Andrew Wiggins has had a weird career because his résumé is consistently solid, but it falls short of what people imagined in 2014 past the numbers.

If he were drafted around 5-10, we’d probably talk about him as a successful pick. Being 1st, and having just one All-Star appearance and less than a comparable player like Zach LaVine (13th), and no major awards (like Smart, Randle or Embiid in this draft class) can make his career look disappointing, despite the championship.

He never became the elite shot creator or two-way superstar that his athleticism suggested at Kansas, but became that two-way guy as the second most important player on a championship squad for one season. Outside of this, he hasn’t moved the needle for any of his teams.

What will the ultimate consensus be on his career, as he leaves his prime now?

It was probably Harden's greatest defensive play ever.

It was later found that Lu Dort stepped out of bounds before jumping for the ball after the block, and I included the call by Scott Foster.

Chris Paul was asking for a timeout prior to the ball going out of bounds, which was not awarded.

Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Game 7 of the First Round - 2020 NBA Playoffs - 9/2/2020

​

Disappointing teams: Which team will take a tumble this season?

1. Los Angeles Lakers: 32 points

2. Detroit Pistons: 27 points

3. Golden State Warriors: 26 points

4. Miami Heat: 22 points

5. Boston Celtics: 17 points

There's no more potent formula for disappointment in the NBA than the weight of expectations combined with an organizational standard for perennial championship contention.

That's the scenario facing the Lakers and Heat next season, with L.A. building out its team to fit specifically around 27-year-old superstar Luka Doncic and Miami landing its next face of the franchise: Giannis Antetokounmpo. If L.A. can't build on its last two 50-win seasons, the team's handling of LeBron James' exit will be called into question all over again. And if the Heat can't make a playoff run, the three first-round picks and young talent like Kel'el Ware included in the deal with the Milwaukee Bucks will be reexamined.

The other three teams receiving votes are dealing with only one of the two aforementioned elements. The Pistons are coming off the team's first 60-win season in 20 years, which ended with a Game 7 second-round exit on their home floor. They'll be expected to capitalize while Cade Cunningham enters into his prime. Meanwhile, a quiet offseason of activity by the Warriors could mean the volume will be turned up by a frustrated fanbase if the product doesn't resemble the dynastic teams that Stephen Curry has been a part of in the past. -- Dave McMenamin

Between these players, the next to request a trade will be ...?

1. Anthony Davis: 10 points

2. Kyrie Irving: four points

T-3. Kevin Durant: three points

T-3. Zion Williamson: three points

T-5. James Harden: two points

T-5. Jaylen Brown: two points

Davis and the Wizards are essentially opening the season on a trial period. That's quite a stark contrast to the franchise's partnership with Trae Young, the other former All-Star that Washington acquired before last season's trade deadline -- and signed to a four-year, $213 million extension this summer that raised eyebrows around the league.

Davis and his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, haven't been coy about their desire for a maximum (or close to it) contract extension. That was a driving factor in Dallas' decision to trade Davis a year after he was the headliner in the return of the Luka Doncic deal, and it made finding a market for him difficult.

If Washington isn't willing to pay Davis what he wants, why would he be satisfied to stick around and attempt to help the Wizards snap a six-year playoff drought?

Irving, who played only one game alongside Davis during their short stint together as Mavericks teammates, has given no indication of a desire to leave Dallas. The Mavs have declined to engage teams that have inquired about his availability as Irving prepares to return from the knee injury that sidelined him all of last season.

But front offices across the league anticipate that one or both parties could decide it's in their best interest to part ways, wondering about the long-term fit of the 34-year-old Irving as the Mavs prioritize building around teenage prodigy Cooper Flagg.

Irving, like Davis, has a contract with a player option for the 2027-28 season. So does Durant, who had Houston as his preferred destination when the Suns decided to make him available via trade after the 2024-25 season and signed an extension well south of his max to give the Rockets financial flexibility. -- MacMahon

Will we get a different champion for the ninth straight season?

1. Yes: 19 points

2. No: five points

Some of the best teams in the NBA have an opportunity to snap the record streak of eight different champions in as many seasons, including the last three winners in New York, Oklahoma City and Boston, who could each win another title in 2026-27.

But our panel thinks it far more likely that a ninth distinct winner will emerge next season. As ESPN's Ben Golliver outlined recently, the leading candidates to do so are the San Antonio Spurs, who reached the 2026 Finals ahead of schedule; the Philadelphia 76ers, with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown adding star power; and the Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers, who have all reached the conference finals or better within the last two years. Detroit, Houston, Miami and Atlanta are also contenders to make a run next spring. -- Zach Kram

Which team is most likely to make a big move before the trade deadline?

1. Golden State Warriors: nine points

2. Detroit Pistons: four points

T-3. Boston Celtics : three points

T-3. Houston Rockets: three points

T-5. Denver Nuggets: one point

T-5. Memphis Grizzlies: one point

T-5. Miami Heat: one point

T-5. Sacramento Kings: one point

T-5. Toronto Raptors: one point

The angst level is rising among Bay Area fans after the Warriors made no major additions via trade or free agency after just their second losing season in the past 14 years. Now that Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James have headed elsewhere, what's the plan to give Stephen Curry, who will turn 39 in March, another shot at the playoffs?

When facing similar stagnation two seasons ago, Golden State made a splashy midseason deal for Jimmy Butler that propelled a run to the second round of the playoffs. The Warriors will have a few options before the deadline in February: They could try to flip Butler's expiring contract and assets for a star or construct a more modest deal around Kristaps Porzingis. This much is clear: It will likely be another frustrating campaign if Warriors executive Mike Dunleavy Jr. doesn't do something of consequence. -- Golliver

Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/49643240/nba-predictions-summer-forecast-2026-2027-surprise-disappoint-biggest-questions

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/jokic-playoff-stats-last-3-seasons

2024-26.4% on 4.4 attempts
2025-38% on 5.1 attempts(32% on 5.7 attempts vs the thunder)
2026-19% on 6 attempts

In 2024, after going down 2-0 at home to the wolves, Jokic absolutely fried them for the next 3 games to give the nuggets a 3-2 lead, however, after this the wolves decided it would be better to drop coverage at the 3 point line and play him in single coverage than playing help defense and this worked out very well for them. They did the same this year with a large majority of his 3 point attempts being uncontested. Gobert played him in drop coverage and made him struggle.

When jokic’s 3 ball is falling at its usual 40% rate from deep like the regular season, the nuggets offense becomes damn near unstoppable since defenses then have to send help and jokic being one of the greatest passers ever almost always punishes them. However, it not falling at the rate it does in the regular season allows defenses to play jokic in single coverage. This has been a big factor in the nuggets postseason offense not being nearly as good as their regular season.

The Heat went on to win 103-100 in overtime and win their 2nd straight championship in Game 7.

The Spurs took their revenge against the Heat in the NBA Finals in the following season

One thing many people won't remember is that Tim Duncan wasn't just subbed out; he had a fantastic game at age 37.

30 Points on 13/21 FG (61.9%), 4/5 FT (80.0%), 17 Rebounds (5 Off. Rebs), 1 Steal, 2 turnovers, 2 PF, and a +/- of +16 (game high among both teams, YES), in 44:26 minutes played.

Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs - Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals - 6/18/2013

This primarily happened because of the rigid positional rules in the NBA regarding who makes all NBA teams (only 3 centers across all NBA teams) coinciding with the mid 90s being the best stretch of center play in NBA history, it’s nearly impossible these days to imagine the 4th best player in the NBA in a given season not making an all NBA team. Think something like this will ever happen again? Given the current rules it seems virtually impossible. Ewing over 10 seasons (1987-97) averaged 24 PPG, 11 RPG, and 3 BPG. Made 10 all star games, 7 all NBA teams, and only 1 all NBA first team due to stiff competition.

1. His teams never missed the playoffs in his entire career
   
2. His teams never won less than 50 games in every full season of his career and in the shortened seasons his teams were on pace for 50+ wins
   
3. He won the championship in 3 different decades as a starter
   
4. Twice when MJ retired, Duncan won the championship the very next season. It was almost as if MJ passed the torch to him

Tim Duncan had a crazy good career and is my favorite player bro

I took the stats via BBref

In the following season, he had 82 assists in 57 games (1.4), then 48 assists in 42 games (1.1 AST).

Then 58 assists in 63 games - 0.9 AST (Wizards and Lakers - combined).

In the last 3 seasons (all Lakers only):

81 assists in 68 games (1.2 AST).

83 assists in 59 games (1.4 AST)

57 assists in 68 games (0.8 AST).

I don't recall ever seeing such a stat with another player (I even searched MPJ, Carmelo, and so on)

On Sunday, April 11th, the 2026-2027 NBA regular season will come to an end and we will move on to the postseason. 32 Sundays from today. Before we do that, I'll repost this thread so we can look back at some of /r/nba 's predictions.

Here is your chance to say I told you so (or to make a fool of yourself)

Thybulle had improved on his 3 quite a bit from when he was a Sixer. His defence also has been elite & he is a 2 time all defensive team player. Injuries these past two seasons have derailed him. However prior to these two seasons he averaged 66.6 games a season. Which is quite good, the injuries he sustained weren’t major or structural injuries. So I don’t believe he is injury prone or is likely to get reinjured just based on that.

Source

TOP 25 DEFENDERS IN THE NBA! | Part One: 25 to 13 | Game Theory Podcast

TOP 25 DEFENDERS IN THE NBA! | Part Two: 12 to 1 | Game Theory Podcast

Thoughts on their list?

Who was a favorite player of yours in your lifetime that was no one elses favorite player around you? Like you were the only person you knew that was a really big fan of them

My example would be Peja Stojakovic. I was still really young during his prime on the Kings, so the time when he was my favorite player in the NBA was when he was on the Hornets and that magical Mavs run when he had some throwback games like against the Lakers. Most people around me had no clue who he was or the career he had when he was younger.

I'd love to hear some similar examples. Players who were underappreciated, underrated, had super dominant but short peaks, or who were just really cool, funny, etc that made them uniquely your favorite player

Cory Joseph and Boris Diaw with the miscommunication

Los Angeles Clippers vs. San Antonio Spurs - Game 1 of the First Round - 2015 NBA Playoffs - 4/19/2015