Tonight’s NBA action reminded me of something I’ve been playing with lately—the way movement and control work in certain video games. In Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, you navigate using portals and dashes, sometimes leaping upward for a vertical advantage, other times backtracking through clever shortcuts. It’s fluid, fast, and only occasionally feels a little floaty. Watching the Celtics and Lakers tonight, I couldn’t help but draw a parallel: some teams moved with that same magical flow, while others fumbled through their possessions like they’d missed the portal entirely. Turnovers, much like mistimed jumps in a game, can completely shift momentum, and tonight was a clinic in that.

Let’s start with the obvious: the Chicago Bulls. They ended the night with 22 turnovers. Twenty-two! I’ve seen cleaner ball handling in a middle-school rec league. It felt like every other possession, someone was forcing a pass into traffic or losing their dribble under minimal pressure. DeMar DeRozan alone coughed it up five times, and Zach LaVine wasn’t far behind with four. Watching them, I kept thinking about that "floaty" feeling in Flintlock—when control slips just enough to make every move feel uncertain. The Bulls’ offense had that same lack of precision. They weren’t just making mistakes; they were compounding them, almost as if the ball had a mind of its own. Defensively, they weren’t much better, with lazy outlet passes and miscommunications leading to easy fast-break opportunities for the Knicks. It’s one thing to have a bad night, but this was systemic. As someone who values possession and smart decision-making, it was frustrating to watch.

On the flip side, the Golden State Warriors—a team I’ve always admired for their ball movement—only had 9 turnovers. That’s the kind of control that wins championships. Stephen Curry, true to form, had just one turnover despite being double-teamed most of the game. It reminded me of those moments in Flintlock when everything clicks: you’re dashing between rooftops, using verticality to surprise enemies, and the flow feels natural. The Warriors did that tonight. They used quick passes and smart cuts to create openings, almost like they were leaping through magical portals on the court. Even when the defense adjusted, they found ways to pivot without giving the ball away. I’ve always believed that low turnover numbers aren’t just luck—they’re a sign of discipline and chemistry, and Golden State has both in spades.

Then there’s the Philadelphia 76ers, who finished with 17 turnovers. Joel Embiid accounted for six of those, many coming from offensive fouls or rushed post-ups. I’ll admit, I’m biased toward big men who protect the ball—it’s a lost art. Embiid is dominant, but tonight, he looked like he was trying to force his way through defenses without a clear plan. It’s like in Flintlock when you try to take a shortcut but end up backtracking because you misjudged the portal. The Sixers’ offense sputtered because of it, and against a disciplined team like the Heat, those mistakes are magnified. James Harden wasn’t much help either, with four turnovers of his own. When your stars are giving the ball away this often, it’s hard to build any rhythm. Personally, I think they need to simplify their sets and focus on fundamentals—less hero ball, more teamwork.

The Dallas Mavericks were another interesting case. They had 14 turnovers, which isn’t terrible, but Luka Dončić was responsible for five. I love watching Luka play—his creativity is off the charts—but sometimes his flashy passes cross the line from daring to reckless. It’s that fine line between a magical, game-changing assist and a momentum-killing turnover. In a way, it reminds me of the mobility in Flintlock: when Nor’s double-jump and dash work in harmony, it’s a delight, but if you mistime it, you’re falling into a chasm. The Mavericks walked that edge tonight, and while they pulled out the win, their ball control issues nearly cost them against a lesser team like the Rockets. As a fan, I appreciate the flair, but as an analyst, I worry about sustainability.

What stands out to me, reflecting on tonight’s games, is how turnovers function as a barometer for a team’s focus and preparation. The best teams treat possession like a precious resource—something to be protected and optimized. Others, like the Bulls tonight, seem to treat it as an afterthought. In basketball, as in gaming, control isn’t just about avoiding mistakes; it’s about creating opportunities through smart, intentional movement. The Warriors and a few others demonstrated that beautifully, while the struggles of teams like Chicago and Philadelphia highlighted how quickly games can slip away when that control is lost. Moving forward, I’ll be watching to see which teams learn from these moments and which keep repeating the same errors. Because in the end, whether you’re leaping between portals or driving to the basket, precision matters.