Basketball from a fans perspective
Published Monday through Friday
Did you know?
Reports indicate more than 30.8 million souls watched Game Seven of the NBA Championship. *“It was ABC’s highest rated broadcast ever and the most watched NBA Game since the 1998 Finals, when Michael Jordan clinched his last title.” What does that say about the NBA and the future? Regular season viewing numbers might be called into question but not the playoffs.
Once the playoffs begin fans whether they are diehard or casual are tuned in. Next time you hear someone state “Nobody is watching the NBA” you have my permission to slap them up side their head. Records indicate ABC has broadcast seven Super Bowls and eight World Series in its history and the NBA top them all. Keep in mind this is ABC alone, I didn’t research NBC, CBS or Fox numbers.
*Variety. COM
Mexico
Not the country but the city is located about 180 miles east of Kansas City (MO). This city of 11,000 souls heard Cavs Coach Tyronn Lue give a shout-out to his hometown Sunday evening after winning the NBA Championship. Lue is from Mexico although he would later move to Raytown a metro Kansas City high school. Lue was one of the best high school players the area produced. I think it’s okay if Mexico and Kansas City share in Lue’s success.
An NBA Championship as a rookie coach is exclusive territory. Research indicates the first to accomplish the feat might have been Paul Westhead an assistant with the Lakers, he moved over the head chair after Jack McKinney suffered an injury forcing him to the sidelines for the season. Westhead coached the team for 68 games leading them to the NBA Championship in 1980 Magic Johnson‘s rookie year. Westhead would be fired early in the 1981-82 season and be replaced by Pat Riley, he would coach the Lakers to the 1982 NBA Championship over the 76ers.
Double triumph
In 1950 City College of New York accomplished a feat which will never occur again. Their accomplishment on the basketball court has been overshadowed by a point shaving scandal involving the school and several others. 1950 was a different era the NIT Tournament had a much larger image in the public eye than the NCAA Tournament. In any event CCNY competed in the 1950 NIT at 12-team tournament; they would beat Bradley University 69-61 on March 18 winning the NIT. CCNY would then enter the NCAA later and beat that same Bradley team for the NCAA Championship on March 28.
Gambling interests had contacted a number of players paying them money to affect the outcome of games. Although the scandal affected the entire team history states only three players were actually arrested and admitted guilt. Only one CCNY player actually spent anytime incarcerated and that was due to a juvenile record, he would spend six months in Rikers Island. Most of the former players went on to lives outside of basketball most have since died. After the scandal the school de-emphasized its sports program and began play at the Division III level. Despite the scandal the record books never removed CCNY as the 1950 NIT and 1950 NCAA Champion.
On second thought
MVP LeBron James might have missed Kyrie Irving more than Kevin Love; I speak of the 2015 NBA Championship. You remember both Irving and Love were missing in action last season due to injury. Both were healthy this time around but Irving proved far more valuable to the championship than Love. In the recovery from a 3-1 deficit Irving scored 41, 23 and 26 points and registered a key 3-point basket late in Game Seven. Irving gave Steph Curry all-kinds of problems attempting to guard him. Back to Love for a moment the Cavs got far more production out of Tristan Thompson than Love what does that say about his value to the team?
As for Warriors owner Joe Lacob I’d simply state don’t pat yourself on the back too soon. Winning consecutively especially in the NBA is not an easy task. Your Warriors set a modern won-loss record but fell short in the playoffs after holding a lead. In April you stated your team had the answers I have a question for you. Mr. Lacob can you maintain this nucleus of talent through free-agency and injuries? Finally didn’t Klay Thompson state a while back his Warriors “were better than the Showtime Lakers?” BAM that was the microphone I just dropped on the floor. On June 2nd Mr. Stephen A. Smith of ESPN predicted the Warriors would win in seven games at least he got the seven correct.
