Basketball from a fans perspective
Remember when
I said I wasn’t going to miss Skip Bayless, this is why. First of all I didn’t cheat; I’m still boycotting the program. The NBA page of ESPN.com contains a snippet of Monday’s discussion. The Spurs blew the Thunder out of the building on Saturday 124-92. Bayless compared the game to the Lakers being massacred in the opening 1985 against the Celtics. He pointed out the Lakers would recover and win the series in six games. Bayless is correct in at least one instance the Thunder could recover and win this series. This is the part where Bayless ran off the cliff.
The Thunder have Steven Adams at center the Lakers had Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Shooting guard for the Lakers was Byron Scott versus Andre Robertson Thunder, at small forward was James Worthy for the Lakers and Kevin Durant Thunder. Magic and Russell Westbrook at the point followed by Kurt Rambis and Serge Ibaka at the power forward position. Advantage Lakers at the center position, slight advantage at the shooting guard. At the point advantage Lakers, small forward and power forward even. I’m sure this account will not endear me to Thunder fans but consider this I didn’t say they couldn’t win the series I simply stated to compare them to the 1985 Lakers as Bayless did is ridicules.
Most improved
I believe my impression must be off-base. I thought the award for the NBA’s Most Improved Player was awarded to a player who raised his level of play significantly over the previous season. That’s not the case with Mike Greenberg of Mike & Mike here’s just a portion of a statement he made on Monday morning; “In my opinion the most improved player in the NBA should have gone to Steph Curry.” Clearly Steph is a talented player and this years MVP but most improved might require some persuasive conviction which Greenberg didn’t supply.
Let’s just check scoring alone, Curry scored at a 23.8 ppg average last season and raised it to 30.1 about 7 points more per game. Curry raised his field goal percentage 17 points over the previous year. The winner of the Most Improved Player shooting guard is C.J. McCollum. His scoring average ballooned from 6.8 ppg to 20.8 a 13 point increase clearly more significant than Curry, his field goal percentage rose 12 points. I guess I’m going to move Mike Greenberg over to the other list---you know which one I reference.
Give him a chance…please
Most of have no idea of Patrick Ewing the coach, Ewing the Knick is familiar to us. He’s interviewing for the head coaching post with the Kings. This franchise is not the most stable in the NBA however I hope he gets the job. For the last 13-years he bounced around serving as an assistant coach for four NBA teams. Maybe Ewing doesn’t interview well or maybe it’s something else that has caused him to be considered but never hired. I believe he’s paid his dues and should be given an opportunity if not with the Kings some other team.
Speaking of coaches
I hesitated at the time my Lakers hired Mike Brown, I said okay when Mike D’Antoni replaced him. I applauded as Byron Scott former Laker player took the reins as head coach. The Luke Walton hire is the choice of Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak. Walton despite his Laker history must prove himself quickly for me to accept the latest change.
Am I expecting the playoffs---hardly however would any win total over 17 would be an improvement? It appears Walton despite playing under Phil Jackson’s triangle does not intend to utilize the system. It’s reported he intends to copy the offensive schemes of the Warriors which makes sense. It certainly makes sense to utilize a system that’s proved successful for the Warriors over the past 2+ years.
Class of 2017
Everyone of prospect list of 2016 is committed and signed. We’ll discuss there adjustment to the college game this fall and winter. In the meantime we’ll check the upcoming senior class. I’m unsure if there is an average height however Rivals has several really tall dudes. Their number one prospect in 2017 is 7 foot 250 pound DeAndre Ayton from Phoenix (AZ). The number three prospect Mohamed Bamba is a 6-11 power forward who hails from Westtown Township (PA) about 47 miles from downtown Philadelphia.
Committed yet unsigned is 7-1 256 pound Zach Brown from Miami (FL) he’s headed to UConn. Just because Big Men are highlighted fails to take into consideration there are a number of talented point and shooting guards. Depending on the direction of your drive Eudora (KS) is at most 16 miles from Lawrence home of the Jayhawks. The Kansas town is the home of Mitchell Ballock a 6-4 shooting guard who is a verbal commit to Creighton. Should we guess Ballock has seen a number of Kansas games over the course of his lifetime?
"Magic Johnson is the greatest player who plays on the ground, and Michael Jordan is the greatest player who plays in the air." John Paxson
