Basketball from a fans perspective
March Sadness
This is going to surprising account, written by a Mizzou fan with no malice intended. If you are Kansas basketball losing in the NCAA becomes more difficult. Whatever your connection to the Lawrence school you know the history. Kansas has dominated Big 12 basketball winning 13 consecutive conference championships. Kansas is accustomed to winning basketball with the exception of the NCAA Tournament. Bill Self is an accomplished coach his winning Kansas teams have allowed him the pick of the nation and world’s best talent. The NCAA Tournament is a “one n done” you don’t play well you lose, I wonder sometimes about the Kansas faithful.
As a Mizzou fan I’m jealous, over the last three years I’ve seen the other side---losing. Every year Kansas fans can expect and will witness 30 plus games. I’m going to provide you an example of why I quit listening to sports talk radio local or national. I tuned in Sunday morning to one of the two locals we have in Kansas City, I almost fell out of my chair with this statement. “Bill Self is pre-occupied with keeping the winning streak alive he’s not prepared for the
post-season.” What an amazingly brainless statement by a guy who gets paid to talk sports on the radio. An NCAA Championship certainly is a mark of success but not the only one.
A comparison
It appears Russell Westbrook will tie Oscar Robertson’s triple-double season, a comparison of the Cincinnati Royals and the Oklahoma City Thunder record is interesting. This is incomplete being written before the completion of the current NBA season. In 1961-62 the Royals finished the regular season 43-37 and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Pistons. It should be noted at that time the NBA season consisted of 80 games versus today’s 82. As this is written the Thunder stand 41-31, the Thunder sit in 6th place in the Western Conference which ensures they make the playoffs. Individual accolades aside where is your team positioned to win?
Paid his dues
Former Georgetown center and New York Knick Patrick Ewing has done it. Ewing’s piled up frequent flier miles interviewing for every other NBA head coaching job it appeared. John Thompson III was relieved of his duties after 13 years although he’d run a clean program he just didn’t win in recent years. A discussion on ESPN focused on the fact the school believes in keeping hires “in house.” Why not hire Ewing he checks the entire number of boxes. He’s a former Georgetown player, he’s been known to participate in recruiting when possible while playing in the NBA and later as an assistant coach. Whoever is in charge of hiring please consider Patrick Ewing.
Combo guard
Coach Luke Walton is making changes to the Laker lineup. One of the changes involves a change at the point guard position. Walton indicates (and I agree) D’Angelo Russell might be better suited as an off-guard rather than the point. In my view I believe it’s not a talent issue rather a decision issue, last year I could understand his indecision.
As a rookie point guard this season it’s a far different matter. I haven’t seen every game however it appears he’s a better shooter than decision maker. This might prove the Lakers need to draft a true point guard, whether it’s Lonzo Ball at UCLA or Dennis Smith North Carolina State. If the choice becomes Washington’s Markelle Fultz that’s okay too however I believe he’s more a shoot-first point guard than the other two.
