Final 12 months presently, I wrote a chunk entitled Finish-of-summer Disjointed Basketball Ideas. Amongst different issues, I wrote that faculty ought to begin after Labor Day as God meant, questioned the NBA’s “max” and “supermax” contracts (how can one thing be greater than the utmost?), and (most significantly), why the Spurs’ three glorious guards was factor, not an issue.
Little did we all know in August of 2025 that these three guards would propel the Spurs to a totally surprising and joyous common season and playoffs. Till, after all, nicely, you understand.
DBT 1. I’ll begin this season’s Finish of Summer time Disjointed Basketball Ideas with a DBT from final August:
DBT 6. The Portland Trailblazers had been simply offered to a man who owns the Carolina Hurricanes in one thing referred to as the “Nationwide Hockey League”. By no means heard of it. Anyway, the Blazers have an extended historical past in Portland and a passionate fan base. I’m positive that Blazer followers don’t have anything to fret about simply because their new proprietor relies in one other state. Maintain that thought only one second — one in all my ex-players from Seattle is on the road…
Like San Antonio, Portland has just one skilled sports activities crew. (Don’t inform me that soccer or hockey groups rely.) I used to be born in Portland and nonetheless have household in Oregon, which makes the sector turmoil surrounding the Blazers and their cheapskate proprietor doubly distressing. As soon as once more, a billionaire proprietor doesn’t wish to pay for stuff that may make his asset extra invaluable — with the implied risk to maneuver elsewhere if he doesn’t get his approach.
I actually hope that the Blazers reduce some kind of a deal to remain the place they belong — Portland shedding the Blazers can be horrible. One factor working in Portland’s favor is that Portland is unquestionably a greater and extra confirmed market than the options. I don’t suppose the NBA would permit the Blazers proprietor to poach both Seattle or Las Vegas – the opposite house owners certainly need the huge enlargement charges from these areas. If these cities are off the desk, what’s left? Kansas Metropolis or St. Louis? Louisville? Kansas Metropolis and St. Louis? No thanks. Portland wins. Sadly, Seattle gained too — however misplaced their crew anyway.
DBT 2. I lately met a man at a seashore occasion carrying a Ken Griffey Jr. baseball cap. He was from Cincinnati and stated among the best moments in his life was when Griffey got here house to signal with the Reds after years of taking part in in Seattle. Griffey Jr. grew up in Cincinnati as a result of his father Ken Griffey Sr. performed for the Reds for a few years. The man with the Griffey hat and I made a decision that Griffey Jr. would be the most universally beloved baseball participant of the previous 50 years.
That received me desirous about whether or not basketball has had an analogous participant: somebody that everybody admires, even followers of different groups. The primary participant I considered is Dr. J. Amongst current gamers, in all probability Steph Curry. On a a lot smaller scale (in each approach), possibly Patty Mills? Anybody else?
DBT 3. You will have heard that LeBron James signed with the 76ers. Yeah, it was within the information. Whereas it might have been extra enjoyable if he had teamed up with Curry within the over-35 league Warriors, Philadelphia was clearly the most effective spot for him to maximise potential basketball success.
I advised my buddy TD, a 76ers fan, that the NBA ought to permit the crew to play with two basketballs. One other new 76er, Jaylen Brown, took probably the most pictures within the league final 12 months: 1,543. One other 76er, Tyrese Maxey, took the second most pictures with 1,501. If Joel Embiid had performed 82 video games, his 18.3 pictures per recreation would have put him in third with 1,500 pictures. In fact, Embiid didn’t play 82 video games, by no means has and by no means will. That, and LeBron’s age may be the one issues protecting the 76ers from being a robust crew (if the league does permit the two-ball factor).
And in the event that they by some means preserve Embiid and LeBron wholesome for an extended playoff run, the 76ers begin two small guards who may have a tricky time matching up within the NBA Finals in opposition to a crew with two massive highly effective guards. Simply saying…
DBT 4. The crew LeBron left, the Lakers, has a man who led the league in pictures per recreation in 2025-26. Luka Doncic averaged over 22 pictures per recreation. A number of guys from my Sunday morning recreation beat that simply — and our video games solely go to 19, counting by twos and threes.
DBT 5. One final LeBron remark. I promise. Whereas the GOAT argument will go on ceaselessly (or till Victor Wembanyama surpasses each LeBron and MJ), “greatest profession” has been resolved in LeBron’s favor. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had it for a very long time, particularly in case you embrace his three NCAA titles at UCLA. He additionally gained Finals MVP at 38 years previous, after averaging 25.7 factors, 9.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.5 blocks per recreation within the 1985 Finals. However LeBron’s seasons in his 40’s have put him over everybody, together with Kareem.
DBT 6. All Spurs followers cherished seeing these movies of a lot of the crew understanding with Victor in France. My invitation and Air France aircraft ticket should have gotten misplaced within the mail.
The Spurs gamers who made the journey had a significantly better time than a number of mates who ventured to France this summer time, solely to reach through the hottest July in France’s historical past — with a lot of the nation on fireplace. As is Spain. And Greece. And Canada. Nearer to house, Colorado, Oregon and Spokane Washington have had devastating wildfires, a few of that are nonetheless burning. A number of days in the past, the worst air high quality on this planet was in Portland, Oregon. Different components of the nation, together with South Texas, have suffered from huge flooding, whereas tornadoes have stormed by way of the midwest. El Nino is cooking the Pacific Ocean.
I do know Pounding the Rock is about hoops, however we additionally want to concentrate to what’s occurring on this planet. It’s burning. It’s not too late to make things better, however “too late” is getting rather a lot nearer. Let’s go renewable with photo voltaic and wind so Spurs followers can fear concerning the opposing crew’s shooters getting scorching, not the planet.
DBT 7. OK, again to hoops. In November of final season, I used to be in a position to attend a Spurs recreation in LA and wrote this:
All of which led to this from the Pulse (on the Athletic) choosing Wednesday’s Spurs vs. Lakers as the sport of the evening:
NBA: Spurs at Lakers10 p.m. ET on ESPNWemby-powered San Antonio (5-1) heads West to satisfy a powerful Lakers crew that’s 6-2 regardless of lacking LeBron James for your complete 12 months so far and Luka Dončić for half of these video games. For now, exterior of Oklahoma Metropolis, that is the category of the Western Convention. Good recreation.
We all know now that the Spurs did certainly stay among the many elite. Certainly, they turned the elite. This season they would be the hunted, not the hunter.
I’m joyful to see that the opposite two groups within the elite might have taken a small step backwards. OKC traded away a few of their depth, together with Lu Dort. I gained’t miss that man. The Knicks misplaced key back-up heart Mitchell Robinson, and moved again a bit by changing him with Andre Drummond. Each Robinson and Drummond are under 50% profession free throw shooter, however Drummond is 4 years older, and albeit simply not pretty much as good.
We may have way more to say about this later, however for now, I’ll simply say that the Spurs must be even higher than final season’s joyous success. For a lot of causes. We’re all trying ahead to it.
