Basketball from a fans perspective

We are there 
The match we believed would occur all along is upon us, Thursday Jun 1 it begins.  The Cavs losers of one game during their playoff run and the Warriors suffering not a single loss.  Along the way LeBron James managed to break Michael Jordan’s all-time playoff scoring record extremely noteworthy.  Does America have a favorite between the two?  I’m unable to answer the question however I believe we are in for an NBA Championship of epic proportions.  

I’m going to take liberty with the classic 1950 Betty Davis line from “All about Eve.”  Davis stated at one point during the movie; “Fasten your seat belts its going to be a bumpy night (championship run).”  Someone might say I’m scared because I refuse to choose one team over another.  It is TRUE I have no idea who wins this series before it begins, there are others much braver than me ask them for a winner.    

Returning to school
We covered the news earlier Tacko Fall was returning to Central Florida for his junior year. Another high profile athlete made the news choosing to also return to school.  Hamidou Diallo was enrolled at Kentucky but did not play this past season.  The 6-5 Diallo decided to access his draft status in early May so he decided to attend the NBA Combine in Chicago.  

Diallo would register the highest vertical leap in Combine history but that feat alone would not convince him he was ready for the NBA.  He was informed it was likely he would be a late first round pick and may have been the deciding factor in Diallo returning to Kentucky. Even more interesting he should add to the talent pool for the Wildcats this upcoming season.  

Is it over?
Carmelo Anthony’s life off the court and on it appears troubled over the last several months.  I’m not going to cover the personal side because I believe that’s his personal space.  As for the Knicks it seems Phil Jackson has “traded” Carmelo in the media throughout this past season. He will turn 32 at the end of May so he should have 2-3 productive years remaining in his NBA career.  

Two issues, Carmelo has a huge contract which another team must absorb in a trade.  As for the trade portion Carmelo has a no-trade provision in his contract.  He could be traded to the Celtics but ultimately refuse the trade.  The Knicks want to receive warm bodies whether through a trade or free-agency.  We shall see how this plays out.  

This is bothersome…..
You might think Mizzou is playing with the Big Boys that include Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina and Kansas.  The announcement of Jontay Porter to Mizzou caused the letters to come flying in once again.  Mizzou basketball has been downright terrible for the last three years from reading the letters you’d believe otherwise.  I’m not going to detail the critical remarks however I’d like to refer those writers to Kansas basketball and the late Ed Manning.  Manning had a very talented high school son you might remember the son’s name ------Danny.  

Ed was a teammate of head coach Larry Brown at the time both were in the ABA.  Brown hires Manning and Danny enrolls at Kansas where he became an All-American.  Danny played his first game for Kansas in 1988 and led his Jayhawks to the 1988 NCAA Championship.  I’m unsure if this was the first father-son combo to join as assistant coach and player however check the date this occurred.  Those critics of Mizzou’s actions all I can say is get a life please. This is not the first time as evidenced above and it’s highly unlikely it will be the last.  

May 2017
The tandem of Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak are no longer in place.  It was late winter when Laker President took control of the team removing her brother and firing long-time GM Kupchak.  It was April of 2016 when the tandem of J. Buss and Kupchak declined the option on Coach Byron Scott. Why are we again discussing this over a year after Scott was let go?  

I checked the CBSSport.com NBA page and there it was; “Ex-Lakers coach feel betrayed by team.”  Scott was one of my favorite Laker players and I said as much.  The problem he wasn’t a very good coach and his record proves it.  This is my belief; those in charge last year are no longer in place so why do we continue to discuss this issue now?