2026 NBA Playoffs Thread

[Russ Smith]

Pistons on fraud watch.

the one knock on them all year has been outside shooting but my goodness they couldn't make a 3 the whole 2nd half. they had one possession where they had 5 wide open 3's and missed all of them.

the announcers keep blaming Duren but they just aren't getting him the ball enough. Orlando has a scouting report and the Pistons haven't figured it out, blitz Cade and don't let Duren get the ball inside 10 feet.

Robinson couldn't buy a shot and Huerter barely played, the rest of them just aren't making 3's.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Pistons on fraud watch.

if there was ever a team that could be snookered into giving up good young talent for Booker, this could be it after a disastrous playoff run. Home-town hero comes back to lead the team to glory? Gimme some youngins and a bunch of picks and whatever salary is needed to make it happen.

 

[Russ Smith]

not the best angle but this is the Cain dunk on Duren.

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[Adrian]

Shams Charania

@ShamsCharania
·
20m


Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner has been diagnosed with a right calf strain and his availability for Game 5 against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday is uncertain and will depend on response to treatment, sources tell ESPN.

 

[Superbone]

if there was ever a team that could be snookered into giving up good young talent for Booker, this could be it after a disastrous playoff run. Home-town hero comes back to lead the team to glory? Gimme some youngins and a bunch of picks and whatever salary is needed to make it happen.

That's a good point. I've been talking about how hard it would be to get any team to trade for Book and his 316 million remaining contract but if there was one team, this would probably be it due to his local ties. Plus, their fall from grace from the 1 seed wouldn't hurt chances of them going for it either.

 

[Adrian]

Brian Caldwell

@BrianCaldNBA
·
2h


BREAKING: Paul George and Tyrese Maxey had to be separated at practice today after an altercation. The incident stemmed from Maxey’s lack of defensive effort throughout the series.

 

[Cheesebeef]

That's a good point. I've been talking about how hard it would be to get any team to trade for Book and his 316 million remaining contract but if there was one team, this would probably be it due to his local ties. Plus, their fall from grace from the 1 seed wouldn't hurt changes of them going for it either.

maybe the Sixers would be dumb enough to do it also? That's the perfect team where we could take on a TERRIBLE contract for a couple years attached to a BOATLOAD of picks that could be delicious down the line and maybe get one nice young piece to boot.

 

[Phrazbit]

The belly aching over Booker's contract is eye rolling stuff.

If Booker and the Suns were to divorce they would not have a problem moving him, none whatsoever.

His contract tops off at 68 million 4 years from now and by the time he is making that money the standard "supermax" is going to be like 85 million bucks and he's going to have dozens of guys making more money.

Heads are really going to spin in another 2 years when he gets extended again.

 

[Superbone]

The belly aching over Booker's contract is eye rolling stuff.

If Booker and the Suns were to divorce they would not have a problem moving him, none whatsoever.

His contract tops off at 68 million 4 years from now and by the time he is making that money the standard "supermax" is going to be like 85 million bucks and he's going to have dozens of guys making more money.

Heads are really going to spin in another 2 years when he gets extended again.

Wow! I don't get your confidence but OK.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The belly aching over Booker's contract is eye rolling stuff.

the dismissal over any criticism of Book, his play, his contract's effect on the cap, his inability to win 1 measly playoff game in his last 10 tries is eye-rolling stuff.

If Booker and the Suns were to divorce they would not have a problem moving him, none whatsoever.

You're really starting to sound like the Kyler Murray folks.

His contract tops off at 68 million 4 years from now and by the time he is making that money the standard "supermax" is going to be like 85 million bucks and he's going to have dozens of guys making more money.

Heads are really going to spin in another 2 years when he gets extended again.

if he gets extended again in 2 years, heads should roll.

 

[Phrazbit]

Wow! I don't get your confidence but OK.

It is a silly amount of money that no one should make in a year but it's standard stuff in the NBA. He just happens to have one of the most recent deals so it's a big number. In a couple years it won't seem nearly as big and yes, there are a ton of teams who would want to make a trade for him.

He just dragged a team of 2nd round picks, castoffs and Dillon Brooks to 20 more wins than was expected.

It ended ugly, but it certainly did not do one iota of damage to his status around the league.

 

[Phrazbit]

the dismissal over any criticism of Book, his play, his contract's effect on the cap, his inability to win 1 measly playoff game in his last 10 tries is eye-rolling stuff.

You're really starting to sound like the Kyler Murray folks.

if he gets extended again in 2 years, heads should roll.

Hold onto your butts.

And I am not dismissing his play, he had a rough series.

I am merely explaining the reality of the NBA. Guys like Booker are not hard to move.

 

[Phrazbit]

You're really starting to sound like the Kyler Murray folks.

And the NFL is way different than the NBA. If the Suns had to eat a ton of dead money, like the Cardinals would have had to if they traded that gutless, quitting loser, Murray, then yeah, Booker would be almost impossible to trade. The NFL is not a trade friendly league for high earners, the NBA is.

 

[carrrnuttt]

FTA in action:

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[Adrian]

Fullcourtpass
@Fullcourtpass
·
46m
If the Lakers advance past the Rockets the expectation is that Luka Doncic will be OUT for the series against the Thunder, per
@ShamsCharania


(h/t
@LukaUpdates
)

 

[Chaplin]

Fullcourtpass
@Fullcourtpass
·
46m
If the Lakers advance past the Rockets the expectation is that Luka Doncic will be OUT for the series against the Thunder, per
@ShamsCharania


(h/t
@LukaUpdates
)

Either way, it would be nice to see either one of those teams get shellacked by the Thunder.

 

[Russ Smith]

Man Brunson is so good. I remember seeing him in HS in the team USA stuff and thinking ok really good at this level but small, thick body not athletic limited upside. he's a legit NBA all star he's got the best footwork in the league. He just ate up the Hawks tonight they could not guard him.

 

[Russ Smith]

Book would actually fit Detroit to a T in the past he was among the leaders in the NBA in off ball scoring, he's very good coming off screens etc. That would pare really well with Cade. The problem is to get Booker they'd have to give up more than they want to, I can't imagine any deal that didn't involve thompson or Duren or even both would not be listened to by the Suns, and I doubt Detroit wants to give up either kid. Duren has had a tough series but he's a star

19.5 10.5 2 APG at only 22 almost 23, he's got to be untouchable.

I'm more in line with Phrazbit I think Booker is much better than many here seem to think. I get the criticism but not like Phoenix was loaded this year I think you were much better than expected in large part because of Book

 

[GatorAZ]

It is a silly amount of money that no one should make in a year but it's standard stuff in the NBA. He just happens to have one of the most recent deals so it's a big number. In a couple years it won't seem nearly as big and yes, there are a ton of teams who would want to make a trade for him.

He just dragged a team of 2nd round picks, castoffs and Dillon Brooks to 20 more wins than was expected.

It ended ugly, but it certainly did not do one iota of damage to his status around the league.

This is hilarious considering the way you talk about other star players around the league. Book puts up numbers that look good on paper then shrivels vs the Luka, Ants and SGA’s when it matters. He absolutely needs another ball handler with a high IQ and defensive wings around him or he gets exposed.

 

[GatorAZ]

Book would actually fit Detroit to a T in the past he was among the leaders in the NBA in off ball scoring, he's very good coming off screens etc. That would pare really well with Cade. The problem is to get Booker they'd have to give up more than they want to, I can't imagine any deal that didn't involve thompson or Duren or even both would not be listened to by the Suns, and I doubt Detroit wants to give up either kid. Duren has had a tough series but he's a star

19.5 10.5 2 APG at only 22 almost 23, he's got to be untouchable.

I'm more in line with Phrazbit I think Booker is much better than many here seem to think. I get the criticism but not like Phoenix was loaded this year I think you were much better than expected in large part because of Book

He would have to want to go there. Detroit doesn’t have any elite assets besides Cade and Duren but getting a few picks and maybe Ron Holland would be worth it.

 

[Russ Smith]

He would have to want to go there. Detroit doesn’t have any elite assets besides Cade and Duren but getting a few picks and maybe Ron Holland would be worth it.

Their picks aren't good unless they have someoen elses, and Holland is strictly a athletic defender much like Ausar Thompson just not as good.

They have a good team look at the record, but the desperately need a shooter. Robinson has been pretty good but huerter has just not done enough. Orlando's defense has just locked them up they can't score and it's exposed Cade's weaknesses. Great player but now that he's seeing the same sort of defense elite scorers like Steph get you see the result in this series, 24 turnovers in the last 3 games alone!

 

[Phrazbit]

This is hilarious considering the way you talk about other star players around the league. Book puts up numbers that look good on paper then shrivels vs the Luka, Ants and SGA’s when it matters. He absolutely needs another ball handler with a high IQ and defensive wings around him or he gets exposed.

Which star players am I maligning that I shouldn’t be?

Booker isn’t as good as those guys and I don’t claim he is.

 

[Adrian]

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[Adrian]

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[Adrian]

NBACentral

@TheDunkCentral
·
4h


Alperen Sengun says the Rockets are going to win a game in L.A. and make the Lakers nervous“I think everybody is still hungry, and we are going over there to get another one, and come back home, and make them a little nervous.”(h/t
@TalkBasket
)