Latest news with #superteam
Forbes
7 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Pacers, Thunder May Be Ushering In A New NBA Team-Building Paradigm
If the 2025 NBA Finals are any indication, the age of the superteam may be over. Big Threes have dominated the NBA for the past 15-plus years. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen joined forces in 2007 and immediately won a championship. Three years later, LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami and rattled off two titles and four straight Finals appearances. James then went back home to Cleveland, where he teamed up with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to dethrone the 73-win Golden State Warriors and win the first championship in Cavaliers history. However, the NBA's latest collective bargaining agreement was designed to promote more parity throughout the league. It introduced punishing new restrictions for teams with expensive payrolls that will ultimately force them into making difficult decisions. Just ask the Boston Celtics, who went from winning the 2024 championship to staring down the prospect of tearing their roster down one year later. Stars are still a critical component for any championship hopeful. The Oklahoma City Thunder have the league's reigning MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and another All-NBA selection in Jalen Williams. The Indiana Pacers are led by Tyrese Haliburton, who earned his second straight All-NBA nod this year, and three-time All-Star Pascal Siakam. However, these playoffs have made it increasingly clear that depth matters more than ever in today's NBA. It's not just because of the new CBA, either. One of the biggest critiques of the modern NBA is the concept of "load management." Retired legends of the game often bristle when the topic comes up. However, there's a reason why teams have become proactive about buying players more rest throughout the grind of the 82-game regular season. Citing tracking data, Lev Akabas of Sportico noted that "players are running about 9% more distance per minute" on the court than they did a decade ago. Nevin Brown of the Above the Break Substack went a step further, creating a linear forecast model to estimate how much players ran in a season dating back to 1980. Teams went from averaging slightly less than 1,300 miles per season from 1980 through the mid-1990s to more than 1,500 these days. The rapid increase in three-point volume and switch-heavy defensive schemes is forcing players to cover more ground than ever before. It thus stands to reason that fatigue could be a silent killer for teams that adhere to old-school rotation patterns in the playoffs. Most teams keep nine or 10 players in their regular rotation during the regular season before beginning to whittle that down in the playoffs. As series progress, teams often shrink that down to seven or even six players. To wit: In Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics played only six players for more than five minutes. The Los Angeles Lakers went one player deeper, but Metta World Peace played a game-high 46 minutes (in a 48-minute game), while Kobe Bryant wasn't far behind at 45 minutes. On a related note, the two teams combined to shoot 33.8% in an offensive rock fight that ended in an 83-79 Lakers victory. In this year's playoffs, both the Thunder and Pacers are playing nine players at least 10 minutes per game. Their depth helped them wear down the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets, respectively, in the Eastern Conference Finals and Western Conference Semifinals. "We definitely need it," Nuggets center Nikola Jokić said when asked about the importance of depth after his team lost to the Thunder. "It seems like the teams that have longer rotations, the longer benches, are the ones who are winning. Indiana, OKC, Minnesota." The new CBA may only accelerate this trend. Teams with three max contracts on their books—particularly those that begin at 35% of the salary cap instead of 25% or 30%—will find their hands increasingly tied by roster-building restrictions that are effectively designed to deplete their depth. Under the previous CBA, there wasn't much of a penalty for crossing the first apron. Teams had a smaller mid-level exception (the taxpayer MLE rather than the non-taxpayer MLE) and couldn't receive players via sign-and-trade, but they were still able to take back 125% of the salary they sent out in any trade. Under the new CBA, teams can't take back a penny more in salary than they send out if they're over the first apron, nor can they sign someone off the buyout market who was previously earning more than the non-taxpayer MLE. It's even worse for teams over the second apron. They lose access to any mid-level exception, can't send cash in trades, can't acquire players when they sign-and-trade their own free agents elsewhere and can't aggregate two smaller salaries to acquire a bigger contract via trade. In essence, they're limited to re-signing their own players and handing out minimum contracts in free agency. The Phoenix Suns are the cautionary tale in that regard. They're top-heavy with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal all on 35% max contracts, and they're woefully short on depth. When Grayson Allen suffered an ankle injury in last year's playoffs, they dropped to a seven-man rotation and got swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. In that series, Booker, Durant and Beal combined to take 191 of the Suns' 303 shots. They were the only three Phoenix players to average more than eight points per game, while the Wolves had six players averaging double figures and Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid chipped in 9.5 points per game off the bench. During the regular season this year, they Allen was their fourth-leading scorer with 10.6 points per game. This year's Pacers had seven players in double figures during the regular season and six thus far in the playoffs. The Thunder also had seven in double figures during the regular season, although they have been more top-heavy in the playoffs with Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Holmgren accounting for a majority of their offense. 'We've preached depth this whole year,' Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton told reporters after they closed out the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. 'We keep talking about it, and it's not just a word we use for fun. This is our identity, and this is who we are, and I thought we did a great job of utilizing that. We had many different people step up.' In that closeout Game 6, Andrew Nembhard erupted for 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting, eight assists and six steals after scuffling for most of the series. Obi Toppin chipped in 18 points and six rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench, which was only two fewer points than the entire Knicks bench scored. Those two helped the Pacers stave off a return trip to Madison Square Garden for Game 7 even though starting center Myles Turner and wing Aaron Nesmith both got into early foul trouble. Timely role-player contributions are hardly unique to this year. Steve Kerr won five NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs while providing timely shooting off the bench. Seven-time champion Robert Horry earned the moniker "Big Shot Bob" due to his penchant for repeatedly rising to the moment in the playoffs. But as fatigue sets in throughout a game or a series—particularly given the unique rigors of today's NBA—depth will be more critical than ever before. Top-heavy teams built around three max contracts may find themselves at a clear disadvantage to those that better spread the wealth throughout their roster. 'I think it's a new blueprint for the league, man,' Turner said after Game 6. 'I think the years of the superteams and stacking is just not as effective as it once was, you know? I mean, since I've been in the league, this NBA is very trendy. It just shifts. But the new trend now is just kind of what we're doing. OKC does the same thing. You know: young guys, get out and run, defend, and you know, use the power of friendship.' Unless otherwise noted, all stats via PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM. All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Follow Bryan on Bluesky.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Erik Spoelstra called out the rest of the NBA for being hypocrites: "If they had the opportunity to sign three players the way we were able to, they would have without any hesitation"
The marriage between the Miami Heat and LeBron James in 2010 served as a turning point in the NBA. It was a decision that had the former Cavaliers superstar build a huge target on his back. Most of the criticism mainly revolved around "The Kid from Akron" taking the easier route. LeBron's decision to take his talents to South Beach had him pair up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. It was the first true agreement among players to create a super team. The common notion was that the power move alienated competition from the league, giving the Heat a visible edge. Advertisement Preparing for training camp ahead of the 2010-11 season, coach Erik Spoelstra shared his thoughts about the league's reception to the Heat's blockbuster signing. "Every single franchise in this league, if they had the opportunity to sign three players the way we were able to, they would have without any hesitation. So everything else that everybody is saying, at first, it was hard for us to understand. But that's how this team is going to be viewed," responded Spoelstra, adding the Heat already had enough issues to address. In a bid to do away with all the initial distractions, the Heat had decided to hold training camp 650 miles away from its home arena. The decided venues included Hurlburt Field and Eglin Air Force Base in Florida's Panhandle. The Heatles era Touted to be a top contender for the championship, the Heat did have its challenges, especially during the Big 3's first year together. The hurdles primarily consisted of roster adjustments, team chemistry and the constant public pressure. Nonetheless, Coach Spo and crew managed to make the 2011 Finals but had the Mavericks humble them in six games in one of the biggest upsets in league history. Advertisement What followed was a heavy backlash, with LeBron at the centerpiece of it. The four-time MVP was mocked for choking in the Finals. Heading into the summer, D-Wade decided to take the backseat, giving "King James" the keys for the following 2011-12 season. Hitting the reset button, the Heat would exert its dominance over the league, winning back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013. Putting up a show during those Finals runs, LeBron was the Finals MVP each time. Hoping to 3-peat in 2014, the Heat faced the Spurs in a Finals rematch, but had Gregg Popovich figure it out this time as San Antonio avenged their 2013 loss. Turning free agent once again during the summer, LBJ decided to return to Cleveland to fullfill his promise. Advertisement Related: "I was probably emotional and upset and directed a lot of that anger toward the team" - Hill admits he regrets how his career in Detroit ended The pioneer of super teams LeBron, the poster boy for super teams in the NBA, has continuously refuted initiating any such trends. Adding to his defense, the four-time champion highlighted examples of the 1996 Rockets and 2003 Lakers. The following years saw teams like the Golden State Warriors assembling one of the greatest casts between 2016 and 2019 when they added Kevin Durant. However, creating a super team is a strategy that doesn't seem to be delivering guaranteed results anymore, as evident from the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns over the last five years. Advertisement Durant joined up with James Harden and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn first and then with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal in Phoenix. Both times, he wasn't even close to capturing an NBA championship. Chemistry, ego control and sacrificing for the teammates are key, and it's harder to do that if you have many historically great players on your team. So, LeBron's success with the Heat could be seen as an anomaly and not a rule. Related: When LeBron James disagreed with Michael Jordan using rings to measure greatness: "I wouldn't take Russell over Jordan"
Geek Girl Authority
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
THUNDERBOLTS*: Does the Film Hide an Original Comic Book Member in Plain Sight?
This article contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*. Thunderbolts* stars a group of anti-heroes and villains who come together to form a super-team of saviors. While the team's name in the film has comical origins—jokingly named after Yelena Belova's (Florence Pugh) childhood soccer team—the original comic book team was deadly serious. However, none of the members of the original group of comic characters appear in the film. Or so we thought. The Original Thunderbolts In the late 1990s, Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley created the Thunderbolts. This group of supposed superheroes stepped in when the Avengers were killed by Onslaught. The mysterious group won over civilians with their heroic deeds, but the truth was far more sinister. RELATED: Movie Review: Thunderbolts* Purporting to be concerned citizens turned heroes, Citizen V, MACH-1, Techno, Atlas, Meteorite, and Songbird constituted the Thunderbolts. But unbeknownst to the general public, the new team of heroes was actually made up of the Masters of Evil, with Baron Helmut Zemo leading Abner Jenkins/Beetle, Paul Norbert Ebersol/Fixer, Erik Stephan Josten/Goliath, Karla Sofen/Moonstone, and Melissa Gold/Screaming Mimi. Zemo hatched a plan to curry favor with the powers-that-be and trick them into handing him vital defense information. The team eventually turned on Zemo and went on the run. RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World and the Importance of Self-Love None of these characters comprises the super-group in Thunderbolts* . In fact, almost none of these characters in this form exist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe at all—the exception being Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl), who has appeared in Captain America: Civil War and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier . The Bill Foster version of Goliath appeared in Ant-Man and the Wasp , played by Lawrence Fishburne. Hiding in Plain Sight The fact that none of the original characters made it into the cast is in doubt, according to an interview with Thunderbolts* producer Brian Chapek. He appears to indicate that a certain female character in the film potentially has a larger future ahead of her based on an 'emblem' she's wearing. Ever since the trailers dropped for the film, fans have been speculating about the true identity of the character played by Geraldine Viswanathan. In the film, she plays Mel, the P.A. to the Thunderbolts' antagonist Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). RELATED: The Missing Women From the Avengers: Doomsday Cast Eagle-eyed viewers not only connected the name Mel to Songbird's comic name, but they also spotted the character wearing a songbird necklace in the trailers. This is why I don't watch trailers; they spoil everything. I didn't make the connection while watching the film, but I'm certain I saw Viswanathan credited as Mel Gold on over opening weekend. She's now back to being just Mel. The actor herself has not responded to any rumors. This isn't surprising since Marvel plays their cards close to their chest—when they want to. Songbird in the Comics In the original Thunderbolts run, Melissa Gold/Songbird, or Screaming Mimi, was a child of a troubled home. As a young woman, she turned to a life of crime with her boyfriend. They were in the midst of escaping after conducting a robbery when the police caught up with them and killed her boyfriend. RELATED: The Fantastic Four: First Steps Teaser Welcomes Us to the Family Heartbroken, Mel screamed till she destroyed her vocal cords, which is when she was found by the Masters of Evil and recruited. Fixer fitted her with technology that allowed her to use her sonic powers again. Then, she was part of the Thunderbolts ruse. Over the years, Mel's origin story has expanded and differed. She has also been on the right and wrong side of Marvel law. She's been part of a few iterations of Thunderbolts, but she's also been associated with S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. It's hard to tell whether Viswanathan really is playing an early rendition of Songbird because her character has very little in common with her comic book counterpart. RELATED: Sadie Sink to Star in Spider-Man 4 Mel in Thunderbolts* doesn't appear to have any powers. Admittedly, she does work for an evil boss. Though she seesaws with her loyalty and morality, in the end, it appears Mel is still working for Valentina. She is, arguably, a vital player in helping the Thunderbolts save Bob/Sentry (Lewis Pullman), so Mel is practically a de facto member of the team. Whatever the future holds for Mel—be it as a superbeing or a super-personal assistant—Viswanathan is a vivacious addition to the MCU. Her inclusion also helps the franchise's limited South Asian representation as well. Thunderbolts* is currently screening across theaters. Why Did THUNDERBOLTS* Even Bother Including [SPOILER]? Monita has been championing diversity, inclusivity, and representation in entertainment media through her work for over a decade. She is a contributor at Bam Smack Pow, and her bylines have appeared on 3-time Eisner Award-winning publication Women Write About Comics, Geek Girl Authority, HuffPost, (formerly Soundsphere/Screensphere, FanSided's Show Snob, and Vocal. She was also a TV/Movies features writer at Alongside her twin, Monita co-hosts the pop culture podcast Stereo Geeks.
