Erik García Gundersen
@erikg503.bsky.social
Lots of NBA and lots of Blazers. Also lots of WNBA, EuroLeague and the occasional football post. Read more at: https://theburnernba.substack.com/
Reposted by Erik García Gundersen
The eventual payoff of tanking is inevitable. I had to hear it from people for years that Detroit’s plan was flawed and now that they’re a 1-seed, they disappeared like the Gallup poll
Proponents of abolishing the draft throwing out the Kings as an example to get rid of the draft but ignoring that Detroit, Charlotte, OKC, Spurs, Minnesota, Houston and Toronto all have completely changed their fortunes via the draft. It is working as intended and the league is better for it.
February 18, 2026 at 5:28 PM
The eventual payoff of tanking is inevitable. I had to hear it from people for years that Detroit’s plan was flawed and now that they’re a 1-seed, they disappeared like the Gallup poll
Proponents of abolishing the draft throwing out the Kings as an example to get rid of the draft but ignoring that Detroit, Charlotte, OKC, Spurs, Minnesota, Houston and Toronto all have completely changed their fortunes via the draft. It is working as intended and the league is better for it.
February 18, 2026 at 4:12 PM
Proponents of abolishing the draft throwing out the Kings as an example to get rid of the draft but ignoring that Detroit, Charlotte, OKC, Spurs, Minnesota, Houston and Toronto all have completely changed their fortunes via the draft. It is working as intended and the league is better for it.
Just saw CRIME 101 and it restored the feeling. Modern version of a 90s action flick absolutely hit the spot.
February 17, 2026 at 12:43 AM
Just saw CRIME 101 and it restored the feeling. Modern version of a 90s action flick absolutely hit the spot.
Dare I say I have never written an over-under capsule that has aged better than what I wrote for the Phoenix Suns Over 30.5
February 16, 2026 at 7:22 PM
Dare I say I have never written an over-under capsule that has aged better than what I wrote for the Phoenix Suns Over 30.5
Reposted by Erik García Gundersen
A lot of people want to change the schedule or abolish the draft.
These people are wrong. The schedule is supposed to be hard. The draft is fine.
Go take a hike.
theburnernba.substack.com/p/82-games-i...
These people are wrong. The schedule is supposed to be hard. The draft is fine.
Go take a hike.
theburnernba.substack.com/p/82-games-i...
82 games is fine, actually
It's the time of year where the schedule and tanking discourse take center stage. This is all pointless. The schedule is fine.
theburnernba.substack.com
February 16, 2026 at 3:35 PM
A lot of people want to change the schedule or abolish the draft.
These people are wrong. The schedule is supposed to be hard. The draft is fine.
Go take a hike.
theburnernba.substack.com/p/82-games-i...
These people are wrong. The schedule is supposed to be hard. The draft is fine.
Go take a hike.
theburnernba.substack.com/p/82-games-i...
A lot of people want to change the schedule or abolish the draft.
These people are wrong. The schedule is supposed to be hard. The draft is fine.
Go take a hike.
theburnernba.substack.com/p/82-games-i...
These people are wrong. The schedule is supposed to be hard. The draft is fine.
Go take a hike.
theburnernba.substack.com/p/82-games-i...
82 games is fine, actually
It's the time of year where the schedule and tanking discourse take center stage. This is all pointless. The schedule is fine.
theburnernba.substack.com
February 16, 2026 at 3:35 PM
A lot of people want to change the schedule or abolish the draft.
These people are wrong. The schedule is supposed to be hard. The draft is fine.
Go take a hike.
theburnernba.substack.com/p/82-games-i...
These people are wrong. The schedule is supposed to be hard. The draft is fine.
Go take a hike.
theburnernba.substack.com/p/82-games-i...
The account in the below screenshot is a fake account. Same one that made up the story about Woj getting ejected from a college game this season.
The KD thing has enough to chew on without needing to make things up.
The KD thing has enough to chew on without needing to make things up.
February 16, 2026 at 2:24 AM
The account in the below screenshot is a fake account. Same one that made up the story about Woj getting ejected from a college game this season.
The KD thing has enough to chew on without needing to make things up.
The KD thing has enough to chew on without needing to make things up.
Wemby should be the MVP whether the world team wins or not. Him giving a shit has influenced other guys to care.
February 15, 2026 at 11:47 PM
Wemby should be the MVP whether the world team wins or not. Him giving a shit has influenced other guys to care.
I feel bad for East vs. West.
But this is tremendous content.
But this is tremendous content.
February 15, 2026 at 11:32 PM
I feel bad for East vs. West.
But this is tremendous content.
But this is tremendous content.
How about that??
February 15, 2026 at 10:56 PM
How about that??
Reposted by Erik García Gundersen
You want All-Star defense? You got some of it. Both teams uncomfortably under 40 percent from the field at the first timeout in the WORLDSTAR matchup.
February 15, 2026 at 10:31 PM
You want All-Star defense? You got some of it. Both teams uncomfortably under 40 percent from the field at the first timeout in the WORLDSTAR matchup.
This is all so much worse. There’s no situation where players will be trying harder for a team to get a higher draft pick and replace them. The current system is imperfect but it’s better than stuff like this.
Just make the play in losers get the best draft picks.
Or if that's too much, invert the teams that miss the playoffs.
Everyone will try to win.
Or if that's too much, invert the teams that miss the playoffs.
Everyone will try to win.
February 15, 2026 at 10:26 PM
This is all so much worse. There’s no situation where players will be trying harder for a team to get a higher draft pick and replace them. The current system is imperfect but it’s better than stuff like this.
Every idea everyone has to “fix” the NBA is worse than the current situation.
The thing Adam Silver should do is do nothing at all.
Unless we are talking about eliminating fouling up 3 in a close game. He should do that.
The thing Adam Silver should do is do nothing at all.
Unless we are talking about eliminating fouling up 3 in a close game. He should do that.
February 15, 2026 at 10:16 PM
Every idea everyone has to “fix” the NBA is worse than the current situation.
The thing Adam Silver should do is do nothing at all.
Unless we are talking about eliminating fouling up 3 in a close game. He should do that.
The thing Adam Silver should do is do nothing at all.
Unless we are talking about eliminating fouling up 3 in a close game. He should do that.
Reposted by Erik García Gundersen
Allllll of this. Welcome in the Gospel of 82.
Always read Erik.
Always read Erik.
February 15, 2026 at 9:38 PM
Allllll of this. Welcome in the Gospel of 82.
Always read Erik.
Always read Erik.
Reposted by Erik García Gundersen
Great post. A lot of the suggestions about how to “fix” tanking seem to fundamentally misunderstand what causes tanking in the first place. Pro sports has embraced analytics and there are virtually no repercussions that will make a team suddenly value regular season games over playoff wins
February 15, 2026 at 8:21 PM
Great post. A lot of the suggestions about how to “fix” tanking seem to fundamentally misunderstand what causes tanking in the first place. Pro sports has embraced analytics and there are virtually no repercussions that will make a team suddenly value regular season games over playoff wins
Reposted by Erik García Gundersen
Great post! I agree. I would like some anti tank stuff because I'm not for teams just deciding to implement the tank in game. I like the idea to give team out if the playoffs reason to play to win at the end of the season. Otherwise schedule construction becomes factor.
February 15, 2026 at 7:59 PM
Great post! I agree. I would like some anti tank stuff because I'm not for teams just deciding to implement the tank in game. I like the idea to give team out if the playoffs reason to play to win at the end of the season. Otherwise schedule construction becomes factor.
NEW BLOG: 82 games is fine, actually open.substack.com/pub/theburne...
82 games is fine, actually
It's the time of year where the schedule and tanking discourse take center stage. This is all pointless. The schedule is fine.
open.substack.com
February 15, 2026 at 7:45 PM
NEW BLOG: 82 games is fine, actually open.substack.com/pub/theburne...
Reposted by Erik García Gundersen
Ofelia Torres, the teenage Chicago Public Schools student whose fight against cancer while her father was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers represented the federal government’s overreach during Operation Midway Blitz, has died, her family announced on Saturday.
Chicago teen whose father was detained by ICE while she fought cancer dies
The Torres family story came to public attention after the teen’s father was detained at a Home Depot in Niles.
trib.al
February 15, 2026 at 2:22 AM
Ofelia Torres, the teenage Chicago Public Schools student whose fight against cancer while her father was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers represented the federal government’s overreach during Operation Midway Blitz, has died, her family announced on Saturday.
Reposted by Erik García Gundersen
And Keshad Johnson won in front of Michael Baiamonte, the longtime Miami Heat public address announcer who is retiring after this season.
February 15, 2026 at 12:51 AM
And Keshad Johnson won in front of Michael Baiamonte, the longtime Miami Heat public address announcer who is retiring after this season.
That was so dope
February 14, 2026 at 11:00 PM
That was so dope
Reposted by Erik García Gundersen
good bench reactions to Dame
February 14, 2026 at 10:54 PM
good bench reactions to Dame
Check your watches
February 14, 2026 at 10:47 PM
Check your watches
Ultimately very happy the NBA is back on NBC but a big part of me misses having a TNT Rush Hour/Rush Hour 2 marathon as bumper programming for the All-Star weekend events
February 14, 2026 at 8:42 PM
Ultimately very happy the NBA is back on NBC but a big part of me misses having a TNT Rush Hour/Rush Hour 2 marathon as bumper programming for the All-Star weekend events
Reposted by Erik García Gundersen
NBA Rising Stars: Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen leave All-Star Weekend with highlights, memories, motivation »
www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2026...
www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2026...
NBA Rising Stars: Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen leave with highlights, memories, motivation
The Blazers’ towering young centers stepped onto the NBA’s biggest stage Friday night, mixing a little competition and a little one-on-one play with a whole lot of laughs.
www.oregonlive.com
February 14, 2026 at 6:45 AM
NBA Rising Stars: Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen leave All-Star Weekend with highlights, memories, motivation »
www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2026...
www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2026...
Best way to describe it is imagine Succession but about all the underlings and that’s the show
Man Industry is such an insane show
February 14, 2026 at 6:32 AM
Best way to describe it is imagine Succession but about all the underlings and that’s the show