It’s almost here.
On Tuesday, October 21, the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder will face the Houston Rockets, followed by the Lakers taking on the Golden State Warriors. No more Summer League full of prospects who may never pan out. No more preseason lineups loaded with deep-bench guys who won’t see a minute of real action. No more clickbait “player rankings” designed to fill the dead air of the offseason (tip: the 101st player isn’t necessarily worse than the 99th).Throughout the season, Blind Pig Basketball will be your scouting hub - right here on Substack, on X, and soon across a few new and exciting platforms.
But first - what the hell is “Blind Pig”? It’s the coolest basketball term I know. It’s a backdoor option from Tex Winter and Phil Jackson’s legendary Triangle Offense. The system is no longer used as a whole around the league, but this specific play survives. Here, let JJ Redick explain it himself:
In the coming season, we’ll break down these kinds of plays - and a lot more. With a background in coaching and scouting, we’ll deliver analytical, video-based reports and commentary on every team and player you root for: their strengths, weaknesses, and all the subtleties that get lost in mainstream coverage and studio hot takes.
We’ll call things as they are - and show them as they are - through film and data: team offense, shot selection, defensive effort, and execution. We’ll test the hype around specific teams and players, challenge the criticism of others, and over time, take your requests too - who you want us to analyze, what trends to explore, and which questions you want answered about the league.
Occasionally, we’ll visit European basketball, checking out how draft prospects like Slim Jesus are doing and observing trends that might make their way to the NBA (Have you known that Paris Basketball, which plays in the Euroleague, replaces all five players every 5 minutes of play?).
We’ll watch as many games and dissect as many possessions as possible - so you don’t have to settle for clichés from postgame interviews. The tactical secrets of NBA coaches and players will be open for everyone to see.
We’ll also revisit the preseason storylines and offseason shifts:
Did Mike Brown really reinvent the Knicks’ offense and playing style?
Did Nikola Jokić’s supporting cast improve?
Can Cooper Flagg run the point?
Should Ace Bailey have gone higher in the draft?
And what about the latest version of Victor Wembanyama - is he a center, or the tallest guard in NBA history?
We’ll revisit all of it again and again - to give you the most complete, evolving scouting reports. It’s almost here. We’re ready - and excited.