Basketball from a fans perspective
The second season
So it begins 4 NBA playoff games today and 4 on Sunday. Indiana at Cleveland kick it off today at 2:00 p.m. central time followed by Milwaukee at Toronto. In the nightcap Memphis will be at San Antonio while Utah at the Clippers close out Saturday night. On Sunday its Atlanta at Washington 12:00 p.m. central followed by Portland at Golden State. Sunday evening finds Chicago at Boston and later the top MVP candidates Westbrook and Harden face one another from the Toyota Center in Houston.
I need blinders
Or I should quit reading stuff that confirms my suspension of a subject. Earlier I congratulated Russell Westbrook for tying Oscar Robertson’s triple-double record however I maintain I have issues with Westbrook‘s game. In one of the closing game Suns players claim they were aware Westbrook was close to the assist record because he was passing up open shots to distribute the ball. If you score, assist or rebound in the course of the game nothing wrong with that. I stated earlier a number of fans referred to Westbrook as a “stat stuffer.” Sorry Westbrook fans my choice for 2017 MVP plays his basketball in H-Town at the Toyota Center.
Where are the Big Men
They are out there its just seeing the talent and developing it. Coaches claim it’s more difficult to develop a Big Man’s game than other positions. There was a young man walking the halls of a high school, as the story goes the PE teacher also served as the school’s basketball coach. He saw this skinny 6-7 freshman walking the halls one day. The youngster had little interest in playing basketball but all the coach could see was potential. He transferred the young man into his PE class and began working with him on drills to improve his coordination and agility. .
By his senior year this young man had grown to 7-1 and improved to the point a D-I school offered a basketball scholarship. I’ve long believed the lack of Big Men can be laid at the feet of Dirk Nowitzki it’s his fault. Almost 20 years ago at the time 7-foot Dirk came into the NBA he played power forward not center. He became proficient at shooting drifted out to the 3-point line. Players 6-11 and taller came into the NBA as power forwards rather than back to the basket centers. To borrow a theme from the old television series X-Files “The truth is out There.” Big Men are out there they just need to be located and developed.
“Say my name”
This is no reference to the Beyonce/Destiny’s Child hit from 1999 I‘m not braggin but in 2015 I did say his name it was Kristaps Porzingis. Did I know how good a player he might turn out to be? No, I‘m not that good I was aware of his name (couldn’t pronounce it correctly) but was aware prior to the draft unlike a number in the media. The growth of the international game always produces potential talent in each year’s draft.
At the top of most mock drafts is Frank Ntilikina a 6-5 190 pound point guard, he’s got an unusual journey. Ntilikina born in Belgium his family emigrated from Rwanda but he was raised in France. It’s possible he might be drafted and stashed in Europe if it’s believed he’s not NBA ready. Ntilikina is likely a lottery pick so we shall see what occurs in June. The second Euro player drafted will be Isaiah Hartenstein of Germany; he’s a 7 foot power forward. At this point if one or both are drafted don’t be a “Stephen A. Smith” yelling and screaming about who is this guy?
