The hottest NBA Substack posts right now

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Wemby Mania

Marc Stein • 589 implied HN points • 26 Oct 23
🎾 Sports Basketball NBA
  1. Victor Wembanyama's NBA debut had its ups and downs.
  2. Despite foul trouble, Wembanyama impressed with a late nine-point flurry.
  3. Wembanyama rebounded well from a disappointing start in his debut game.

What is the standard for NBA disappointment?

Good Morning It's Basketball • 491 implied HN points • 20 Oct 23
🎾 Sports NBA Teams Playoffs Expectations Success
  1. Teams like Portland, Washington, and San Antonio are not expected to do well and are aiming for high draft picks.
  2. Teams like Charlotte, Detroit, Brooklyn, and Utah would be disappointing if they weren't in the race for a play-in spot in the second half of the season.
  3. Teams like Toronto, Dallas, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Oklahoma City need to go beyond the first round of the playoffs to have a successful season.

General Managers and Coaches Think the NBA Changed Its Rules Midseason

House of Strauss • 37 implied HN points • 09 Mar 24
🎾 Sports NBA Public Opinion
  1. General managers and coaches in the NBA believe the league changed its rules midseason, causing scoring trends to shift abruptly.
  2. Statements from league executives prior to the scoring drop are now seen as ironic, given the sudden shift in average points per game by teams.
  3. There is a widespread belief within the NBA that the league's rules were secretly altered due to outside pressure, sparking speculation and questions among those involved.

The NBA's Most Popular Scandal

House of Strauss • 25 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🎾 Sports NBA Scandal Scoring Gambling
  1. Younger referees in the NBA tend to call fewer fouls, possibly affecting game outcomes like total points scored.
  2. There has been a significant drop in the average total points scored in NBA games, contrary to the league's initial explanation of a "statistical anomaly."
  3. The NBA's handling of the decreased scoring and evasion in addressing the issue has left fans questioning the league's transparency and motivations.

KD Trade: More to it than meets the eye

Marc Stein • 707 implied HN points • 14 Feb 23
🎾 Sports NBA Trade deadline
  1. The 2022-23 NBA trade deadline was historic with three players with eight All-Star appearances being traded.
  2. Kyrie Irving was traded to Dallas, Russell Westbrook to Utah, and Kevin Durant to Phoenix in multi-team deals.
  3. The Kyrie Irving trade to Dallas set the tone for an intense week leading up to the trade deadline.

Let the Real Games Begin

Knicks Film School • 687 implied HN points • 10 Apr 23
🎾 Sports Basketball NBA Playoffs Defense Offense
  1. The Knicks are heading into the postseason with a pair of losses and uncertainties about Julius Randle's availability.
  2. Luka Doncic may want out of the Mavericks, and Kyrie Irving skipped his exit meeting, adding to the drama in Big D.
  3. Donovan Mitchell's pull-up 3-point shooting will be a key factor in the upcoming series between the Knicks and the Cavs.

NBA All Star Weekend Buzz and Flubs

House of Strauss • 41 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🎾 Sports Basketball NBA Sports Media
  1. The NBA All Star Game was heavily criticized and considered uncompetitive, with even the commissioner showing concern.
  2. There is speculation that NBA commissioner Adam Silver's recent focus on the product's quality is driven more by business interests than personal enthusiasm.
  3. The NBA is in a critical phase of securing its financial future, but the current players seem disinterested in putting on an engaging performance.

Prospect Watch: NBA scouts weigh in on Bronny James and D.J. Wagner

Chad Ford's NBA Big Board • 58 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🎾 Sports Basketball Draft Prospects NBA Player analysis
  1. NBA scouts are discussing Bronny James and D.J. Wagner as top prospects for the 2024 NBA draft.
  2. Both players are sons of former NBA players and have high expectations, but are facing challenges in their current season.
  3. There is a possibility that they may not be first-round picks and might consider staying in college to improve their draft stock for the 2025 class.

Re-tiering the NBA

Good Morning It's Basketball • 471 implied HN points • 21 Feb 23
🎾 Sports NBA Playoffs Teams
  1. Consider 8 teams as top contenders in the NBA.
  2. Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, and Phoenix Suns are in Tier 1 of contenders.
  3. Philadelphia 76ers, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers, and Cleveland Cavaliers are also strong contenders.

Are the Denver Nuggets a Public Team?

House of Strauss • 24 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🎾 Sports NBA Games
  1. The Denver Nuggets surprisingly had four games reaching a viewership of 2 million this season on cable, which is a rare achievement in today's media landscape.
  2. Viewership for NBA games on ESPN and TNT can be challenging to reach the 2 million threshold, but the Nuggets achieved it multiple times.
  3. Reaching 2 million viewers on cable for NBA games is not common, making the Denver Nuggets stand out for their significant viewership numbers.

How good will Victor Wembanyama be?

Silver Bulletin • 108 implied HN points • 24 Oct 23
🎾 Sports Basketball NBA Players Draft
  1. Victor Wembanyama is predicted to be a superstar based on his preseason performance.
  2. Players like LeBron James and Magic Johnson are compared to Wembanyama due to their hype and impact in their rookie seasons.
  3. There's a historical analysis showing that the majority of hyped rookies similar to Wembanyama have gone on to have successful NBA careers.

Fake

TrueHoop • 294 implied HN points • 15 Mar 23
🎾 Sports Basketball Skills NBA Players Coaching
  1. Faking in basketball can disrupt the defender's timing and slow down the offensive player.
  2. Faking is a basic skill that all basketball players can do, but many NBA players don't utilize it effectively.
  3. Coaches often discourage NBA players from faking during games.

Does Damian Lillard make the Bucks the best team in the East?

Silver Bulletin • 121 implied HN points • 27 Sep 23
🎾 Sports Basketball NBA Trades Analysis Team Dynamics
  1. Bucks are now Eastern Conference favorites after acquiring Damian Lillard in a trade.
  2. Lillard's offensive prowess is seen as outweighing the defensive downgrade the Bucks face with this trade.
  3. The trade helps Bucks' half-court offense, secures Giannis' future with the team, and weakens a potential Eastern Conference rival.