NBA Finals 3-Point Shooting, A History

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We didn’t get an official prediction for this year’s Finals out publicly, but I was pretty much on board with the conventional wisdom that Oklahoma City was a prohibitive favorite over the Pacers.  I expected OKC’s defense to match up well against Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam.  I also expected that the Pacers’ lack of a physically dominating center would allow Chet Holmgren to be quite effective.  In other words, I thought this would be yet another 4-1 win for the favored team in the … [Read more...] about NBA Finals 3-Point Shooting, A History

Knicks-Pacers Quick Thoughts Plus Reggie Miller’s 1995 Comeback

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Well, these playoffs have been strange.  I doubt many fans correctly forecasted that both Boston and Cleveland would be eliminated in the second round and that they would be easily beaten.  Then, watching Indiana win two games in New York in the Eastern Conference Finals was also jarring.  It appears that the Pacers are well on their way to the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years but let’s do a quick run of what we’ve seen so far….   Is Tom Thibodeau playing the starters too … [Read more...] about Knicks-Pacers Quick Thoughts Plus Reggie Miller’s 1995 Comeback

NBA Playoff Quickthoughts

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Usually, we do a longform playoff preview replete with predictions and structured picks by series.  This year we will try a different format because: (a) a normal preview is a little late and (b) the traditional format has gotten a little boring to me.  Having said that, let’s review the playoffs, FAQ style to examine a few things….   Has a team as good as OKC ever not won a title?   Absent injury, probably not.  OKC had the best SRS ever at 12.70, which was a good deal … [Read more...] about NBA Playoff Quickthoughts

A Closer Look At Taylor Jenkins’ Firing: What Was Memphis Thinking?

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I am as surprised as everyone else about the recent firing of Taylor Jenkins by Memphis.  At the time of his firing, Jenkins had a robust 44-29 record but did have some recent struggles.  He was replaced by his assistant Tuomas Iisalo, a first year NBA assistant (he coached in Europe from 2014 to 2025).  Firing a coach with a winning record so close to the playoffs is rarely done because the difficulty in getting a new head coach acclimated (even if it’s a promoted internal assistant), is likely … [Read more...] about A Closer Look At Taylor Jenkins’ Firing: What Was Memphis Thinking?

The Luka-AD Trade FAQ

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Needless to say, the shocking trade of Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis needs some examination.  Here’s a quick review: Who won the trade? Well, my gut reaction is that the Lakers feel like decisive winners.  AD Is a great player but he is six years older than Luka and Doncic’s shot creation skills are elite and not readily available on the open market.  For reference, here is the stat lines for AD and Doncic for this year: Davis: 34.3 mpg, 25.7 ppg, .528 FG%, .298 3FG%, … [Read more...] about The Luka-AD Trade FAQ

Jimmy Butler v. Miami Heat FAQ

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The Jimmy Butler-Miami Heat Feud has lingered long enough for us to finally weigh in on the issues as we see them.  Let’s quickly sort out the issues as we see them, FAQ-style… A Review of Jimmy Butler, Master Negotiator Making any conclusions about how to allot blame, both legally and karma-wise, really starts with a common understanding of the underlying facts.  So, let’s briefly run through the facts as we understand them: -Butler signed with Miami in 2019 for four years … [Read more...] about Jimmy Butler v. Miami Heat FAQ

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