Winning!!!
Actor Charlie Sheen did not originate the term winning! Every sports team and individual in history wants to win. Sometimes teams don’t win at the beginning of the season and finger pointing begins, that’s what occurred with my Lakers. It was the opposite with the Nets they began the season at a swift pace and then hitting the wall can be almost as unpleasant or detrimental. Just like the Lakers the Nets have fired their head coach. The Brooklyn Nets were on fire at the beginning of the season, was it Barclays Center or the proud fans of Brooklyn or maybe something else. The Nets were the talk of the NBA in November, in late December they are still the talk however this time the talk revolves around losing. We should have been alert enough to see the handwriting on the wall. Anytime your point guard details a team’s problem with the coach we know what’s next.

Point guard Deron Williams complained to the media about Avery Johnson’s coaching. Christmas Day the .500 Celtics played the Nets at Barclays and blew them out of the building. Nets fans were forced to “sit on their hands” because there wasn’t much to cheer about for the home team. Final score Celtics 93 Nets 76 and the team fell to a 14-13 mark. Yesterday afternoon with the team sitting at 14-14 the front office moved. General Manger Billy King announced Avery Johnson had been fired. Assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo was named interim coach in place of Johnson. The glitz and glamour of Barclays only sustains for but a brief period. long-term play on the court is more appealing to fans than a new building when a team is losing.

Bits n Pieces
The NBA Christmas games have grown in viewer numbers and the total schedule. There were 5 games played this year. I don’t remember prior years it seems 2012 might be the largest number of games played.  I’m going to check the records and get back to you on this one.

A shout out to Time Warner Cable’s Metro Sports Channel. The channel didn’t kick Mizzou to the curb as many (including me) feared. They have continued television coverage in the Kansas City Metro area despite the SEC move.

I don’t believe the NBA has a monopoly on celebrity fans. These are facts; celebrities are usually seated in the lower bowl of the arena. It’s probably easier for a TV camera to locate a celebrity in an 18, 000 seat arena versus a 75,000 football or 50,000 seat baseball stadium.

Spotted in the crowd at the Lakers-Knicks game were Chris Brown and Rihanna. I thought she kicked him to the curb after he “allegedly” beat her up and later pleaded guilty?   

The Bulls Derrick Rose is working out but no contact at this point. Coach Thibodeau says; “he’s not ahead or behind his rehab.” What do you think if he’s not cleared by the doctors to play until February or March should he play?

He’s tall
We always talk height as it relates to basketball, have you ever wondered who might be the tallest?  That honor belongs to Gheorge Muresan from Romania. Muresan played for the Washington Bullets (Wizards) from 1993-1997 and the New Jersey Nets from 1998-2000. He stood 7-7 and weighed 315 pounds. In second place the late Manute Bol who stood 7-6 and ¾ inches but a skinny 200 pounds. Bol had both Yao Ming and Shawn Bradley in height by ¾. 21 players 7-3 and taller have played in the NBA in the leagues history. (wikipedia)

Duke basketball
I read a story; don’t remember who wrote it but it was sometime in the last two years. The writer attempted to point out the glory days of Duke basketball were in the rear view mirror. I don‘t remember the basis for his conclusion however I’m curious if that writer is aware of Durham (NC) developments? Not only has Duke managed to remain competitive (number 1 in all weekly polls) the recruiting remains top notch too. November of 2011 6-4 shooting guard Matt Jones of DeSoto Texas committed. ESPN’s Top 100 had Jones rated the number 36 prospect, the good news would continue. September 2012 6-6 small forward Semi Olejeye from Ottawa Kansas signed with Duke, Olejeye is rated number 41 on the ESPN Top 100. The the earlier signing by Olejeye didn’t impact Jabari Parker‘s decision. Parker 6-8 220 pound small forward announced his intention to sign with Duke this month. Parker is the number 2 prospect in ESPN’s Top 100.