Believe It or Not: Luka for MVP, the Pistons Are Contenders, and More | Group Chat

Summary of Believe It or Not: Luka for MVP, the Pistons Are Contenders, and More | Group Chat

by The Ringer

1h 31m•November 3, 2026
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Overview of Believe It or Not: Luka for MVP, the Pistons Are Contenders, and More | Group Chat

Rob Mahoney and Kyle Mann open with post-live-show banter from Minneapolis before diving into a “Believe It or Not” format focused on early NBA trends, rookie-scale option decisions, and a few big-picture team/player questions. The episode centers on whether Luka Dončić is already the MVP favorite, whether the Knicks’ slow start is actually alarming, whether rookie Darius Acuff is showing signs of being a real offensive engine, and whether the Pistons have become a legitimate Eastern Conference threat.

Early Show Banter and Live-Show Recap

Minneapolis trip and audience turnout

  • The hosts joke about Justin Verrier’s absence after the Minneapolis live show.
  • They reflect on the road-trip-heavy crowd and how many fans traveled in for the event.
  • There’s also some travel war-story talk about driving long distances after NBA events and concerts.

Upcoming live show plug

  • They briefly mention the next live show in Indianapolis in December.
  • Tickets are still available through The Ringer’s events page.

Rookie Scale Options and Early Career Evaluation

Nikola Topić and the Thunder

  • Oklahoma City declines Topić’s rookie option.
  • The hosts discuss his rough start to his NBA career, including injuries and a cancer scare.
  • They see him as still having NBA talent, but not someone the Thunder felt compelled to keep under contract.
  • There’s concern that OKC may have wanted to preserve flexibility and prioritize other young pieces.

Tidjane Salaün, Isaiah Collier, and Deron Holmes

  • Charlotte declines Salaün’s option, which the hosts view as part of the Hornets’ broader reset from a previous regime.
  • Utah also declines Isaiah Collier’s option; the concern is less about talent and more about his scoring limitations.
  • Denver declines Deron Holmes’ option, likely tied to health/medical uncertainty after injury.

Broader draft archetype discussion

  • The conversation widens into how the NBA is squeezing out point guards who can pass but not reliably score.
  • They argue that passing alone is no longer enough if a guard can’t pressure defenses as a scorer or pull defenders into real help.

Believe It or Not: Luka Dončić for MVP

The case for Luka

  • The hosts agree Luka is currently the MVP frontrunner.
  • His production has been enormous: elite scoring, high-volume three-point shooting, and consistent game control.
  • They highlight his recent huge games, including a 45-point, 15-rebound, 6-assist outing.

Why his offensive case is so strong

  • Luka’s shooting volume is historically high, and the looks he’s taking are mostly reasonable within the offense.
  • The hosts note he’s taking more pull-up threes and operating in a more modern, spacing-friendly environment.
  • His teammates are helping by keeping the ball moving:
    • Matisse Thybulle-like no-dip shooting behavior from role players
    • secondary creation from Austin Reaves-types
    • strong screening and short-roll work from Walker Kessler
  • They emphasize that Luka’s gravity and passing are making everyone around him more efficient.

Defensive effort matters

  • One of the biggest reasons Luka’s MVP case feels more serious this year is that he’s trying harder defensively.
  • He’s not elite on that end, but he’s no longer just a punchline there.
  • If he sustains his offensive production and remains engaged defensively, the hosts think the award is his to lose.

Believe It or Not: The Knicks Are in Real Trouble

Why the slow start may not be a disaster

  • The Knicks’ record is poor early, but the hosts caution against overreacting.
  • They note the schedule has been tough and that this is still the kind of team that can stabilize over time.

What’s actually concerning

  • The main concern is not effort or talent, but offensive rhythm and role clarity.
  • Mikal Bridges has been underperforming, which affects the team’s overall balance.
  • The team’s turnovers and decision-making have been a little too sloppy and aggressive.
  • The “power of friendship” identity that helped them last year may be harder to maintain under championship expectations.

Bottom line on New York

  • They are not panic-worthy yet.
  • But the hosts believe the Knicks may not be the same dominant, inevitable force people expected coming into the season.
  • They’ll probably be very good, but not necessarily the clear top team in the East.

Believe It or Not: Darius Acuff Is a Legit Offensive Engine

The scoring talent is real

  • Acuff is taking an absurd number of shots and producing at a high level for a rookie.
  • The hosts think he clearly has NBA shot-making ability and can create separation.
  • They compare his style more to Damian Lillard than to a pure table-setting point guard.

The concern: how he processes the game

  • The bigger issue is not whether he can score, but whether he can consistently:
    • move the ball
    • make teammates better
    • know when his job is done
  • His scoring instincts can become overbearing, leading him to over-lean into isolation and volume scoring.

Why this matters for team building

  • The hosts argue that an offense needs flow, timing, and trust.
  • Acuff is talented enough to be a major scorer, but they’re skeptical he’s a heliocentric, everything-runs-through-him engine.
  • The Kings’ broader offensive issues make this evaluation even more urgent.

Believe It or Not: The Pistons Are a Real Eastern Conference Threat

Why Detroit looks dangerous

  • The Pistons have already beaten both the Celtics and the Sixers, which is a strong early signal.
  • The hosts note that the East feels open and beatable, which increases Detroit’s chances.
  • They praise the team’s defense, physicality, and ability to make games ugly for opponents.

Cade Cunningham and the evolving offense

  • Cade is clearly the engine, but the Pistons have found ways to diversify:
    • off-ball action
    • stagger screens
    • movement shooters like Duncan Robinson
    • secondary creators and connective passing
  • This makes the offense less dependent on pure Cade high pick-and-roll.

The defensive identity

  • The hosts are especially high on Asar Thompson’s defense.
  • They describe him as elite at screen navigation and versatile enough to guard multiple types of stars.
  • Detroit’s defense benefits from tough, switchable, high-motor role players like:
    • Asar Thompson
    • Ron Holland
    • Javonte Green
    • Paul Reed
  • Their physicality and pressure at the point of attack make them a real regular-season problem.

What still needs answering

  • The big unresolved issue is how Jalen Duren fits when he returns.
  • The hosts still want to see whether Detroit’s offense can hold up in a playoff series when opponents game-plan harder.
  • Still, they conclude the Pistons are more than a feel-good story — they look like a legitimate team.

Key Takeaways

  • Luka Dončić has a strong early MVP case because of his scoring volume, efficiency, team context, and improved defensive effort.
  • The Knicks are not doomed, but their championship follow-up is already looking less stable than expected.
  • Darius Acuff is clearly talented, but the question is whether he can become a balanced offensive organizer, not just a high-volume scorer.
  • The Pistons are for real, with defense, depth, and Cade Cunningham’s star play giving them a credible path to being a top East team.