In this weeks 13 Rules: Random NBA Thoughts Steve Purciello dives shares more random NBA thoughts. Victor Wembanyama Dominates, Knicks Rally, and NBA Playoff Storylines Heat Up and more. Make sure to listen and add the 13 Rules: NBA Random Thoughts podcast the Shot Clock Pod to your list!
Victor Wembanyama Delivers Historic Game One Performance
Victor Wembanyama’s Game 1 was a game for the ages. Forty-one points and twenty-four rebounds tell some of the story, but his gutty three at the end of regulation tells you more. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it: there isn’t a thing he can’t do on the basketball court. Win or lose in this series, all NBA general managers now have to build their teams with the thought of how to put together a roster that can somehow minimize Wembanyama’s effect.
Knicks Rally: Knicks Complete Stunning Comeback vs. Cavaliers
The New York Knicks came back from 22 down to win Game 1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The loss had to take something out of the Cavs, as that was the Knicks at their most vulnerable after being off for over a week. Losing that game makes it even more difficult for the Cavs to pull off the upset in this series.
Jalen Brunson Exploits Defensive Mismatches
Speaking of the Cavs, it was difficult to watch the Knicks continue to successfully isolate Jalen Brunson on James Harden when they came back in the fourth quarter. Brunson was isolated nine times with Harden guarding him and scored 1.9 points per possession. Harden makes $43 million and is looking for a contract extension. So far in two games against the Knicks, Harden has combined to score 33 points with five assists and has not exactly been a defensive stopper. It seems Harden needs to step it up on both sides of the ball to earn a lucrative extension.
Thunder Depth Too Much for Spurs
Friday night’s game between the Spurs and Thunder was interesting. Wembanyama did not have a great game, but he still scored 26 points and grabbed only four rebounds. Ultimately, the story was the Thunder’s bench. In this case, it was Jared McCain scoring 24 points in 26 minutes. It looks like the Thunder’s depth will wear the Spurs down over this series.
Mavericks Move On From Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd was fired by new Dallas Mavericks president Masai Ujiri. I know he’s the president and entitled to bring in the people he wants; however, Kidd still has a four-year, $40 million contract that the Mavs have to honor. The Mavs have to hope Kidd gets another job to offset that payout. The Mavs feel they hired one of the best team presidents around, but after the Toronto Raptors won their title in 2019, take a look at the Raptors’ rapid decline over the next six years. I’m not sure Ujiri is as good as people give him credit for.
NBA Betting Trends: Impact of Long Layoffs
Bettors, take notice. It’s really interesting to look at how teams play in the playoffs after long layoffs. This year, Oklahoma City lost the first game of their series against the San Antonio Spurs after seven days off. The Knicks were able to come back from a 22-point deficit in their first game back after eight days off and barely escaped with a win.
Portland Trail Blazers Coaching Situation Raises Questions
Portland Trail Blazers new owner Tom Dundon continues to make news in the wrong ways. He and his management group have interviewed just about every coach in the NBA for their head coaching position. One problem for Portland is they still technically have a coach. Tiago Splitter is their coach and, by the way, did a good job coaching the Blazers in a difficult situation this year. Before you hire a coach, you need to have a job opening, making this quite embarrassing for the Trail Blazers.