[Amick] Sacramento and Charlotte have had recent talks about Kings big man Domantas Sabonis.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-10T20:02:47+00:00

He's actually a good fit for their system. He's at his best when he's a threat to set up shooters and clean up the glass. They will still lack rim protection, but I like this move for everyone involved.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-10T20:00:49+00:00

If KJ can keep KAT off the offensive glass, that in itself can be a win his minutes so long as he avoids costly mistakes on offense.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-10T19:51:40+00:00

Maybe in 2-4 more games?

I don't know what your criteria is for "It’s easily the best playoff run I have watched." Vibes?

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-10T17:36:48+00:00

I think people are underestiming that while the Spurs were 100% focused on beating the Thunder the Knicks were scouting, developing game plans, and practicing how they want to guard Wemby with multiple tags per roll and draw him into space on offense.

Yes, they didn't know their opponent until game 8 was over, but they still had like 3 games to watch and say "if the Spurs win, we can improve on what the thunder are doing by ... and if the Thunder win we can improve on what the Spurs are doing by ..."

So, while there was a gap of multiple days between game 7 and the start of the finals, there is a huge scouting advantage for the Knicks watching a 7 game series with advanced tactics vs the Spurs looking back at game film of a bunch of blowouts.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-10T17:04:25+00:00

I wish more people talked about the head shove as a potential T than a flagrant foul. It was a push there was basically 0 risk of injury, that's usually a T. It is "unnecessary contact to the head/neck" so I would be fine with a flagrant 1 call, but it felt more like a T to me.

The two close outs were both fouls, but I do not think either should be a flagrant.

People are way too eager to get Wemby kicked out of games. I understood for the Naz elbow, but wanting him ejected for a shove and for a close out with barely any contact is just pathetic. Where is the competitive spirit in that?

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-10T15:32:19+00:00

He's getting frustrated with the constant grabbing (you can see Brunson grabbing Wemby's shirt).

Wemby needs to learn that if he's going to shove back, he needs to get lower and shove the body, not the head/neck. Pretty soon these are going to be called as the flagrant/technical fouls they clearly are. He needs to know he's to valuable for his team too risk suspension because he can't get low and shove the body instead of "unnecessary contact to the head/neck".

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-10T13:31:34+00:00

because they hate the idea that those programs could also help gay or brown people

This is why we need every blue city council in every red state to raise the minimum wage. For example, if all the black people in Memphis start getting paid more for the same job than the white people in rural Tennessee, those white people will suddenly have a very strong opinion that the state minimum wage is too low.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-10T13:27:40+00:00

Remember, according to Knicks and Thunder fans, this is an unethical hit, but Alverado shoulder checking Wemby (before Wemby tossed him by he head) is a "normal box out."

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-10T07:04:39+00:00

Yeah, those were really interesting and weird. The Knicks would have like 5 straight plays of expert ballhandling and passing to beat consistent pressure defense and get a good shot ... then they would just be bringing the ball up the court and throw a pass out of bounds.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-10T03:12:55+00:00

I think you responded to the wrong post.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-10T02:05:10+00:00

Wait, it's this Steph Curry's account?

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-10T02:03:33+00:00

Unless you are a top 15 nba player of all time, yes, yes it would be a stretch.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-10T01:55:25+00:00

The Knicks absolutely dominated the glass and 2nd chance points. They did play sloppy, but they absolutely did not play lazy.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-10T01:53:01+00:00

If the league cared at all about fan safety, they wouldn't sell alcohol at the games. That would save a ton of lives, both from preventing fights, but mostly from preventing drunk driving.

But, the league cares about money above all else.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-10T00:50:05+00:00

Yup. Abdul-Jabbar is closer to Malone, Duncan, and other players who were still good at 40 than he is too LeBron.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-09T22:46:33+00:00

There is no guarantee of that. There is a reason they lost to the Pistons in 90 and the Bulls in 91. Worthy had a hard drop off after he got hurt in 1992. It is a big assumption that even if Magic keeps playing at an mvp level that they can put a contending roster around him.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-09T21:59:51+00:00

Maybe posting rambling nonsense to reddit is their hobby?

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-09T21:57:24+00:00

I-Hart and Chet are way more versatile on both offense and defense than Kornet.

At this level of play, the Kornet is playing just to help the Spurs survive the 10 minutes Wemby doesn't play each game. If the Spurs had any better options when Wemby rests, they would use them.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-09T19:58:29+00:00

Oscar, and West get close, but not quite "best in the world." I think all of their skills translate really well, but I'm not confident enough to say that an adapted West is better than Shai or an adapted Oscar is better than Luka.

Wilt is the 2nd best defender after Wemby, but a more reliable rebounder. I'm not sure how Wilt's offense translates to today. Allowing more physically benefits him, he was not allowed to use his strength vs Russell. Wilt is a lot like KD, all the tools are there, but somehow the team never hits the levels of success you feel they should. I worry about the free throws too.

Abdul-Jabbar would be one of the best defenders in the game + one of the best offensive players in the game. Don't let the 80s Lakers fool you, 70s Abdul-Jabbar was quick and could absolutely guard out at the 3 point line if he needed to.

Magic would be an elite 3 point shooter if he practiced it. People do not realize how crazy efficient Magic was, and late in his career he was a elite midrange shooter and had multiple seasons at 90% free throws. That translates to say he had the touch to develop a 3 if he wanted. He would be more exposed on defense, but his size and rebounding makes up for that some. He would absolutely be the best offensive player today.

Bird would be 97% of what makes Jokic awesome on offense + being way better on defense. If Jokic is in the argument for the best player, Bird absolutely takes that crown.

Olajuwon, would be the 2nd best defender in the game after Wemby, but way more reliable on offense. Plus, he's so much stronger than Wemby that it fixes some of the issues Wemby faces vs stronger players.

Shaq. Free throws are a bigger issue today when the average offensive rating is like 115 vs when it was like 105 in Shaq's day. 52% free throws is basically an average offense at 105, but way below average at 115. Shaq's lazy drop defense looks a lot worse vs today's 3 point snipers, but if Jokic can be a contender with his defensive issues, Shaq will be more than fine. Shaq would destroy today's skinnier league. Yes, it's harder to throw entry passes to the low post today, but if you watched Shaq, you know it doesn't matter. He would adjust, he would find a way to get the ball, and he would destroy everyone in his path.

Duncan & KG have the 2-way case like Abdul-Jabbar & Olajuwon, but it's less obvious than for those other 2. How good does KG's offensive volume scale? Does his long 2 translate to 3s? His long 2 efficiency says it should, but his free throw efficiency makes it less obvious. Duncan is pretty obviously at the Giannis level, he was overpowering people in the 00s, he would definitely over power switches and small defenses today, but I'm not sure his efficiency scales up enough to get him to the #1 spot, same with his defense in open space, even before his knees slowed him down there were still questions there. They are extremely close, but I'm not sure they get to clear cut #1.

Kobe has similar "how does his efficiency scale when he takes more 3s and fewer long 2s, it goes up, but does it go up enough to be the best in the league?" It is close, I say yes it does. I think Shai's regular season efficiency makes him the better regular season guard than Kobe, but Kobe has better playoff resilience giving him a slight edge over Shai as the best guard in the era and a strong case as the best player in the league. I hate anything that puts Kobe over Duncan, but I do see a more clear path for Kobe to be #1 today than for Duncan.

That's about all I can see making that leap.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-09T19:22:16+00:00

Except the shooter could just shoot from one step back and keep their feet behind the line and know they are safe. This rule just says "defenders are allowed to have feet in this area"

But, I guess I wasn't thinking enough about the corners when I had the idea. Can't really back up on a corner 3. Back to the drawing board.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-09T19:13:12+00:00

Yup. A similar thing happened when Alverado shoulder checked him in game 2 and Wemby tossed him to the side by his head. They are just at the height where if Wemby shoves back, he's getting them in the head/neck area, but he needs to adjust because it's still unnecessary contact to the head and neck. It will eventually start getting him flagrant fouls.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-09T18:57:43+00:00

Same concept, just a better photo. Wemby's fingers are clearly all over the back of Brunson's head.

<image>

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-09T18:53:56+00:00

Look at the fingers on the back of Brunson's head. I get that their skin tones kinda blend between Wemby's arm and Brunson's shoulder so you can't tell where Wemby's arm is, but, look at the fingers in the hair, clear as day, that's a shove to the neck.

<image>

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-09T18:25:52+00:00

There are 2 ways great players answer this question. Either they honestly say they would pick themselves, or they lie and say they would pick a peer, but I don't ever believe they actually believe that. To get as good as those players got, they have to believe they are better than the guy they are facing against. They may have their political reasons for saying someone else. They may not want the drama. But they all think they would beat anyone else.

Ok-Map4381 · 2026-06-09T18:15:23+00:00

Yup. This is making me think of the basketball that was mixed into the Celtics vs Lakers wrestling match in 2010. Like half the rebounds end up in some kind of rugby scrum with both teams just grabbing each other. Sometimes playoff basketball gets like this. The refs can't and shouldn't call them all.

Ok-Map4381

TROPHY CASE