Napheesa Collier what the hell. One handed catch and finish while being held in traffic, in one swift motion. wowzers...

@codyhoudek.bsky.social ROOKIE NEMBHARD?

The Pacers are just the third team seeded No. 4 or lower to take a lead in the NBA Finals after three games … and the first to do so since the sixth-seeded (and eventual champion) Houston Rockets in 1995.

On the broadcast, they said that 34 is the most TOVs from a team in a single Finals game. I'm seeing the Warriors with 36 in this 1975 Finals matchup against the Bullets though. Maybe I'm missing something, but it looks like 36 is the record. www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/19...

The only other 30-10-10 and 0 TOV game in playoff history is Baron Davis back in 2002. www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/20...

A reigning NBA Champion hasn't made it past the second round of the playoffs since the Warriors in 2019.

The Wolves are currently on track to score fewer points than either of these teams.

Did I dream the end of the Pacers/ Cavs game, or did all that actually happen?

Have the Bucks had the worst playoff injury luck this decade? 2021: Giannis somehow comes back from a knee injury 2022: Middleton sprains his MCL 2023: Giannis back injury 2024: Giannis calf injury 2025: Lillard blood clot/ Achilles injury

JJ Redick just became the first coach in the play-by-play era to play five players for all 24 minutes of a half in the playoffs. James, Doncic, Reaves, Hachimura & Finney-Smith played the entire second half today.

Basketball rocks.

Mitch Hedburg punching the air right now

Here's how much the Thunder have dominated the Grizzlies this year -Thunder record: 6-0 -Average margin of victory: 24.2 points -Their "closest" game (Feb. 8) is one where they never trailed for the last 47 minutes -Led by at least 21 points in every game

7 games of Nuggets/Clippers, please!

@codyhoudek.bsky.social @thinkingbasketball.bsky.social I posted this on the discord but it went by pretty quickly, but I was inspired to make a website for tracking the thinkies! thethinkies.com

Every episode of the Thinking Basketball podcast: @thinkingbasketball.bsky.social: I have 3 teams in this tier. @codyhoudek.bsky.social: Same. Ben: I wonder if we’ll have the same 3 teams. Cody: [has the same 3 teams] Ben: What’s happening! [sincerely surprised] Every ep. Very endearing.

I will continue to shout from the mountaintops that Horford is the most underrated player of the last decade.

As someone who spends a lot time thinking about the values I want to teach my kid (besides PLEASE DON’T EAT DIRT), the thing I keep coming back to is this: I want him to believe that the strongest, bravest thing he can do is give a shit about other people—especially ones who aren’t like him at all.

Since the All-Star break, basketball has been absurdly good.

I don’t think I was emotionally prepared for this week’s episode of “Paradise.”

Shai drives an NBA-high 20.7 times per game. He hits 57% of his drive FGA, and gets a FTA once every 5.2 drives. Anthony Edwards drives 14.5 times per game. He hits 46% of his drive FGA, and gets a FTA once every 4.4 drives (the highest ratio of anybody in the top 10 in drives).

@thinkingbasketball.bsky.social knows — there’s no such thing as Toumani love for Camara. (Grammar police, I know it should be "too much love" instead of "too many love", but I’m keeping the pun.)

If 40 is going to be the lowest score in the dunk contest, why not just use a 0-10 range?

As a fan, I'm pretty sad about Middleton being traded. That dude has been a pillar of consistency for more than a decade in Milwaukee. He's the last guy aside from Giannis to both play on the 15-win 2014 season and the 2021 championship team. He deserves a multi-thousand word celebratory goodbye.

I have a mission for NBA sleuths: can anyone find a block in history (not Wilt) that is close to this height? www.reddit.com/r/nba/s/NXvO...

We ended this game with 30 lead changes & 8 ties.

Anyone have a top 10 dunks from 40+ year-olds handy?

I’m sick of the ratings conversation about the NBA. But also, I need to point out that Celtics/Thunder is not nationally televised.

In the latest Thinking Basketball, @codyhoudek.bsky.social suggested that Mikal “Noodles” Bridges has played himself up to “Spaghetti” Bridges. We can go further. Proposed nicknames for Bridges, based on his level of play: All-Star: “Fettuccine” All-NBA: “Udon” MVP: “Biangbiang” #nba #knicks

Very fun final possession of Spurs/Knicks.

Magic came into tonight without Banchero, Franz Wagner & Suggs, their 3 leading scorers. They lost Mo Wagner in the 1st quarter. Wendell Carter Jr. in the 2nd. They came back from down 25, outscored the Heat 37-8 in the 4th. It's tied for the Magic's largest comeback win in franchise history.

the sports reference series of websites are some of the last good ones on the internet. they’ve never once changed their design to ruin it, have never hid critical functions behind a paywall, the stathead stuff they do put behind a paywall is incredible/worth charging for. i hope we never lose them

domantas sabonis is currently having the most efficient season on record (ie since '73-74) for anyone averaging at least 20 points and five assists (via @basketball-reference.com)

This is what I’m talking about when I say, “Impossible defensive plays per 100.”

Every Thinking Basketball video is always a banger. Amazing NBA content. youtu.be/w6-NPUOHH6I?...

So grateful to be in the NY Mag holiday gift list for my Giannis book 🥺🙏🏼 nymag.com/strategist/a...

Who is driving more with better spacing? ➡️ Teammates provide more spacing i.e. they are better C&S 3pt shooters ⬅️ Teammates provide less spacing i.e. they are worse C&S 3pt shooters

The Bucks have won 8 of 9 and are shooting a cool 43.7% from deep in their last 8 contests.

Since no teams played yesterday and we're reaching quarter pole mark for entire league soon Here's a lil shot data for ya across the league Will revisit after NBA Cup is over That midrange vs corner 3 dilemma ...

Most isolations per 100 possessions in 12 seasons of Second Spectrum data... 1. James Harden '18-19: 28.2 2. James Harden '19-20: 26.2 3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander '24-25: 22.7

The league as a whole is shooting 77.9% FT this season. Only two teams have been unlucky enough to have opponents shoot 83%. Naturally, it's the Bucks and Sixers.

Naz with Randle: 23.7 PTS per-100, 63.8 Ts% (172 mins) Naz without Randle: 36.3 PTS per 100, 70.1 TS% (174 mins)

Brandon Miller stealing an alley-oop 😮 (via NBA)

Jakob Poeltl is leading the NBA with 66 offensive rebounds this season. He's grabbing 12.7% of the Raptors' misses while he's on court, the highest OREB rate of any player with at least 30.0 minutes.

I don’t have a ranking of guard screeners in the league, but I’d be hard-pressed to name many better than Craig Porter Jr.

We have 100+ min sample sizes for their rotation players' without Jokic. Braun: 62.6 EFG% with Jokic, 56.0% without Watson: 60.8% with, 39.6% without (!) MPJ: 60.3% with, 51.0% without Strawther: 52.4% with, 56.0% without Westbrook: 50.0% with, 35.2% without Murray: 47.3% with, 42.0% without

Hey #NBASky: I made a Ringer NBA starter pack, including every Ringer colleague who writes, edits, produces or pods on the NBA. (If I've missed anyone, please let me know!) go.bsky.app/FHrHSbx

The Pacers need to make the "play better" adjustment From a game that was supposed to mean more, I wrote about how often they looked like they were lost in the sea of their own deep-blue court 🔗: www.patreon.com/posts/pacers...