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Thinking Basketball
nba record
58.4%
27 graded calls on the leaderboard · likely range 55–87%
+8.4% vs coin flip
New — record building
0 graded calls so far among the 80 most recent calls listed below. We wait for a larger sample before showing the full breakdown.
The leaderboard counts graded calls from its own grading run over this source's full history. This section counts only the calls listed on this page that have a recorded hit, miss, or push, so the two numbers can differ.
Latest calls
The latest calls we tracked, with the exact quote and episode.
- LeBron James
“He just understands every element of the game before it happens. A transition opening 70 ft away, or how a mismatch target will try to avoid a switch leaving an opening for the roll man.”
- Smart
“Smart loops it to LeBron who's thinking about getting his feet behind the line.”
- Durant
“Durant stays with it.”
- Bron
“Bron fakes to go right away from the screen.”
- James
“At 41, LeBron James has beaten back Father Time for at least one more round.”
- Marcus Smart
“Whereas Smart turned into all-defense Steve Nash this game.”
- Lakers
“They pulled off an enormous upset because they out-thought the Houston Rockets in this series.”
- Reed Sheppard
“The Lakers picked on Reed Sheppard all series, so he wants to jump in front of LeBron, then recover. James feels him out of position and slips it behind the back so the help is late to arrive.”
- Amen Thompson
“Amen Thompson jams him. LeBron backdoors, then fakes the backdoor, and that little discard gives him space, and Alperen Sengün and Thompson are not on the same page.”
- Alperen Sengün
“Alperen Sengün and Thompson are not on the same page.”
Not graded yet 80 shown
These calls do not have a recorded hit, miss, or push yet.
- LeBron James
“He just understands every element of the game before it happens. A transition opening 70 ft away, or how a mismatch target will try to avoid a switch leaving an opening for the roll man.”
- Smart
“Smart loops it to LeBron who's thinking about getting his feet behind the line.”
- Durant
“Durant stays with it.”
- Bron
“Bron fakes to go right away from the screen.”
- James
“At 41, LeBron James has beaten back Father Time for at least one more round.”
- Marcus Smart
“Whereas Smart turned into all-defense Steve Nash this game.”
- Lakers
“They pulled off an enormous upset because they out-thought the Houston Rockets in this series.”
- Reed Sheppard
“The Lakers picked on Reed Sheppard all series, so he wants to jump in front of LeBron, then recover. James feels him out of position and slips it behind the back so the help is late to arrive.”
- Amen Thompson
“Amen Thompson jams him. LeBron backdoors, then fakes the backdoor, and that little discard gives him space, and Alperen Sengün and Thompson are not on the same page.”
- Alperen Sengün
“Alperen Sengün and Thompson are not on the same page.”
- Los Angeles Lakers
“They pulled off an upset because they out-thought the Houston Rockets in this series, led by the sages graybeard.”
- Amen Thompson
“Amen Thompson jams him.”
- LeBron James
“He's essentially outsmarting players who are half his age by backdooring cutting them when they least suspect it.”
- LeBron James
“There was 41-year-old LeBron James. I want to say I I don't know how LeBron is doing this, but I think I do know how he's doing it. It's his mind, his preparation, his throwback pure sense of winning basketball that would make John Wooden proud.”
- Kevin Durant
“Then does the same thing in the fourth when Kevin Durant dribbles it off his foot.”
- LeBron James
“He's essentially outsmarting players who are half his age by backdooring cutting them when they least suspect it.”
- LeBron James
“This is cinema. He's opportunistic about exerting energy, reading the moment, feeling that Jared Vanderbilt stuck, then materializing behind the defense to beat the buzzer with a layup, and that started near half court.”
- LeBron James
“This is just mentally manipulating the opponent. Meanwhile, the Rockets don't have a counter.”
- LeBron James
“Age comes with tradeoffs, little stumbles and mishaps that don't exist when he was younger, but he also picks the right moments to outwork everyone.”
- Marcus Smart
“Former Wizard castoff Marcus Smart dives on the floor. LeBron sees this on the other end and just leaves his man in the dust, and LeBron comes flying into the picture to manufacture free throws.”
- Rui Hachimura
“After 4 years, Rui knows to run to the rim here, so LeBron doesn't tip his hand by gesturing or talking, lulls Houston to sleep, and tosses a perfect lullaby over the top.”
- LeBron James
“There was 41-year-old LeBron James. I want to say I I don't know how LeBron is doing this, but I think I do know how he's doing it. It's his mind, his preparation, his throwback pure sense of winning basketball that would make John Wooden proud.”
- LeBron James
“He's essentially outsmarting players who are half his age by backdooring cutting them when they least suspect it.”
- LeBron James
“He picks his spots on defense, too, lurking and waiting to explode at just the right moments.”
- LeBron James
“This is just mentally manipulating the opponent. Meanwhile, the Rockets don't have a counter.”
- LeBron James
“Age comes with tradeoffs, little stumbles and mishaps that don't exist when he was younger, but he also picks the right moments to outwork everyone.”
- LeBron James
“He's always quick about executing coverages and game plans, funneling the ball to the sideline here, and then on the rebound, he tips it to a teammate to start the break.”
- LeBron James
“age cannot stop him from being an elite playoff communicator.”
- Marcus Smart
“Whereas Smart turned into all-defense Steve Nash this game, so when LeBron sees Amen turn his head, he basket cuts and Smart fakes a lob to no-look it because these veterans are on the same page, and LeBron's making art.”
- Rui Hachimura
“After 4 years, Rui knows to run to the rim here, so LeBron doesn't tip his hand by gesturing or talking, lulls Houston to sleep, and tosses a perfect lullaby over the top.”
- LeBron James
“41-year-old LeBron James... his mind, his preparation, his throwback pure sense of winning basketball”
- Luka Dončić
“I understand why Dollar Store Dončić lost it.”
- Josh Okogie
“Josh Okogie is trying to jam him”
- Lakers
“the Lakers just pulled off an enormous upset”
- LeBron James
“41-year-old LeBron James... his mind, his preparation, his throwback pure sense of winning basketball”
- Kevin Durant
“Then does the same thing in the fourth when Kevin Durant dribbles it off his foot.”
- LeBron James
“At 41, LeBron James has beaten back Father Time for at least one more round.”
- Lakers
“The Lakers set a wide screen for James.”
- Marcus Smart
“Whereas Smart turned into all-defense Steve Nash this game.”
- Amen Thompson
“Then to start game three, Amen Thompson jams him.”
- Lakers
“The Lakers set a wide screen for James.”
- Jared Vanderbilt
“feeling that Jared Vanderbilt stuck.”
- LeBron James
“age cannot stop him from being an elite playoff communicator.”
- Marcus Smart
“Whereas Smart turned into all-defense Steve Nash this game, so when LeBron sees Amen turn his head, he basket cuts and Smart fakes a lob to no-look it because these veterans are on the same page, and LeBron's making art.”
- LeBron James
“He just understands every element of the game before it happens. A transition opening 70 ft away, or how a mismatch target will try to avoid a switch leaving an opening for the roll man.”
- LeBron James
“This is cinema. He's opportunistic about exerting energy, reading the moment, feeling that Jared Vanderbilt stuck, then materializing behind the defense to beat the buzzer with a layup.”
- Marcus Smart
“Former Wizard castoff Marcus Smart dives on the floor. LeBron sees this on the other end and just leaves his man in the dust, and LeBron comes flying into the picture to manufacture free throws.”
- LeBron James
“41-year-old LeBron James... his mind, his preparation, his throwback pure sense of winning basketball”
- Lakers
“the Lakers just pulled off an enormous upset.”
- Houston Rockets
“they out-thought the Houston Rockets in this series”
- Kevin Durant
“Then does the same thing in the fourth when Kevin Durant dribbles it off his foot”
- Amen Thompson
“Amen Thompson jams him.”
- Lakers
“the Lakers just pulled off an enormous upset.”
- Isaiah Stewart
“Isaiah Stewart himself had eight blocks, the most ever in a postseason game for a player logging under 20 minutes”
- Cade Cunningham
“this fake creates enough space for Kate Cunningham”
- Tobias Harris
“triggers a flare screen from Thompson as the ball changes sides and suddenly the lane's open for Tobias Harris to attack and he muscles in an and an one”
- Wendell Carter Jr.
“Off of this Pistons miss, Bonero runs straight to the rim and seals the smaller Robinson entry pass and triple team to force that miss. And Paulo had another one of these in the third, sprinting down court to force the mismatch. Then this Pistons help defense would be completely illegal back in the '90s, but Paulo gets free throws there anyway. The more fun one for me was at the end of the half. Assar again tries to score himself. Misses Dur on the lob. Then Orlando's center Wendell Carter Jr. hauls it down the court to get another transition post up against Robinson.”
- Isaiah Stewart
“Isaiah Stewart himself had eight blocks, the most ever in a postseason game for a player logging under 20 minutes.”
- Jaylen Suggs
“Jaylen Suggs can just roam off as he sees fit and blow up plays like this.”
- Austin Reeves
“...past speakers like Kenny Atkinson, Adam Silver, Austin Reeves...”
- Kevin Willis
“...evolutionary Kevin Willis can come set the ball screen.”
- Duncan Robinson
“I think he would be better just setting the flare screen for Duncan Robinson”
- Luka Doncic
“Luka Dončić's heater”
- Michael Jordan
“Mike [music] Jordan as an all-around guard.”
- Patrick Ewing
“led to some significant injuries to Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, and so on.”
- Charles Barkley
“led to some significant injuries to Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, and so on.”
- Jamal Murray
“Jamal Murray was injured on the exact same type of play later in the season.”
- Tyrese Haliburton
“Tyrese Haliburton pushed his body to the max in the NBA finals last year playing with an injured leg.”
- Michael Jordan
“Jordan was only at 115 steps per minute...”
- Patrick Ewing
“led to some significant injuries to Patrick Ewing...”
- Charles Barkley
“led to some significant injuries to Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley...”
- Jamal Murray
“Jamal Murray was injured on the exact same type of play...”
- Tyrese Haliburton
“Tyrese Haliburton pushed his body to the max in the NBA finals last year playing with an injured leg.”
- Nikola Jokic
“Victor, both Victor and Nikola Jokic... are prime examples of why that rule... has worked”
- Patrick Ewing
“led to some significant injuries to Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, and so on.”
- Charles Barkley
“led to some significant injuries to Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, and so on.”
- Jamal Murray
“Jamal Murray was injured on the exact same type of play later in the season.”
- Allen Iverson
“In 2001, Allen Iverson only played 71 games”
- Lakers
“the Lakers have been on an incredible streak of clutch performances”
- Luca Donuch
“they call it Luca Magic.”
Graded calls
No graded calls yet among the 80 most recent calls listed here. A call appears here only after we record a hit, miss, or push.