San Antonio (56 - 26)

Expert Pick
67% ·············><······· 33%

Portland (44 - 38)

Old Rivals, New Stars


Old Rivals, New Stars There’s a strange feeling of Deja vu as I write this article as Portland and San Antonio become the cream that rises to the top of the West as they have out maneuvered , out traded and out smarted others to build their own super teams once again. It brings me back to darker times when 70 win seasons were the norm and the rest of us were just stuck on the outside looking in as these two titans battled for league supremacy. Portland have located the all the leagues infinity stones in the best in prime and before prime talent that would make the monsters shiver in their boots and San Antonio has the the leagues version of Thanos in Giannis who is a 2k god. On those depressing notes, let’s have a look at this new version of old. Luka Doncic vs Jamal Murray This matchup feels like a chess grandmaster playing speed chess against someone who secretly memorized every opening. Luka Doncic plays at his own tempo which somehow feels slower than everyone else and still faster than defenses can react. He backs defenders down, uses angles like cheat codes and turns awkward footwork into points. Jamal Murray counters with rhythm, timing and the ability to catch fire like someone flipping a switch labeled “ignite”. Murray thrives when the stakes rise and suddenly tough shots feel inevitable. Luka controls entire stretches, bending coverage until the floor belongs to him. Murray answers with bursts that swing games in minutes. Over time control beats ignition. Luka’s ability to dictate pace feels unfair and slightly dystopian. Other teams should stop helping build this future already. Winner: Luka Doncic Anthony Edwards vs Gary Payton Jr This matchup is a monster truck trying to shake off a very determined mosquito with elite timing. Anthony Edwards attacks the rim with force, confidence and a highlight agenda. Every drive feels personal. Gary Payton Jr responds with relentless pressure, hands everywhere and defensive instincts that ruin joy. Edwards will score because physics eventually gives in. Payton makes him work for every inch and every breath. The game becomes a battle of power versus persistence. Edwards bends defenses and Payton bends rules of annoyance. Over a full game Edwards’ scoring gravity tilts things his way. Defense matters but unstoppable confidence matters more. The future where these super powered rosters hoard talent feels closer every possession. Stop trading with them. Please. Winner: Anthony Edwards Cooper Flagg vs Giannis Antetokounmpo This matchup is a coming of age story playing against a myth already carved into stone. Cooper Flagg brings versatility, effort and a feel for the game that screams future problem. He defends, moves the ball and pops up everywhere like he planned it all ahead of time. Giannis Antetokounmpo arrives like a natural disaster with long strides and unstoppable force. Flagg competes brilliantly but Giannis overwhelms reality. Transition becomes terror and half court turns into inevitability. Flagg shows flashes that make the future terrifying. Giannis reminds everyone the present is already broken. The league should probably stop donating talent to these timelines. Winner: Giannis Antetokounmpo Bobby Portis vs Pascal Siakam This matchup feels like a motivational speaker yelling at a yoga instructor who is calmly winning anyway. Bobby Portis brings energy, emotion and nonstop motor. He rebounds, celebrates and shoots with fearless enthusiasm. Pascal Siakam glides through possessions using length, footwork and calm decision making. Portis raises the temperature. Siakam lowers his heart rate and keeps scoring. Over time Siakam’s versatility wins more situations. He attacks mismatches, defends multiple spots and never looks rushed. Portis wins moments. Siakam wins outcomes. The quiet efficiency feels like part of a long term takeover plan. Again please stop assisting these rosters. Winner: Pascal Siakam Daniel Gafford vs Onyeka Okongwu This matchup is a vertical contest between bounce and balance. Daniel Gafford lives above the rim, catching lobs. blocking shots and turning missed rotations into dunks. Onyeka Okongwu plays with strength, positioning and discipline. He rebounds, finishes through contact and defends without chasing highlights. Gafford changes momentum with explosive plays. Okongwu changes it by removing mistakes. Over a full game Okongwu’s steadiness wins more possessions. Athleticism excites but control accumulates value. Another reminder that these talent rich teams do not need more gifts. Winner: Onyeka Okongwu

Old Rivals, New Stars

There’s a strange feeling of Deja vu as I write this article as Portland and San Antonio become the cream that rises to the top of the West as they have out maneuvered , out traded and out smarted others to build their own super teams once again. It brings me back to darker times when 70 win seasons were the norm and the rest of us were just stuck on the outside looking in as these two titans battled for league supremacy. Portland have located the all the leagues infinity stones in the best in prime and before prime talent that would make the monsters shiver in their boots and San Antonio has the the leagues version of Thanos in Giannis who is a 2k god. On those depressing notes, let’s have a look at this new version of old.

Luka Doncic vs Jamal Murray

This matchup feels like a chess grandmaster playing speed chess against someone who secretly memorized every opening. Luka Doncic plays at his own tempo which somehow feels slower than everyone else and still faster than defenses can react. He backs defenders down, uses angles like cheat codes and turns awkward footwork into points. Jamal Murray counters with rhythm, timing and the ability to catch fire like someone flipping a switch labeled “ignite”. Murray thrives when the stakes rise and suddenly tough shots feel inevitable. Luka controls entire stretches, bending coverage until the floor belongs to him. Murray answers with bursts that swing games in minutes. Over time control beats ignition. Luka’s ability to dictate pace feels unfair and slightly dystopian. Other teams should stop helping build this future already.

Winner: Luka Doncic

Anthony Edwards vs Gary Payton Jr

This matchup is a monster truck trying to shake off a very determined mosquito with elite timing. Anthony Edwards attacks the rim with force, confidence and a highlight agenda. Every drive feels personal. Gary Payton Jr responds with relentless pressure, hands everywhere and defensive instincts that ruin joy. Edwards will score because physics eventually gives in. Payton makes him work for every inch and every breath. The game becomes a battle of power versus persistence. Edwards bends defenses and Payton bends rules of annoyance. Over a full game Edwards’ scoring gravity tilts things his way. Defense matters but unstoppable confidence matters more. The future where these super powered rosters hoard talent feels closer every possession. Stop trading with them. Please.

Winner: Anthony Edwards

Cooper Flagg vs Giannis Antetokounmpo

This matchup is a coming of age story playing against a myth already carved into stone. Cooper Flagg brings versatility, effort and a feel for the game that screams future problem. He defends, moves the ball and pops up everywhere like he planned it all ahead of time. Giannis Antetokounmpo arrives like a natural disaster with long strides and unstoppable force. Flagg competes brilliantly but Giannis overwhelms reality. Transition becomes terror and half court turns into inevitability. Flagg shows flashes that make the future terrifying. Giannis reminds everyone the present is already broken. The league should probably stop donating talent to these timelines.

Winner: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Bobby Portis vs Pascal Siakam

This matchup feels like a motivational speaker yelling at a yoga instructor who is calmly winning anyway. Bobby Portis brings energy, emotion and nonstop motor. He rebounds, celebrates and shoots with fearless enthusiasm. Pascal Siakam glides through possessions using length, footwork and calm decision making. Portis raises the temperature. Siakam lowers his heart rate and keeps scoring. Over time Siakam’s versatility wins more situations. He attacks mismatches, defends multiple spots and never looks rushed. Portis wins moments. Siakam wins outcomes. The quiet efficiency feels like part of a long term takeover plan. Again please stop assisting these rosters.

Winner: Pascal Siakam

Daniel Gafford vs Onyeka Okongwu

This matchup is a vertical contest between bounce and balance. Daniel Gafford lives above the rim, catching lobs. blocking shots and turning missed rotations into dunks. Onyeka Okongwu plays with strength, positioning and discipline. He rebounds, finishes through contact and defends without chasing highlights. Gafford changes momentum with explosive plays. Okongwu changes it by removing mistakes. Over a full game Okongwu’s steadiness wins more possessions. Athleticism excites but control accumulates value. Another reminder that these talent rich teams do not need more gifts.

Winner: Onyeka Okongwu

Spurs Star

Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo plays like momentum wearing rolling blades. He attacks the rim with relentless aggression that erase defensive plans in seconds. Once he gets downhill help, arrives late and fouls pile up fast. His rebounding and transition play turn stops into instant pressure.

Even when he is not scoring he bends coverage draws bodies and creates open looks for others. When Giannis imposes his pace the game stops being about strategy and becomes about survival.

PPG 31.5

RPG 9.4

APG 7.4

SPG 1.4

BPG 1.5

FPG 2.1

TPG 3.4

PPG 33.6

RPG 6.1

APG 7.1

SPG 0.9

BPG 1.0

FPG 2.3

TPG 2.0

Trail Blazers Star

Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic plays like he has a remote control for the game speed. He slows everything down, reads defenders two steps ahead and turns small advantages into points. His footwork creates space without urgency and his passing punishes overhelp instantly.

Luka scores from anywhere without needing athletic explosions. Defenses feel stuck reacting instead of attacking. When he is in control possessions feel scripted and opponents slowly realize the game is being played entirely on his terms.

X-Factor
Size difference and three point shooting will quietly decide this matchup and the players involved make that contrast obvious. Giannis brings overwhelming size and downhill force that collapses defenses and forces constant help near the rim. That opens space whether defenders want it or not. Luka counters size with skill using strength angles and elite shooting touch to punish sagging coverage. Anthony Edwards adds power and confidence as a shooter who can flip momentum quickly when his jumper heats up. Jamal Murray is an human torch from distance that can light up quickly and Pascal Siakam thrive off the space created knocking down timely threes when help drifts too far. If size controls the paint then the game slows and becomes physical or shooters like Luka, Murray and Edwards find rhythm from deep the floor stretches and control shifts instantly. Whichever side balances both better dictates everything.

X-Factor

Size difference and three point shooting will quietly decide this matchup and the players involved make that contrast obvious.

Giannis brings overwhelming size and downhill force that collapses defenses and forces constant help near the rim. That opens space whether defenders want it or not. Luka counters size with skill using strength angles and elite shooting touch to punish sagging coverage. Anthony Edwards adds power and confidence as a shooter who can flip momentum quickly when his jumper heats up. Jamal Murray is an human torch from distance that can light up quickly and Pascal Siakam thrive off the space created knocking down timely threes when help drifts too far.

If size controls the paint then the game slows and becomes physical or shooters like Luka, Murray and Edwards find rhythm from deep the floor stretches and control shifts instantly. Whichever side balances both better dictates everything.

Injury Report
Injured Players: Alex Caruso (--) - 20 NBA Games missed this season Taurean Prince () - 41 NBA Games missed this season Returning Players: Cooper Flagg (returning from ) - 4 NBA Games missed this season Tristan Vukcevic (returning from ) - 11 NBA Games missed this season	Injured Players: Chris Boucher (--) - 8 NBA Games missed this season Returning Players: Alex Toohey (returning from ) - 13 NBA Games missed this season Onyeka Okongwu (returning from --) - 7 NBA Games missed this season Cody Martin (returning from ) - 1 NBA Games missed this season Giannis Antetokounmpo (returning from --) - 19 NBA Games missed this season Mike Conley (returning from ) - 5 NBA Games missed this season

Injury Report

Injured Players:
Alex Caruso (--) - 20 NBA Games missed this season
Taurean Prince () - 41 NBA Games missed this season

Returning Players:
Cooper Flagg (returning from ) - 4 NBA Games missed this season
Tristan Vukcevic (returning from ) - 11 NBA Games missed this season

Injured Players:
Chris Boucher (--) - 8 NBA Games missed this season

Returning Players:
Alex Toohey (returning from ) - 13 NBA Games missed this season
Onyeka Okongwu (returning from --) - 7 NBA Games missed this season
Cody Martin (returning from ) - 1 NBA Games missed this season
Giannis Antetokounmpo (returning from --) - 19 NBA Games missed this season
Mike Conley (returning from ) - 5 NBA Games missed this season

Prediction
Hard to know who will win here, both teams are stacked and have excellent tacticians at the helm. San Antonio have a little bit more experience with the squad but Portland have the ridiculous youthful talent. Ill give an experience a slight leg up here, Spurs by 5

		Comments (8)
jmac 02/10 11:48 pm	Not me.
Joshua 02/10 06:22 pm	Yeah Gafford well for now, maybe I lit a fire under him and he proves me wrong. Did someone say Western Conference finals match up?
Nels 02/10 01:14 am	Going to be a huge game. Both teams going in somewhat blind with new pieces.
jmac 02/10 12:53 am	Been six weeks since we traded for Luka, just want to bloody see something to know where we are at/where to go!
jmac 02/10 12:47 am	Gafford is averaging 21 and 13 Josh, stiff to be so dismissed.
jmac 02/10 12:46 am	Waived players showed up in the 'returning players' on the injury report and were manually 'X'd'
Nels 02/10 12:24 am	Thanks Josh! Huge game! Will be fun. Wonder why it says Toohey returning for us hmm? I think the bench will play a big factor in this one.
jmac 02/09 09:13 pm	Wonderful write up! Thanks.

	CLE	98
	NY	159

	MEM	114
	LAL	123

	CHI	117
	NY	144

	NY	126
	CHI	105

	IND	109
	CLE	116