Basketball from a fans perspective
Fisticuffs
Georgia won the game 71-66, there is probably debate who won the fight. You say what fight? The one that occurred at half-time between Mizzou and Georgia that involving players and coaches. I'm unsure who started the altercation however anytime coaches are involved it really creates a negative picture. The Tigers continue to slide downward and this incident certainly doesn't bode well for the program. I'm disappointed in the loss and disappointed in the action of players but especially the coaches.
Bits n Pieces
Jalen Rose selected his all ‘Matchstick’ Team, guys who are really good but thin. Kristaps Porzingis and Anthony Davis were just two of the five Rose cited. I’d like to add an honorable mention to the team the Lakers Brandon Ingram. At 6-9 and 196 pounds I believe he deserves consideration.
Which Warriors team, the 2015 NBA Champs or the 2016 runner-ups. As the calendar turned to January and a new year I’m not sure. Kevin Durant is definitely an upgrade but the loss of Bogut, Speights and others reduces an inside presence. Sorry Zaza fans so far I’m not particularly impressed, Bogut did bunches of ‘little’ things that are missing thus far.
Cynics fail to give the Rockets their just due. I’m referring to the ‘95-’96 back to back NBA Champion teams. I’ve read and often heard; ‘They won because Michael Jordan was playing baseball.’ Yes MJ was playing minor league baseball so critics belittle this outstanding championship team.
Who takes the shot?
Once Nike ran a print ad about Michael Jordan discussed failure and he said; ‘26 times I was trusted to take the last shot and missed.‘ Kobe Bryant was also trusted to take the last shot but he too missed. They failed to sink the winning basket on all several occasions. MJ retired in 2003, Kobe last season who takes the shot now?
Is it the Rockets James Harden, Russell Westbrook of the Thunder or Steph Curry Warriors guard? We could also include the Blazers Damian Lillard or Jimmy Butler of the Bulls in our count. I’m sure there is an NBA player I missed but you get the idea, a player unafraid to take the end of the game shot. A player with ice-water in their veins, your choice is____________.
‘Rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic’
The KC Star is much kinder to Kim Anderson than the St Louis Post-Dispatch. An acquaintance made a statement I cannot begin to defend. He said; ‘The trouble is Mizzou believes it’s good at everything and its not.’ I cannot speak for the football program our focus is basketball and ‘Houston Columbia (MO) we have a problem.’ Mizzou basketball is in a free-fall with a 5-6 record as conference play opens with two losses. As for the non-conference portion of the season Mizzou fans probably hoped for a win facing Xavier and Arizona both Top 25 teams.
Losses in both games were acceptable by the fact ‘We played good teams.‘ Mizzou experienced three bad losses to North Carolina Central, Eastern Illinois and Illinois teams they should have been capable of beating. As for the coach I said it previously this is not the NBA Anderson should be allowed to finish the season. Mizzou fans can only hope AD Jim Sterk is monitoring the situation on the basketball court. Hopefully he is compiling a list of replacements for the revolving door that has become Mizzou basketball.
This is one of those evenings
I’m often forced to change batteries in my remote due to evenings similar to this. My Thursday evening began realizing I wouldn’t be able to see all the games to completion due to overlap and the times the games would begin. At 6:00 p.m. the New Mexico State-UMKC game was broadcast on the American Sports Network a regional sports channel. I left that game with 5 minutes remaining and New Mexico State clearly a winner.
I switched to the Thunders-Rockets game which started at 7:00 p.m. and remained there until 8:00 p.m. and changed to the Cal-UCLA game on ESPN. At 9:30 p.m. I left the Cal-UCLA game and turned to the Lakers-Blazers game on TNT and I stayed with it till the third quarter I had to check in the morning to discover the Blazers had beaten my Lakers. Wheeee---that’s what some evenings are like in my Man Cave.
