Basketball from a fans perspective

Bits n Pieces  
Laker rookie Brandon Ingram wants to earn his way in the NBA.  After all Ingram is the number two pick in the 2016 draft.  He realizes he’s under pressure to succeed.  Maybe he might be more secure than we might believe.  News reports state he is succeeding Kobe Bryant in at least one area.  Ingram has taken over Bryant’s old locker in the clubhouse.  

You think it’s just me with a Doc Rivers problem.  At the barber shop I question both barbers without first giving them my opinion.  The question was posed to the barbers a few feet apart so I can state with conviction neither heard the other.  What I found most interesting both had similar responses to my question.  Both stated the Austin Rivers situation was ridiculous.   

There is a difference of opinion by two coaches’ one current Rockets coach and the other a former Rockets coach.  You might remember I wrote new Rockets Coach Mike D’Antoni planned on moving James Harden to the point.  I checked Harden’s numbers last year and they indicate he might be a capable point guard.  Wait there is more; Kevin McHale who coached Harden for a few years has his doubts if this change will work.  He says; “I’m unsure he can be a facilitator first.”  

The foot injury that forced Yao Ming to retire at 31 continues to impact his life.  He was quoted recently saying “The feeling on the top portion of my left foot never retired after the 2008 surgery.”  He would play three additional years before retiring in 2011, I wonder if weight might be a factor.  At 7-6 his playing weight was said to be 310 pounds, at his Hall of Fame induction in street clothes he appeared to have not lost any weight.  

What might have been?
If a player is unable to fulfill the promise we often wonder what might have been.  I read a story about basketball players who died without finishing their college or NBA careers. Among the 15 players profiled was Loyola Marymount’s Hank Gathers.  26 years ago Gathers collapsed on the basketball court and died far too soon.  In the 1988-89 season he became on the second player in NCAA history to lead in scoring (32.7) and rebounding (13.7) in the same year.  

His stats indicate Gathers stood 6-7 and weighed 210 pounds which might say “small forward”, he never played like one.  His game was one of power and incidentally he never shot from more than 10 feet from the basket.  Gathers was found to have an irregular heart beat and he was given medication to correct the issue.  He said the medication affected his on-court performance, it was reported he likely was not taking the prescribed dosage on game days.  Gathers would suffer a heart attack during the game and later be pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.   

ROY
Prior to training camp opening we guessed Ben Simmons would be named Rookie of the Year. Now that he’s injured and will likely be out until January we must look elsewhere. As I indicated earlier number two pick Brandon Ingram will begin the season on the bench we can exclude him.  I took a look at the rest of the candidates.  After checking the field of candidates rather than choose one I going to look at five and these are not in any sort of order.

Jaylen Brown-Celtics
Kris Dunn-Wolves
Buddy Hield-Pelicans
Thon Maker-Bucks
Domantas Sabonis-Thunder

Then again it could be somebody completely different.