Cade Cunningham MVP? Thunder Repeat? Post–All Star NBA Playoff Predictions

The NBA All-Star break is over… and now the real season begins.

With the Super Bowl behind us, it’s officially basketball season — and the league is CHAOS heading into the second half.

The Detroit Pistons have the best winning percentage in the NBA. Cade Cunningham is playing like a superstar. The Thunder still look like a juggernaut. And somehow the Cleveland Cavaliers might be the most dangerous team in the East.

In this episode of Big Game Energy, we break down:

– The Pistons’ shocking rise and Cade Cunningham’s MVP case
– Why the Thunder still control the West
– Can Jokic and the Nuggets or Wemby’s Spurs stop OKC?
– Rockets vs Lakers playoff matchup 👀
– Are the Cavs built to beat the Celtics?
– Why the East might be wide open

Is OKC repeating? Are the Cavs legit? Is Cade getting disrespected in the MVP race?

Drop your Finals predictions in the comments.

Subscribe for daily sports content all NBA season long.

00:00 All-Star Break Reset  (NBA season starts now)
00:53 Biggest 1st-Half Shock: Pistons on Top & Cade’s Leap
01:57 Portland’s Surprise Rise: 9-Seed Depth & Play-In Hype
03:02 Cade Cunningham MVP Disrespect? Comparing to SGA & Jokic
05:04 West Power Check: Can Anyone Catch OKC?
07:03 Playoff Matchups & Hot Takes: Rockets vs Lakers, KD vs LeBron
09:14 Don’t Sleep on Minnesota: Ant’s Case as a Top-3 Player
10:55 Who Runs the East? Cavs Pick + Tatum/Celtics Question Marks
14:27 East Wild Cards: Magic Expectations, Hornets Play-In Chaos

Transcript

Speaker 0:00

The NBA All-Star game is in the rear view mirror and we are looking ahead to the second half of the NBA season AKA, the beginning of the NBA season. For a lot of us fans of the association, football season just ended. James, we had the Super Bowl a couple weeks ago now. They were, we are fully into the NBA, before we jump into a first half recap, if you have not already, please make sure you subscribe to our channel here on Big Game Energy Sports. Get us over on Instagram and TikTok as well. Show us some love. We are constantly dropping content every day, all throughout the NFL off season, and we are focusing now on the NBA and James. Surprisingly, there's been a lot of narratives that have been going on in the first half of the NBA season. There's tanking, there's Giannis. Will he stay? Will he go? James, what was the biggest storyline for the first half of the NBA season in your eyes?

Speaker 2 0:57

Yeah. No, and I'm gonna just say it right now. If you would tell me that the Detroit Pistons had the best record in the NBA, what year would you be thinking?

Speaker 1:07

Probably early two thousands, man.

Speaker 2 1:10

2000. You're the fro. 2000

Speaker 1:12

Wallace, Chauncey Billups, those guys.

Speaker 2 1:14

Ben Wallace. Yeah. Man. Tayshawn Prince man. For them to be the best overall team in the NBA with a 40 and 13 record going in the second, you gotta give you a round of applause to JB Bicker staff. Used to be a former rocket coach, running this show as what we've always been waiting for to see is Cade Cunningham, being that number one guy. But you know what the Pistons have done, just. Even bringing in guys that have fallen off Tobias Harris and Duncan Robinson, guys who like, just were losing their career when they had some peak and now like they're getting a roll in and they're helping out this team. I just can't believe it, man. Like the Pistons or the best team overall record in the NBA. That'd be my number one takeaway. And then number two, I'm shouting out the teams that like have been, bad for so long. Give a shout out to the to the Portland Trailblazers. They are the nine seed. This was a team. We all saw what happened with Chauncey Billups. He was like, oh man, oh man, here we go. Like, this is gonna be a bad team. Everyone was already dogging them for, scoot Henderson being a bus. But this team got nine guys that, there's one guy that averaged 9.8 points, but they got nine guys averaging 10 points a game. So basically, even though they're 12 in offense, even though it's crazy to see,'cause early two thousands you had nine guys scoring 10 points a game, you'd be the best offense in the league. But to have nine guys they can go deep. And for them being a playing team, spin, I'm not gonna lie, I'm gonna be excited betting them to win one of these games in the playing tournament. For sure. So those are my two takeaways. Just, teams that we didn't think were really that good, really soaring and really improving. But other than that, we, you already know, we already got our top heavy teams. They're doing their thing. We got guys that we're already expecting to be good, like Wim Be and the Spurs.

Speaker 3:02

Yeah, Denny Avia is running away with the most improved player in the NBA and honestly. You mentioned your love for Cade Cunningham. I totally agree with that. Now, I, I wanna clarify something. You are correct. They do have the best winning percentage at the All Star break in the NBA and you're geeking because you know what you did there? The thunder are 42 and 14. The pistons are 40 and 13, so it's. 7 55 win percentage versus a seven 50 win percentage. But you are correct at the All-Star Break, the Pistons did have the best win percentage in the association. But that being said, why is Cade Cunningham a very distant third in MVP voting on that? Now, I'm not saying he should be. W the MVP over Shea Giles or Nico Nicola Yoic, which it's gonna basically probably come down to those two guys. Yep. Again. And right now it looks like it's gonna be Shea going back to back. But why can't we get more love for Cade Cunningham with what he's done with I, I Shea just Alexander that OKC Thunder team is loaded with guys besides him, right? Not taking anything away from him, but if we're talking about most valuable. The Joker, he is always putting up crazy numbers, and he certainly doesn't have the surrounding cast that Shea Gill just does, but. No, the nuggets have been building that team around him for years. That's a good team around joker. Agree. This is the first year we've seen Cade Cunningham bounce on the scene, and for him to only be plus 1400 odds to win the MVP, it's a little disrespectful to me. I wanna see that get corrected, but I totally agree with you. I think that the Cade Cunningham breakout season has been fun to watch, and the pistons are definitely, they give you the 2026 version of the nineties Bad Boys Pistons. Yeah. We'll never get those pistons ever again like that. They just can't exist in the NBA anymore. We have a close thing with what they, the 26 version of that would be with this. Heck yeah. This group with the pistons. So for the West, we mentioned the thunder flying out. There are several games between them and the Spurs in second place. Before before the All-Star break and before they hit a, a rough stretch of games there. The thunder were looking like an absolute juggernaut. They were pacing to be the best team of all time, and they've, like I said, since fallen off. But James, that being said, with these weak spots, they've shown over these last few. Do you see anyone in the west like the spurs, like the nuggets, rockets, Lakers, Timberwolves? Do you see any of these guys having a chance against the thunder in the postseason?

Speaker 2 5:41

Yeah. And you mentioned it earlier, I had to laugh when you said the fall off. Like this is a j Cole album. Imagine falling off from being first in the West. To first and the West.

Speaker 5:50

Yeah.

Speaker 2 5:50

That's

Speaker 5:51

just like, I would clarify, it's, it was more like a rough stretch is a better way to describe it, but for them, they might have felt like a fall off at the rate they were winning to start the season.

Speaker 2 5:59

Yeah. No, you're not lying. No. In all honesty, you look at some of these teams, of course, I. In my eye, I look at the, we live in the NBA on a guard driven league, it seems like points galore and I'm only looking at the two teams that have the best bigs in the game. And that's the Spurs and that's the nuggets. Those are the only two teams I feel like can knock off the OKC Thunder just because either a. The length and experience and the versatility that the Spurs have. And then you got the joker who every, we've talked about it before. Statistically in these 10 years he's been goat level status, which sounds crazy, but I will say if there's anything I'm excited for about the we, because I do think this, and this is me, and we'll get dive into the East in a second. No one's gonna give the Pistons any credit. It's gonna be like last year's Cavaliers, who were the best team. And then of course you gotta see what happens with the Celtics and Nicks. And then we know possibly whatever's gonna happen with Jay's team. I do think whoever comes out of the west wins the finals. I'm just gonna discredit the east. It's just, we're just, I not'cause they're bad. It's just the west is so loaded and I will say, if there's one series I'm looking for Spence and you know which wire I'm going with this. If I can get that four or five rockets versus Lakers first round the playoffs. Give me seven games of watch along with you Guy, my guy, and just stress it out. King James versus your KD Rockets. I'm very excited for that. That's me. Another

Speaker 7:29

series of KD versus LeBron man. Haven't had enough of those.

Speaker 2 7:34

Yeah, you would think so, but no. Yeah, I think like looking at what I. I would love to be on like ESPN, say, I think the Lakers can win it all, but they can't play 48 minutes. The T Wolves, I feel like are just ant and done. Phoenix is a great story with freaking Dylan Brooks, but I'm really looking at one, two, and three because I want to believe in the rockets with the addition of Katie. Everyone wants to believe in the, the addition. Kd, but it just seems like she goons offense has just fallen off. Of course, we thought by getting kd, maybe he could, you know, he's still a reliable source in scoring points. He's averaging 25 a game, right now it just looks like he seems at times the team is struggling tied 20 if in points in offense, this team should be a lot better. when we get to the playoffs defense, their defense is gonna be right there. I think they're gonna be fine defensively, and of course playing the Lakers, that would be fun'cause they can't play 48 minutes. But still, it'll still be fun. Luca, LeBron versus Katie. And

Speaker 8:35

lemme tell you something. If the rockets match up with the Lakers in the first round, they're going to the second round. They, the Lakers are a natural how

Speaker 2 8:42

easily.

Speaker 8:43

I would take the rockets in five.

Speaker 2 8:45

Woo.

Speaker 8:45

I'll say that right now in February. Rockets in five do that to my

Speaker 2 8:47

goat, bro. Don't

Speaker 8:48

do that to my

Speaker 2 8:49

goat.

Speaker 8:49

No, dude. The Lakers are a terrible matchup for the rockets. It's a great matchup. The Lakers do not wanna see the rockets. They need a team like the nuggets to have a chance in the first round. Not that the rockets are better than the nuggets, but styles make fights. Yeah. I don't think the Lakers can hang with the rockets in a seven game series, but okay, so not you don't believe in the rockets, so you're thinking it's thunder spurs or nuggets. That's your teams.

Speaker 2 9:12

Yeah. Whoever makes it, they'll win.

Speaker 9:14

I gotta give credit to the Minnesota Timberwolves because I heard what you said just now and you said they're ant and done. That's like all they got, man. I really liked the sneaky move they made at the deadline. Going and getting iu, uh, Dono. I'm not ever sure if I say his name right, but Io Yeah, the guy from

Speaker 2 9:30

Illinois. Yeah.

Speaker 9:31

Yeah. Very good. Three and D point guard for them fills a need. Rudi. Go bear. Yes, we know the kind of guy he is. We know the type of player he is. Yeah. Still someone that is an absolute force down low in the defensive end. Yeah.

Speaker 2 9:44

Double. Double guy.

Speaker 9:45

Yeah. And Julius Randall. Look man, I know Julius Randall has it in him to clutch up in a playoff series and ball out. It wasn't that long ago. The Timberwolves were playing in the conference finals.

Speaker 2 9:56

Yeah,

Speaker 9:56

It was just, what was that, two seasons ago?

Speaker 2 9:58

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 9:59

And they, and that's a team I think with Anthony Edwards on the court. You always have a chance with him on the court. He is at minimum a top five player in the league. And honestly, for me at this point, I think I slot him in at three. I think I'm taking Ant over Luca Doni. I think I am. I got it. Joker, Shea and Ant. I think that's my top three right now.

Speaker 2 10:21

Hey. No, I agree with you. An is explosive, you know what he's gonna bring to you every day and night.

Speaker 10:26

Good handle, good defense. Mm-hmm. Good mentality. Clutch can shoot. He, he's got it all.

Speaker 2 10:31

Yeah. He doesn't, he, he doesn't complain as much as Luca when it comes to like every ticky T thing. Mm-hmm. And of course, you know, one thing. Ant is gonna tell you how it is. He, he's, he is trying to bust yo, you know what? Mm-hmm. And that's what will happen. And guess

Speaker 10:43

bring your ass.

Speaker 2 10:44

Yeah. And guess what? We gotta see them play potentially the nuggets. It depends. We still got time. We still got a lot of movement. Hell, Spence from three to six is two games.

Speaker 10:53

Yeah.

Speaker 2 10:54

Difference

Speaker 10:55

now going to the east. You mentioned Pistons most impressive story of the season, in my opinion. We knew the thunder were gonna be good Pistons coming on. Definitely a shocker. who do you think is the team to beat in the East right now?

Speaker 2 11:08

Yeah. The team for me I want to say, every public better is gonna say, oh, the best team should be the team to beat and. For me, it comes down to if Jason Tatum's gonna play and if he does what? How much action is he gonna get? I know they spread all those rumors, but the one guy, and I can't believe I'm saying his name'cause he is in the east. I would really like to see the CVEs pull out, get out of this.'cause I think the Cavs can beat the Knicks. I think the calves can beat the Celtics. Without Jason Tatum. So I'm gonna give a chance to James Harden the Cavs and Donovan Mitchell. Yep.

Speaker 11:41

Come on.

Speaker 2 11:42

Matter of fact, Donovan Mitchell, his city mother.

Speaker 11:45

I'm all the way in on the Cavs. I think the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to win the Eastern Conference this season. I think for all the shortcomings in James Harden's career, a city, an environment like Cleveland is the chance for him to finally make the finals. If he would do that with the calves this year. Even if he's playing the Robin to Spider Mitchell's Batman. I think this is a duo with Spider Mitchell James Harden. You got Evan Mobley dunk threat you have lo threat with Jared Allen. Yep. This is a team that's loaded. And they were the best team in the east last year with Darius Garland at the Point. Sure. They made the move, got James Harden. So you're telling me that same team from last year? Right was on fire. They're now being piloted and quarterbacked by James Harden.

Speaker 2 12:37

Yeah,

Speaker 12:37

he's running the show there now. Mm-hmm. Bro, I, how can I not pick them now? Jason Tatum coming back and being healthy could definitely throw some things for a loop because the Celtics were looking like a potential dynasty. Before he got hurt. They were going to be a problem for anyone going against them, but. I just, I think this has gotta be it for James Harden. I think this is, there's been, you know me, I'm a hardened guy. That's my, yeah, it's been my guy from the days of his Rockets career, and I've defended him online from haters far too long to give up now. This is his chance. And I think he can do it Now. I also agree with you, I think I've got the thunder coming outta the west. We talk about some of those teams having ch a chance against the thunder. I think the thunder come out of the west and I think the thunder inevitably are gonna go back to back. Is that kind where you're at

Speaker 2 13:25

that Yeah. If anything, and you know it, and of course it depends on who they play and when they do. I, we would love to see Spurs and thunder, Western Conference finals. If we don't get that. If they play Denver in the Western Conference, I do think they'll advance. And I don't wanna say, I feel like the thunder are like treating this they know they're good, so we gotta find a way to coast, just get there and then we'll pick it up another year.'cause these guys are so effing young. I think the thunder still have this, but I will say, Spence, we talk about this Eastern conference. Cavs are only two games back from being the two seat in this, in the Eastern Conference. And I will say, in my opinion, besides the Celtics, you got James Harden and you got Donovan Mitchell, who probably combined have more playoff experience than the Pistons. The Knicks.

Speaker 14:12

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 2 14:12

The Raptors. Maybe they don't have as much experience if you add everyone on the 76 ERs. But one thing about the 76 ERs. I don't believe in them. Just like I don't believe in Justin Herbert and the Chargers. So screw you, Joel, and Bead. You're not getting far. But I will say a team and maybe this is two years from now, this is looking ahead. The Orlando magic. Need to pick it up. They cannot be this pedestrian in my eye. Just being in the seven seat. I feel like they should be around. They should be where the raptors are and in my eye. But of course, the fun team will all bet in the play in tournament if it happens. The Charlotte Hornets.

Speaker 14:47

Oh yeah.

Speaker 2 14:48

K nipple and Lalo, man, I can't imagine whatever merchant they're doing out there.

Speaker 14:54

Let them sneak in as an eight seed. That piston series could be interesting.

Speaker 2 14:58

We already had fireworks before All Star Weekend with Isaiah Stewart and that whole team.

Speaker 15:04

Give me hornets versus pistons. Make the, that would be the first time in like a decade. The one verses eight in the Eastern conference had a narrative worth watching that is normally a snooze fest. The eighth seed in the East has never been entertaining ever.

Speaker 2 15:22

Yeah. And this eight C would be super entertaining. We get the hornets for sure. And I will say,

Speaker 15:26

Hey, shadow Adam Silver for the plan. Giving us a chance there.

Speaker 2 15:29

Yeah, no, our key. Just

Speaker 15:31

kidding. We are not Adam Silver guys here.

Speaker 2 15:33

No. Well, big,

Speaker 15:34

big. Just kidding. But y'all let us know in the comments and. Who you got in the second half of the NBA season? Anyone gonna threaten the OKC Thunder in the West? And who is going to be the feisty dogs that come out of the east? I'm going with the calves, but y'all let us know who you got and we'll see you Allall next time on Big Game Energy.