Basketball from a fans perspective
Win, win
The overtime loss by the Warriors hurts. They now have nine losses for the season with only four remaining games. It’s certainly possible for the Dubs to win all of them however that places even more pressure on them. I question if the pressure is affecting the Dubs as they move closer to the all time win-loss record.
This is logic
As a reminder for some and an update for new readers Kansas City Missouri is less than 50 miles from Lawrence Kansas home of the Jayhawks. We have a significant number of Kansas graduates working on both sides of the state line. Everybody requires employment at least most of us and that’s okay. We are overloaded with Kansas coverage by the local media. With that said on occasion you hear or read some strange things. Example; “I’m glad Villanova won (NCAA) because if validates our (Kansas) loss.” Say what, Kansas had a very successful season up to Villanova. Why is it necessary to validate a loss with bizarre logic? Just asking.
Bill Walton
If you are a certain age you only know Bill Walton as that wacky color guy for ESPN college basketball. If you are of that generation you also probably have no idea Walton is a double-double man enshrined in the Naismith and College Halls of Fame. Injuries would plague him throughout his NBA career; he was never able to duplicate his college accomplishments. 2X NCAA Basketball Champion, 3X College player of the year, 3X first team All-American just a few noteworthy accomplishments at UCLA.
The 6-11 Walton would become the 1st pick in the 1974 draft by the Blazers; he would miss parts of his first two seasons due to an assortment of injuries. In 1976-77 he managed to play the majority of games that year as he played a pivotal role in the Blazers winning the ‘77 NBA Championship the only to date. The 76er team was loaded, Dr. J., George McGinnis, Kobe Bryant’s dad Joe and Doug Collins (former coach and current studio analyst). Walton led his Blazers to an upset win over the 76ers 4 games to 2. He’s always marched to the beat of a different drummer and he continues to do this at 63 years young.
Overlooked
The 2016 College Basketball Class has been announced, I read a letter from fans and one struck a cord with me. The writer questioned why Frank Selvy was omitted again. Frank Selvy played for Furman University in the ‘50’s and had an NBA career he’s now 83 years old. Why was Selvy overlooked again might be the big question. Selvy was a scoring machine in college, for unknown reasons his sophomore scoring is missing however his junior and senior scoring records are available for us to check out.
He scored at a 29.5 points per clip his junior year and raised that to 41.7 points per game his senior year. In addition Selvy set the NCAA Division I single game scoring record which still stands, in a February 1954 game against Newberry College he scored 100 points. Keep in mind there was no three-point line in that day; Selvy claims at least a dozen shots would have been three-point baskets. Although Jack Taylor would later score 138 points in 2012 he established the record for the Division III basketball.
He’s a keeper
It’s funny now looking back on the 2015 NBA Draft and the surprise pick of Kristaps Porzingis.
Karl-Anthony Towns of the Wolves will be named rookie of the year however Porzingis is likely to finish right behind him. You remember the “selfie kid” and Stephen A. Smith questioning the integrity of the Knicks in drafting Porzingis. The Latvian youngster has proven he belongs in the NBA and his ceiling is unlimited.
The only question at this point will he eventually be moved to the center position as he gains muscle strength. His Euro weight was listed at 220 pounds his draft day weight was 230 pounds but he’s since gained 10 pounds. His scoring average is nearly 14 points and 7.2 rebounds a game plus 2 blocked shots a game. He’s demonstrated a skill with handling the basketball too for a Big-Man. The wear and tear of a rookie NBA season has caused his field goal percentage to dip.
