The NBA is back—the Oklahoma City Thunder ring ceremony before they meet the newly outfitted Houston Rockets.
Then, Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler jump Luka Doncic in an alley, circling him, knives out.
NBC and the NBA reignited their old marriage—allowing us to see our child, Michael Jordan, once again; his lever screaming for help through the TV screen, punching in at halftime—devying out 3-4 minute crumbs from one, two-hour session with Mike Tirico from the guest house on the other side of his property—the one Marcus skis in.
Oklahoma returning the same group as last season.
At some point, these talented young players under 30 will get bored with winning, seeking new thrills and adventures and opportunities. Some of these guys will want to start working on side quests. (Free AJay Mitchell).
But I don’t think this is the season that happens.
They’re still really good at basketball.
OKC beat Houston 125-123 in double OT.
LeBron James has sciatica, so.
Honestly, sounds like Los Angeles is about to see what life could be like without LeBron James sooner than they imagined. Time is cyclical. The Smush Parker days are around the corner.
Luka might have to beat Kobe’s 81-point record just to beat the Charlotte Hornets by 1 point on a random Monday in early November.
Golden State beat Los Angeles 119-109.
NBA opening night was cool. Let’s talk about the good, the bad and the ugly.
Good
Carmelo Anthony setting the tone
Carmelo said, “y’all can wear suits, I’m staying Me7o,” dressed like he was on the couch watching Task when his driver called him from outside the gate.
I pray he doesn’t pop up in a lame ass suit next time.
Often the internet accidentally pressures people out of being themselves because they’re doing something different. Shout out all the ‘free thinkers’ with identical thoughts.
Let Melo chill in the comfys as he vibes courtside at NBA games across the country. He doesn’t have to be here. And he’s needed.
Maria Taylor is a pass-first host, Vince Carter is a fairly textbook color commentator with no distinguishable characteristics.
At first, it was disappointing when Vince Carter started his media career.
He wasn’t bad at his job.
Just disappointed he wasn’t the big personality he presented in dunk contests.
But it’s actually cooler to find out he’s a laid-back, reserved guy—capable of sudden, instant bursts of electricity and excitement.
It’s way better to discover he’s a professional and former showman instead of a loud, flamboyant asshole.
Sometimes we wish for things without thinking of the outcomes.
Oh and Tracy McGrady will have at least one crash-out this season.
Carmelo is the cool brother who has relationships with many of the active players, doesn’t take himself too seriously
Anyway, yea, shout out Carmelo. We should all show up on the first day at our new jobs, establishing how things will go from jump.
Jabari Smith Jr approaching his potential
With Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Cam Whitmore, Fred VanVleet gone, Houston needs one of Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Reed Sheppard or Jabari Smith Jr to reach All-Star status.
Amen Thompson saved his bag for the end of regulation, with back-to-back slick drives to the basket out of nowhere. Amen was practicing, yo.
Tari Eason moved like he was wearing the wrong-sized sneakers and Reed Sheppard couldn’t beat a Stop sign off the dribble.
Jabari hit some big shots, and took the final shot of the 2nd overtime. Missed but the play was still drawn up for him.
Jabari Smith showing his inner KD 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/CK0Vq2C13s
— 𝘚𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘢☆ (@Stunna999_) October 22, 2025
The opportunity is there. It’s up to Jabari.
Does he want to be RJ Barrett forever or does he see himself amongst the greats?
Jonathan Kuminga is a sicko
Last year, Paul George turned his podcast microphone on so he could tell us, unprovoked, how contract negotiations affected his on-court play.
Cool on him opening up.
Maybe a better story to tell post-retirement but it was refreshing to hear PG be honest about his inability to lock in on basketball when he’s not in an ideal mental state.
Definitely a guy the Sixers should’ve given a max contract to at the end of his career.
Philadelphia is the perfect market for sensitive players.
I hope Markellete Fultz is having a good week.
Jonathan Kuminga spent the summer hanging up on the Warriors—finally, reluctantly, compromising on a 2-year, $48.5 million contract extension.
The dispute only powered Kuminga as he scored 17 points with 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 4-made 3’s (more than Steph).
If the Warriors can just hit a 10-0 run button in the middle of games that activates Kuminga’s full game, perhaps this season equipped with a brand new 3-point shot, then they’re a playoff lock.
Running the offense through Deandre Ayton
Game 1, JJ Redick back to the drawing board. Absurd how often the Lakers brought the ball up the court and made sure Deandre Ayton got a post touch.
The fuck out of here.
Ayton still makes mistakes beaten out of big men by middle school coaches.
Luka would throw a pass high, where only Deandre could grab it—Ayton couldn’t wait to bring the ball down to the swarming defenders swatting at him.
4 turnovers on opening night may end up being his season-low.
This is actually good for Lakers fans.
Learn how much Deandre Ayton has regressed since the 2021 NBA Finals so you don’t have false hopes in March.
Rob Pelinka deserves this. Luka Doncic was air-dropped into a starving organization by a drone like a Hunger Games care package and Pelinka leaned back in his desk chair, arm folded behind his head, feet on the desk, big chillin like he orchestrated a hostile takeover. Pelinka was acting like Drake bragging about purchasing a rapper’s necklace at an auction in the tone of someone who stole it off their neck.
The Lakers ended last season with a center and will be without a center all of this season.
I’m tuned into every Ayton possession. He is must-see TV.
You never know what that man will do when he gets the ball in his hands.
Deandre will unlock new, undiscovered ways to turn the ball over. Violate rules not called since the 70s.
Or, he could also improve.
One of the best players in college, a former No. 1 overall pick and he’s only 27.
It’s just the first game.
Deandre and Luka could develop a unique chemistry—as he does with most big men he plays with—and Ayton is Most Improved eligible.
Either way, please keep feeding Ayton post touches for no reason.
Bad
Too many former Knicks
Between Jamal Crawford, Carmelo Anthony and Tracy McGrady, I was not prepared for the new NBC broadcast to potentially gas up the New York Knicks.
Any other season of my life, I’d be down for all the Knicks love but don’t sleep on the benefits of being able to consider yourself an underdog. It’s easier to motivate yourself to overcome the odds than it is to be the odds, you know what I mean?
If the NBA media apparatis forms a consensus around the Knicks as the East favorites, well, I don’t know how the Knicks players respond.
Please leave my team alone.
Actually, no. I want Tracy McGrady and Carmelo Anthony to tell us how weak the Knicks are, weekly.
Us against everyone. All gas no brakes. Keep calm chive on. All that shit.
No LeBron
Roundball Rock.
Michael Jordan’s vodka breath fills my room.
Kevin Durant vanishing at the ends of games because he’s old and can’t dribble against real, focused defensive pressure.
How can you not be romantic about basketball?
I wish LeBron James were healthy enough to compete in what may be his final NBA opening night.
Ugly
Watching Marcus Smart play basketball
With Kyle Lowry in warmups and Joel Embiid in the blue medical tent, last season felt like a breath of fresh air from the nightly frustrations of flopping. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got some slop for it but he’s not a 7-foot giant crumbling to the hardwood when a defender touches his wrist.
It’s been about 3 years since we’ve seen Marcus Smart playing meaningful minutes in important basketball games with expectations of lockdown perimeter defense.
Marcus Smart spent Tuesday night dramatically launching himself across the floor upon any and all physical contact.
LOOK AT MARCUS SMART FLOPPING ALL OVER THE COURT 😂😂😂😂 BUDDY HIELD COOKED HIS ASS pic.twitter.com/AlEThdskGG
— 30🅿️roblemz (@30problemz) October 22, 2025
Synchronized flopping is CRAZY
Marcus Smart is not a real person man lmaoo pic.twitter.com/UcSjzeJ6f8
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) October 22, 2025
No tact or discernible strategy. Just stuntman theatrics, begging the referees to stop the game because he’s on his back. Play basketball.
With Luka Doncic, Austin Reeves and Old Man LeBron in the lineup, Marcus Smart will often be asked to stop the opposing team’s best guard, an assignment doomed to fail as he will be spending most games in foul trouble or ejected after back-to-back flagrants.
Between DeAndre Ayton and Marcus Smart, the Lakers currently have two players in their rotation helping other teams beat them.
Bronny James will be playing 35 minutes a night by the time this season is over out of necessity.
Bronny James All-Star season incoming…
Thanks for reading.
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