We can finally agree on one thing, the NBA’s pivot to the “Team USA vs. Team World” format actually worked. The intensity we saw over the weekend was a far cry from the glorified layup lines of years past. What made it even more compelling was seeing the “younger” generation of Americans, win as the “Stars” team had only one player (Chet Holgrem) with an NBA Championship.
It felt like a symbolic passing of the torch. While we aren’t ready to say goodbye to the era of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry just yet, it’s clear the league will be in good hands once the old guard finally hangs them up.
Steph Curry Just Leak the 2027 Three-Point Lineup?
While the Slam Dunk Contest continues to struggle with “star power” problems, leaving us with lineups that honestly leave a lot to be desired, the Three-Point Contest has officially become the Saturday’s main event. Damian Lillard made history this year by winning for a record third time, a feat he’s managed three times in the last four years.
What makes it even more surreal? Lillard won’t play a single minute of “real” basketball this season due to injury, yet he still managed to out-snipe Devin Booker and the sensational rookie Kon Knueppel in the final round.
However, the real drama started off the court. Stephen Curry, who sat out the contest due to his own injury rehab, was all over the broadcast and media sessions. In what looked like a massive “slip-up,” Lillard shared a screenshot on Instagram of a private chat with Curry that seemingly exposed the “script” for next year.
According to the leak, Curry is already locked in to try and tie Lillard’s record of three trophies. But it doesn’t stop there: the “script” apparently includes a massive Splash Brother reunion with Klay Thompson and another run for Devin Booker who will be at home as the next ASG will be in Phoenix.
They are reportedly hunting for four more “real shooters” to fill the rack, with names like Knueppel and this year’s All-Star MVP Anthony Edwards being the heavy favorites to join the party.
Can the Thunder and Pistons Sustain the “40 Before 20” Rule?
The festivities are over, and the “real” season resumes this Thursday, February 19th. We are entering the most cutthroat stretch of the calendar where the pretenders get exposed. Currently, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Detroit Pistons are sitting pretty as the odds-on favorites to meet in June.
Why? Because of the golden rule of NBA contenders: 91% of champions since the 1979-80 season have reached 40 wins before losing 20 games.
As of right now, the Thunder and Pistons are the only two squads to have hit that elite benchmark. While the Celtics and Spurs still have a mathematical chance to join that exclusive club before the week is out, the statistical reality is clear. With the playoff race in both conferences tighter than ever, every game from here on out carries the weight of a Game 7.
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