Basketball from a fans perspective

This sounds strange
Congratulations to LeBron James, on Friday evening he scored his 27,000th  point in the NBA becoming the youngest in the NBA to accumulate that figure.   That’s the good news of this account now for the not so good portion.  It should hardly be surprising of this accomplishment LeBron came into the NBA directly from high school.

LeBron’s been a starter from day one and the unquestioned leader at two stops Cleveland and Miami.  He’s not a selfish star either far from it, he is just as likely to distribute the ball as score a basket.  Why not just congratulate him on the accomplishment and omit the other---just sayin’! Is it really that important for us to know he’s the youngest ever?

This is interesting
I checked the list of NBA Career Block Shots leaders; I found it interesting neither Celtic legend Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain are on the list but there is a valid explanation. Russell drafted by the St. Louis Hawks and traded to the Celtics played from 1956 through 1969; Chamberlain arrived in the association two years later and played until 1973.  The explanation why neither shot blocker is on the all-time list is simple the NBA didn’t track blocked shots until after they retired.

In the 1973-74 season the NBA decided to add another category block shots to the list of statistics it gathers.  Prior to the arrival of Russell and Chamberlain in the middle ‘50’s there may not have been a great number of blocked shots registered.  Walter Dukes, Clyde Lovellette and George Mikan and others were giants of the game but evidently lack the tools to be effective shot blockers.  I once heard Russell state the threat of blocking a shot was just as detrimental as the actual block. Russell claimed many players would hurry their shot often affecting their accuracy.

I knew this would happen
This is my “SportsCenter” report; I believe that to be the case Friday evening I resorted to a series of highlights from my Man Cave.  I witnessed not a single game to completion but saw bits and pieces of the following; Arizona-Michigan State, Kansas-Indiana, Clippers-Thunder, Kentucky-Stephen F. Austin and Knicks-Celtics.  That fails to take into consideration I also saw highlights of games I didn’t see while actually watching ESPN’s SportsCenter and CBS Inside College Basketball. How did I see so many parts of games on Friday, I will soon need replacement batteries for the amount of time I channel surfed all early evening into late night.  The plans for Saturday are to see at least one game from start to finish---I hope.

Good
The Kansas City Star is reporting Mizzou and Big 12 Iowa State will begin a home and home series starting in 2017.  This is good on several levels a Big 12 school scheduling Mizzou. For reasons only Bill Self of Kansas can explain he’s made it know he’s got no interest in ever playing Mizzou.  Could it be due to Mizzou leaving for the SEC---maybe however. Kansas has played Colorado (Pac 12) and Nebraska (Big 10) which left the conference prior to Mizzou.  Tad Boyle head coach at Colorado played at Kansas however I cannot figure out the Nebraska connection.

He’s in Chicago for a reason
Dwayne Wade is playing for Bulls because of Hassan Whiteside.  Well not directly but kinda see they couldn’t pay Wade the money he actually deserved and pay soon to be free-agent Whiteside.  Do you keep the soon to be 35-year old Wade or allow the 27-year old Whiteside to walk?  We know the end result however was it the right choice?  Whiteside despite his apparent talent at times fails to measure up to an elite center.  At the same time he is a rebounding-blocked shot monster with an improving offensive game.

Whiteside was a late bloomer not ready to play in the NBA after but one season at Marshall but he left school anyway.  The Bulls won the first meeting with the Heat however Whiteside registered a double-double with 20 points and 20 rebounds along with 3 blocked shots.  The 7 foot 265 pound center is proof positive it often takes a big man a longer time to acclimate themselves to the NBA. Last year was a test year could he duplicate or exceed those numbers, so far he’s on track.