On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA Season 2025/2026”

The NBA Season 2025/2026

The Oklahoma City Thunder stayed true to themselves and proved the critics right and this time finished their quest in an impressive fashion by claiming last year’s 2025 NBA Championship with a tight squad and the leadership of NBA MVP and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge. Shai ran through the season with ease and owned the NBA Playoffs and proved to be one of the elites in the league by claiming his first Larry O’Brien trophy. The road back to the promised land won’t be an easy one but with the experience now gained and their team still intact, them Boys will be looking to go back-to-back for a second Championship by any means necessary.

That being said, the balance of power remains in the Western Conference where things are like a minefield, anyone of the top 8 contending teams can take you out and give it a good run.

The Houston Rockets had a good run last year and made a lot of noise throughout the season and the Playoffs. They have a solid young core ready to be further tested. With the addition of sniper Kevin Durant now leading this squad into battle, their chances of success have improved dramatically.

The Denver Nuggets may have yielded to the eventual Champions Oklahoma City Thunder last year but truth be told this squad has a three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and a Larry O’Brien trophy of their own. They are loaded with enough talent and experience to rival any team on any given night. A championship run is the only thing they are looking forward to.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have showed up and improved steadily climbing and breaking down buildings along the way screaming at every team in the league that they have arrived. They fell short last year at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder but amassed an abundance of experience along the way. With their bubbling star Anthony Edwards leading the charge with a tight squad, they can only go up from this point on.

The Los Angeles Lakers have revamped their squad over the summer to stay competitive enough to compete in the top heavy Western Conference. With LeBron James still playing at a high level alongside a healthy Luka Doncic prime to take over the reins, the Lakers might have a chance to make some serious noise this year.

The Golden State Warriors are trying to slow down father time but still remain in the running with a solid core of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and a full season with Jimmy Butler, the Warriors will hopefully be able to contend. The leadership is there – it’s for the squad to step up and follow their lead.

As for the remainder of the Western Conference Teams, the L.A. Clippers, the Phoenix Suns, the Dallas Mavericks, the San Antonio Spurs, the New Orleans Pelicans, the Memphis Grizzlies, the Sacramento Kings, the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Utah Jazz, some of them have made the proper changes to compete and climb up the standings but only time will tell just how much of a difference they will make in the very competitive Western Conference.

It’s open season again in the Eastern Conference as injuries to key players have disrupted the balance of power and now opening up the door for the forgotten to move back up into contention.

The Cleveland Cavaliers fell short in the Playoffs last year but held a chocke hold on the Eastern Conference for most of the year and now plan on learning from their past mistakes and reclaim their position by attempting to once again dominate their way back to the top.

Standing in their way are the New York Knicks. With new head Coach Mike Brown now leading the pack, a new style of play should open up the floor and create new advantages that would benefit this nucleus better. If Coach Brown can crack this team, they can definitely hold down that No 1 Spot and do some serious damage throughout the season.

The Orlando Magic is prime for the come up and considering the injuries to key teams, their chances of upsetting the favourites are quite high. They have the youth and the talent to compete with the best of them on both sides of the floor. This team has something to prove therefore sleeping on this squad will cost you in the long run.

The Milwaukee Bucks are still amongst the top dogs due to Giannis Antetokounmpo still playing at a high level but with the departure of Damian Lillard, holding on to a competitive standing will be challenging.

The Indiana Pacers and the Boston Celtics should have been in the conversation but with Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum out for most of the season, and Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid coming back from injuries,  the door is wide open for the remaining Eastern Conference teams the Atlanta Hawks,  the Detroit Pistons, the Toronto Raptors, the Miami Heat, the Chicago Bulls, the Brooklyn Nets, the Charlotte Hornets and the Washington Wizards to take advantage and climb up the rankings and show the league what they are  really made of. This Conference is vulnerable right now but things could change as the NBA Season evolves.  

The league and the players are drastically changing so tune in on opening night Tuesday October 21, 2025, and be part of another intriguing NBA Season 2025/2026.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?

The NBA Who’s On Top?

We are officially passed the midpoint mark for the NBA Season with 42 plus games played to date and still holding down the No. 1 Spot in the league is the Cleveland Cavaliers (36-6) looking focused, determined and still getting stronger as a team game by game. The Cavs are looking like they’re ready to give the Defending Champions Boston Celtics (30-13) a legitimate run at dethroning them in the Eastern Conference. The New York Knicks (29-16) are still steady pacing, looking good and staying in the conversation while the Milwaukee Bucks (24-17) are seemingly getting it together one game at a time. The Indiana Pacers (24-19) have been grinding their way back as well, trying to position themselves. As for the Atlanta Hawks (22-20), the Detroit Pistons (22-21), Orlando Magic (23-22) and the Miami Heat (23-22), their outcome and standing position could be different if they keep going hard in the second half of the season.

Still holding the No. 1 Spot in the tough Western Conference is the Oklahoma City Thunder (35-7). Them Boys are balling hard and looking like true contenders on the come-up game by game. Breathing down their necks are the surging Houston Rockets (28-14), the Memphis Grizzlies (28-15) and the Denver Nuggets (27-16) who all have the capability to overthrow the Thunders from their number one Spot. The LA Clippers (24-18) with a healthy Kawhi Leonard easing his way back into the line-up, should see themselves moving up in the standings but with the Los Angeles Lakers (23-18), the Dallas Mavericks (23-20), the Sacramento Kings (22-20), the Minnesota Timberwolves (22-21), the Phoenix Suns (21-21) and the Golden State Warriors (21-21) all playing musical chairs while vying for a position in the threatening Western Conference where a team can’t blink and fumble the ball and risk being left out come Playoff time.

That being said, stay locked in for an exciting second half of the season.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?

The NBA-Who’s On Top?

We are officially passed the Quarter mark of this year’s NBA Season and with the successful completion of the second NBA In-Season Tournament, now dubbed the Emirates NBA Cup, proving that even with a bad start at the beginning of the season you can still have enough time to change the negative to a positive.
Although the NBA ratings are down this year, the added Emirates NBA Cup cash prize brought life to all participating teams and raised the competition to an NBA Playoff level type vibe.

The two teams who represented their respective coasts for this Emirates NBA Cup in Las Vegas were the No. 5 Seeded Milwaukee Bucks (14-11) for the Eastside and No.1 Seeded Oklahoma City Thunder (20-5) for the Westside. Staged on a neutral floor, both teams balled out like it was the NBA Finals and made the game that much hyper, but it was the Bucks who showed up and played with that hunger and armed with a two-time League MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo determined to lead the way by making his presence felt with his 26 points, 19 boards and 10 assists on the night. Giannis walked it like he talked and delivered on his promise on claiming the Emirates NBA Cup for the Bucks by defeating a very gamed Oklahoma City Thunder team who fell short on the night. Hopefully the Bucks can use this accomplishment as momentum and build towards their main goal of another NBA Championship.

In Season Tournament aside, the true and surprising team holding down the No. 1 Spot is none other than the Cleveland Cavaliers (23-4). Them Boys are looking stronger and stronger game by game improving on every aspect on the floor. The defending Champions the Boston Celtics (21-5) are proven and still the team to beat and are well-equipped for the long haul this early in the season. The New York Knicks (16-10) with Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson and an improved team defense, are prime to keep things interesting. The Orlando Magic (17-11) is surprisingly in the mix with a young nucleus competing night in and night out. The Milwaukee Bucks (14-11) fresh off winning the Emirates NBA Cup, the momentum is on their side, now its up to them stay in the running and keep climbing up with Giannis in top MVP form. The Miami Heat (13-11), the Atlanta Hawks (14-13), the Indiana Pacers (12-15) and the Chicago Bulls (12-15) are all still in the running but gotta fight hard in these early stages to maintain a spot.

As for the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder (20-5) may have fallen short in the Emirates NBA Cup Finals, but they still hold the No. 1 Spot in the competitive Western Conference looking like the team to beat. Let’s not get it twisted-them Boys are a powerhouse on any given night and with Shai Gilgeous Alexander leading the squad the sky is their only limit. The Memphis Grizzlies (18-9) are picking up steam with a healthy Ja Morant on the floor. Now it’s all about building their way to the top and maintaining a strong hold. The Houston Rockets (17-9) are just now getting it together and improving as a young unit game by game. They have the potential and the goods to stay competitive all season long. The Dallas Mavericks (17-9) are steadily getting it together with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving gelling game by game with their supporting cast playing their positions. Them Boys will remain a threat throughout the season. The Denver Nuggets (14-10) are not to be overlooked. Them Boys are going through the motions right now but remain in contender status and could easily take over the Western Conference at any time with Nikola Jokić averaging 30 points, 13 boards and 10 assists leading the pack. The Phoenix Suns (14-11) are definitely in the mix for contender contention but only if the 3 headed shooters Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal can stay healthy long enough to maintain a position in the running. Real Talk! As for the Golden State Warriors (14-11), the Minnesota Timberwolves (14-11), the LA Clippers (15-12), and the Los Angeles Lakers (14-12), any one of these competitive teams could easily move up in the tough Western Conference so don’t be surprised at an inevitable shuffle in the future standings.

Stay locked to another interesting Season.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA Season 2024/2025”

NBA Season 2024/2025

With the Boston Celtics regaining control by winning last year’s 2024 NBA Championship, the Celtics’ once again have a target on their backs and getting back to the promised land will not be an easy task this go around. However, with their team still intact with the same squad that got them their NBA leading 18 Championships, this team will definitely be looking to defend their hard-earned crown while welcoming all challengers from the East/West trying to block them of achieving back-to-back Championship glory.

The Eastern Conference has gained some significant ground with the Larry O’Brien trophy residing on their side for the time being but aside from the Defending Champions Boston Celtics, the jury is still out on who out of the Eastern Teams will come out the pack and pose a legitimate threat to the Celtics.

The New York Knicks have done a major upgrade by adding Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges to run aside a battle tested squad of OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson. Giving the formidable starting 5, they will have to put in some serious work as a full unit in order to eclipse their previous successful year.

The Cleveland Cavaliers showed us once again that them Boys can ball during the regular season but they keep falling short in the playoffs. The Cavs just need to keep that same energy throughout the season and the postseason long enough to prove the naysayers wrong. I have them on the come up this year.

The Milwaukee Bucks are still amongst the top dogs in the East any given year with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard leading the pack but them Boys as a squad need to get it together asap in order to stay in the championship race.

The Philadelphia 76ers picked up Paul George to play alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey giving them their “Big Three” that is going to terrorize the league and give them a legitimate chance to compete for a Championship only if they can stay healthy enough for a long but competitive run.

The Indiana Pacers defied all odds last year by competing with the “Big Boys” night in and night out all the way to the Conference Finals but fell short due to injuries but with a healthy squad I expect these Boys to wreak havoc once again and outdo their previous year.

As for the remaining Eastern Conference teams the Miami Heat, the Atlanta Hawks, the Orlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, the Brooklyn Nets and the Washington Wizards there is too much uncertainty surrounding these teams at this point but hopefully throughout the season they will be able to show their true identity to stake their claim.

The Western Conference continues to bear the mantle of the strongest conference, hands down, but newer faces keep moving up shaking up the conferences from top to bottom.

The Oklahoma City Thunder who “Started from the Bottom to the Top” all the way to the Western Conference Finals may have fallen short of an NBA Final but have all the right ingredients to find their way back to championship contention with the added experience earned and a Bonafide superstar in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading this young squad making this team must see TV on any given night.

The Dallas Mavericks reached the NBA Finals last year and with added fire power in Klay Thompson running aside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving and their solid supporting cast, if all healthy, anything less than reaching the NBA Finals and getting a crack at the Championship would be considered a failure. That being said be prepared for some serious balling to be going down with this squad.

The Denver Nuggets and their three-time MVP Nikola Jokic can never be counted out the mix. This team is solid from top to bottom. Although they may have lost a few good contributors to the team, they still have the experience needed to compete with the young and the old on any given night.

The New Orleans Pelicans are expected to make some serious noise this year with a healthy and slimmed down Zion Williamson leading the pack of solid veterans with a mix of youngins watching his back, them Boys might just be able to play spoiler if all goes well.

The Phoenix Suns have the shooters in Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal to outscore any team on any given night but have yet to show their full potential due to injuries. Hopefully they can put it all together this year and give us a good run in the Western Conference.

The Minnesota Timberwolves took the league by storm last year by being competitive on both ends of the floor and secured the third seed in a very tough Western Division. With Anthony Edwards steadily improving year by year alongside a motivated squad, them Boys should be able to continue their rise to the top of the food chain at a steady pace.

As for the remainder of the Western Conference Teams the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, the Sacramento Kings, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Houston Rockets, the San Antonio Spurs, the Utah Jazz and the Portland Trail Blazers, the Jury is still out. No Western team can truly be counted out even if dead last and judging by how the usual suspects have fallen only time will tell which team will find their way out of the pack and back into contention status.

Tune in on opening night Tuesday October 22, 2024, and be part of an intense but intriguing new NBA Season 2024/2025.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About 2024 NBA FINALS CHAMPIONS”

2024 NBA Champions

The Boston Celtics continued to stay true to their character and their No. 1 Seed by closing out the NBA Finals 4-1 with a dominant performance win over the Dallas Mavericks. The Celtics just added to their history by collecting their 18th Championship for their franchise and their first since 2008.

The Celtics, led by Jason Tatum and series MVP Jaylen Brown, were simply too much to overcome. Them two young and gifted athletes carried their tough squad to the promised land and delivered on their biggest night and did not drop the ball. Real Talk!

It was close out time and they did the job. The Boston squad knew what was at the end of the tunnel and as a unit wanted it more than the Mavericks who failed to keep up and never able to get back into the game when the Celtics came out the gate.

Simply put, it the Mavericks got outplayed, outgunned and out hustled by the better team.
The Celtics owned the NBA regular season and maintained the momentum to a dominant Playoff run all the way to conquering the NBA Finals to now being crowned the NBA Champion of the NBA Season 2024.

Congratulations to the Boston Celtics for completing a very convincing season from start to finish. You Boys earned this one Hands down!

Well Done!

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA FINALS 2024”

The NBA Finals 2024

With the completion of the NBA’s version of the Final 4 now officially over, the two remaining teams representing their respective coasts are the No. 1 Seeded Boston Celtics for the EASTSIDE and the No. 5 Seeded Dallas Mavericks for the WESTSIDE.

Boston stayed true to their character and their No. 1 Seed by staying focussed and driven throughout the Playoffs and demolishing every team that dared to challenge their right to grace the NBA Finals.

The Celtics are coming into these Finals as the favourites by the way they’ve looked so strong in these Playoff runs. This well-balanced Boston squad armed with Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday and company, have all the right ingredients needed to capture another Championship for the city.

That being said, standing in their way looking to spoil the plans of yet another team are the Dallas Mavericks who are cocked and loaded with two very talented offensive assassins in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving ready to cause enough havoc while leading their squad through the last obstacle standing in their way of an NBA Finals Championship. The Mavericks have quietly silenced all their nonbelievers game by game throughout the Playoffs to the point that now they can no longer be avoided or disrespected. The Mavericks are the real deal and a serious threat to the Celtics.

That said, Boston will have to be on point on both sides of the court and continue their dominating performance and not let the hyped-up Mavericks get any type of momentum going their way. Both teams know of the opposition’s strength and weaknesses but which side will have the right “game plan” to capitalized on it in their favor.

The stakes are high but there can only be one Champion when it’s all said and done so tune in this Thursday night June 6, 2024 live on ABC for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Who you got?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About 2024 NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS”

2024 NBA Western Conference Finals

With the No. 1 Seed Oklahoma City Thunder and No. 2 Seed Defending Champs Denver Nuggets officially expelled out of the Playoffs, a new face will be crowned to represent the Western Conference at the completion of this year’s Western Conference Finals.

The No. 3 Seed Minnesota Timberwolves needed a Game 7 to dispatch of the Defending Champs Denver Nuggets but with the experience earned throughout that tough series and momentum firmly on their side, these can be key factors in helping them overcome the No. 5 Seed Dallas Mavericks who themselves needed a Game 6 to dispatch of No. 1 Seed Oklahoma City Thunder to secure their spot as well.

Although the Wolves don’t possess the Playoff experience the Mavericks will be coming in with, they do have the NBA’s meanest defense when focussed at the task at hand. Both teams have the young personnel bubbling for super stardom and the capability to take over games. Anthony Edwards is looking at making a name for himself and the Timberwolves in this series while the tough one two punch of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving leading the way for the Mavericks, they will be looking to offset whatever the Wolves throw their way.

As great as Anthony Edwards is turning out to be he will need the help of his entire squad to slow down and dispatch this fiery Mavericks squad in order to move on to the NBA Finals.

The intrigue is at an all-time high in the Western Conference Playoffs so tune in the night of Wednesday, May 22, 2024, for Game 1 and witness the drama unfold.

Who you got?

Blaze

ON The Watch “It’s All About The NBA PLAYOFFS WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS”

NBA PLAYOFFS WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS 2024

These attention-grabbing matchups in the second round of action are definitely must-see TV. The No 1. Seed in the Western Conference the Oklahoma City Thunder had themselves a quick four-game sweep in the first round of action and are now looking at a possible stiffer challenge in the form of the No. 5 Seed Dallas Mavericks. The Thunder are looking the part game by game and raising their play when push comes to shove and with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander growing into a superstar, the Mavs might have just met their match.

The Defending Champs the No. 2 Seeded Denver Nuggets had themselves a warm up in the first round by dispatching the Lakers in 5 but are now looking at a second round of action with a much younger, healthier and improved No. 3 Seeded Minnesota Timberwolves squad fresh of a sweep of the Phoenix Suns. Them Boys with Anthony Edwards turning into a bonified superstar are looking like they could have the goods at derailing the Defending Champs.

These are two very intriguing series to keep an eye on so stay locked in and don’t miss the action!

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA PLAYOFFS 2024”

NBA Playoffs 2024 (Sweet 16)

With another full 82-Games NBA Season now over and the NBA Play-In Tournament successfully completed, we are now officially ready for the NBA Playoffs 2024.

“King of The Court” and the No. 1 Seed in the entire league belong to the Boston Celtics (64-18). Them Boys balled hard the entire season looking motivated and focused from the jump. Their squad looks complete from top to bottom and battle ready for whatever the Playoff runs have in store for them. This could definitely be their year.

The No. 2 Seeded New York Knicks (50-32) impressed all year and battled their way through to earn their spot. With Julius Randle out of commission for the Playoffs, the Knicks still managed to bring a worthy team to the dance. The way they finished the regular season is proof enough to me that they are ready for what awaits them in the first round of the Playoffs.

The No. 3 Seeded Milwaukee Bucks (49-33) faught hard to hold on to their spot but are coming in wounded with their star player Giannis Antetokounmpo and other key players still battling injuries making them vulnerable in surviving the first round.

The Cleveland Cavaliers (48-34) hold the No. 4 Spot in the tough and improving Eastern Conference but for some reason peeps are sleeping on them. Them Boys over there have a chip on their shoulders and they are driven to prove to the naysayers out there that they belong in the Playoff run as well, so be on the lookout for them Boys.

The Orlando Magic the No. 5 Seed (47-35), the Indiana Pacers No. 6 Seed (47-35), the Philadelphia 76ers the No. 7 Seed (47-35) and the Miami Heat No. 8 Seed (46-36) all fought exceptionally hard to hold on to a spot in the Playoffs but that being said, they also could have been seeded much higher in the standing if it wasn’t for some unexpected injuries to key players throughout the season. Nevertheless, any one of these teams could steal the show on any given night so stay tuned in to a very intriguing first round of Playoff action.

The stronghold of the Western Conference continues again but there are new faces dominating the hierarchy this time around with two top teams with identical records. The Oklahoma City Thunder have captured the No. 1 Seed (57-25) over the Defending Champs the Denver Nuggets the No. 2 Seed (57-25) who are looking at a repeat run at the Championship. That won’t be easy with the Thunder squad looking prime and ready for the challenges ahead.

The Minnesota Timberwolves the No. 3 Seed (56-23) are the sleepers in this year’s Playoff run that peeps need to keep an extra eye on. Them Boys have a bonafide star in Anthony Edwards and a solid squad that could easily disrupt and outplay any of the Teams looking past them if they are not taken seriously.

The Los Angeles Clippers the No. 4 Seed (51-31) are coming in a little shaky with the uncertainty of Kawhi Leonard’s availability for the first round series, leaving the squad quite vulnerable. Nevertheless, the Clips still have enough firepower to hopefully stand up and hold it down until Kawhi is able to resume play with the team.

The Dallas Mavericks No. 5 Seed (50-32) are finally gelling with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving who have been playing in sync Basketball, complementing each other the way two superstars should do and peaking at the right time. They are battle tested and healthy and are ready to do damage in this year’s Playoff run.

The Phoenix Suns No. 6 Seed (49-33), the Los Angeles Lakers the No. 7 Seed (47-35) and the New Orleans Pelicans the No. 8 Seed (49-33) all have their work cut out for them if they have any plans to disrupt the new hierarchy developing in the Western Conference. These lowered seeded teams could definitely shake up their Playoffs standing if caught sleeping.

The game is changing and moving at a faster pace. This year’s Playoff runs are attention-grabbing from top to bottom so tune in and witness the outcome.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

THE NBA Who’s On Top?

We are officially past the midpoint mark for the NBA Season with 42 plus games played to date and still holding down the No. 1 Spot in the league are the Boston Celtics (35-10). Them Boys haven’t lost a beat and seem to be getting stronger as a unit game by game on both ends of the floor. Once again, the competitiveness of the Eastern Conference is vastly improving, keeping things quite interesting throughout the season so far. Creeping up behind them are the Milwaukee Bucks (31-13), the Philadelphia 76ers (29-14), the New York Knicks (28-17), the Cleveland Cavaliers (26-16), the Indiana Pacers (25-20), the Miami Heat (24-21) and the Orlando Magic (23-21). The Eastern Conference is definitely heating up!

The usual suspects at the top have taken quite the hit this year but surprisingly still holding down the No. 1 Spot in the Western Conference are the Minnesota Timberwolves (32-13). Them Boys have been looking the part game by game showing the basketball world that they are on a mission to silence the naysayers out there but, breathing down their necks looking to overtake them are the Oklahoma City Thunder (31-13) and the Defending Champions Denver Nuggets (31-13) while the Los Angeles Clippers (28-14), the Phoenix Suns (26-18), the New Orleans Pelicans (26-18), the Sacramento Kings (25-18) and the Dallas Mavericks (24-20) are all staying within striking distance to overtake one another in the standings at any given time. Real Talk!

The power struggles within both conferences continues to give the second half of the season that much more “HYPE” so stay locked in.

Blaze