The NBA Today panel gathered Tuesday for a spirited midseason check-in, and Iman Shumpert wasted no time making his stance clear. While the rest of the league debates playoff seeds and injury reports, Shumpert is riding with the Golden State Warriors to make a serious late-season push — and he is not the least bit shy about it.
Joined by Danny Green and Ramona Shelburne alongside host Jorge Sedano, Shumpert leaned into the moment during a lively game of Fill in the Blank, the kind of segment that brings out the most unfiltered takes in basketball conversation. And unfiltered is exactly what fans got.
Shumpert Refuses to Sleep on Stephen Curry
When the panel was asked which team would make a surprise late second-half run, Shumpert went straight to Golden State without hesitation. His case rested on one argument — never count out the light-skinned man. Shumpert made no secret of his history with Curry, crediting him with derailing championship aspirations more than once. His words carried equal parts frustration and genuine respect.
Shumpert described Curry as the basketball equivalent of Spider-Man holding two trains together — somehow defying logic and pulling off the impossible every single time. If the Warriors catch fire again, Shumpert made it clear he will not be caught off guard. That alone made his pick feel less like a longshot and more like a warning.
Danny Green backed the Philadelphia 76ers, pointing to a motivated Joel Embiid who has returned from the All-Star break healthy and posting sharp numbers. Green highlighted Embiid’s recent stretch, noting 33 points per game at 52 percent from the field and an impressive clip from deep. A refreshed Embiid playing 30-plus minutes a night makes Philadelphia a genuine dark horse in the East.
Ramona Shelburne went with the Cleveland Cavaliers, making a compelling case built around James Harden. Fitting a player who is essentially a one-man offensive system into an existing roster takes time, but Shelburne argued Cleveland has had enough disruption this season to make the integration work. With Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley alongside him, Harden does not need to be the engine — he just needs to be the fuel. And without the playoff mileage he typically carries solo, Shumpert added, Harden running alongside Mitchell changes the ceiling entirely.
SGA Holds Firm at the Top of the MVP Race
Before the predictions segment, the panel took stock of the award landscape heading into the second half. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains the clear MVP favorite. Victor Wembanyama leads the defensive player of the year conversation. Cooper Flag holds the top spot for Rookie of the Year. And JB Bickerstaff paces the Coach of the Year odds. With Nikola Jokic limited by missed games and both Jokic and Wembanyama approaching their respective thresholds, the race remains SGA’s to lose — unless his abdominal injury becomes a factor.
A Forgotten Legend Gets His Moment
The episode saved one of its best moments for a piece of history. Thirty-two years ago on this date, David Robinson delivered the last quadruple double in NBA history against the Detroit Pistons, finishing with 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 blocks. The Detroit broadcast had identified stopping Robinson as its top priority heading into the game. It did not go well for them. Robinson became just the fourth player in NBA history to reach that milestone, cementing a legacy that still does not get enough attention in the modern conversation.
What Comes Next
With the second half of the NBA season officially underway, every game carries more weight. Shumpert and the panel will keep watching closely — and if Golden State starts climbing, do not expect Shumpert to act surprised. He called it first.
Coverage continues Saturday as the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks tip off on ABC, with the full TNT crew breaking it all down live.
