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Zion’s gamble, Ja’s maze, and Wemby’s leap: what the first 25 games will tell us
Manage episode 510601010 series 3647463
Summary:
The Southwest just flipped from predictable to volatile—and that’s exactly why we’re locked in on the first 25 games. We open by sharing why we went quiet and how we’re rebuilding the show, then dive straight into the five-team gauntlet that will redefine the early NBA landscape. A leaner, confident Zion Williamson has New Orleans buzzing, but the Pelicans’ ceiling still depends on availability and late-game hierarchy: can Jordan Poole adopt selective aggression, and will Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III stabilize the wing rotation while Kevon Looney steadies the spine?
Memphis feels like a long con: injuries to Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey, and Brandon Clarke push minutes to role players, while Tumas Aiasolo’s Euro-ball principles try to create offense by committee. If Ja Morant shifts from collision to craft and Gigi Jackson pops, they can stay afloat; if not, patience might be the smartest currency in a brutal West. Dallas, meanwhile, hands Cooper Flagg a real developmental runway—horns into Spain, empty-side PnR with a bigger Dereck Lively II, and spacing from Klay and P.J. Washington—until Kyrie returns and the usage puzzle demands answers.
Houston trades steadiness for star gravity: with Fred VanVleet sidelined, Kevin Durant becomes the half-court engine under Ime Udoka’s exacting culture. The guard calculus matters—Amen Thompson’s pressure, Reed Sheppard’s spacing, Aaron Holiday’s stability—while Alperen Şengün’s DHO chemistry with KD could unlock corner threes and slips that travel in April. And in San Antonio, the question isn’t if Victor Wembanyama levels up; it’s where. Pairing De’Aaron Fox’s pressure with Dylan Harper’s pick-and-roll feel gives Wemby cleaner reads, while Stephon Castle’s second-side fit turns role acceptance into a weapon.
We map the stakes, the rotations, and the rules that will decide the first quarter of the season. If you’re into scheme, development, and how health reshapes ceilings, you’ll want this one in your queue. Subscribe, share with a hoops friend, and tell us: which Southwest team wins the first 25-game sprint?
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Chapters
1. Zion’s gamble, Ja’s maze, and Wemby’s leap: what the first 25 games will tell us (00:00:00)
2. Why we went quiet (00:00:13)
3. Season plan and ways to connect (00:03:53)
4. Pelicans reset: Zion and Poole (00:07:37)
5. Pelicans depth, health, and stakes (00:21:36)
6. Memphis: the long con? (00:28:26)
7. Can smoke and mirrors hold Memphis up (00:44:39)
8. Dallas after Luka: Flagg’s runway (00:46:39)
9. Building around Flagg until Kyrie returns (01:02:30)
10. Houston’s KD era without Fred (01:14:28)
11. Rockets guard puzzle and fit (01:27:03)
54 episodes
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