Basketball from a fans perspective 

PhD
My medical degree lies at the end of my arm which is not very far, I’m at a point of concern regarding Joel Embiid.  After being the 3rd pick in the 2014 NBA Draft he’s been absent due to injuries until the 2016-17 season.  On the court he excited Philly fans believing the long-wait was worth it, he became the clear leader for NBA Rookie of the Year.  

BAM Embiid goes down again missing 16 of the teams last 17 games.  It’s his knee and the Sixers announce he will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.  Over a short space of time Embiid has proven he’s talented if only he could remain healthy.  I’m not going to read anymore into it than this. Here’s hoping he returns to the court soon because if for nothing else he is genuine talent.   
  
Where is the Wizard?
In this instance I’m not referring to the Washington Wizards.  You remember the Wizard of Oz the characters were on the road to meet the Wizard each was prepared to ask the Wizard for something they needed.  Dorothy wanted to return home, the lion was searching for courage, the scarecrow wanted a brain and the tin man wanted a heart.  

The Clippers are not on the road all the time they play 41 home games and 41 road games however it appears they lack heart too.  In their most recent game against the Warriors they raced out to a double-digit lead in Oakland.  In the third quarter they surrendered an astounding 50 points.  Don’t tell me any stories about Chris Paul being sidelined I guess Austin Rivers is not an adequate replacement.

We forget so quickly
You remember the complaints back in the day regarding the Lakers.  It seemed free-agents or trades were made during the season were made to benefit their playoff hopes.  Mychal Thompson was just one of those added to the roster that allowed them to reach championship level.  We are hearing no wailing or gnashing of teeth regarding the Cavs and the moves they make to improve the team.  

Without research of the date I believe losing Kevin Love and adding shooter Kyle Korver occurred near the same time.  Veteran point guard Deron Williams and center Andre Bogut indicate they will sign with the Cavs after being released by the Mavs.  The question might be “how much help does LeBron require in order to win another championship?”  I know that will not endear me to LeBron fans however that’s what I see.

Hey Kobe haters
Kobe haters probably relished in the one-sided feud of Shaq and Kobe? The reason I refer to it as one-sided no matter how nasty the big guy got (and some comments were obscene) Kobe never responded.  Publicly Kobe never allowed us to see him squirm or get upset privately that might have been a different story.   All is supposed to be over now as Shaq and Kobe have made peace with one another.  As for the Warriors Javale McGee that’s a different story, he’s been featured often on “Shaqtin a fool” highlights and he’s had enough evidently.  

The Warriors center complained to the front office and Warriors management have contacted Turner Sports Shaq’s employer.  This is not resolved however I’d like to point out a difference. No matter how nasty Shaq was in the past toward Kobe he couldn’t get under his skin---why? Until the last 2+ years Kobe continued to produce effectively on the court.  McGee has been a reserve throughout much of his NBA career.  That fact alone might take into account why McGee looks on the Shaq comments differently than Kobe did.  

Basketball from a fans perspective

What’s the excuse?
I write apologies from time to time to readers, the effort to publish Words eye view takes time.  I attempt to ensure it’s as accurate as possible however with me doing everything there are errors. What’s the excuse for NBA.com NBA page I might ask?  They cited a story on the Pelicans adding a player to the roster and releasing another.  They provided a link to Reggie Williams, turns out this was the 52-year old Williams when it should have reflected the 30-year old Reggie Williams.  It might not be as funny to you as it is me. With an army of writers and proof-readers they make a mistake of epic proportions.

Pulling a semi-trailer truck
Watching Mizzou struggle on the court all season I allow my imagination to run wild.  Coach Kim Anderson must believe he’s pulling a semi-trailer UP HILL!  Out of curiosity I looked up the information pertain to the weight of a semi-trailer, it‘s about 80,000 pounds less cargo inside the vehicle.  Mizzou can’t shoot at times, can’t defend, doesn’t box out, and can’t rebound.  

Exactly what can you do you might ask?  Here’s what I believe no team including Mizzou loses games on purpose, they are a mix bag of talent.  A couple of times this season in a perfect storm of sorts everything comes together and they are able to win.  Somebody said “How can Anderson be expected to do any better he inherited a vehicle on 3 flat tires and requiring an engine overhaul?”

They are history
NBA teams have been on the move since the league was founded.  The Syracuse Nationals moved to Philadelphia where they were reborn as the Sixers.  Clipper basketball began in Buffalo with a team nicknamed the Braves.  On the other hand a number of franchises simply ceased operations never to be heard from again.  In this instance I’m referring to NBA franchises located in larger metro areas that simply went out of existence.  The Chicago Stags were born in 1946 and died in 1950 closing shop.  The original Baltimore Bullets were part of three leagues; they came into being in 1944 lasting to 1947 in the American Basketball League.  1947-1949 the Bullets moved into the Basketball Association of America.  

In the 1949 season as part of the merger the Bullets moved into the NBA where they lasted until 1954 before folding.  Hockey fans probably believed the name Washington Capitals was original not so.  The NHL team was founded in 1974 the basketball team by the same name began play in 1946.  The Washington Capitols were a Basketball Association charter member when they came into existence in 1946.  The team would move into the new NBA in 1949, the Capitols lasted until the middle of the 1951 season.  From 1946 through 1949 the team was coached by legendary Red Auerbach.  He would later move to Boston and coach the Celtics to one of the best records in NBA history.  The Pittsburgh Ironmen lasted all of one season in the BAA 1946-47.  

Best team in the nation---maybe!!!
The downhill side of the collegiate season is at hand.  Sitting at the top of the heap is Gonzaga with a 28-0 record as this is written; the Spokane (WA) School has a history of producing winning teams.  It is difficult for those in the Midwest and East Coast Time Zones to make an assessment of the Zags.  That might be somewhat correct but we could cite the example of UCLA, Oregon and Arizona to contradict that observation.    

UCLA, Oregon and Arizona receive large amounts of national exposure over a number of other schools because they are UCLA, Oregon and Arizona.  Despite the school’s stellar record Gonzaga is just a blip on the radar screen on sports media.  I would really like to see a deep NCAA playoff run then perhaps Mark Few and crew might receive credit for being one of the most successful programs in the country.  NOTE:  I did it once again, I wrote this prior to Gonzaga’s weekend loss.

Basketball from a fans perspective 
 
The second guessing has begun
Was it a good thing Jeannie Buss hiring Magic Johnson as President of Basketball Operations? Depends on who is talking I suppose, are there more qualified people in the NBA able to run the Laker ship?  Yes they are however they lack one key ingredient, they ain‘t Magic Johnson.  The ink is hardly dry on the contract Magic may have signed, it‘s likely he‘s not even moved into his office however he‘s on the job.

It’s likely he made the call on the Lou Williams for Corey Brewer trade.  I learned quite awhile ago it’s not necessary to be the smartest guy in the room.  What you do is surround yourself with a bunch of smart people who will allow you to look and sound smart in your corporate moves.  Magic Johnson alone is not gonna turn this franchise around, he will draft wisely and sign quality free-agents.  The Lakers will rise to compete with other NBA teams.  How long with this take you ask? I have no idea however I believe it will occur because I believe in Magic.

Black history moment
Lacking financial clout it took quite awhile for an African American to move into the ownership ranks of an NBA franchise.  In 1989 the Nuggets were purchased by Bertram M. Lee and C.B. Bynoe although records indicate they were technically managing partners.  They owned 37% of the Nuggets but ownership would only last a short while as they sold their interest in the team in the in the early ’90’s.   Bob Johnson former owner of Black Entertainment Television became Bobcats owner in 2002; in 2010 he sold the franchise to Michael Jordan.  Magic Johnson because a part owner of the Lakers but sold his investment to purchase the baseball Dodgers.

We are not sure if Magic is an owner again being named President of Basketball Operations for the Lakers. Entertainment mogul Jay-Z once an owner of the Nets sold his interest as well.  The Sixers count Will and Jada Pinkett Smith as owners, the Cavs have entertainer Usher as an owner. Valarie Daniels-Carter business woman has become a stockholder in the Bucks franchise. Michael Jordan remains the only African American owner but it’s easy to see why.  As ESPN pointed out “The cost of an NBA franchise ranges from $500 million to $2 billion dollars.”  Numbers like that make it clear why there are few owners.
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Trash talk
Jalen Rose on ESPN’s Sportsnation spoke differently from at least two media members.  On Saturday I wrote of the verbal barb Draymon Green aimed at the Clippers Paul Pierce.  The media said; “Green stepped over the line, Pierce is a Hall of Fame player etc. etc.”  Okay the other view Rose detailed how much trash talking goes on continually in the NBA.  In addition it was mentioned somewhere else Pierce is notorious for talking trash as well.  It wasn’t trash talking but this Laker fan will never forget the “wheelchair” game.  Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Championship Celtic Pierce was injured and laid on the floor writhing in pain; he was placed in a wheelchair and taken out of the arena.  In the second half he came skipping out and managed to total 22 points in a Game 1 victory for the Celtics.
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Is he that good---maybe
Mohamed Bamba is in the Class of 2017; the Rivals five star prospect is yet to declare where he’s headed to college.  One writer claims it’s not really that important where the 6-11 center lands because he’s only there for a year.  He claims Bamba will be the top pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Bamba from Harlem (NY) has reduced his list to Duke, Kentucky, Michigan and Texas not in any particular order.  It will be interesting if this writer is current in his assessment of Bamba’s talent.  

Basketball from a fans perspective 

Shut down
The injury Ben Simmons sustained sidelined him from play this season.  The number one pick by the Sixers in the 2017 draft was expected to move immediately into the starting lineup and then disaster.  Simmons suffered a Jones fracture and would be out until the All-Star break the belief being he would be ready by the NBA All-Star game.  On Friday the Sixers announced Simmons would be shut down until next season and would even miss Summer League play. Larry Laker with no medical knowledge said last fall; “It would be a good idea if Simmons waited until the 2017-18 season before suiting up.”  

The last laugh
Draymon Green of the Warriors talks trash as much as he is whistled for technical fouls.  The 
6-7 230 pound power forward plays tough hard-nose defense and is a throw-back to an earlier era in the NBA.  Thursday night Green could be heard yelling at Paul Pierce and the mics caught this remark.  “Chasing that farewell tour, they don’t love you like that, you can’t get that farewell tour, the don’t love you like that, you thought you was Kobe?”  Pierce is headed to the HOF as soon as he’s eligible as for the farewell tour. 

To my knowledge the Boston faithful saluted Pierce but elsewhere is a different story, did I miss the farewell anywhere else?  A day later Pierce responded with a bitter tweet but in my mind it was too late and missed the subject.  The Pierce tweet was aimed at the Warriors failure to win the championship after winning 73 games and holding a 3-1 playoff lead.  I guess Pierce was attempting to point out Green was suspended for a game but the response to me was very weak.  As for you Kobe haters it appears he’s got more going for him with fans than Paul Pierce.  

Change agent
The Rockets retired Yao Ming‘s number 11 jersey, it was hoisted to the rafters in the Toyota Center.  Many questioned the retirement of his jersey, Yao was not the first Asian player in the NBA but to date has been the most effective.  A number of folks questioned his qualifications as a Hall of Fame player as well and my response is baloney, they cite his brief 9 year NBA career.  

My question to the critics might be “Is there a time issue you must play to be eligible for HOF inclusion?” He’s a change agent because he allowed the NBA to branch out even further in China once he began play. As Yao prepared to play in the NBA “The Mouth of the South” Charles Barkley said; “He’ll never score more than 20 points in an NBA game.”  Of course Barkley was proven wrong with this prediction and a number of others.

I may have shortchanged him
Chavano Ranier “Buddy Hield” collected quite a bit of hardware last season at Oklahoma.  The 6-4 shooting guard from the Bahamas was the John R. Wooden Award winner, the Naismith College Player of the Year and won the Oscar Robertson Trophy.  Buddy had “can‘t missed” stamped on his forehead, 25 ppg, .501 from the floor and 88% from the free-throw line.  

That was Oklahoma as for the NBA that was a different story; he would become the 6 pick in the first round of the 2016 draft by the Pelicans.  Buddy has moved at a slower pace than expected and then BAM he’s traded.  He's sent to the Kings in the package that saw Boogie Cousins arriving and Buddy and two others leaving.  I may have given the impression I’d given up on him when writing about the big trade.  It’s early and if the sinking ship the Kings franchise has become can managed to right itself it could prove fruitful for Buddy.  

Basketball from a fans perspective 

The trade was a surprise
The Sixers were expected to make a trade, although sidelined now Joel Embiid has proven he was worth the wait.  How did Embiid’s playing time impact the Sixers roster, Jahlil Okafor drafted last season became a backup.  Nerlens Noel who divided time between power forward and center was playing limited minutes. Noel complained loudly a few weeks ago regarding his on court time.  

What to do, what to do with an essentially 3 centers someone must be traded.  Near the close of the trading deadline the Sixers made a move however wasn’t the move most of us expected, Noel was traded to the Mavs for Andrew Bogut and Justin Anderson and a draft choice.  Where does the trade leave Okafor might be the next question, we have no idea except the Sixers know what they are doing right?

Confusing data
If you are old enough you might remember the old term “Garbage in Garbage out.  Information on sport television viewing in the metro was provided recently and a portion of it doesn’t make a great deal of sense to me allow me to explain.  No NBA basketball in Kansas City with the exception of our annual NBA pre-season game.  I was curious regarding sports television in the metro, the baseball Royals and football Chiefs received high viewer numbers really not surprising.  

I was surprised with viewer information on the NHL and NBA.  For reasons unknown only NHL Stanley Cup numbers were provided which were higher than NBA telecast.  This is the portion I find odd, they didn't provide figures on the NBA Championship.  The figures I believe are a little misleading I'm quite sure there would be more viewers for a championship series than regular season series.  The NBA is not competing with the NHL however consider this fact every year the NBA exhibition game held in Kansas City is always better attended over the NHL game.  

College rather than the NBA
We might believe all Euro players are headed to the NBA but that’s not always the case.  Take for example Olivier Sarr; he’s a 6-11 225 pound center from Toulouse France.  Four schools are on his list, Wake Forest, Cal, UCF and Vanderbilt.  Sarr is a 2017 prospect so its likely he will announce his choice soon.

He’s there instead of here
Dwayne Wade is in Chicago playing for the Bulls the team he rooted for as a child.  He’s in Chicago rather than Miami were his Hall of Fame career began.  This is another story I offer no proof just an observation, I believed Wade would be a Magic Johnson or Larry Bird an athlete who would spend his career in one location.  I can state I had no idea who Dwayne Wade was until I witnessed him shoot-down Mizzou in the NCAA Tournament in 2003.  

The Heat would make Marquette’s Wade the 5th pick in the 1st round of that draft.  In the NBA you know the story he won and won and won.  Now age 35 and on the down hill side of his career I believe he’s in Chicago because of Hassan Whiteside.  Faced with losing the potential of the youthful (age 27) Whiteside it was a financial decision.  Pay the kid or pay the old guy, despite being part of three NBA Championships the decision was to pay Whiteside.  I have no idea how much time remains in Wade’s career but he will return to South Beach once he retires.  

Basketball from a fans perspective 

Moving swiftly in Lakerland
By the time this is read the Lakers will announce Rob Pelinka as their GM replacing Mitch Kupchak.  Pelinka’s background includes ownership of Landmark Sports Agency, he might be better known as the agent for Kobe Bryant.  This is Pelinka’s first role with an NBA team, the college basketball player who became an attorney who would become sports agent has now become an NBA GM.  The 6-6 Pelinka has not served in any capacity in the NBA in the past however he’s got vast amount of background as a sports agent.  

I’m not exactly sure how this situation will develop but we must guess he will divest himself of his sports agency.  The front office moves appear complete, long time public relations spokesman John Black (26 years) was also among the departed.  We can feel sorry for everyone who lost their job except Jimmy Buss.  Jeannie’s brother remains an owner but one who is no longer in charge of basketball operations.  It should be of note Pelinka was a member of the Fab 5 team at Michigan. The freshmen team of Webber, Rose, Howard, King and Jackson who almost won the NCAA Championship.  We didn’t take note of Pelinka at the time because he spent limited minutes on the court but check out where he is now.  

He might be okay
Backcourt injuries suffered by the Clippers have allowed Austin Rivers to play major minutes. He’s played well as a starter, I have been highly critical of Rivers in the past.  A component of my complaint I believe Rivers is really not a point guard although he‘s point guard size (6-4). He’s been “made” point guard despite limited skills in that area, he’s actually better suited for the shooting guard.  On the depth chart J.J. Redick is in front of him and a more consistent shooter.  

My secondary complaint has been his role on a team coached by his father.  I’ve mentioned this previously this past summer Rivers was a free agent.  Media reports indicated there were few teams willing to sign him based on what he might command.  President of Basketball Operations for the Clippers decided to re-sign Austin.  The responsible party for the decision was Doc Rivers who serves in both roles for the Clippers.  There is talk that Rivers might be traded to provide additional depth for the Clippers I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one. 

Pay me
I have been on both sides of the “pay for play” issue, I’m still not 100% sure I’m pro or con.  I just read an article on ESPN.com indicating a number of colleges and universities now own aircraft not lease they owned them.  I guess we could say private colleges might be understandable but the story indicated many state universities also own aircraft.  It was pointed out coaches often fly from point A to point B on recruiting trips specifically for football and basketball.  

In addition administrators of the school utilize this method for their travel as well.  For example if Bill Self wants to recruit a kid in California how does he accomplish this feat?  It’s probably far easier to fly from Lawrence Municipal Airport three miles from the city than to drive 50 miles to Kansas City International Airport in Missouri.  I’m not picking on Self just playing Devils Advocate; a school can spend large sums to acquire an aircraft plus pay a pilot and the maintenance but cannot pay the athletes?  

Bits n Pieces 
Gary Trent Jr. plays the game at a high level same as dad.  Gary Trent Sr. played at Ohio University and in the NBA and Europe for a number of years.   Senior stood 6-8 and weighed a hefty 250 pounds, junior stands 6-5 and checks in at 200 pounds.  Dad was known for his ability to rebound the basketball Junior for his shooting.  The McDonald’s All-American is headed to Duke to play for Coach K.    

If the Lakers finish with any of the top three picks I’m okay.  None of the freshman have announced yet (notice I said freshmen).  Markelle Fultz Washington, Lonzo Ball UCLA, Josh Jackson Kansas and Dennis Smith NC State.  I didn’t miscount there are four names on my list; I’ll take anyone of them.  

Remember all the snickers when the Hornets changed their team name?  A number expressed the belief they thought Pelicans was funny.  I would ask them the question what’s any funnier than Thunder?  Not the team but the fact somebody managed to name a sports team after a weather event that occurs throughout the world.  

After being absence for two years Mizzou will be a participant in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge next season.  It’s already being reported Bill Self does not won’t to play Mizzou.  As I’ve indicated I have no issues with Kansas players it’s Self and those Kansas fans that are all-knowing.  They never see anything wrong with the program on or off the court.  

Basketball from a fans perspective

This is huge
Laker fans and the entire world believed change was forthcoming.  We believed the season would conclude and then front office changes would be made.  Nobody believed the change would occur on February 21 two days after the All-Star break.  The promise of Jim Buss has been echoed time and again in this blog, the promise the Lakers would be a playoff team at the end of the 2016-17 season.  Despite acquiring valuable pieces in the draft they have been unable to attract quality free-agents as they once did.  A series of blunders by Jim Buss was made in coaching hires and acquiring personnel.  Mike Brown, Mike D’Antoni and Byron Scott were all Buss hires.

Phil Jackson was ready to return and Buss decided in favor of Mike D’Antoni.  To be fair Buss hired Luke Walton as well, the team has improved it remains to be seen if he can continue the upward trend. Mitch Kupchak might just be collateral damage as general manager, we have no idea how much his hands might have been tied in reporting to Buss.  The news just broke so I’ve read nothing but the statement Jeannie Buss issued to the media.  Magic Johnson has been named President of Basketball Operations, how will this impact his role as Dodger owner?  Magic was originally hired to be a consultant so the question remains unanswered as this is written.  Jeannie Buss as owner and NBA Governor assumed command of the Starship Laker on Tuesday.

Who knows except him?
The day after the blockbuster trade the stories have begun, the report of John Calipari leaving Kentucky for the NBA.  Calipari has said over and over he is happy coaching Kentucky basketball and is likely telling the truth.  Coach Cal recruited and coached Pelicans center Boogie Cousins, Coach Cal recruited and coached Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis.

Does the coach leave the Bluegrass of Kentucky for the Big Easy and a huge payday?  He coached in the NBA previously and like many successful college coaches had difficulty.  His record as head man with the Nets from 1996-1999 reads 72-112 nowhere near his stellar college record.  No longer responsible for recruiting in the NBA he takes on the task of managing NBA egos.

Couldn’t take it
I didn’t make a great deal of Anthony Davis breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s All-Star scoring record.  It was evident by the middle of the second quarter there would be little if any defense played.  I believe we all realize players don’t want to get hurt but to play nothing resembling defense caused me to quickly lose interest in the game.  I changed channels a couple of times going back periodically to check on the score.  I had to see the play on the highlights; Westbrook shoveled a pass to Durant so the world is at peace.  Seriously folks I enjoyed The Skills Competition and Slam Dunk contests much more than All-Star Game play.  

It might work
A few weeks ago I wrote Kansas City (movers and shakers) have expressed no public interest in the NBA returning here.  Last week I wrote the NBA D-League was to undergo a name change; in addition it would eventually become a 30 team league.  I contacted the Greater KC Sports Commission to see if they have any related news, I will keep you posted with their response.

Lords of dysfunction
Laker fans have long complained about the dysfunction in the front office however they have company.  All we need to do is travel I-5 north some 384 miles and we’ll find ourselves in Sacramento capital of the State of California.  In addition to the state capital the city is also home to a dysfunctional NBA front office in the Kings.  After the recent NBA All-Star game was still fresh on the minds of NBA fans the Kings traded their NBA All-Pro Center Boogie Cousins for a box of cracker jacks.  GM Vlade Divac said; “We could have made a better trade two days ago.”  Did we say confusion and dysfunctional?    

Boogie has driven Kings coaches and the front office bananas over the years with his temper tantrums and technical fouls.  Despite this flaw the guy is talented, he scores out to and including the 3-point line, Boogie rebounds and blocks shots.  It’s difficult to fully access talent without allowing that talent to develop.  That might be the case for Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas and Heat center Hassan Whiteside.  Thomas and Whiteside had to travel to other locals in order to secure a berth in the NBA.  Unlike the example of those two Cousins drafted by the Kings too was placed in the lineup but he too is now gone.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Black history moment
The name Jackie Robinson holds a place in the pantheon of American history.  You hear the name and you immediately think of the man who broke the baseball color barrier with the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers.  Few realize he was probably not the best black baseball talent but was the perfect man for this historic endeavor.  Even fewer probably realize Robinson was talented enough to compete in four major sports.  

Robinson began honing his skill in high school and later at Pasadena Junior College before competing and graduating from UCLA.  Robinson played four sports and won letters in football, baseball, track and basketball.  As for his basketball it’s likely the 5-11 Robinson would have played guard although the records make no mention of his position.  We have no method to verify this statement however Robinson might have been skilled enough to play in the NFL or the early days of the NBA.   
   
So nice he’s doing it twice
Bill Raftery turned 73 in May 2016, despite his age he continues to exhibit outstanding color commentary for college basketball.  The twice part of the story Raftery has been the voice of CBS Sports coverage for the last 33 years, during this period he went to work for ESPN as well.  He would leave ESPN in 2013 at the time Fox Sports 1 began operation.  Raftery has several key phrases similar manner to Dick Vitale, there are so many classic lines it is impossible to detail all of them below are just a few.  

Bring your lunch
Welcome to the block party
With the dribble drive
Count your Chiclets (hit in the mouth)
A kiss off the glass
A little whirlpool….spin to the tin

Raftery is not just providing the audience euphemisms he knows the game backwards and forwards.  For 16 years he served as head coach at Farleigh-Dickinson and Seton Hall. Raferty is one of those guys you hope continues to provide color commentary as long as he desires.

Wow!
That’s all I say about the trade of Boogie Cousins to the Pelicans.  Cousins and Omri Casspi are headed to New Orleans, headed west to the Kings is Buddy Hield, Tyrke Evans, and Langston Galloway along with a 2017 first and second round draft picks, this is a trade of epic proportions. As for the immediate it’s likely this trade is too late to benefit the Pelicans (23-34) playoff hopes this season but watch out fro them next year.  We cannot speculate on the 2017 draft picks because we have no idea who they might be.  As for the “live bodies” the Kings received that is a far different story.  Not ONE of the players the Kings will obtain is remotely close to the talent level of Cousins.  Each player received has NBA talent they wouldn’t be on the roster if they didn’t.  

Hield might turn out to be an NBA All Pro, Tyrke Evans has proven he’s got talent but cannot seem to remain healthy.  So Evans returns to the Kings who drafted him in 2009 and he became Rookie of the Year.  As for Galloway his NBA talent is unknown by us.  At this point we have no method of peering into the future however it appears bright from a Pelican standpoint. They have the best center at the present time in the NBA.  Playing along side Cousins will be 
multi-talented power forward Anthony “Unibrow” Davis and point guard Jrue Holiday.  The shooting guard and small forward are average for the Pelicans however but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  Who says a team must have all-pros at every position?  We’ve discussed the dysfunctional Laker front office I believe the Kings have clearly taken the lead in that department. 

The starting center
I’ve got no source to the Laker coaching staff so this is what I’d like to see in the future. Ivica Zubac should become the backup center replacing Tarik Black in that role.  The youngster is not ready to assume playing center full-time in the NBA.  There are parts of his game that are superior to Timofey Mozgov already.  Zubac is a better shooter and better at rebounding the basketball. Zubac gets lost on defense at times but actually is a better shot blocker than Mozgov.  

I hope this doesn’t sound as if I’m stating the Lakers should lose on purpose.  As for Black he should play backup power forward going forward.  Zubac should play a minmum of 10 minutes a game the balance of the 2017 season.  In July Zubac plays for the NBA Summer League team continuing to develop his game, training camp opens in October and playing time divided between him and Mozgov.  December or January Zubac becomes the starting center. Zubac playing major minutes has been a double-double man on occasion.  

Basketball from a fans perspective

Social activisim
This is a different age; players in all sports the NBA included have become social activists. Much as many of us desire to return to the go old days of the past the landscape has changed. A number of NBA players have challenged the norm by discussing issues outside the realm of the basketball court.  This activism is not new there always been activists especially in the world of basketball.  Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Warren Jabali, Chris Jackson who also changed his name becoming Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf.  

Those named and others attempted to raise the consciousness of the nation and world with their social commentary.  Did it this trend lose speed probably and there was no specific reason. Recently it seems a greater number of players are adding their name to social issues. A week or so ago the CEO of Under Armour said; ’The election of Donald Trump was an asset to the nation.” Steph Curry under contact to the same company and wearing the shoe took a different approach. When question on the statement he said: “Yes he is an asset if you remove the last two letters.” Although it’s the NFL currently the NBA will soon face the same issue a potential White House visit.  Several black players from the Super Bowl Champion Patriots indicate they will not attend the White House if invited.  The travel ban placed in effect by this administration might impact at least two NBA players (Luol Deng, Thon Maker) so said Commissioner Adam Silver.  

The days of playing the sport and not making a social statement are over.  The NBA All Star game was played in New Orleans after being first scheduled in Charlotte. North Carolina passing the so-called “bathroom law“ was the basis for the NBA moving the game to New Orleans.  The NBA is likely to follow the NFL who are monitoring the State of Texas with pending legislation similar to North Carolina.  Stay tuned social activisim was the catalyst for change in the past, its continued through the present and will continue into the future.  
  
Pretenders
I posed the question earlier in the season if there was a true contender in the Big 12 Conference. Would one or more teams step forward and prevent Kansas from winning its 13 straight Big 12 regular season championship.  The race is not over but all we can see are pretenders rather than contenders.  Baylor, West Virginia, Iowa State did I miss any one of them?  Good for Kansas bad for the conference, how can you convince me or anyone else about the strength of the Big 12? Check out the ACC, Pac-12 or some other conference there is balance.  You say UCLA once dominated (Pac-8) in a similar manner I’d say yes however check out how long ago that occurred.

Decision (all ready) made
This is interesting the ESPN 2017 100 top prospects, 7 players remain unsigned or uncommitted as of February 16.  Imagine this out of the best 100 prospects in the nation all made their decision known before the calendar turned to February.  Below are the prospects name, position and home town.  

#4 Trevon Duval 6-3 point guard Wilmington DE 
#5 Mohamed Bamba 6-11 center Harlem NY
#6 Brandon McCoy 6-11 center San Diego CA
#7 Kevin Knox 6-8 small forward Tampa FL
#12 Brian Bowen 6-7 small forward Saginaw MI 
#16 M.J. Walker 6-5 shooting guard Jonesboro GA
#40 Jordan Tucker 6-7 small forward Marietta GA

The crowd
No argument the best basketball is played at the NBA level, the best crowds are in college.  I’ve not attended a game in person but Chesapeake Arena home of the Thunder is reported to have the loudest NBA crowd.  At the collegiate level we could probably name 5 or 6 arenas who might intimidate opposing teams by crowd noise.  Just a few and not in any order:

Cameron Indoor-Duke
Allen Field house-Kansas
Rupp Arena-Kentucky
WVU Coliseum-West Virginia
Dean Smith Center (Dean Dome)-North Carolina
The Pit-New Mexico
Hilton Coliseum-Iowa State
Gallagher-Iba-Oklahoma State

There are other buildings throughout the nation that might be on the same level of crowd noise and intimidation, those mentioned stand out at the very top of the list.   

Basketball from a fans perspective 

Most Valuable Player
It’s early and we have no idea who will be named the 2017 NBA MVP.  This is what I find most interesting two of the three leading candidates played for the Thunder.  Kevin Durant-Warriors, James “Captain Obvious” Harden-Rockets and Russell Westbrook.  LeBron James, Steph Curry and Isaiah Thomas are definitely in the MVP mix and this is no intent to overlook them.   As for the three Durant, Harden and Westbrook I’m unsure if this scenario has ever played out at anytime in NBA history were three former teammates were all in the running MVP.  

Kentucky/NBA All Stars
Bleacher Report indicate 28 players have been drafted since John Calipari took over the program at Kentucky.  He put together his all-time starting five and it allows us to see how talented Kentucky’s been over the years.

Anthony Davis
Boogie Cousins
Karl-Anthony Towns
Devin Booker
John Wall

I don’t know if this team is capable of winning an NBA Championship but they might come close.  For my satisfaction I’m adding these reserves to Calipari’s first five.   

Willie Cauley-Stein
Eric Bledsoe
Enes Kanter
Nerlens Noel
Julius Randle   

Set up for failure?
There is nothing wrong with confidence, being confident in our ability has taken many of us quite far.  At the same time it sometimes places more pressure on an individual than necessary. I always want to believe in the best until its proven you aren’t.  Lavar Ball father of Lonzo says his son “Will be better than Stephen Curry.”  I’m sure the statement is believable coming from Lonzo’s dad however he’s placing a great deal of pressure on his son don’t you think?  Lonzo has a funky shot which I’ve mentioned previously however he’s got NBA passing skills.  

I guess this type of statement is to be expected from a dad who saw nothing wrong in the performance of LaMelo Ball.  The Chino Hills sophomore and youngest brother of Lonzo have been known to take half court shots when not required.  In addition LaMelo scored 92 points in a game he rarely went past half court.  Video indicated he likely played little defense cherry picking baskets.  Back to older brother Lonzo I hope he is a good as dad advertises I just hope he’s not placing too much pressure on him.  Steph is pretty doggone good, if he is truly better than Steph that’s saying a whole lot.

The D-League
Commissioner Silver indicates the NBA is looking to eventually expand to a 30-team league.  At the present time there are 22 teams geographically placed from the Pacific coast line to the Atlantic Ocean the U.S. Canadian border on the north and the U.S. Mexico border on the south.  Three expansion teams will be added in 2017-18 as for the additional teams to make 30 there is no indication of their intended location.    

Please stop
I’m tired of listening to discussions of the feud between Durant and Westbrook.  We get it they are no longer BFF’s, maybe they never were.  This feud (if we can call it that) has reached an overload point for me.  I hope to never again write of this unless the two sit down and acknowledge this issue is resolved.   

Basketball from a fans perspective 

They beat out Kansas!
Trae Young is a five-star point guard prospect in the Class of 2017.  He‘s rated the 14 best player in the nation, until Thursday he remained one of the last of high profile uncommitted prospects. Young’s made his decision known, he turned down Kansas and a number of other high profile programs choosing to play for Oklahoma.  Did I happened to mention Young lives in Oklahoma in fact the City of Norman home to the University of Oklahoma?

You didn’t really believe Lon Kruger was going to allow Young to “escape” and head north to play for Kansas did you?  Reading comments from the Topeka Capital Journal a couple of letter writers believe this is not shocking news considering Young is from Oklahoma.  I maintain it is a big deal because Kansas attracts talent from all over the nation and internationally so to me it is a big deal.   

Harbinger of gloom

That’s me, however allow me to briefly explain, the youthful and young adult me loved All-Star time. I really enjoyed seeing all the players competing against one another on the basketball court. Now I enjoy and look forward to to the Rookie Challenge, skills competition and slam-dunk contest more than the game itself.  That’s down right heresy for someone claiming to be an NBA fan enjoying those events more than the game.  It’s certainly an honor for the players selected to play in the All-Star game as for me the other events are more interesting.

Tell us what you really believe
You thought it was me; we have it from the mouth of a former player of his.  I’ve held the believe Glenn “Doc” Rivers is overrated as a coach.  I didn’t say he couldn’t coach I think he’s a good coach but great that’s open for debate.  We hear praises from all those connected to the NBA doesn’t matter if we are watching ESPN, TNT or NBA TV.   Glen “Big Baby” Davis thinks Rivers merits as a coach are inflated due to a single NBA Championship.      

Davis should know first hand, he played for Rivers in Boston and Los Angeles.  Rivers with the Celtics won the 2008 NBA Championship with the trio of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. The next year with the same roster the Celtics would lose in the semi-finals, Rivers has coached the Clippers since 2013.  The Clippers have made the playoffs every year under Rivers but has never played for the Western Conference Championship.    

They are (just as) capable
Those who report the sport we trust are knowledgeable and capable.  That’s all we ask with the following exception those delivering our basketball news must be male.  Allow me to inform you where I’m coming from, in an earlier time all we wanted from women in sports television was to be attractive never mind if they had little knowledge of the game.  Case in point I once read the pretty face at the NFL desk back in the 1960’s was providing scores and said; ‘Cowboys 16 Chiefs 24’ instead of the winning team first.   We begin this account with four media members.  Ramona Shelburne in the role of reporter and writer has worked for ESPN since 2009; she’s covered the NBA and the Lakers.  

This former college softball player is quite knowledgeable regarding basketball and has been found to be accurate and concise in her reporting.  Also working at ESPN is analyst Doris Burke a former point guard at Providence.  She first began her broadcast career in radio covering her alma mater.  Burke has served in the role of analyst for ESPN covering the WNBA in 1997.  In 2000 she became the first woman to serve as analyst covering the Knicks.  For the last two years she has been visible providing insight on ESPN’s NBA telecasts.  

Brooke Weisbrod similar to Burke has served as analyst for the men and women’s game.  This former Coastal Carolina basketball player has worked for WGN, Fox, Big Ten and the ESPN family of channels.  She is quite knowledgeable regarding the game and offers expert commentary. Rachel Nichols serves as host for ESPN’ program ‘The Jump’ on the air for the year two.  She too handles her job in an exemplary manner interviewing and asking probing questions of her guests’ former NBA players.  These are but a few women covering men’s basketball and the majority perform their role admirably they are just not male.  Unfortunately we tend to judge their competency by how they appear on screen not their knowledge.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Rumors
The NBA is always wild with rumors a number I like and others leave me cold that is the case with this one. You may have read Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook were “headed to the Lakers.” IF this were to occur I would love to have Davis become a Laker as for Westbrook that’s another story.  Before you begin throwing rocks at me why one player and not the other you ask?  I’m unsure at this point how good D’Angelo Russell or Jordan Clarkson might become.

It‘s possible neither Russell or Clarkson reaches the all-around level of a Westbrook.  This is the difference for me the 6-11 Davis with his rebounding skill; scoring and defense are more valuable to me than adding Westbrook.  Russell and Clarkson might not be double digit assist men however combined both would equal the assist output of Westbrook.  There I said it doesn’t make it correct however I’ve taken a stand how about you?

Did I exaggerate?
Yes probably so but I believe it served a purpose, I held a conversation the other day with an acquaintance I believed followed the NBA and college game.  I mentioned the June draft and realizing he was a Celtics fan said; “You think the Celtics would draft Lonzo Ball with Isisah Thomas at the point.”  I was shocked when he informed me he had no idea who Lonzo Ball was.  I said; “He’s Magic Johnson” and he said “Oh.”

Okay I did exaggerate to a degree the UCLA point guard has a funky shot but it goes in the basket.  I’m unsure it he makes an adjustment once he arrives in the NBA as for Ball’s passing skills I believe he’s NBA-ready.  We ended our conversation when I mentioned Ball was a freshman.  He said; “There’s no guarantee he’s leaving school early.”  I nodded my head in agreement but thought “Is there a valid reason for him to remain in school if he’s informed he’ll be drafted?  

Pre-season tournament
I’d like to see this occur however it’s highly unlikely.  The State of Missouri has five Division I schools, Mizzou, Missouri State, St. Louis University, Southeast Missouri State and University of Mo-Kansas City. It would be interesting if the schools participated in a pre-season round robin tournament each year.  It could be rotated between St. Louis and Kansas City annually. I believe in advance Mizzou might refuse to participate in such a tournament however the other schools could go it alone and still maintain effective matches, just a thought.    

Forbes says
The Forbes publication is often cited as a source of financial wealth for billionaires, celebrities and corporations.  It’s also utilized as the resource for player salaries of all major sports and the value of those franchises.  I found it interesting the two most valuable NBA franchises are not very good on the basketball court currently.  The Knicks of New York are the most highly valued NBA franchise Forbes places the net worth value at $3.3 billion dollars.  Right behind the Knicks in second place in value are the Lakers at $3 billion.  

Basketball from a fans perspective 

“Is it the shoes, it must be the shoes”
If you are a certain age you might remember the name Mars Blackmon.  Number one Knicks fan, movie director/producer Spike Lee originated the character in one of his movies.  He later introduced the character to an even larger audience in a number of Nike commercials featuring Michael Jordan.  The commercial might change but Blackmon always questioned MJ how he was able to fly, Nike was already the leader in shoe sales however it’s my belief the commercials were key.  MJ’s play on the court propelled Nike and Air Jordan into a lead in shoe sales one that exists to this very day.  Which shoe is the best I decided to check in with Rob Stewart who played at Mizzou in 2002-2003.  Rob continues to hoop spreading the gospel on the court and at church in Columbia (MO).  I wanted him to provide us some shoe history.

Me:  “Back in the day all players even those in the NBA wore hi-tops now it seems mid and low cut have become the norm.”  

Rob:  “When I first began playing in middle school all we wore were high tops.”  

Me:  “What’s the best shoe on the market in your opinion?”

Rob:  “Right now I believe it’s the Adidas Boost.”

Me:  “The last figures I read indicate Nike has 90% of the shoe market sales world-wide.”

Rob:  “Not surprising I believe Nike is living off their reputation, Adidas sales point to its rapid rise in the marketplace.”  

Me:  “How about the support hi top versus low cut”

Rob:  “Ankle support and lateral movement are just as good with low tops available now”

Rob:  “Kevin Durant was considering signing with Under Armour if that had occurred along with Steph Curry being Under Armour well.”

Thanks Rob for the time you allowed me to pick your brain for basketball knowledge.  Hopefully I can utilize your basketball wisdom again at some future date.  

Speaking of
Kristaps Porzingis continues to play at a high level; he’s done this despite the up and down play of the Knicks.  He’s raised his scoring average from 14.3 to 18.5 points per game his rebounds are down slightly from 7.3 to 7.1 per game.  The  field goal percentage has risen from .421 to .451.  The one area down is free-throws, Porzingis shot 83% last year this year he’s at 78% so far this year.  

As always this is no predictor of stardom however I continue to laugh every time I witness his play or highlights.  Not laughing at him rather at Stephen A. Smith for last years rant.  The Knicks have not done a great deal correct in the last two seasons but drafting Porzingis is a slam dunk.  Smith didn’t think so the day after the draft he went off on the Knicks for drafting him and I’d bet money.  I doubt very seriously if Smith had actually seen any video of Porzingis game action.

Charles O.
The late owner of the A’s baseball team Charles O. Finley responded to the question with this answer.  The reporter said; “What does the initial O. stand for Finley responded Owner”?  That was years ago however he was an owner who believed in running his business and his baseball team. Over the years there have been a number of owners with the same mentality.  I believe part of it is the belief; “I built this company (corporation) I can do the same with my _____team.”  

Mark Cuban owner of the Mavs has been quite vocal over the years regarding NBA rules and officiating.  As for his team it appears Cuban allows his basketball people to run the Mavs despite his business acumen.  If we check NBA owners most are less visible than Cuban and primarily fill the role of chief cheer leader.  There are exceptions; I submit two names for consideration Vivek Ranadive Kings owner and Jim Buss co-owner of the Lakers.  Notice the Kings and Lakers are in the bottom portion of the NBA standings---wonder why?

Basketball from a fans perspective 

Detention
Remember when you got in trouble and had to remain in school after dismissal?  That‘s what occurred with former Knick Charles Oakley and “The Incident.”  After being arrested and placed on a “permanent ban” from MSG it’s suddenly been lifted, I didn’t read the story just the headline.  I believe the ban has been rescinded with Knicks playing but one (1) game.  Oakley is still seeking an apology, I’m reporting this story and it to shall never see the light of day again.

Injuries
If we have followed the NBA for any length of time we know injuries occur.  It’s always a teams hope the injury is not career ending or forcing an athlete to miss the season.  The Bucks Jabari Parker sustained an ACL tear thus ending his 2016-17 NBA season.  The Bucks contending for a playoff spot remain in the hunt however they might come up short now with this injur.  As this is written the Cavs announced Kevin Love will require surgery on his left knee sidelining him for 6 weeks.  Will the Cavs be able to adapt or maybe they swing a trade?

At the beginning of the season the Sixers believed Ben Simmons would lead him to the promised land. Simmons was sidelined and will likely appear on the court shortly after the All-Star break. Joy reigned supreme in Philly Joel Embiid was able to prove to fans why the wait was so important.  Now injuries have struck the Sixers again just as it appears Simmons arrives Embiid departs again.  The center has been sidelined for 12 games with an undetermined return date.   Injuries, injuries and more injuries, they can seriously impact a team’s progress.  

In my haste
Re-reading Words eye view after it’s published I come across errors.  Those who know me have brought the mistakes to my attention and they are corrected.  Most instances these are date and grammar miscues.  My desire is for the publication to be as error free as possible and once its on-line I recheck and attempt to locate and correct miscues.  Thank you for continuing to read Words and do me a favor pass the link to your friends.

Bits n Pieces
If you’ve read Words eye view any length of time you know me and free-throws.  I remind once again of the Rick Barry declaration ‘FREE THROW nobody is guarding you as you take the shot. Many of the players of today are average to poor shooters and I wonder why?  Do coaching staffs no longer take time for this vital portion of the game?  In this instance I’m speaking of the prep and college game, for the most part NBA shooters are better as they should be.  It takes a BIG MAN a longer period of time to adjust to the NBA than shorter players.  That’s the word we’ve been led to believe.  Based on that hypothesis there are at least two who get a pass on the season Thon Maker and Ivica Zubac.  The 7 foot Maker took one giant step from prep basketball right onto the Bucks roster.  He appears to have skill but is extremely raw.  As for Zubac, the Croatian youngster is also age 19 however he did play against men in the Adriatic League; despite this fact Zubac is raw as well.  

Two members of the Rivals Class of 2018 make it a family affair, both are 5-star prospects and the sons’ of former NBA players.  They could move up or down in the rating however they are the 14th and 16th rated prospects as this is written.  Bol Bol number 14 is a 7-1 prospect and the son of the late Manute Bol.  The elder Bol played in the NBA from 1985-1996. The son was attending high school in the metro area but is now at Mater Dei in Santa Ana (CA). Number 16 is Shareef O’Neal a 6-9 forward and the son of Shaquille O’Neal.  Shareef’s dad requires no update everybody knows Shaq.  Bol and Shareef have a number of scholarship offers on the table however no decision is yet made.    

To clear up one of my earlier statements my boycott is not a complete one.  It continues with local sports talk radio.  I listen to discussions on basketball from those in the media who report the story rather than becoming the STORY.  Here are just a few, the rotating panel on NBA TV, Ernie, Charles, Kenny and Shaq on TNT.  Andy Katz and Jay Bilas of ESPN along with Inside College Basketball on the CBS Sports Network.  The Dan Patrick Show is also a good source of information although at times it appears his program leans toward football.  

Black history moment
As progress occurred in hiring it was believed African Americans would become head coaches. The first hire in basketball wasn’t Bill Russell although many believe that to be the case.  Most thought it was 1966 when Red Auerbach moved into the front office and was replaced by number 6. The Cleveland Pipers of the American Basketball League hired the late John McClendon in 1962. McClendon had several coaching stops in his college career dating back to 1941.  

NOTE:  The Pipers were owned by George Steinbrenner who would later become owner of the baseball Yankees.  McClendon would later be hired by Cleveland State in 1967 which is now an NCAA Division I school.  In 1970 the late Will Robinson was hired as head coach by Illinois State thus becoming the first black coach at a Division I school.  Back to the NBA the Pistons hired former standout Ray Scott in 1972 and he would remain head coach until 1976.  The groundbreakers that provided proof they could coach the game at any level given an opportunity.  

Basketball from a fans perspective 

Last laugh
One more Warriors-Thunder stories, many Thunder fans showed up in cupcake T-shirts.  The cupcake thing dates back to former center Kendrick Perkins.  Perkins once said his Thunder teammates were “soft as cupcakes.“In any event the idea was to promote Kevin Durant “soft as a cupcake”.  Durant wasn’t the games high scorer that honor belonged to his former teammate Russell Westbrook.  Durant’s line on Saturday night read: 12-21 from the floor .571 3-6 on 3-point shots .500, 7-7 from the line along with 9 rebounds and 34 points.  Durant led the way in the Warriors 130-114 victory proving proof the T-shirts and boos failed to rattle him in the least bit.

And then the trolls
I have no medical training all I know is what I read.  I have no idea if a “Low grade meniscus tear in the left knee” calls for extended rest or the player might be sidelined for the remainder of the season.  The pronouncement was on SI.com’s NBA page and the player in question was the Sixers Joel Embiid.  Embiid has missed 11 games in a row after being an early leader in Rookie of the Year honors.  

The troll portion of this story I checked below for fan responses to the news.  This was the actual response from a writer.  “He should have kept his a-- in school.”  I thought for a minute does that make any kind of sense at all?  What could have prevented this injury from occurring if Embiid had remained at Kansas?  On second thought I just concluded he’s a troll just trying to get a reaction from a guy like me.  

“What in the Wide Wide World of Sport is going on here”
The line above was from the Mel Brooks 1974 western movie spoof “Blazing Saddles.”  We could ask the question what is going on in NYC with its basketball teams.  New York City has once again become a “black hole” for basketball.  Astronomy 101 says cosmic stuff goes into a black hole and disappears to never appear again.  The Nets and Knicks have been swallowed up by a black hole however unlike the real thing they have an opportunity to re-appear but not this year. The Nets move to Brooklyn and Barclays created excitement in the borough.  

A major league team had the borough name on its uniform for the first time since 1957.  Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Deron Williams on the roster the belief was the Nets would compete. They did for awhile but over the last couple of seasons have fallen back among the also-rans.  As for Spike Lee’s Knicks Kristaps Porzingis has been a plus that’s about all.  Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and others expected to improve play have not played as well as hoped.  It’s not over; Phil Jackson is agitating as only he can toward Carmelo Anthony.  It’s my belief he wants Carmelo to waive his no trade clause, as you can see despite two NBA teams neither is very competitive currently.  

Without trying
Do you realize (as this is written) the Warriors stand 46-8.  Last year during their record breaking year about this time frame they were 48-4, is it the Kevin Durant factor or something else that has the Warriors playing at nearly the same level?  Maybe they are just this good.    

Basketball from a fans perspective

Bromance--hardly
ABC really hyped the Warriors-Thunder match on Saturday which should have been expected. Much has been made since last summer of Durant’s move to the Warriors.  Most of it based on the fact its reported Durant “never attempted” to contact Russell Westbrook.  Stop a moment and consider a fact, the two were “co-workers” employees of the same business no reason for us to assume they had a bromance going on.

Question how many co-workers do you count as friends and how many do you consider employees of the company?  We human beings gravitate toward people of common interests. That’s not to call either Durant or Westbrook out they are likely polar opposites of one another. Point 1.  From my view Durant should have contacted Westbrook before moving west, was it mandatory to do-----NO!  Point 2.  This is a media driven feud and I am a willing participant by making a statement on it. 

The conversation
I held a conversation the other day with two other college basketball fans.  I said; “Despite the doom and gloom predictions of some we continue to see good college basketball.  Do to one n done and leaving early we’ll never see another 32-0 team.”  Both nodded in agreement with my statement.  John said; “I still don’t like the one n done rule.”  “I agree however it’s the NBA that is enforcing this rule not the colleges.

The choice was simple years ago Kobe, LeBron and others simply made no intention of heading to college.”  The college season is half over and Gonzaga remains undefeated Villanova, Cincinnati, St. Mary’s have only lost two games.  Kansas, Oregon, Baylor and others have only lost three. Traditional powers such as Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke and Louisville have not played as well but remain competitive.  There are others I’ve overlooked but I hope you get the point---the game is still the game.  

Changes in the game
The NBA game has evolved over the last several years; it didn’t occur at one time however it was a process.  Shoot-first point guards begin arriving in the NBA and the term ’combo’ guard came into common usage.  You know them, Curry, Westbrook, Lillard and others but wait all is not lost.  We also began hearing the term ‘stretch-four’ identifying a power forward able to shoot from distance out to the 3-point line.

NBA offenses moved from the inside to the outside however there are exceptions.  A number of teams defied the trend as a smaller number of talented Big Men arrived in the association.  The NFL is not the NFL of the 1960’s; baseball is not the same as it was played in 1930.  Why should we expect basketball to be played as it once was?  It’s my belief the game will continue to evolve in a variety of ways.  Teams with quality centers (Cousins, Towns) will continue to develop, at the same time combo guards will continue to arrive as well.  

I’m gonna give him a break
Tacko Fall is 7 feet 6 inches tall and 290 pounds, I’ve questioned his game believing his height and weight should provide a huge advantage.  Not so considering, Fall just turn 21 in December and its been reported he’s only been playing basketball since he was 16-years old. Most American kids and probably a number in Canada and Europe have been playing basketball since they were in elementary school.  Basketball is played in Senegal its likely youngsters are playing football (soccer) or some sport other than basketball.  NBA scouts have already taken note of Fall so he’s on their radar.  He needs to remain in college another two years to further develop the talent he’s exhibited thus far.    

The Jazz
I was never a fan of the team but like the Spurs respected them as winners.  I remember Stockton to Malone, I remember Jeff Horncek and I remember “Man Mountain” Mark Eaton.  It seemed when Coach Jerry Sloan left the helm succeeding coaches could not maintain the same level of play in Salt Lake.  All that appears to have changed with the arrival of Quin Snyder.  

I had issues at the time Snyder coached Mizzou however it appears he’s adapted his coaching style plus adding talent to the Jazz lineup.  Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert have led the way for this new and improved version of the Jazz.  As this is written they sit in 4th place in the Western Conference, the standings are not final we still have a ways to go.  They are ahead of the Thunder, Clippers and Grizzlies a few teams they once looked up at in the standings.