Basketball from a fans perspective

　
L.A. Story
L.A. Story the title of a 1991 movie starring Steve Martin and a cast of thousands. If you didn’t see the movie briefly it told the story of a TV weatherman (Martin) and a highway billboard sign that talked to him alone guiding his decisions. No talking billboard only Clippers Coach Doc Rivers talking to himself after his teams’ loss in game 7 against the Rockets. A number in the media claim the coach was only part of the problem. I disagree Doc has got to be 60-75% of the problem. The coach was hired on the basis of producing a championship team in Boston. You now have a unique distinction, you are the first coach in NBA history to lose a series after leading 3-1. Allow me to return briefly to the past, Doc you inherited a playoff team from Vinny Del Negro. The Clippers won 56 games under Del Negro which would clearly indicate they were a good team maybe lacking direction among other issues. The Del Negro Clippers in 2012-13 made the playoffs but lost in the first round.

Doc’s 2013-14 team won 57 games but lost in the conference semi-finals. This year’s team won 56 games but lost once again in the semis. It was clear to many the Clippers needed increased production from the bench. Rivers solution as general manager was to engineer a trade for Austin Rivers. Unfortunately young Rivers proved why he was a reserve with the Pelicans providing little help, the jury is still out as to whether he is an NBA player. During the long NBA season a teams “warts” can be disguised in the playoffs it’s a far different story. In conclusion Staples Center was built specifically for the Lakers the Clippers became tenants after the fact. With that said you were the only coach who decided to cover Laker banners during Clipper games. Did you really believe just covering them would allow you team to play championship basketball? 

Lakers 16 championships, Clippers 0

Conspiracy theorist
You might believe I hate Mike Greenberg of Mike & Mike, it’s really not true. My issue is he often generates conversation which don’t make a great deal of sense. As I’ve often state with media people I’m unsure if the opinions actually belong to them or an effort to solicit viewers or a call-in response. An example, the NBA Draft Lottery was held last night.

Tuesday morning Greenberg calls a former NBA coach on the telephone and says; “teams lose on purpose in order to gain more balls in the lottery.” That’s not exactly his statement but close. Fortunately this former coach dispels his statement completely. “He said (and I paraphrase) other than possibly the 76ers who loses on purpose. There is no guarantee you will improve your draft position. As the NBA season nears an end it’s difficult for a coach to inspire a losing team.” Sorry Greenberg you need to put this theory to sleep.

Never afraid
Phil Jackson president of the Knicks will forever remain the guy who “marches to the beat of his own drum.” He’s never been afraid to provide us his view of the basketball world. Once upon a time P.J. used the media to dispense his words of wisdom now he uses social media an example. Recently he tweeted criticism of jump shooting teams a reference probably aimed at the Warriors. Naturally the media jumped all over this tweet considering the Knicks horrendous 17-65 record this past season.

It doesn’t end there earlier P.J. had tweeted his dissapointment in the teams play. He ended it by stating he believed the Knicks were not that far from being a good team with a choice lottery pick. Again this tweet solicited plenty of negative commentary from the media and especially Knick fans. I believe there is no wasted effort in anything P.J. does, he always has a purpose with his commentary. This is a gigantic experiment on owner James Dolan, P.J. has never ever been in this position, building a team.

In the shadow no longer
Gregg Marshall coached in the shadow of Bill Self and Kansas basketball. Self has a national reputation and Kansas competes in the Big 12. As for Marshall he coaches at Wichita State in what many consider a mid-major the Missouri Valley Conference. Marshall had worked in relative obscurity even in the State of Kansas. In an earlier time Wichita State was one of the most successful programs in the Missouri Valley and had a national presence. Under a succession of coaches the school’s record was up and down until the arrival of Mark Turgeon. Wichita State tasted success under Turgeon however he departed in 2007 for Texas A&M.

Marshall’s 2007-08 Shocker team finished the season 11-20, his second year they were
17-17. From the 2009-10 season on it’s been nothing but a steady upward accession to the top of the Missouri Valley and establishing a national footprint. The last three years the Shockers have won nearly 100 games. Last season Marshall’s team was undefeated until they reached the NCAA tourney, they finished the season 35-1. I wrote last season I believed the best college basketball team in the State of Kansas was located in Wichita and not Lawrence. After the Shockers 76-65 win over their Kansas rivals it’s clear they may not be the best basketball team in the nation but they certainly are in Kansas.