Dubs Talk: Previewing Warriors' early-season matchups vs. Thunder, Mavericks
Dubs Talk: Previewing Warriors' early-season matchups vs. Thunder, Mavericks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
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Mavericks' makes interesting Cooper Flagg decision
Mavericks' makes interesting Cooper Flagg decision originally appeared on The Sporting News It seems that the Dallas Mavericks are switching things up for Cooper Flagg this coming 2025-26 NBA season. Throughout Flagg's basketball career, he had always played in the forward position. He mainly played at the small forward position. However, it appears that the Mavericks are going to experiment with some new lineups, with Flagg playing at the guard position. According to Mavericks beat writer Mike Curtis, Dallas has officially added Flagg to their website as part of the main roster. What caught Curtis' attention was the fact that he was listed at the guard position. While his secondary position does say he'll play as a forward, it was intriguing to learn about the team's intention to let him play at the backcourt. Kyrie Irving's absence could be why Cooper Flagg will play guard While everyone is looking forward to the Dallas Mavericks' starting five of Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II, it might take some time until we see them at full force. Last season, Irving tore his ACL, which sidelined him for the rest of the season. Based on the current timeline provided by sources, Irving is expected to make his return by January 2026. Having that in mind, we could theorize that Flagg's enlistment at the guard position could be due to Irving's absence. As of the time of this writing, the Mavericks have yet to reveal their intentions of having Flagg play in the backcourt. Whatever the case may be, we'll just have to wait and see if Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd can efficiently utilize the rookie in the backcourt. Dallas is set to face off against the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 6 in the 2025 NBA Preseason opener.
USA Today
an hour ago
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Ronnie 2K explains why Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named NBA 2K26 cover athlete
It's been quite the year for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Like SpongeBob after Patrick opened his closet filled with trophies, he brought home about every award imaginable to complement his championship ring. The Oklahoma City Thunder had one of the most dominant seasons the NBA has ever seen. They had a historic 68-14 regular-season record with the greatest point differential. Gilgeous-Alexander helped them cross the finish line in the playoffs with a Game 7 win in the 2025 NBA Finals. After an offseason filled with celebration, the accolades kept coming for Gilgeous-Alexander. He was named the NBA 2K26 cover athlete. He's tied with Nikola Jokic for the highest-rated player at 98 overall. After saying he was on the cusp of being on the cover, Ronnie 2K told Thunder Wire the decision-making process to make it official in this year's edition. "Yeah, I mean, what a no-brainer in a lot of ways. Looking back now, obviously coming off a massively successful season, leading the league in points, putting out numbers across the board, winning an MVP and winning a championship. And then having celebrated this championship massively over the course of the offseason," Ronnie 2K said. "I mean, there is no bigger story than Shai and what a partner." After three straight seasons of superb-efficient 30-plus point campaigns, Gilgeous-Alexander has cemented his spot among the all-time great players. His improbable rise to superstardom has ascended the Thunder into dynasty talks and the popular pick to repeat as champions next year. "When we talked last year, I was saying, 'That's a guy that's on a very short list of covers.' I think I even said, like, 'He will definitely be a cover star at some point in the course of his career.' If I had told you it was going to be the very next year, I don't know. But I'm so excited for Shai, for all the success, obviously, beyond 2K," Ronnie 2K said. "The big story is the Thunder with us and a lot of the guys that are highly rated. Shai really is top of the list, in the news cycle, and being a great partner for us for 2K26." Being on the NBA 2K cover is something most NBA players dream of accomplishing. Not only would it be a surreal feat that sends them back to their childhood, but it's also an exclusive club of players that say you're one of the faces of the league. Thunder fans won't have to wait long to grab their own copy. NBA 2K26 is set to release on Sept. 5. The video game will be a nice warmup to the 2025-26 regular season, which kicks off with Media Day later in the same month.
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In recent years, the Houston Rockets have slowly but surely progressed from being a non playoff team, to a team on the cusp of breaking through. Last season they finally took that next step and made their return to the playoffs where they ultimately fell to the Golden State Warriors in a tough seven-game series. With this newfound success, the Rockets decided to cash in immediately and trade for 15-time all star forward Kevin Durant. Trade Package The price Houston paid for Durant's services definitely does not match the value that he will bring to their team. In order to acquire him, Houston had to part with Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and the number 10 overall pick in the 2025 draft who later became Khaman Maluach. While losing Dillon Brooks does hurt their defense, they still have a multitude of elite defenders such as Amen Thompson and Tari Eason who can fill in that void. Being able to essentially replace Green's lackluster scoring with Durant's is a drastic improvement to this roster. Offense With this move, Houston has addressed their biggest flaw, halfcourt offense. Throughout last season it became apparent that Houston's offense was substantially worse in the halfcourt than it was in transition. They did not have a go-to ball handler or scorer who could consistently and reliably score or playmake in the half-court which hurt their overall offense and made it easier for the better teams in the league to guard starting point guard Fred VanVleet is a capable ball handler, but he is a limited scorer and playmaker due to his lack of rim pressure. Alperen Sengun is known for his above average playmaking, but his style of passing is not suited to run an offense, at least at this stage. His playmaking and scoring are very methodical, but not something that Houston can look to in a pinch. Former Rocket Jalen Green's scoring was also extremely volatile and could not be counted on consistently. Overall, while their defense was one of the best in the league, it was their offense that would hold them back in certain adding Kevin Durant they are getting one of the best scorers in the league, and a scorer who does not dominate the ball in order to get his production. Last season, Durant averaged 26.6 points per game, 4.2 assist per game and 6 rebounds per game along with 1.2 blocks. Durant gave you these numbers while also shooting 43 percent from three on 6 attempts per game, and also with an overall true shooting percentage of 64 percent. Durant's usage percentage ranked 29th in the league last season, well behind players like Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, and even Tyrese Maxey. So he is giving you elite scoring output on elite efficiency, while also not needing to commandeer the offense entirely. Durant's mid- range efficiency is amongst the best in the league. Durant shot 53.1 percent on his mid-range jumpers last season, and he also shot 79 percent in the restricted area, albeit on 2 attempts in that area per game. There is not an area on the floor from which Durant can not make an impact offensively, and this is exactly what Houston was missing last off-ball utility is important in Houston because it gives the younger players such as Thompson the room to still develop their game further. When needed, Durant can take the ball, get to his own shot comfortably, and lead the offense. Although his playmaking is not elite, he can still make the basic reads needed to keep the offense flowing. Defense Defensively, Durant is best utilized as a helper around the rim. His size at 6'11" and wingspan of 7'5' allows him to disrupt shot attempts at the basket. He has strong instincts on that end of the floor and he should be able to fit seamlessly into Houston's defensive scheme. Durant's presence on defense when Sengun gets thrown into actions such as pick n rolls will be a great help on the back end. Durant is a weaker defender on the perimeter as he has lost some of his lateral quickness over the years, but with the defenders that will be around him, it will not sink Houston's defense. Conclusion This move does not make Houston the title favorites, but it does put them in that conversation surely. A constant amongst the last few NBA title winners is that they all have had good defenses, and they have also had a superstar player to lead them in the biggest moments. Houston's defense ranked number four in the league last season, and they will definitely be amongst the top of the league defensively again. But this year they now have a reliable superstar that they can depend on to lead them. Houston made this move at the perfect time, and they will surely be in the running for an NBA title this season.
