Wed, Dec 12th, 2018

An NBA-obsessed newsletter for the info-craved basketball mind.

Written while listening to Ray Charles' Let the Good Times Roll

Quick PA: We just launched our Instagram, @theballin90s. Give us a follow if you’re into throwback NBA photos.

We missed you, old Paul George

On Sirius XM radio on on Tuesday afternoon, Tim Legler made a good point about the Thunder’s 122-113 win over the Utah Jazz on Monday.He sat down to watch the game. He expected OKC to come out and play well.And, they did. And that was that.There were few moments of such pleasantly unsurprising enlightenment last year for this team, which tried awkwardly to funnel touches Carmelo Anthony’s way. In maybe the move of the summer, Sam Presti turned Anthony into Dennis Schröder, who has been great, and the Thunder look like a team free of a forced burden.On Monday, Paul George, an MVP candidate, scored 31 on 10 shots. A week ago, he hit his first game-winning shot of his career:He’s been excellent, and he’s sort of a microcosm of what’s made this year’s team a success: great defense and a lesser overall dependence on Russell Westbrook.As The Ringer pointed out, Westbrook’s touches per game are down from last year (95.7 to 86.50), and he and George are taking virtually the same amount of shots per game.Steven Adams’ scoring and shots are up, as well, and, as mentioned in the same Ringer article: in the 629 minutes Westbrook hasn’t played this season, the Thunder have a net rating of minus-.4.In other words, they’re nearly breaking even with Westbrook off the court, whereas in the first two post-Durant seasons, the team completely fell apart with him off the field, like a pack of bear cubs wandering into highway traffic without their mother.  On defense, their 101.6 defensive rating is first in the league, and their net rating (6.6) is fourth, which suggests the 17-8 record is no fluke.Fact is, the Warriors have already pretty much figured it out. They will likely romp to another title.But close your eyes.And imagine Russell Westbrook closing out Game 6 at home against Golden State to go to the NBA Finals.Now wake up. And don’t let your boss see you reading this. 

Via Jeff Eisenband: "On this date in 2002, LeBron James and No. 23 St. Vincent-St. Mary knocked off No. 1 Oak Hill, 65-45, in Cleveland on ESPN2. Here's Jay Bilas talking with the 17-year-old after a 31-point, 13-rebound, 6-assist effort."

Watch on: 

 Title seasons by NBA franchises with only one title, ranked    

8. ‘51 (Rochester) Royals (Kings)

7. ‘58 (St. Louis) Hawks

6. ‘78 Bullets (Wizards)

5. ‘79 Supersonics (Thunder)

4. ‘71 Bucks

3.  ‘11 Mavericks  

2. ‘16 Cavs

1. ‘77 Blazers

Big jam from the Chicago man

Chicago’s burning, but this dunk against the Sacramento Kings on Monday night was cool.

   Quick Hits

• Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon’s level of offense taken on Steph Curry’s moon troll will make you miss the era of crotchety old sports columnists.

• Zaza Pachulia is still playing dirty.

• The Clippers are sleuthing around Raptors and Warriors games for obvious reasons.

• Luka Doncic and DeAndre Jordan’s new dunk celebration is odd and hilarious.

• Danny Green, on milk in Canada: “It’s not very efficient, it’s not convenient, it’s borderline a pain in the ass, uh, to pour milk in a bag.”

• Tristan Thompson will be out for 2-to-4 weeks with a foot injury, where he will watch his “Best team in the East” compete… for Zion Williamson.

• The Warriors are back with their lineup of All Stars (cue eye roll) and flashy buzzer-beaters.

• I am reading this really weird book called Black Planet, which is essentially about a writer’s man crush on Gary Payton over the course of the 1994-95 season, but one thing he brings up that is a crazy what-if: Before that season began, the Bulls and Supersonics nearly traded Shawn Kemp for Scottie Pippen. -- Sam

 Concrete Reads

• NBA dancers reveal decades-long culture of 'brainwashing,' unfair pay and eating disorders [Yahoo]

• Seven signs that the Bulls have fallen into complete disarray [The Ringer]

• Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum are the NBA’s masters of media [Washington Post]

  Podcast Pick

Zach Lowe and Tim MacMahon discuss what’s wrong with the Rockets [ESPN]

Four must see games

Tonight, ESPN

Tomorrow, TNT / Reddit