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On this date in 1996, the NBA announced its Top 50 players from the league’s first 50 years. Shaquille O’Neal made the list, despite only having four years of NBA basketball under his belt. That’s how good he was. Here are five minutes of his Orlando highlights to get your day going.
Everybody panic
Concern-O-Meter for Magic, Hawks and Mavs
Bouncers, I know what you’re thinking. Yes, Game 3 of the World Series still doesn’t feel over even though we’re on to Game 5 tonight. You’re also thinking, “Z-Rabbit, we’re only a week into the season, so there’s no need to have concern for teams — and also nobody calls you ‘Z-Rabbit.’” You might be correct about both! However, we’ve seen some concerning things out of three teams in the first week that I want to highlight.
The Concern-O-Meter works on a scale of 1-5 emojis, with one emoji being of little concern and five emojis being a five-alarm emergency. We’ll go over these three squads and figure out if things will get smoothed out.
Orlando Magic (1-3): 108.1 offensive rating (25th) | 114.1 defensive rating (15th) | -6.0 net rating (22nd)
What’s the concern? Their offense still stinks, and their defense hasn’t been elite. Let’s tackle the offense first. Health, Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones have not solved the offensive issues this Magic team has had the last few seasons. It’s only been 16 minutes over three games, but Bane and Jones with Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. are scoring just 86.1 points per 100 possessions.
The passing and movement still aren’t there. Meanwhile, they can’t seem to stop any quick guards on the defensive end of the floor. So their defense has been middle-of-the-road, when it’s typically amazing.
Is there a solution? Defensively? Yes. Jalen Suggs is there, and this team will eventually get comfortable with the new players on the floor and execute the way they’re supposed to. However, I’m not sold that the offense can get fixed without a new system. You don’t typically put new systems in during the season unless there is a coaching change. I’m not sure that’s the solution either.
Concern-O-Meter: 🚨🚨🚨
Atlanta Hawks (1-3): 108.9 offensive rating (24th) | 118.1 defensive rating (25th) | -9.2 net rating (25th)
What’s the concern? They’re still playing like the Hawks. Actually, it might be worse than normal! Their offense is brutal, and their defense is somehow awful with Dyson Daniels on the floor. Really with almost anybody. Kristaps Porziņģis has been scoring when he’s on the floor, but they can’t defend anybody with him. All that offseason hype seems to have already deflated.
Is there a solution? An encouraging sign is that they’re not turning the ball over, and you expect their shooters to eventually make shots. However, this team can’t stop anybody defensively, and when they do, they give up the offensive rebound. They’re gambling on defense way too much. Stop that, and they’ll cut down on a ton of mistakes.
Concern-O-Meter: 🚨🚨🚨
Dallas Mavericks (1-3): 103.8 offensive rating (30th) | 113.2 defensive rating (12th) | -9.3 net rating (26th)
What’s the concern? They can’t score at all. The Mavs aren’t just missing shots. They have no movement, no playmakers (outside of the occasional D’Angelo Russell flurry) and despite all their size, they’re the worst offensive rebounding team in the NBA so far. If they don’t get to the free-throw line, they don’t really have a chance to deliver on that end of the floor.
Is there a solution? Give Kyrie Irving a bionic knee or see if Devin Harris wants to leave the announcing booth to run the point. Klay Thompson looks nothing like the guy we saw in Golden State. Cooper Flagg simply isn’t a point guard. And this team just has four guys watching one player try to score against a set defense. It can’t get much better unless they just sell out and crash the offensive glass constantly or get Kyrie back.
Concern-O-Meter: 🚨🚨🚨🚨
The last 24
Michael Jordan shares his ideal player mentality
🐐 Not necessary. Michael Jordan sat down with Mike Tirico and dismissed load management. “It shouldn’t be needed.”
🤔 Lakers’ dilemma? Sam Amick has a lot of observations about the first week of the season. Including the Austin Reaves “problem” in LA.
🏀 Long list. The Pacers are already dealing with major injury situations. Obi Toppin and Bennedict Mathurin are missing a lot of time.
🏀 Philly fortitude. There’s something different about these unbeaten 76ers. One thing that sticks out? They’re resilient, Tony Jones writes.
⌛ Time extended? The WNBA labor negotiations are not moving forward well. The league is offering the players an extension for the talks.
🎧 Tune in. Today’s NBA Daily discusses why the Sixers are Tyrese Maxey’s team now.
Stream the NBA on Fubo (try it for free!) and catch out-of-market games on League Pass.About last night
The Greek Freak speaks — loudly
“This is my city!”
Giannis Antetokounmpo exclaimed that to the raucous Milwaukee Bucks crowd with 7:23 left in the third quarter. He had just blocked a shot on one end and then got an offensive rebound and dunk in transition on the other end to cut the New York Knicks’ lead to 79-76. What happened next is up for interpretation — or at least some very good lip readers. There are lots of people who think he followed “This is my city!” with “I’m not f——- leaving you!”
I’ll remind you that many people on the internet are interested in Giannis leaving the Bucks and becoming a Knick. They’re called “New Yorkers.” But there are also a lot of people just assuming Giannis will force his way out because the situation in Milwaukee keeps getting worse. Giannis is off to a superhuman beginning to this season.
After a 32-point, eight-rebound and seven-assist performance last night, the Greek Freak is averaging 35.0 points, 14.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists while making 69.5 percent of his shots. He helped the Bucks (3-1) take down the Knicks 121-111 while screaming to the crowd what they want to hear.
Now, we must take a quick break and mention the other viral moment from this game. It was this play with Giannis attacking downhill against Karl-Anthony Towns. He appears to take a dribble and then … I don’t know … a hundred steps?
Look, technically this is legal if you are willing to accept that Giannis didn’t gather the ball until his left hand touched the ball too. It’s ridiculous that this is technically legal, and he’s absolutely stretching the rule to its limits and beyond. It should be a travel — but it kind of isn’t?
Regardless, the formula for the Bucks against the Knicks is what the team has to go with all season long. Giannis is a hero. The defense locks down (aside from Jalen Brunson going for 36 points). And someone else steps up. This time it was Ryan Rollins getting 25 in the start. Maybe Milwaukee can bring everybody down into the mud and find consistent success.
Warriors 98, Clippers 79: This is what we call “CLAMPS.” The Warriors’ defense put the clamps on the Clippers’ offense and completely nullified everything they wanted to do. The Clippers (2-2) made six 3-pointers on the night. Quinten Post had four 3s for the Warriors (4-1). Jimmy Butler had 21-5-5, and Steph Curry had 19 points and eight assists. James Harden had 20 points but zero in the second half.
Heat 144, Hornets 117: The Hornets’ defense seemed to get the South Beach flu! The Heat (3-1) obliterated Charlotte (2-2) by shooting 54 percent from the field and knocking down 20 3-pointers. Jaime Jaquez Jr. led everybody with 28 points off the bench, and Bam Adebayo had 26 points. The Heat had five games of 140 points or more from 2014-15 to 2024-25. They have two already this season.
76ers 139, Wizards 134 OT: Nobody can stop Maxey to start this season, and it means nobody can stop the 4-0 Sixers. The Wizards (1-3) led by 19 in this game and 17 in the fourth quarter, but Maxey scored 14 of his 39 points in the fourth to bring them back. Quentin Grimes scored 12 of his 23 points off the bench in the fourth quarter as well. Philly forced overtime and pulled out the victory to remain perfect.
Maxey finished with 10 assists too, and Joel Embiid had 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists in 23 minutes. Alex Sarr had 31-11-5-2-2, but it wasn’t enough for Washington. Should the Sixers be on the 74-win watch too?
Thunder 107, Kings 101: The Thunder (5-0) were able to keep pace with the Sixers on the season, using a 27-18 fourth to come back and take the game against Sacramento (1-3). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t have Chet Holmgren (lower back soreness) or Jalen Williams (wrist surgery), but he did have nine of his 31 points in the fourth. Also, Ajay Mitchell is the next Thunder guy who makes you wonder how he slipped through the cracks. He had 18 off the bench and is averaging 18.2 points on the season.
Also, the wrong GIF accidentally went out yesterday with Chet’s dunk on Cooper! This is the poster by Holmgren and the hilarious landing he had.
Big Honey
A decade of Nikola Jokić has truly made history
Last week, Jokić started his 11th season in the NBA. A lot of basketball fans know this, but I’m still amazed when people find out the three-time MVP was drafted during a Taco Bell commercial. Such is the life of the 41st pick in the 2014 draft. To say he’s exceeded expectations is an understatement. He would have exceeded expectations if he were the first pick in that draft.
Over the last decade, Jokić has become one of the greatest players we’ve ever seen. In those 10 years, he’s been an All-Star seven times, All-NBA First Team five times (Second Team twice), won three MVPs, recorded 188 triple-doubles (with playoffs), finished second in MVP voting twice, won an NBA championship and a finals MVP. And he’s not even close to exiting his prime yet, at 30 years old.
As we’ve hit a decade with Jokić, I wanted to see what his career stats look like versus other great big men through their first 10 seasons.
- 16,210 points: Eighth. Only Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Walt Bellamy, Patrick Ewing and David Robinson have more.
- 8,141 rebounds: 16th. If we change the marker to post-merger, Jokić is seventh since then. Shockingly, Andre Drummond has the most rebounds in the first 10 seasons since the merger.
- 5,383 assists: First. He’s 1,835 ahead of second-place Wilt.
- 949 steals: Fourth. Only Hakeem, Robinson and Drummond have more.
- 536 blocks: Tied for 126th. Not his game. But he’s tied with Lorenzen Wright.
- Three MVPs: Tied with Moses Malone for fourth. Wilt had four in his first 10 years. Russell and Kareem both had five in their first 10 years.
- Five All-NBA First Teams: Wilt had seven in his first 10 years. Kareem had six. Jokić is tied with Olajuwon, George Mikan and Dwight Howard for five in their first 10 years.
That’s pretty special company all around there. Jokić is one of six big men to have at least 16,000 points and 8,000 rebounds in their first decade. Add in 3,000 assists, and it’s just him with Wilt and Kareem. Bump it up to 5,000 assists, and it’s only Big Honey. He has put himself with the elite of the elite for as long as he wants to play this game.