A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

The predicament

I believe this was going to occur in advance of the series being played. Allow me to state up front I like the Knicks coach Mike Brown, I like the Knicks team….what I and millions of others are forced to tolerate is the over the top New York sports media. Driving home from the barber shop I’m listening to a discussion on one of our local sports talk radio stations. These stations usually pick up the network feed late night or weekends and this is Saturday morning after the Knicks Game 2 victory on Friday. The two unidentified ESPN radio guys are discussing the outcome of Game 2 back and forth in conversation they went on discussing the win along with views of Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson.

And then it occurred, it landed like a Mike Tyson punch on the ears of listeners. “I don’t wanna jinx anyone but should the Knicks began planning a victory parade?” That was the jest of the conversation back and forth between the two for about 10 minutes or so. “The Nets will never be it, the Knicks are the cities team” said one of the ESPN guys. I felt it in my bones before this contest began, if the Knicks win this thing we’ll hear about it for the next year. How can this conclusion be an outcome, look at the New York Jets? They have been a bad team for years yet they are always a topic of conversation from east coast media. My question, when’s the last time the Jets have been a relatively good football team….I thought so. Some reading this are upset with my take, sorry that’s how I see it.

Dylan’s the man

This is written Friday afternoon in advance of the Friday night game, I have no idea if Dylan Harper scores. That might not occur however he still remains the Spurs rookie scoring all-time leader. I came across this information while researching statistics for another story. Harper has approached this playoff and Finals appearance in the same manner a 10-year NBA veteran might. Bet you didn’t realize same as me Harper now holds the rookie scoring record for the team. There are several Spurs heavyweights whose numbers he’s eclipsed, check this out:

Dylan Harper 251 points

David Robinson 243 points

Manu Ginobili 226 points

Tim Duncan 186 points

What else did those other Spurs accomplish; wait I will answer that for you. All three, Robinson, Ginobili and Duncan have been enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame and received other honors. I don’t wish you to misread this, I am making no claims regarding Harper’s NBA future however based on his rookie play he could wind up his NBA career with an extensive resume if he continues at this pace. NOTE: Although the Spurs lost the game Harper came off the bench and scored 15 points in the loss, his rookie Spurs total stands at 266 points (and counting).

Everything changes

Once upon a time and I am surely repeating myself, this was my conviction. An athlete accepts a scholarship offer he must remain in school four years, of course illness and injury failed to apply here. We then began early entry most of it brought by the ABA at the time it was vying with the NBA for talent. That’s the brief history to set the stage for this account. The change for me, school will always be there, “Go get the money if you are assured the NBA is your destination.” Recently came news reports that former player JR Smith had completed all requirements and is now a college graduate.

Of course Smith is not the first, it’s my belief Michael Jordan is probably the first NBA player to return to college to complete his degree but there are others. Among just a few of the names, Shaquille O’Neal, Vince Carter, Steph Curry, Marvin Williams, Rajon Ronda and Ray Allen. I believe AJ Dybansta will also join them after a promise made to his mother to graduate college, while for others it was likely personal satisfaction. Whatever the basis it’s good for another aspect, I have no idea of the finances of these former players but believe it to be substantial. They have no employment opportunities which require a college diploma yet they did the work, they are applauded by me for completing the task begun years prior.  

Anytime, anywhere

I can talk basketball 24/7 with emphasis on any level, high school, AAU, college or the NBA. I can talk basketball during the sweltering month of August or a bone chilling day in January. This is the basis for Off the Dribble being a 12-month blog, it’s always basketball season here. For me it’s a matter of finding one’s passion, as an example I find this common. I have NBA fans who don’t have a clue who the top rated incoming prospect is at their favorite school, of course they know his name but there is other stuff a basketball fan would uncover. On the other hand I have college fans with no clue how the NBA operates on a day to day basis.

Often find myself in conversation at work when I didn’t begin the dialogue, co-workers have sometimes approached me as if I have the answers (which is not true). My memory of certain games precedes my understanding of the intricacies of the game of basketball. I cannot give you the date but I remember the first time I saw LeBron James play. He was still in high school and playing for St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron Ohio. This too was a televised game, I witnessed Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game against the Raptors. In addition to those names I saw Victor Wembanyama play in Las Vegas when only a handful (exaggeration of fans) even knew his name. Sometimes I wonder if friends and acquaintances are saying; “Doesn’t this guy ever shut up?” Yes I do when I am asleep….otherwise you can generally catch me discussing my favorite sport. 

A basketball fans perspective

Finals edition 

I expected the Spurs to play better in Game 2 and they did, the only problem they came up short again. This time the Knicks were winners 105-104 as the game wasn’t really decided until a missed Victor Wembanyama shot just before the buzzer sounded. This game had all the elements one might expect from a Finals game, the first quarter saw the Spurs race out to a 34-25 lead but by the half it had dissipated. Half-time saw the Knicks with a 56-52 lead, much of the third quarter the Knicks imposed their will on the youthful Spurs, oh did I mention this?

Wemby had 7 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks in the first half. That was hardly a take charge game as many expected him to have. For the Knicks it was KAT with 17 points and 7 rebounds and Jalen Brunson with 10 points but only 27% shooting from the floor, Mikal Bridges contributed 11 points. Every time it seemed in the 3^rd quarter the Spurs made a run at the Knicks they had an answer, it would be an offensive rebound and score or forcing a TO by the Spurs. The result was the visitors would retain the lead, most critical at a point was missed free throws, with the score 90-83 in favor of the Knicks we counted 8 missed free throws by the Spurs. After trailing by 14 points in the 4^th quarter the Spurs came roaring back, missed shots by the Knicks and timely shots and forced TO’s by the Spurs had them back in the game under the three minute mark or so in the 4^th and then it occurred. A missed Knick shot and an errant Wemby pass with 12 seconds remaining to Stephon Castle’s back and a foul on the recovery. With seconds remaining this placed Brunson on the free throw line where he missed the second of two free throws. The first Wemby shot was a miss but an offensive rebound allowed a second shot. The second shot was a miss too as the horn sounded, final Knicks 105 Spurs 104.

The Spurs once again had five players in double figures led by Wemby who came alive in the 4^th quarter. He totaled 29 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks. The winning Knicks also had 5 players score in double figures, they were led by KAT with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Brunson and Bridges each scored 20 points. The teams now head for Game 3 on Monday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Spurs outshot the Knicks from the floor 47% to 42% but were outrebounded 44-42, the Knicks also had 11 steals in the game.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Build it and they will come 

If you saw the 1989 movie classic Field of Dreams the headline will be familiar to you. Farmer Ray (Kevin Costner) kept hearing a voice over and over whisper “Build it and they will come.” See the movie for yourself, as for the headline you will locate a connecting story below on the Mavs planned new arena. My question for you….what is categorized as old, American Airlines is coming up on 25 years of existence. How about Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City MO? The downtown Muni opened its doors for basketball in 1935, over that time the building’s been renovated numerous times. It’s hosted the MIAA Basketball Tournament since 2003, its been home to the NAIA Tournament from 1937-1974.

The tournament moved to Kemper Arena and later to Tulsa Oklahoma before returning to Municipal Auditorium in 2002. The venue hosted three of the first four Final Fours, and its last NCAA Tournament game was played in 1964. Although football stadiums eventually became the primary sites for the national championship, Kansas City and Municipal Auditorium hosted more NCAA championship games than any other location for many years. UMKC once played its home games there, later shifting them back to campus, but after hiring Mark Turgeon this spring, the university announced it would return to the Muni. Renovations have given the arena a permanent capacity of 7,300, with room for 2,600 additional temporary seats. The result is an intimate setting with excellent sightlines, where fans feel close to the action. Modern arenas have their appeal, but Municipal Auditorium—known locally as the Muni—still carries a special sense of history and character.

Most annoying fans

Generally speaking whenever the subject of annoying fans are discussed we are discussing colleges, we could be conversing on Cameron Indoor (Duke), Allen Fieldhouse (Kansas) or Rupp Arena (Kentucky). These and other basketball arenas around the nation visiting teams hate to enter not only due to facing the teams but those somewhat annoying fans as well. I’ve never had the opportunity to attend a game in Crypto.com (Lakers), TD Garden (Celtics), Chase Center (Warriors) or Madison Square Garden (Knicks). In this instance I intend to take advantage of information rightly or wrongly conveyed by attendees at each of these venues. We can come to a variety of definitions what details an annoying fan with that let’s take a closer look.

As some are aware there have been incidents where fans actually had altercations, the one incident that certainly is the most mentioned was “The Malice in the Palace.” This was an actual fight between members of the Pacers and the Pistons who then played their home games at the Palace of Auburn Hills. This altercation took place November 19, 2004, do a deep dive for further details. Ja Morant’s father was banned at one time from attending games at the FedEx Forum in Memphis based on his actions toward game officials. Over time there have been a number of other instances. In 2020 after Kemba Walker was ejected during a Boston Celtics game at TD Garden, a frustrated fan threw a beer toward the court near the Spurs’ bench. The incident resulted in a game delay and the fan being arrested. Can we say fans have no always been on their best behavior when attending games especially when consuming adult beverages.

A planned arena

Talk over the past few months has now been confirmed: the Dallas Mavericks announced their plan to build a new arena. The American Airlines Center home since 2001 will be replaced by an arena owned by the Mavericks. The new arena will be built in North Dallas, about 10 miles from downtown. According to a news release, 104 acres near I-635 and the North Dallas Tollway will be purchased, the Valley View Mall once stood on this site. The mall was closed in 2015 and demolished in 2023.

A decision was reported to have been made by December 2025 but delays forced it to slip into 2026 with July being the last possible date for a decision. This timeline had to be culminated in order to stay on schedule and allow for construction of this building prior to the American Airlines Center lease expiring in 2031. The future of the NHL’s Dallas Stars who share the arena remains unclear; reports suggest they may either remain at the current location or build an arena of their own. So it now appears Dallas will join Oklahoma City along with Philadelphia in construction of a new arena for their NBA teams.  

Twins

Before writing this, I conducted a degree of research to uncover how frequently twins are born in the United States. According to information I uncovered twin live births occur every 31-32 times out of 1,000 births, 1 out of 30 live births is a twin. “There are Fraternal twins (dizygotic) twins are two individuals born from the same pregnancy, formed when two separate eggs are fertilized by two separate sperm.” On the other hand “Identical twins (monozygotic) twins result from a single fertilized egg splitting into two, sharing nearly 100% of their DNA.” Despite the rarity of twin births the NBA has witnessed its share over its history.

Tom and Dick Van Arsdale might have been the first twins in the NBA, they played their college basketball at Indiana, they played 12 seasons in the NBA (1965-1977) for a variety of teams. As for the others this is not in order of when they arrived with the exception of Ausar and Amen Thompson. They were each drafted in the Top Five in 2023 the only twins to be lottery picks. As for the other names we have Cody and Caleb Martin, Brook and Robin Lopez, Marcus and Markieff Morris. In addition to them there is also Jason (who recently passed) and Jaron Collins plus Keegan and Kris Murray. This exercise is closed with the names of Justin and Julian Champagnie. It's remarkable that both of these brothers and others had the talent to make it to the NBA.

Mizzou recruiting

Blue Blood programs and those slightly below have managed winning programs with 3 keys in my estimation. They are a winning head coach, a winning program and a continuous pipeline of talent flowing into the school. Of course the pipeline feeds the other two tenants that allow for success on the basketball court. I believe at least two of the tenants are in place at Mizzou, the coach (Dennis Gates) and the program, the third of course is the pipeline. In this instance I’m speaking strictly of high school talent, I am not negating talent brought in from the portal.

In the day of instant transfer eligibility I continue to believe in high school talent. Sure, there is the one and done issue plus transfers out of the program but they are pauses on the road to success. The Class of 2027 has been identified and offers have been made, allow me to introduce a number of prospects identified by the coaching staff and hope they will be Columbia Missouri bound in the fall of 2027. Adkinson is a verbal commit, he and others might choose to attend another school however its good news for Mizzou fans. They are aware the coach and his staff are working continuously to attract winning players to a winning basketball program.

Scottie Adkinson 6-foot 2 combo guard Webster Groves HS 4-stars-verbal commit

Caleb Ourigou 6-foot 11 center OT Elite HS 4-stars

Cameron Barnes 6-foot 7 forward Link Academy 4-stars

Jimmy McKinney III 6-foot 1 combo guard Vashon HS 3-stars  

Davion Thompson 6-foot 2 point guard Link Academy 4-stars

Gassim Toure 6-foot 3 point guard Principia School 3-stars

A basketball fans perspective

NBA Finals Edition

As you may have noticed, the NBA playoffs have not matched the publishing schedule of Off the Dribble. I plan to address that by releasing a next-day edition when needed, regardless of the usual schedule. If a Finals game falls on a regular publishing day, I’ll cover it then; if the timing does not line up, as it did with Game 1, I’ll still report on the previous night’s action. With that explanation, let’s move on to Game 1 of the Finals: the New York Knicks vs. the San Antonio Spurs.

There are two half’s of a game, the Spurs discovered that fact last night. The Knicks started the game on fire, early on the Spurs were missing shots. Then a switch as the Spurs raced out 9-0, thanks primarily to Spurs guard Dylan Harper. Then things settled down for both teams, missed shots, turnovers, the middle of the second saw both teams shooting in the 30% range. In the middle of the second quarter Knicks guard Jalen Brunson went out with an injury and Jose Alvarado came in and played valued minutes in place of him. Julian Champagnie for the Spurs hit a three which gave the Spurs a 55-47 halftime lead thanks in part to the 15 points he scored in the first half. The second half of the game belonged almost exclusively to the Knicks, they shot better, took better care of the basketball. The 105-95 road victory became their 12 consecutive win.

The box score provides us the indication why the Knicks won, they managed to increase their team scoring to 41% led by Jalen Brunson who scored 30 points despite his injury. KAT was a monster scoring 18 points along with 12 rebounds, right behind him was OG Anunoby with 17 points. As for the Spurs Wemby had an untypical game, he led the Spurs with 26 points but was only 29% shooting from the floor. He did managed 12 rebounds and 3 blocked shots but committed 6 TO’s. This might have been the Spurs worst shooting game (36%) but they did outrebound the Knicks. Dylan Harper emerged from the bench and had his usual good outing for the Spurs. So the Knicks have taken the lead and accomplished the task of at least gaining a split by winning the first game. The celebration win is over as soon as the clock read 0.00, it's now time for the Knicks and Spurs to prepare for Game Two on Friday evening in San Antonio. I find one fact interesting, ESPN account "Knicks steal Game One," they didn't steal anything they won the game. 

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Things you do while waiting on the finals

This account is written Monday morning while waiting on the Finals to begin tonight. I wish to share information I uncovered while surfing the net. These NBA Finals will be broadcast to more than 214 countries and nations world-wide. The Finals are localized and broadcasters will describe the action in up to 60 different languages. Based on this information I decided to check the Super Bowl and World Series for their numbers. According to information uncovered The Super Bowl is broadcast to 195 countries and territories around the world in 25 different languages. Baseball’s World Series is available in over 200 nations and territories and 15 languages.

The NHL Stanley Cup is broadcast to 200 countries and nations, information related to broadcast languages was not provided by the league. For your further information MLS doesn’t release any numbers and the same goes for the National Women’s Soccer League. A further thought, in the U.S. the Finals are being broadcast by ABC, although it’s not clear at present it might be NBC next season but what about the future? Could we have an NBA Finals exclusively on one of the streaming services such as Prime or Peacock? We haven’t traveled far enough down the road for that decision however this is my belief, the Finals will always remain on broadcast television (I hope). Regular season games are a different matter for the NBA.

It’s okay, you can paint me a hater

In the middle of last month I drove the 130 or so I-70 miles to Columbia MO to attend graduation ceremonies at the University of Missouri, that was on a Friday. On Saturday while viewing the news on one of the local television stations up popped video and a short story on the graduation at Kansas University. I don’t monitor all the locals however there was no mention or coverage of the events at Mizzou. I guess there could have been a Kansas athlete graduating although there was no mention of it. That’s where this rant begins, it seems that once Mizzou left the Big 12 for the SEC with the exception of the print Kansas City Star local television and sports talk radio give Mizzou superficial coverage. A portion of the unbalanced coverage is understandable.

Kansas basketball is steeped in tradition and history while Mizzou over the last few years has struggled at times on the court. Despite what I just wrote this unbalanced coverage extends in the football season as well. Since 2012 Kansas has won 43 games and lost 124, in the same time period contrast that with Mizzou’s 112-78 record which includes 8 bowl invitations. Last season Kansas finished with 5 wins and 7 losses a repeat from the prior season, as for Mizzou it was 8 wins and 5 losses. Turning to men’s basketball Kansas finished the season with a 24-11 mark, for Mizzou it was 20-13. In closing I’m not comfortable but will concede, the winning tradition plus a hall of fame coach that bodes well in favor of Kansas basketball, the football is a truly different matter. Manhattan KS (Big-12 Kansas State) is a great deal nearer the metro over Athens GA (SEC-University of Georgia) so there is that to contend with!

Say what

Yes, it was certainly shoddy, I speak of the 7th game of Thunder power forward/center Chet Holmgren. If you watched the game you were a witness, in 33 minutes of action he scored but 4 points while taking only two shots. Also included in his totals, 4 rebounds 2 assists and 2 blocked shots. Despite the negatives I’m not ready to fire him but Stephen A. Smith of ESPN more or less hinted as much. I watched his First Take program on Monday to gather “a degree of wisdom,” the first thing out of his mouth; “If I’m in charge he (Holmgren) would be headed out of town” or something quite similar. Friends, Holmgren was voted to the NBA All-Star team, he was NBA All-Pro Third team. In addition voting for the Defensive Player of the Year found him finishing second to Wemby so I wanted to set the stage prior to proceeding.

I would be pleased SAS is not my general manager otherwise one poor game and BAM, I’m traded to another team. Listen folks I get it, Holmgren had a poor series against the Spurs and an even poorer Finals game but what about others? When the spotlight shone brightly on Steph Curry even he came up short once. In Game 7 of the 2016 Finals in a loss we saw Steph score 17 points on 6-19 shooting (32%). James Harden has changed zip codes a number of times most at his request. Recently he came up short in the Game four sweep by the Knicks, Harden scored 12 points on 25% shooting. The Warriors didn’t trade Steph and unless he requests a trade it appears there will be no move by the Cavs regarding Harden. I will repeat it, it’s great for Holmgren he’s got Sam Presti as GM over Stephen A. Smith. But in closing, what do I know, I’m only a basketball fan?

The future is now

This is partially related to the NBA Finals, it’s my belief the Knicks (ole skool) are facing the Spurs (new skool). Knick fans I’m not hinting your team is old, I am simply pointing out the manner it was built, your Knicks were constructed mostly through trades and free-agency. On the other hand the Spurs were for the most part built through the draft although they too have a smaller number acquired in trades. Losing places a team in an advantageous position to acquire talent and they were in a position to choose a superstar in Wemby but the other guys ain’t too bad. It’s my contention that the recent 7-game series between the Thunder and Spurs is the future of the NBA in a variety of ways the chief one how to build successful teams. I’m including the Thunder in the conversation too.

Both teams were built through the NBA draft, I realize most fans have a “win-now” attitude however if you make a bunch of trades and sign a bunch of free agents and still don’t win what have you accomplished? I cannot speak to the manner the Spurs were built however I can with the Thunder. General manager Sam Presti has been quite diligent and insightful in drafting players if memory serves me correctly SGA and Isiah Hartenstein are the only trade/free agent acquisitions by the Thunder. Much of the balance of their roster I believe was built through the draft. Shrewd moves and scouting of prospects is required by a front office, who is responsible for the decision for the Spurs I’m unsure however I intend to cite Dylan Harper as our example. The Spurs had 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and veteran DeAaron Fox as starters in the backcourt. Despite this fact when their turn came in the 2025 NBA draft they chose Harper another guard with the 2nd pick in the first round. The drafting of Harper proved to be one of those successful moves infusing additional youthful talent into the Spurs lineup.

Forward Carter Bryant is a little “rough” around the edges, he was not as schooled as his fellow rookie teammate Harper. Despite my statement this playoff has also become a baptism of fire for him as well. Although the Thunder lost the series I believe they and the Spurs have pointed the way to the future for other NBA teams. Utilize the draft sign a small number of free agents and make even fewer trades. This is a long held belief of mine, often we fail to realize we are in the midst of an event that brings about change never anticipated. What do I know, I’m just a basketball fan coaching from my television. 

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

“We’re just glad to be here” 

The headline reflects what many young teams say when they reach the pinnacle for the first time: “We’re just glad to be here.” That mindset certainly did not fit the Spurs, despite the fact how young they are. Their starting five ages include Wemby (22), Fox (28), Champagnie (24), Vassell (25), and Castle (21), while the bench features Johnson (26), Bryant (20), Harper (20), and Kornet (30). Whatever occurs in the Finals I believe we have witnessed the coming of age of this youthful Spurs team. There was a Wemby quote some might believe is arrogant, questioned on his team’s lack of playoff experience he said: “We don’t have it, we don’t care.”

Mitch Johnson coached his rear end off and the veteran center Bismack Biyombo in Wemby’s ear. I’d bet huge sums of money Biyombo was speaking encouraging words to him in French. As for the Thunder at a point it seemed SGA was carrying the offensive load of the team by himself, 35 points and 9 assists. In 33 minutes Chet Holmgren took 2 shots, Alex Caruso came off the bench scoring 12 points but he certainly wasn’t the spark he’d been in previous games. It wasn’t just scoring, the Spurs played tough defense and rebounded the basketball. It should be of note that having 7 players in double figures certainly aided the Spurs cause. For me, this series has been one of the most entertaining to date, hopefully this was just the beginning. I cannot wait for Wednesday to see the Knicks and Spurs in action.   

The name might be familiar

If you followed the NFL over time the name Marcus Spears might be familiar to you. Spears had a 9-year career in the league spending the bulk of it as a member of the Dallas Cowboys. Spears was a defensive end and played other positions while in the NFL. More recently in a manner similar to other retired athletes he can now be seen working for ESPN as he provides insight into the NFL. One of his offspring has made a name for himself his son Marcus Spears Jr.

Unlike his father, Marcus Spears Jr. chose basketball and has quickly made a name for himself. The 6-foot-10 forward is a five-star prospect who plays at Dynamic Prep in Irving, Texas, near DFW Airport. He was born and raised in Plano, also part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metro area. As proof of his potential scholarship and NIL offers have come from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Miami, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas, and LSU. As you might note those are some high profile basketball programs which provides proof, many major programs want Spears Jr. on campus, and I’ll continue following his recruitment and sharing updates.

Twins

Depending on your age or NBA knowledge the name Theo Ratliff may or may not be familiar to a number reading this account. The 6-foot 10 Ratliff spent his 16 year career NBA with a number of teams after being drafted by the Pistons back in 1995. Never known as a scorer his specialty was defense as he would lead the NBA in block shots three times during the course of his career. After retirement he would venture into a variety of entrepreneurial fields. He owned a semi-pro basketball team and also opened The Theo Ratliff Center in his hometown of Demopolis Alabama.

Many basketball players follow in their father’s footsteps, but in this case it’s a two-for-one story. Theo Ratliff’s twin sons, Adonis and Darius, have both emerged as highly skilled players. Like many second-generation athletes, they are even taller than their father, standing 7 feet tall and weighing 215 pounds. Both were named McDonald’s All Americans and have signed letters of intent to attend USC in the fall of 2026. The twins attended Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York. This is a snapshot of rising talent that could eventually make its way to the NBA.

Kansas City Metro in the NBA

Although there is no longer an NBA team here, the metro continues to produce talented players for the league. The first player from this area mentioned would be the late Maurice King. After graduating from Manuel High School in Kansas City, King played at Kansas before being drafted by the Celtics. He was part of the 1959 NBA champion Celtics team and later played for several other teams before retiring. King was the first, but there are others as well—please note, these names are not listed in the order they played however their respective high schools are included. A number are retired or playing overseas. 

Clay Johnson-Manuel-KCMO

Lucius Allen-Wyandotte-KCK

Landry Shamet-Park Hill-KCMO

Ochai Agbaji-Oak Park-KCMO

Tyronn Lue-Raytown HS-Raytown

Alec Burks-Grandview HS-Grandview

Christian Braun-Blue Valley-Overland Park

Earl Watson-Washington-KCK

Brandon Rush-Westport-KCMO & Mount Zion-Durham North Carolina

Kareem Rush-Pembroke School-KCMO

Jacob Gilyard-The Barstow School-KCMO

Bol Bol-4 high schools, 2 in KCMO Metro and one in Nevada and one in California

Anthony Peeler-Paseo-KCMO

Dean Tolson-Central-KCMO

John Windsor-Pembroke-KCMO

Steve Harris-Blue Springs South HS-Blue Springs

Note this list is as accurate as possible, keep in mind a number of the individuals who played briefly in the NBA while others had more extensive time. In addition there are others who are playing professionally overseas. The number is small by comparison to a New York, Los Angeles or Chicago however those metropolitan areas are 4-5 times larger than the Kansas City metro.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Game 6

I was not prepared for this game in a sense, which team would prevail home or visitor? My uneasiness is based on the outcome of Game 5, yes the Spurs were facing elimination in Game 6. At the same time they would be playing the Thunder at home so there is that to consider. I stated this previously and will repeat it, Wemby looked drained in Game 5 can you say it with me, low energy. Game 6 would be totally different as he stepped onto the court ready for action. Unlike the prior game Wemby was engaged early taking shot after shot but there was plenty of help as well. Spurs teammates who also looked lethargic at times in Game 5 joined in this combined effort. Besides Wemby there are two others on the Spurs who I believe played outstanding basketball. They are Spurs guards Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, Castle scored 17 points and dished out 9 assists, it was the defense….the defense.

Castle was matched against SGA a great portion of the game and managed to locked him down with the defensive effort he made. SGA had a modest 15 points on 33% shooting from the floor with only 4 assists numbers far below what he would normally produce. As for Harper he came off the Spurs bench scoring 18 points, included in his total was 6 rebounds and 4 assists in 22 minutes of action. Despite the bright portrait described the Thunder made the outcome in doubt at the half. What most of us didn’t anticipate was a 20-0 run in the third quarter. As a team the Thunder shot a poor 37% from the floor with 25% of it from three, the Spurs shot 47% from the floor and 37% from three. The Spurs outrebound the Thunder 52-42 along with 30 assists to the Thunder 22, it should also be noted although the lead for the Spurs dwindled at times the Thunder never led in this game at any point. The final score would read Spurs 118 Thunder 92, series tied 3-3. The Game 7 win by the Spurs will be provided in the Monday morning edition.

Villanova in da house

The Knicks will play for a championship for the first time since 1999. Congratulations are certainly due for Knicks coach Mike Brown….should I say thrice fired Mike Brown? The Cavs twice, the Lakers and the Kings which provides proof he can coach winning basketball despite his resume. Certainly key has been the Knicks connection to Villanova, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges all played at the university and are now teammates with the Knicks. Even more interesting the Knicks didn’t draft any of the trio, point guard Brunson the leader was drafted 33 in the second round by the Mavs.

Brunson would later become a Knick after signing a free agent contract in 2022, as for the others they became Knicks too despite being drafted by other clubs. Hart was drafted by the Jazz with pick 30 in the first round in 2017 but his draft rights sent him to the Lakers were he began his NBA career. A trade with the Blazers in 2023 brought Hart to the Knicks and finally we close with Bridges. In 2024 Bridges was acquired in a trade with the Nets, prior to that he was pick number 10 by the Suns in the first round of the 2018 draft. Perhaps its not as important as where the journey begins based on your ultimate destination. We could say that statement certainly applies to the Villanova Knicks.

Is his time up

The headline should actually have a question mark behind it, the reference is aimed at Clipper forward Kawhi Leonard. At the trade deadline the team traded veterans James Harden and Ivica Zubac and the question is, are the Clippers beginning a youth movement? Management says they want to win with Kawhi however birthday number 35 occurs in June, with his injury history his career is not going to last the length of the other Los Angeles basketball player LeBron James.

The Clippers finished the season two games above .500 after a horrific start of the season, if not for Kawhi the record might have been even worst. The terrible start cost the Clippers a playoff berth, they missed for the first time since 2022. So what occurs now, Kawhi is due for an extension this summer so you can see the dilemma facing Clipper management. He didn’t begin play until the calendar had turned to January and after a slow start began accelerating his play. The Kawhi numbers for the 2025-26 season proved to all he’s still got it but for how long? So the question is asked once again, is Kawhi’s time with the Clippers up, summer developments will be the final decider and provide all an answer.

Old but they remain in use

Over time you’ve read plenty of stories on new or planned arenas,’ most of them are primarily intended for NBA use although in several instances NHL and other events share the building. How about the older arena’s, several have been operating for decades with a few having plans for replacement or upgrades. If you live or have visited one or more they are likely familiar to you, this is only intended to provide the latest information on arena usage. We live in a different age now, it is quite difficult to decide on a new “anything sports related” and expect citizens to automatically buy in to the effort. Interestingly, Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center—built to NBA specifications in 2007—is newer than all of the arenas listed below. I’ve also included the year each opened and its current age.

Madison Square Garden-Knicks 1968 (58 years)

Target Center-Wolves 1990 (36 years)

Delta Center-Jazz 1991 (35 years)

Rocket Arena-Cavs 1994 (32 years)

Toyota Center-Rockets 2003 (23 years)

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

By the time….

The Spurs won last night and there will be a Game 7 on Saturday, on the other hand the Thunder won, we are now prepared for the Finals between the Knicks and the ______. The logic of course this is written so strangely, it’s written Wednesday afternoon for a Thursday game and it will be published on Friday morning. As for Game 5 the Thunder took control somewhat early after the Spurs had begun play swiftly.

Was it fatigue or Thunder defense or something else? Wemby failed to play his usual but it was really more to it than him seemly exhibiting uninspired effort. The final score read Thunder 127 Spurs 114 as the home team was in control for most of the game. Alex Caruso after being somewhat non-existent in the prior game came off the Thunder bench scoring 22 points and playing tough hard nose defense. Isaiah Hartenstein (12 points and 15 rebounds) along with Chet Holmgren (16 pts and 11 rebounds) were key to the win. SGA led the way with 32 points and he was 16-17 from the free-throw line. The Spurs managed to shoot a meager 40% from the floor and a pathetic 29% from three.

Who won the game, of course as this is written I have no idea but there is an area of concern which I must share. My Lakers are not contending, based on that fact I have attempted to maintain a neutral attitude about the series. The officiating at times has been questionable, the NBA must do a better job in this area. It’s always been a concern of mine when there is more discussion regarding the officiating over the game, that’s been the case with this series.

Kids continue to grow

On Monday, several readers were introduced to Yann Kamagate, a 7-foot, 230-pound high school sophomore. As noted at the time, 247Sports already rates him as a 5-star prospect. Now I want to introduce Dylan Betts, my second featured player of the week. Betts, also a member of the Class of 2028, is another 5-star prospect. He stands 7-foot-3 and weighs 230 pounds. Originally from Englewood, Colorado, he has transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida where his classroom and basketball will continue to develop over the next two years.

The point of the headline is simple in its intent: it points out basketball has evolved in many ways over time, however there is one issue that’s failed to thing changed. Growth spurts still play a major role in the development of young players. While completing this account my research uncovered seven additional high profile basketball players in the United States who stand 6-foot-11 or taller. I have no idea without further research how many other prospects might be uncovered if I explored those in Europe or elsewhere or elsewhere in the world. The forecast for all these youth are certainly not at the same skill level but the point of course is the height factor. If any or all develop a degree of down low post play is should provide them dividends and aid their future development immensely. In a manner similar to Steph Curry the game’s been impacted by Victor Wembanyama. Coaches, scouts and others have seen Wemby shots from the 3-line which is going to further degrade post play.

I’ve written this previously and will repeat it again, I certainly don’t expect a return to traditional post play of the past. What irks me to no end is seeing giants standing behind the three line jacking up shot after shot and missing. As least in the case of Wemby he is accurate despite his 7-foot 5 inch frame. Face it, no one is going to teach Kamagate or Betts for that matter the skyhook. I maintain they and others should be taught to play a low post games….but what do I know, I’m only a basketball fan.  

Little Big Man

Many of you already know I’m a movie buff who enjoys everything from old classics to current releases. The headline comes from a 1970 film. Although there was a movie with the title it has nothing to do with basketball, but it fits this piece you are about to read. Several might be familiar with the name Becky Hammon, she played in the WNBA and is now head coach of the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA. Hammon also became the first female assistant coach in the NBA when then Spurs coach Greg Popovich made her a member of his staff. In any event this statement goes back three years, I’m going to paraphrase her statement. “A team will never win a championship with a little man as it’s leader.” She was referring to the Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson who stands 6-foot 2 and 190 pounds. After the Knicks swept the Cavs the subject of her quote returned again after Brunson was named 2026 Eastern Conference Finals MVP.

I can credit Hammond with this alone, she continues to believe in her words three years later but lets do a brief check of NBA history. Isiah Thomas of the Bad Boy Pistons was the leader of that team that won it all in 1989, 1990. Pound for pound Allen Iverson might have been one of the best all-time, the NBA listed him at 6-foot its always been my contention he was under that height. His Sixers didn’t win in 2001 having faced the Lakers who were on the road to a 3-peat. There is no argument Iverson “carried” that team throughout the playoffs. Of course more recently the Warriors won championships beginning in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022 do you think they could have won them without 6-foot 2 Steph Curry? That is certainly possible but they did win with Curry being the focal point of the team. Basketball didn’t begin as a Big Man’s game but in 100 plus years that’s the direction of its growth. There’s an old adage, “Little men must prove they can play the game, Big Men must prove they can’t.” With that I’m calling a foul on Hammond on this one although I still respect her opinion I just happen to take a different view.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Rooney Rule in the NBA

I’m unsure how the question was first generated, the inquiry if there is a Rooney Rule in the NBA? The simple answer is no and there is no single reason except apparently the NBA never felt it was a requirement. The league probably had 3-4 African-American head coaches before the NFL ever hired Art Shell with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1989. The legend Celtic great Bill Russell was hired in 1966, Al Attles took on the role for the Warriors for the 1970-71 NBA season. Ray Scott became Pistons head coach in November 1972 replacing Earl Lloyd one of the first black players in the NBA. As you can see that’s four black NBA coaches hired before Shell would become the first black head coach in the modern era of the NFL.

Naturally since the Shell hiring there have been other black coaches in the NFL, the number of black coaches hired and fired in the NBA far exceeds the number hired and fired in the NFL. From AI Overview: “Approximately 55 Black head coaches have been hired in NBA history, spanning both full-time and interim roles. Black head coaches have comprised roughly one-third of all coaches in the league since Bill Russell broke the ultimate coaching barrier with the Boston Celtics in 1967.” Let’s conduct a deep dive on NFL hiring also from AI Overview: “In NFL history, there have been exactly 25 Black men hired as permanent, full-time head coaches. This includes Art Shell, who became the league’s first Black head coach in the modern era with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1989, followed by 24 others over the decades.” As you might note by the numbers and maybe intent there was no requirement for an NBA Rooney Rule, the path was less demanding by NBA owners over their NFL counterparts.  

Sweep

The Knicks are Eastern Conference champs after beating the Cavs 130-93. I’m really unsure if the outcome was ever in question, the Cavs began the game with a plan to compete but you remember the old Mike Tyson quote. “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth,” that was the case for the Cavs in Game 4 for the win and sweep. By the time you read this the champion Knicks will be resting waiting to play the winner of the Thunder-Spurs series. Jalen Brunson was named conference finals MVP for the series but this Knicks win was a team effort, they received contributions from the starters down to the reserves.

I’ve got to give a shout out to my Kansas City homie Landry Shamet, once again he came off the bench with a 16 point effort in 19 minutes. This Knicks team has now won 11 consecutive games and I believe this statement to be correct. Tom Thibodeau was/is a good coach, he’s been a winner at a number of stops, the problem always appeared to be effective use of his bench. That is not the case for Mike Brown, most of the Knicks roster are holdovers but this is the key difference I believe. Brown more effectively utilized his bench over Thibodeau and that certainly made a huge difference. These Knicks will have their hands full playing the Thunder or the Spurs however I’m certainly not prepared to state they cannot win a championship based on what I’ve witnessed.

“They just punched us in our face early”

The headline above are the words of Thunder guard SGA and it was pretty much true for major portions of Game 4, the Thunder managed to come up short. As I have often mentioned I don’t do analytics however plain numbers speak volumes to me. The final score read Spurs 103 Thunder 82 a blowout win if we just checked the box score. The game had more to it, the Spurs came out of the locker room fired up and ready to play. They outshot, outrebounded and plain outhustled the Thunder during the early portion of the game, this was the established pattern they would continue. Of course the defending champions would not remain down for long as they played much better, it seemed to me the Spurs always had an answer for whatever hand the Thunder played.

The answer the Thunder were unable to contained is nicknamed The Alien, Wemby finished the game with 33 points, 8 rebounds 5 assists and 3 blocked shots. Play from the Thunder bench in this game was virtually non-existent versus the 76 points they scored in Game 3. Stephon Castle only scored 13 points but dished out 6 assists, the same could be said for DeAaron Fox. Fox had 12 points along with 5 assists and 0 turnovers. SGA was high scorer for the Thunder scoring 19 points for the game. The Spurs had 52 rebounds compared to 47 for the Thunder. Numbers I mentioned at the beginning of this account, for the Spurs it was 39% from the floor with 26 of it from three. The Thunder shot 33% from the floor and a meager 18% from three. The teams return to OKC for Game 5, by the time you read this it will have been played last night. Did the Spurs win again or did the return home do the trick for the Thunder?

Was he the best….you become the judge

Recently I saw a video which is the basis for this look, warning this is a revisionist examination of history. This individual chose the issue of Steph Curry (or John Stockton for that matter) being named the NBA’s all-time best point guard. He named Magic Johnson as the cream of the crop (my words, not his) and this was his statement. “Magic retired at a point he could have played several more years at a high level.” I decided to check this podcaster regarding his video, could he possibly be correct in his assessment? For many reading this they might be unaware Magic retired from the NBA due to contracting HIV, he was 31-years old. In 1991 the medical community knew very little about HIV/Aids with the exception of most who contracted it would eventually die. Magic never contracted Aids and medical advancements have allowed him to live a full life.

Magic would eventually return to the game he loved and play one more season at the age of 36 by this time he was only a shadow of his previous self-due to lack of play and the aging process. Keep this in mind Magic was a distributor of the basketball, that was his specialty not shooting. Despite this fact he did manage to shoot 48% from the floor and 32% from three and nearly 20 points a game for his career. His last season of play he managed to total 12.5 assists per game finishing second to John Stockton of the Jazz that season. Playing a total of 13 seasons Magic averaged 11.2 assists during his brilliant career. Despite the early retirement of Magic he currently ranks 8th on the NBA’s all-time list for assists. I’m going to adopt the same stance after checking the numbers, is Magic Johnson the best ever at the point? You become the decider on this issue….my mind is clear on the matter.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Is he next

NBA teams are no different, all want to win games. A number desire the ultimate attainment an NBA championship. How these teams go about acquiring talent varies, some like the Thunder prefer to accumulate talent through the NBA draft. My Lakers for the most part have utilized free agency and to a degree the draft to compete successfully. There are some teams whose efforts have fallen short, one of those teams is the Minnesota Timberwolves. Beginning as an expansion team in 1989 time has seen a number of players sporting their jersey but the only players owning rings are those who once played for the Wolves. The lack of a championship certainly has nothing to do with lack of effort.

It seems over times athletes they may have drafted or acquired through trade have become champions for other franchises. Keep in mind this list of names is not complete, it represents many of the high profile athletes who wore the jersey but won a championship elsewhere. I’m going to begin this exercise with The Big Ticket, Kevin Garnett. They traded Garnett in 2007, the very next year 2008 he won a championship playing for the Celtics but he’s not the only one there are others. 2014 the Wolves traded Kevin Love and in 2016 the Cavs won their only championship to date with Love playing a vital role. 2020 witnessed Andre Wiggins being traded to the Warriors, 2022 they would become NBA champions. Is there a next for Karl-Anthony Towns, he was acquired by the Knicks in 2024 from those….Wolves. Is it luck or something else impacting the Wolves inability to secure an NBA championship?

Bits n Pieces 

His name is Yann Kamagate, he’s a 7 foot 230 pound center and attends St Francis High School in La Canada Flintridge, a city in the Los Angeles metro. 247 Sports rates Kamagate a 5-star prospect and the number 4 prospect in the Class of 2028. As this is written Arizona, Houston, Baylor, Kansas and Nebraska have made offers to him, at this point it’s still early and he’s not made an announcement of a school of choice. Kamagate was born and grew up in Burkina Faso a nation on the African continent. At this point Kamagate future might not be the NBA however he could wind up playing at a college near you.

In coaching news Jahmal Mosley was fired but landed on his feet, after being let go after 5 seasons by the Magic he was hired again. He will now take over a Pelican team which has continued to struggle, the 2023-24 season witnessed the Pelicans winning 49 games. From that high point it’s been 21 and last season 26 wins. Taylor Jenkins takes over the reins from Doc Rivers with the Bucks. In other coaching moves new president of basketball operations for the Mavs Masai Ujiri decided it was time for a change. Jason Kidd is out after 5 seasons on the job as well, no mention of a replacement yet. Back to the Magic for a moment, former Bulls coach Billy Donovan has been mentioned as taking on the role of head coach although there’s been no formal announcement.

Victor Wembanyama has already shown the basketball world how talented he is, yet Stephen A. Smith argues that Wemby cannot be the face of the NBA because he is French rather than American. I don’t believe anyone needs to be labeled “the face of the NBA.” If that title is given to someone, it simply reflects how international the game has become. The NBA has spent years expanding globally through efforts such as NBA Africa, NBA Asia, the NBA Global Academy, and the EuroLeague. International basketball is growing rapidly, and more players from around the world are developing the skills to contribute in the NBA right away. As that talent pipeline continues to grow, change is inevitable. In all seriousness SAS is entitled to his own opinion regarding a variety of subjects. My problem is the adversarial stance he often takes with those who disagree with his view of a subject. 

Blue Blood basketball    

Blue Blood basketball programs continue to exist however it’s my belief a number of changes has seen their dominance ebb. 2022 the Kansas Jayhawks won the NCAA championship, before that it was North Carolina in 2017. That was then what occurs now and into the future, no longer do we expect Kentucky, UCLA, Kansas, North Carolina along with Indiana (and others) to contend for an NCAA championship. Although the road is rough at times the advent of Name, Image & Likeness along with the transfer portal plus one n done.

All these moves have changed much about how college basketball operates in the 21st Century. Several media voices have said that many high-profile coaches chose retirement rather than adapt to everything the job requirement now demands. Many colleges and universities have even hired basketball general managers to handle these new responsibilities. Some fans say they have walked away from college basketball because of all the changes. But change is unavoidable, you either accept change or reject it. I see plenty of flaws in the game of today but I still love the game.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

The bench

A few might find this next statement a slight bit misleading, the starters for the Thunder and Spurs are somewhat on the same level. As for the reserves of the teams Mark Daigneault can offer far more firepower (and to a degree the defense) over Mitch Johnson. Perhaps you read the same figure I did, Thunder reserves scored 70 plus points of the 123 the winners made. The Spurs playing at home began the game on fire, sinking shots stealing or blocking the Thunder in all areas and then came the reserves of the Thunder.

Jared McCain, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso were the principle culprits, this trio plus Thunder starters led the way back from a possible loss to a 123-108 win. Wemby didn’t play badly but appeared a bit lethargic at times, he managed to score 26 points on 8 of 16 shooting but only contributed 4 rebounds and 3 assists. With the exception of his scoring total far less even in losses we’ve seen. Wemby’s teammates missed a great number of shots or managed turnovers at crucial times of the game. “I feel like I’m having trouble making my teammates better right now,” he (Wemby) said. “My shooting splits aren’t terrible. I need to be more of a team player, facilitate better, rebound the ball better, push their defense a little bit further and see how much the need to help with my teammates and (then) feed them.” It appeared to me every time the lead for the Thunder was whittled down to 7 points a Spurs turnover or missed shot would allow the Thunder to retain control of the game.

Now the defending champions take a 2 games to 1 lead in the series, Game 4 becomes even more critical now. If the Thunder win tonight they are at least on their way to contend for another championship facing the winner of the Knicks-Cavs series. No argument SGA is a superior talent, his love affair with the floor bothers me to no end. Maybe he played in the same manner last season I don’t remember, in any event this falling on the floor when an opposing player is near him in annoying for me.    

The line is blurred

The line has not been erased, it might be blurred a bit but it still exists. The line I am referring is the separation between amateur and professional athletes, it appears there are individuals attempting to circumvent conventional beliefs. I really cannot lay my finger on the beginning of this new view….was it Name, Image and Likeness? Some might remember Alabama signed a player who was considered a professional (at least by a judge), after playing a few games this player was declared ineligible….end of story, not quite yet. Will Wade now in his second stint as head men’s basketball coach at LSU has decided to rock the boat as well. The school has signed a player who went undrafted, earlier he signed a contract with an NBA team, then farmed out to the G-League team.

I believe there was even a trade from one NBA team to another in there, bottom line injury requiring surgery meant he played 0 minutes in the NBA and the G-League. We must guess due to the fact this player never played professionally he’s eligible to play in college. I am not the arbitrator on this matter but it appears Wade is walking on the edge of a cliff. The previous case landed in the court of an Alabama judge, this matter will be settled by one from Louisiana. The court ruling could manifest itself in a similar manner as occurred earlier or worst case scenario this player be ruled eligible to play. If this athlete is allowed to play that will create a devastating event in my view. I am prepared to follow this and will advise you of the outcome as soon as a ruling is made. Is this the future of college basketball ruling made in court rather on the court?

3-1

NBA teams have won series after being down 3 games to 1, most recently the 2020 Nuggets who accomplished the feat twice. Before you begin scratching your head thinking “The Cavs are not down by three games” and your response would be correct. The issue, Thursday evening they found themselves on the losing end of a 109-93 Knicks win, the Cavs find themselves in a 0-2 hole in this series. Game two was nothing similar to the first one, the hometown Knicks did fall behind but not by much. An 18-point explosion would see the Knicks take command of this game.

Jalen Brunson led the way but instead of by scoring it was directing the offense, Josh Hart led a balanced scoring attack with 26 points. All five Knick starters scored in double-figures (including Brunson w/26 pts). Donovan Mitchell along with Jarret Allen and Evan Mobley performed the best they could in managing to contain the Knicks Thursday but it was not to be. The Cavs James Harden presented a good game however even it fell short as the aggressive and defensive minded Knicks managed to throttle efforts by the Cavs. So what occurs now, by the time you read this the game will have been played Saturday evening in Cleveland. I certainly am not bold enough to predict a winner.

Show Me the Way to Go Home

The headline is the title of a 1925 pop tune, it’s been recorded by a number of artists over generations. If you are a movie buff you might have heard it sung in the 1975 classic Jaws. By now you are wondering “how is that connected to basketball?” I’m going to introduce a number of you to Bobby Marks, he’s the NBA Front Office Insider for ESPN, prior to that he spent more than 20 years working in the NBA most recently assistant GM of the Nets. Regardless of how the Thunder-Spurs turn out both teams are fixtures for the future, Marks indicates the two teams are most prepared for the future in the NBA,

These two have a combined 20 first-round picks and 30 second-round picks over the next eight years. We certainly have no ability to peer into the future, it’s quite probable neither will hold all these draft picks, in some instances they are likely to be utilized in trades to shore up deficiencies each team might foresee. If the Thunder-Spurs continue this pattern they will be polar opposites in the manner of operations of most NBA teams. Not in all instances, however, a significant number of teams appear content to focus on signing free agents. It’s several who believe they can attain success in this manner while the Thunder-Spurs are on a different pathway. As the pop tune might indicate is the method utilized by these teams the most effective manner to compete for a championship? Only time will provide the answer to that question for both teams.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

You can’t get here from there

After losing in double overtime in Game one the Thunder would be “breathing fire” on Wednesday. That was indeed the case, as a team they played a much improved game. The final score read Thunder 122 Spurs 113 and it says the turnovers committed by the Spurs certainly impacted the final outcome. SGA led the way for the Thunder with 30 points and shot the ball much better than in Game one. Isiah Hartenstein played more minutes in an attempt to limit Wemby’s game, he scored but 10 points but contributed 13 boards to the Thunder effort. Once again Alex Caruso emerged from the bench, he scored 17 points along with 5 assists. Stephon Castle led for the Spurs with 25 points but had 9 TOs which certainly aided the cause for the Thunder, by his standards Wemby had a modest game.

He contributed 21 points scored along with 17 rebounds and 6 assists. Near the end it was a slight bit closer than expected if we just check the numbers. The winning Thunder shot 48% from the floor and 36% from three, and 41 rebounds. The Spurs outshot them 49% from the field and were able to shoot 40% from distance, they also had 44 team rebounds. That provides evidence why the 21 TOs (9 by Castle) were so critical to the Spurs in the loss. The Spurs Dylan Harper left the game with a hammy issue, for the Thunder it was Jaylen Williams with a similar injury. As this is being completed I have no idea if either plays in tonight’s game, DeAaron Fox for the Spurs is still sidelined and his status is also unclear. A few of my co-workers have claimed “This Western Conference series between the Thunder and Spurs is the NBA Finals.” As for the headline, the Spurs cannot hope to win an NBA championship unless they play better.

Mike Brown

The Knicks coach did not sink a single basket, he didn’t defend actual Cavs player. Brown failed to grab a crucial rebound, I could go on but I hope you understand the general direction. This becomes evident of the difference over last season, unlike Tom Thibodeau this coach utilizes his bench effectively. It’s difficult to conceive the Knicks fell behind by 22 or more points at a stage. The contributing factors could have been many including the layoff waiting for the Cavs-Pistons series to conclude. In any event the Knicks turning up the defense operating the bench plus poor shooting by the Cavs saw this occur in the 4th quarter, 32 points by the Knicks to the Cavs 18. This led them to tie the game and force an OT, once that began it was a matter of how much would the Knicks score in the win.

In the OT, the Knicks recorded 14 points to 3 for the Cavs….imagine that in an OT the Cavs could only score 3 points in 5 minutes of play. Singled out for exceptional play point guard Jalen Brunson along with Mikal Bridges who came to life in the second half. Did I mention the bench, there was Jordan Clarkson and the guy whose shot  tied the game basically forcing the OT was hometown guy (Kansas City, MO) Landry Shamet. He too emerged from the Knick bench and sunk the shot that tied the game, he would go on to score only 9 points but they were key to the victory for the Knicks. In closing I must admit there was a point where I believed this match was over and the Cavs would be winner in Game one. The Knicks informed me and everyone else no matter the location, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

“If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t tryin”

The headline is one that I’ve read recently, a statement of that type is certainly a concern. We had a story break locally, the Kansas City metro is no different from any other part of the nation. Recently a story broke indicating a high school had fired their entire football coaching staff. The report claimed students resident addresses didn’t match one’s submitted to the school, this is an ongoing investigation with no closure yet. The rules regarding recruiting have always been unique to private schools, they had the ability to recruit all over. As for public schools they operate totally different. This was a football story however a similar situation exists for high school basketball as well. A basketball player attended a public high school and later a parochial one, there were two more prep schools on his bio prior to him heading off to college and later the NBA.

This is a public record, when contacted by the local newspaper his coach was unaware the athlete had withdrawn and enrolled at an out of state prep school. In another instance we had a basketball player who attended a metro high school yet his home of record was 90 miles away. Was he living with a relative or was this another case of a fake address? This next athlete is no longer in the NBA, Willie Cauley-Stein lived in Spearville Kansas over 300 miles from the Kansas City metro. Desiring to play against better competition the AAU team he played on contained a roster member who lived locally. So Cauley-Stein moved in with his teammates family and played the balance of his high school basketball prior to briefly at Kentucky. He continues to play professional basketball however he’s no longer in the NBA. This is just a brief look at an issue that’s been evident for quite a time now, I have no suggestion how to address this effectively, this is simply a report.

His name continues to be reappear

There are some names of basketball greats of the past that continue being discussed, that is the case here. The late Nate Thurmond was Akron Ohio long before LeBron James, Thurmond was born July 25, 1941, he later played his college game at Bowling Green. The 6-foot 11 Thurmond was drafted in 1963 by the San Francisco Warriors, after being the starting center in college he became a backup to Wilt Chamberlain then starting center for the Warriors. On occasion he played alongside Chamberlain becoming the first twin towers in basketball history. In January 1965, the Warriors traded Chamberlain to the Sixers and Thurmond became the starter at center. Once he became the starter Thurmond began to develop and demonstrate his NBA talent.

Although he could score baskets his focus became defense, at least two players of that period attest to his prowess. Thurmond was an NBA All-Star 7 times, twice he was named All Defensive First Team. Three times it was All Defensive Second Team, Defensive Player of the Year was not established until the 1982-83 season. There is no doubt he would have won the award numerous times during his career if it had been featured. Although the Warriors drafted him Thurmond spent time with the Bulls and Cavs retiring after the 1977 season. Two giants of the game, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain are witnesses to his defensive proficiency. In addition Thurmond was named to the 50th and 75th Anniversary NBA team, he is enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Halls of Fame. In 2016 at the age of 74 Thurmond passed after a short battle with leukemia.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

An instant classic

I borrowed the headline from ESPN, they use it often when an outstanding game occurs that will be replayed into infinity. Before I begin allow me to explain this is not firsthand, circumstances beyond my control worked to force me to miss the game. This is a collection of YouTube video plus perusing the box score, before beginning this allow this explanation. I experienced a trifecta of events, the first inclement weather forced the local NBC affiliate to place the game in a “tiny box” next to the weather map.

There was no audio so I was unable to gain an understanding what was occurring, I went to Peacock but had buffering issues. Finally the storm in the KC metro caused an area wide outage so no picture period. The final score was Spurs 122 Thunder 115 in 2 OTs, after sweeping the Grizzlies and my Lakers the Thunder faced a team on or at least near their championship level. The Alien had a game that would become an instant classic (the game and his game) too. 41 points 24 boards 3 blocks in 48 minutes on the floor. It wasn’t Wemby alone there was help in the name of Stephon Castle, rookie Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell and others. Veteran DeAaron Fox was sidelined by an ankle injury. The young Spurs certainly made youthful mistakes but were able to overcome them by playing sparkling defense, as evidence Harper had 6 steals. SGA scored 24 points but was only 7 of 23 from the floor. Alex Caruso emerged from the bench for the Thunder scoring 31 points 8-14 from three, and Jalen Williams managed to produce 26 points for the Thunder.

The Thunder outshot the Spurs from three, which aided the cause after falling behind by as much as 10 points. The teams return to the floor tonight for Game two in OKC, it’s not a “backs against the wall” for the Thunder but they must win this game. In closing, as for Wemby the line he uttered last week continues to reverberate for me. Prior to this series a member of the media pointed out the young Spurs lack of veteran experience, Wemby said; “We don’t care.” That might sound arrogant to you but it didn’t strike me in that manner. If you don’t play at this level how do you gain experience?

Oh, really

The last time the Knicks won an NBA championship was way back in 1973 exactly 53 years ago. Generations of residents and fans of the team have no memory of a Knicks team winning it all. In the 1990s they reached the Finals in 1994 losing to the Rockets and again in 1999 this time to the Spurs. More recently they have advanced in the playoffs but always managed to come up short until now. This is going to upset Knick fans but the question was once stated; “You need a successful team in New York City for the NBA to be prosperous.” My comment to that is provided by the headline, I believe the NBA at least to this point has survived without a Knicks team “saving the NBA.”

I am not going to assume anything at this point, the Cavs could muck it up as they did in their previous series against the Pistons and win the series. Let’s take a quick look on how the teams managed the 2025-26 season. October and December the games were won by the Knicks while the last game played in February was won by the Cavs. I don’t wish for anyone to read what is not there, all that is necessary for me to do is point out the last series. You remember the Pistons were the top seed in the East and were matched against the fourth seeded Cavs, how’d that turn out? With the match up information its now time to begin play. The teams’ played last night at Madison Square Garden,  this is written Monday morning for a Wednesday publication, I have no idea who won the game, despite that fact an after action report will come forth soon.

Someone had to win the series

I’m not shocked or even surprised at the outcome, someone had to win the series. In this instance the visiting Cavs performed a beat down on the Pistons 125-94. On second thought I guess it is surprising the Pistons suffered such a substantial loss on their home court. Do to my scheduling issues I was unable to view all the games however what I did see in Game 7 was a repeat in a sense, with the exception of Cade Cunningham, the Pistons have 0 offense aptitude. The Cavs scored 30 plus points in every quarter except the fourth quarter then it was 26.

As for the shooting, the Cavs as a team shot 51% from the floor with 32% of it from three. Sam Merrill came off the bench for the Cavs scoring 25 points on 70% shooting, the trio of Allen, Mobley and Mitchell also aided the team win. As for the Pistons they shot a pathetic 35% and were outrebounded 50-41. The Pistons are certainly not the first number one seed to lose a playoff series so yes maybe I was surprised. Next up the Cavs will face the Knicks Thursday May 21 at Madison Square Garden. I’ve not read anything but must believe the Knicks will be favored for a number of reasons chief among them consistency. Finally if you are a fan of the Cavs or Pistons my apologies, this was beyond a doubt the worst series I’ve seen so far.    

Another Tiger on board

Over the weekend Cord Stansberry who played at Western Carolina announced on social media he was signing with Missouri. A closer look uncovers vital bits of information on Stansberry, at the top of the list he’s a guard. He becomes roster member 15 and the last added for 2026-27. He’s a 6-foot 4 guard who averaged 14 points a game last season, unclear at this point if Gates intends for him to assume the role of shooting guard or the point. Naturally with all the new faces plus the holdovers most of the Mizzou faithful including the coaches have no idea how this team manages to come together.

In addition the Southern Conference of which Stansberry played bears little comparison to the rough and tumble play of the SEC, certainly a concern. The front court for Missouri appears to be complete the question is asked how is the backcourt? Holdovers Aaron Rowe along with Annor Boateng return, new guy Jason Crowe Jr. joins, also added to the roster are newcomers Kennard Davis Jr. and Jordan Crawford. I’m not going to coach this team just conclude one or more of the newly arrived prospects along with returner Boateng could find themselves in the front court at small forward. This is only my projection of the Missouri backcourt in the middle of May, once fall rolls around these adjustments and others will be fine-tuned.