Make certain to hear and add the 13 Guidelines: NBA Random Ideas podcast the Shot Clock Pod to your checklist! This week Steve shares his ideas after week 6 of the 2025-26 NBA season. Fouls are up, some shocking sizzling begins and injury-plagued contenders
Fouls and Recreation Move
The common fouls referred to as per NBA sport this 12 months is 45.7. Final 12 months it was 37.2. The rise in referred to as fouls doesn’t assist the sport for 2 causes. The primary is it makes longer video games with loads of stoppages. This results in the second downside, choppier video games with no stream, which makes a sport robust to observe.
Chicago Bulls Begin
The Chicago Bulls opened the season with 5 straight wins, and their up-tempo offense was stated to be the explanation. Since that begin, the Bulls are 4 and 9, together with solely profitable three of their final 11. In these 11games, they’ve given up 120 factors or extra in every sport. It appears to show the previous adage in sports activities: protection wins.
Toronto Raptors Surge
How concerning the Toronto Raptors? After beginning the season one and 4, they’ve gone 13 and one, together with profitable the final 9 straight. In that stretch, they’re giving up a bit of greater than 107 factors per sport. Of their first 5 video games, they gave up 127.8 factors per sport. The opposite plus has been the play of Brandon Ingram. Not solely has he been wholesome and has performed extra video games to date this 12 months than final 12 months in the complete season, he additionally has made some enormous pictures down the stretch and has turn into Toronto’s go-to man.
Orlando Magic Enchancment
The Orlando Magic are one other group on the rise. The Magic started the season one and 4 like Toronto. Since then, they’re 11 and 4. They’ve overwhelmed the New York Knicks twice and the Detroit Pistons as soon as in that stretch. They’ve performed this with certainly one of their greatest gamers injured; Paolo Banchero has missed their final eight video games.
Phoenix Suns Tradition Shift
Who would have thought the Phoenix Suns can be 12–8 and in sixth place within the Western Convention? Included in that’s two wins over the Spurs and one over the Timberwolves. Jordan Ott has appeared to vary the tradition of the Suns. While you watch them, it seems like a group that likes enjoying collectively, not like final 12 months’s group.
Philadelphia 76ers Accidents
The Philadelphia 76ers can not escape the damage bug. It appears it carried over from final 12 months. Up to now this 12 months, Joel Embiid has missed 12 video games, Kelly Oubre 6, VJ Edgecombe 3, Paul George 14, Trendon Watford 4, Dominick Barlow 9, Adem Bona 5, and Jared McCain 9. Andre Drummond was injured final evening as properly. These are all gamers that might get common minutes when they’re wholesome.
LA Clippers and DeRozan Rumor
Rumor has it the LA Clippers are considering buying DeMar DeRozan. This makes completely no sense. The Clippers are 5–14; their subsequent first-round choose is in 2027, and DeRozan is 36 years previous. The Clippers have James Harden at 36 and Kawhi Leonard at 34, two of their greatest gamers, and they’re of their later years. It seems just like the Clippers are destined to backside out within the close to future.
