picks have some contingency attached, has made the NBA Draft more difficult to follow, less fun to follow. I know NBA hyper-nerds may disagree, because they choose to enjoy the chess game of it all. I’m just saying, for the average person, it makes it all less understandable.
Stop this silly thing where trades aren’t acknowledged until July So the NBA’s actually business year doesn’t begin until several days after the draft. However, trades DO get made on draft night that go into effect at the start of the league year. So instead of just acknowledging the reported trades, the NBA does this stupid thing on draft night where players who are drafted with those traded picks, are still introduced as if the trades are not going to get made. Using a real life example, watch these videos of Luka Doncic and Trae Young getting drafted in 2017. Everyone knew that Luka was headed to Dallas and Young to Atlanta, but because the trade isn’t in acknowledged for another week, we have to stick them in a baseball cap of a team they’ll never play for: If you think I’m being petty about this, then imagine Will Anderson getting introduced on draft night in a Cardinals cap when the whole world knows he’s going to be a Texan. We’d have been robbed of the posterity of the incredible moment of Anderson putting on that Texans cap.
Take away Adrian Wojnarowski’s cell phone I’m someone who likes to have social media open during things like the NFL Draft or the NBA Draft. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the premier NBA insider, was the first insider to take “spoiling picks” on Twitter to the next level. Prior to joining ESPN, when Woj was with Yahoo, he would spoil selections two and three picks ahead. That’s how embedded he is with NBA front offices. Unfortunately, it ruins the experience for many folks, who like the drama of hearing the commissioner announce the picks. So when Woj got to ESPN, the network tried to get him to stop spoiling, so instead he does this snarky crap now where he uses phrases like “zeroing in” or “interest centered upon” to get around the demands of ESPN management. It’s annoying, and honestly unnecessary.
Minnesota is targeting Terrence Shannon at No. 27, source tells ESPN.
Do something about the draft telecast
I suppose there are enough alternate outlets on draft night, with streamers and such, to where it may be petty for me to complain about the telecast, but dammit, I like ESPN! I don’t want to go to some low level steak night at a dive bar, I want Morton’s! ESPN’s presentation was great back in the day, when someone like Rece Davis would steer the ship, tossing to Jeff Van Gundy, Jay Bilas, and usually some other former player. Now, the broadcast just lacks star power, and has become one more vessel to try to force feed Stephen A. Smith to us in gargantuan doses. I’d bring back Davis, and put him with Tim Legler, Kendrick Perkins and Jay Bilas, and let’s go.
An absolute stunner broke late Tuesday night, with fewer than 24 hours remaining before the start of the 2024 NBA Draft: the New York Knicks will acquire Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for a package including four unprotected first-round picks, a lightly-protected first-round pick and a future first-round pick swap, as was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
BREAKING: The Brooklyn Nets have agreed in principle on a trade to send F Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks for Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round picks, a protected first-round pick via Bucks, an unprotected pick swap and a second-rounder, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/TEGsIpoa3b
Already referred to by many as the “Villanova Knicks,” New York now has four former Wildcats set to be critical pieces of their rotation moving forward: Bridges, superstar guard Jalen Brunson, sharpshooter Donte DiVincenzo and do-it-all wing Josh Hart.
With the Boston Celtics firmly cemented as the Eastern Conference’s best for the time being, the Knicks have chosen Bridges as the piece worth cashing in the vast majority of their assets for in hopes of catching up to defending champions. And now, there is more than one team that is head and shoulders above the Sixers in terms of present day talent.
Perhaps the most obvious ripple effects this move has on the Sixers are that there is another team in their conference with the potential to seriously contend for a championship, and that Bridges — seen by many as an ideal fit alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey — is officially off the table.
The intrigue of these four storied college teammates joining forces in the pros is fascinating, and the Knicks are filled with great players who are likable characters. But it is fair to wonder if four unprotected picks and several other assets for a player who has yet to make an All-Star team is the right path forward. Bridges is tremendous, and will fit like a glove in New York, but is he good enough to warrant a collection of draft choices like this? For what it’s worth, this archetype of trade has come back to bite the team acquiring the “star” more often than not.
But, to be fair, with the Celtics not going anywhere, New York doing all they can to maximize their championship window now that Brunson has emerged as a full-fledged superstar is understandable, and to a degree, even commendable.
Bridges, who the Sixers infamously drafted in 2018 before trading him to the Phoenix Suns during his introductory press conference in which he donned a Sixers hat, has become one of the most respected two-way wings in the entire NBA, and since being the centerpiece of the Kevin Durant trade that sent him to Brooklyn, he has made major strides as a scorer. He was overtasked as a go-to scorer in Brooklyn, and that will not be an issue anymore as he reunites with Brunson.
The next domino to fall here is the status of soon-to-be Knicks free agent OG Anunoby. As recently as Tuesday evening, it appeared Anunoby had enough negotiating leverage to receive just about any contract he desired from New York this summer. Now, with Bridges in the fold, the Knicks are not exactly desperate to bring Anunoby back.
If the Knicks were to let Anunoby fetch offers elsewhere and contemplate leaving New York, the Sixers loom as a potential fit for the acclaimed two-way wing.
Early indications are that the Knicks will prioritize reaching a deal with Anunoby in the near future, which would signal the exit of incumbent starting center Isaiah Hartenstein. But it is not difficult at all to imagine a world in which the Knicks —with DiVincenzo, Bridges, Hart and Julius Randle all under contract moving forward — opt not to give Anunoby the massive deal he is seeking and instead solidify their center position by bringing back Hartenstein.
As for the Nets, this was the right move: Bridges is a tremendous player, but was not leading the Nets anywhere promising in the near future given his lack of support. Accumulating as many draft picks as possible and accelerating the team’s rebuild was always the right call, and they furthered those goals by promptly trading a few of Phoenix’s future picks to the Houston Rockets to regain some of the draft capital they sent Houston when they acquired former Sixer James Harden a few years back. Word quickly trickled out that Houston wants to offer those picks back to Phoenix to try to get Durant.
We have reached maximum levels of chaos, and tonight I am grateful I do not cover the Brooklyn Nets or Houston Rockets.
Another question: how does all of this impact the free agency of Paul George? First the Sixers seemed like a very possible destination for the nine-time All-Star, then they were out, now there are conflicting reports regarding their interest in the star wing who has yet to strike a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. Over the last few days, there was steam behind the idea of George forcing a sign-and-trade from the Clippers to a contending team without the requisite cap space to sign him on their own — perhaps using the threat of heading to Philadelphia as leverage to force the Clippers’ hand — but many speculated that destination would be New York. They are almost certainly out of those talks now (if they ever took place to begin with), which could reopen the George-to-Philadelphia door.
If the events of late Tuesday night are any indication, nobody actually knows what is in store over the course of the coming days and weeks. But it is going to be madness, and the Sixers could end up being right at the center of it all.
The final day of the 2023-24 regular season saw several playoff teams jockeying for seeding, other teams trying to improve draft lottery odds and a few just hoping to end the campaign on a high note.
The Houston Rockets, who had made an unsuccessful late charge for the Play-In Tournament, fell into the latter category, looking for their first non-losing record since the 2019-20 season.
As it turned out Sunday, the Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers fans both took home a win.
With 4 minutes, 44 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of Houston’s eventual 116-105 victory over the Clippers, center Boban Marjanović missed his first free throw. Marjanović — a career 76.4 percent free-throw shooter — then purposefully missed the second to win fans in attendance free chicken.
The Clippers organization runs a promo in which attending fans get free chicken if the opposition misses two consecutive free throws in the fourth quarter. So the Clippers faithful, who had seen its backups fight admirably all game, finally had something to cheer about, prompting the rising crescendo.
Rewarding home fans when two consecutive fourth-quarter free throws are missed has grown in popularity in recent years. In some blowouts when the end-of-bench players finally take the floor, some players miss the first free throw, getting the crowd riled up, only to make the second and mock them.
But if there was anyone in the NBA who would purposely miss to ensure that fans would go home with a reward, it would be Marjanović, who is arguably the nicest professional basketball player on the planet.
A finalist for this season’s NBA’s sportsmanship award, the former Clippers fan favorite has made a career of kindhearted gestures at his various stops around the league.
As soon as the second free throw rolled off the side of the rim, Marjanović raised one finger in the air, reminding the ongoers whom to thank for the free Chick-fil-A.
Yesterday, I largely focused on setting the table for the updated NBA Pre-Postseason Players Tiers before revealing Tier 3 (players between the 24th and 42nd spot) and Tier 4 (Nos. 43-80).
Today, I’m going to get a little more into some of the more interesting and/or challenging placements, as well as note a few overall trends.
For starters, a consistent bit of feedback — and one I’ve gotten from multiple sources since the release of Tiers 3 and 4 — is the always difficult evaluation of which player is more valuable between an elite role player and a good-but-not-great primary or secondary creator. A senior analytics staffer within the league went so far as to argue they would prefer essentially the entirety of Tier 4A, largely made up of elite role players or connectors, over Tier 3B, which is made up of borderline All-Star primaries.
I don’t think there is a reliable way to solve this debate and on some level, deciding between, say, Mikal Bridges on one hand and Jaylen Brown on the other is more a function of the rest of the respective rosters than the individual players. In that particular comparison, I think it’s entirely possible, if not likely, that both the Celtics and Nets would be better if the two were exchanged!
In some ways, this is really an extension of the long-simmering question of how to rate the sub-elite, yet still very good, level of on-ball players. At least to my way of thinking, there is nothing more valuable in the league than elite shot creation and nothing more overrated than mediocre shot creation, but finding the importance and desirability of players in between is just hard.
It’s also, in some form, the reason to do this exercise in the first place, as identifying that there is a fairly wide gap between Brown and Jayson Tatum and that the difference between Luka Dončić and Donovan Mitchell is substantial is a vital part of roster evaluation. Avoiding the cheapening of the term “franchise player,” in other words.
Another set of teammates who illustrate this dichotomy is Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. I didn’t think Banchero was an especially worthy All-Star this year. Through games of April 10, there are only eight players who have scored at least 100 fewer points than they would have a similar number of scoring attempts at league average efficiency according to Basketball Reference, with Banchero being seventh on that list. However, on some level, this is a result of Orlando’s lack of other creators. On my Simple Shot Quality model, his 50.2 percent expected eFG% is 24th lowest among the 162 players with at least 500 tracked shots attempted this season.
But to swing back around, the players with the 21st, 22nd and 23rd hardest shot diets are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards and Tatum, all of whom have significantly outperformed their shot expectancies by 209 (SGA, third of 162), 73 (Edwards, 45th) and 151 (Tatum, 13th) points scored, while Banchero has shot essentially at the level of his shot quality (-3 points, 124th of 162). Should he get credit for helping keep Orlando’s offense afloat at all by at least being able to soak up possessions? How would he perform with more creative guard play around him? I’m not entirely sure, which is why Banchero is a hard player to rate.
Meanwhile, Wagner does not have the same self-creation ability as Banchero, but he is superior in most other areas — more efficient scoring, better and more versatile defense, off ball play — in a way which would make him a very plug-and-play addition to any team that already had their primary creative roles filled.
Moving on, there are a few notable players who might have been much higher had I done a tiers update around midseason. Tyrese Haliburton is one. He’s been great this year, a worthy All-Star and the driving force behind Indiana’s powerful offense. But the second half of the year hasn’t measured up to the first, whether as result of nagging injuries slowing him down or defenses starting to figure him out or most likely a combination of both. This, combined with my uncertainty over how well his style translates to the playoffs has him down in Tier 3 when for much of the season I had him penciled into the bottom end of Tier 2.
Damian Lillard is another player who has dropped down a tier over the course of the season. Early in the year, it was easy to give somewhat of a pass based on both the adjustment to a new team and role as well as the coaching turmoil which beset the Bucks for the first stage of the season. But even though he has shown some of the old dominance in fits and starts, such as the 29 points (on 19 shot attempts) and nine assists he tallied on Wednesday to drive the Bucks past the Magic despite Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence, those performances have been the exception rather than the rule. Over his final four seasons in Portland, Lillard combined for 62.1 True Shooting on 31.4 Usage. In Milwaukee, his efficiency has dipped to 59.3 TS on 28.4 Usage, his least efficient full season relative to league average since his rookie year. For a player who has always been a huge question mark defensively, it’s a worrisome decline at age 33.
Of course, he could shoot the hell out of the ball in the playoffs and help drag the Bucks to the Eastern Conference finals or even NBA Finals and prove he still belongs in the Top 20 discussion.
Speaking of playoffs, I mentioned yesterday that there were a few players who couldn’t readily improve their tiering until the playoffs, with Tatum, Dončić and Joel Embiid as the prime examples. All three have great opportunities entering the postseason this year, with Dončić in particular seeming well-poised to go on a run; the midseason addition of Daniel Gafford and the Mavericks’ new ability to always be able to match Dončić’s creative mastery with a strong dive-and-dunk pick-and-roll partner surrounded with shooting appears to have unlocked something special.
Meanwhile, there are a few players for whom I have already more or less assumed playoff greatness based on past experience. Jimmy Butler and Jamal Murray haven’t exactly had banner regular seasons, but both have track records of playoff dominance.
Bouncing around a little bit, I’m not sure what to do with Ja Morant and so I am essentially treating this as a gap year while acknowledging he has secured himself extra scrutiny next year.
Finally, let’s talk about the large Frenchman in the room. Victor Wembanyama in Tier 2B, among the Top 14 players in the league. I don’t think he has been All-NBA-level over the entire season, but he has been plenty good as a rookie and has shown development over the course of the year to suggest to me that he will start next season with a strong chance at all-league honors.
This growth is especially evident if you compare before and after either his move to starting at center instead of power forward in early December or the insertion of Tre Jones as a starter in early January to pair Wembanyama with a competent point guard.
On the former, he has been a top-five rim protector in the league since then, with a profile similar to that of Brook Lopez over that period. Meanwhile, prior to Jones joining the starters, Wembanyama only managed 53.3 True Shooting Percentage (on 29.9 usage), but since, that mark has jumped to 58.5 TS% on 33.7 Usage while he has raised his assist rate by nearly 50 percent. And all this with his 3-point shooting still very much a work in progress.
Of course, the numbers don’t even tell close to the full Wemby story as demonstrated by the near nightly parade of “Wait, he did what?!” highlights. While he won’t get a chance to prove himself in this year’s playoffs, it seems almost inevitable that, if he can avoid injury, he’ll be knocking on the door of Tier 1 soon as he has delivered on everything he was hyped to be, and more.
NBA players have always gotten an earful from fans, whether at home or on the road. It comes with the job.
But this season, it’s getting darker.
The recent surge in legalized gambling in every pro league, and throughout college athletics, has impacted American sports in ways thought unimaginable just a few years ago. But along with the potential good that hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenues bring to the NBA and other leagues, something new and ominous has arrived: verbal abuse directed at players and coaches based solely on fans’ wagers.
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Fans can now bet in real-time on their smartphones, on all aspects of the game, including minutiae such as how many rebounds one player might get in the first half, and how many points will be scored by a team in the fourth quarter. And if their bets don’t deliver, they’re taking it out on the players.
“It’s getting outrageous,” LA Clippers forward P.J. Tucker said recently. “It’s getting kind of crazy. Even in the arenas, hearing fans yelling at guys about their bets. It’s unreal. It’s a problem. I think it’s something that’s got to be addressed.”
Teams have yet to make drastic changes to their security details, and the NBA has not recommended increased security near the court. But at least one team has added an extra security guard to its bench this season, in response to increased gambling-infused belligerence. Another team has beefed up its cybersecurity staff to detect especially odious vitriol sent by fans to its players online.
“It’s all over the place,” said Ochai Agbaji, a guard for the Toronto Raptors. “It’s the wild, wild west right now.”
For decades, other than one-off events like the Super Bowl and March Madness office pools, gambling was the third rail of sports. College basketball was rocked by numerous point-shaving scandals. Professional leagues forcefully distanced themselves from betting, even refusing to play games in Las Vegas, where it was legal and popular. Then the Supreme Court opened the door to legalized sports wagering in 2018, and a sea change ensued.
Fans rushed into the nascent market, and the pro leagues quickly pivoted. If fans were opening their now-virtual wallets to spend money on games, the leagues wanted a piece of the action.
Teams now have partnerships with casinos and build their arenas next to them. Announcers, long allergic to any references to betting, now commonly cite wagering information during broadcasts. The NBA recently announced that it would allow fans watching games on its streaming app to track betting odds and click through to make bets with the league’s betting partners, FanDuel and DraftKings.
(The Athletic has a partnership with BetMGM.)
But an unintended consequence of this new relationship comes out of the mouths of increasingly irked fans.
“You see people on Twitter, you know, fans going back and forth with players on Twitter about how you lost their money,” Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum said. “I guess it’s kind of funny. I don’t know. I guess I do feel bad when I don’t hit people’s parlays. I don’t want to them lose money. But, you know, I just go out there and try to play the game.”
Cleveland Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff said last month that a gambler somehow accessed Bickerstaff’s cell phone number and left him threatening texts and voice messages, intimating he knew where Bickerstaff and his family lived.
“It is a dangerous game and a fine line that we’re walking for sure,” Bickerstaff said.
Toronto Raptors forward Jordan Nwora said that comments about betting from fans are “all the time, nonstop.”
“You get messages,” Nwora said. “You hear it on the sideline. You see guys talking about it all the time.
“It comes with being in the NBA. People bet on silly things on a daily basis. So I mean, it’s part of being in the NBA, it’s what comes with it. I get it. People don’t complain when you have a good game. I don’t get messages with people saying, ‘Thank you for helping me.’ ”
A league spokesman said that incidents of fan comments toward players and team staff about gambling were not more prevalent than other fan misbehavior at this point, but it is something the league continues to monitor.
The root of much of the fury is what’s known as a prop bet, formerly a quirky corner of the underground betting universe that has quickly caught on with fans. Prop bets are wagers on parts of a game that might not have anything to do with the outcome. How long will it take for the national anthem to be sung? How many turnovers will a certain player have in the first half? How many total rebounds will there be?
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Prop bets have been the subject of two recent incidents that raised questions about whether basketball players were under the sway of gamblers. A watchdog spotted irregular betting patterns on prop bets in some Temple University men’s basketball games this season. The NBA told ESPN last week that it was investigating Raptors forward Jontay Porter after betting irregularities were flagged on prop bets involving his performances in two games.
NBA players have noticed the shift in fans’ interests.
“To half the world, I’m just helping them make money on DraftKings or whatever,” Tyrese Haliburton, an All-Star guard for the Indiana Pacers, said last month.
“I’m a prop,” he added. “You know what I mean? That’s what my social media mostly consists of.”
Haliburton elaborated on his comments in a recent interview with The Athletic. He said verbal abuse at games was much worse than when he came into the league four years ago.
“Bettors have this thing called the ‘banned’ list, and that’s when you don’t hit their bet,” Haliburton said. “So they’re like, ‘You’re on my banned list. I’m not going to continue to bet on you.’ And I think that’s literally all my mentions have been for the last six weeks,” he said, referring to social media.
I also asked #Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton specifically about speaking to a sports psychologist, and he noted in his response how sports betting has consumed a lot of his social media.
“To half the world, I’m just helping them make money on DraftKings or whatever. I’m a prop.“ pic.twitter.com/6f2a0vEuiK
Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony also mentioned the banned list in noting the increased attention and pressure created by parlay betting, when multiple bets are combined into one wager.
“There were a few where I was just like, ‘This is sickening,’ ” Anthony said. “Not sickening, but it’s funny, in a way, to see this stuff and see how serious a lot of people take this.”
The NBA is especially vulnerable to this new fan dynamic. Its players are not hidden behind pads and helmets, and they perform close to fans, some of whom have conversations with coaches and players during games.
Team security does not confront abusive fans — that falls to arena security. Behavior considered “verbal abuse, or being disruptive,” including talk about gambling if it’s particularly nasty, can lead to ejections. Normally, fans are given a verbal warning by arena security that they are violating the NBA Fan Code of Conduct, which is promoted at games. A fan who does not stop the disruptive behavior may then be given a warning card — a written warning that further inappropriate behavior will lead to ejection. A third incident will cause the fan to be removed — though fans can be ejected if they are particularly nasty toward players or staff just once.
The league monitors social media activity through its Global Security Operations Center, with an eight-to-10-person staff. The NBA also shares intel with other sports leagues. Certain players, coaches and referees tend to attract more attention on social platforms than others. League security meets with teams twice a season to remind them about gambling protocols.
Bickerstaff, the Cavaliers coach, said he informed team security about the fan who was threatening him. Security tracked down the person who left the messages and texts, but Bickerstaff and the team declined to pursue a legal case.
Tatum says the discourse “definitely has changed” from his first few seasons in the league.
“I guess when you hit people’s parlays and do good for them, they tell me,” he said. “But then they also talk s–t. Like I’m on the court and I didn’t get 29.5 or whatever I was supposed to do.”
— Sam Amick, Eric Koreen, Josh Robbins, James Boyd, Jared Weiss and Jason Lloyd contributed reporting.
(Photo of Tyrese Haliburton: Ron Hoskins / NBAE via Getty Images)
