Basketball from a fans perspective
Let’s play this…….
Everything must fall into place for the Cavs to draft Michael Porter Jr of Mizzou. Most 2018 mock draft sites list Jr. as the number one choice. First the youngster must clearly demonstrate he’s a top prospect. Currently he’s got the “Ben Simmons” factor to deal with; we believe he’s going to be a good player however we have questions. I wrote previously Simmons played well his freshman year at LSU however there were problems.
Bad coaching and bad team play produced a slightly above average record for LSU. The barely.500 record caused LSU to miss any opportunity for post-season play. The Cavs have the Brooklyn pick and we guess the Nets must finish with the worst record or somewhat close. What if the Nets play better than expected no NBA Championship or even playoff but exceed projections. Jr. would be drafted however it might be a team other than the Cavs.
NBA owners (and NBA fans)
As I see the continued controversy swirling around NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick I wonder, I question how the events might have played out if the QB played in the NBA rather than the NFL. Kapernick cannot seem to latch on with a team despite what many have told me he remains a talent. I believe a number of NBA owners (and some of the fans) would not appreciate the stance he’s taking not standing during the nations’ national anthem. In an earlier time period Mahmoud Abdu-Rauf (Chris Jackson) refused to stand for the national anthem as well.
After first suspending him Adul-Rauf returned but controversy continued to surround him. Many might hold the belief Abdul-Rauf was “forced” from the NBA in 2000-01 for the stance he took. Over the course of its history the NBA has suspended and in some cases banned a number of players for infractions. “The Malice in the Palace” the fight between the Pacers and Pistons in November 2004 was an embarrassment to the league. In the 1970’s the NBA had a drug issue with a number of its players. I have no method of proving my hypothesis but believe if Kaepernick played in the NBA it’s likely this is not a point of discussion after a year’s time.
“Revenge is a dish best served cold”
Imagine my shock when I discovered the quote didn’t originate in the 1982 movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. In this case it might not be revenge but it is certainly respect Frank Ntilikina believes he’s not receiving. Ntilikina thinks he’s got something to prove, The New York Post indicates many of his fellow rookies think little of Ntilikina despite the fact he was the 8th pick in the first round of the 2017 draft. The 6-5 point guard from France spent the last 3 years playing for SIG Strasbourg and believes he’s ready for the rigors of NBA play despite the belief held by others. He’s another player I plan on closely watching during the upcoming season.
They didn’t do it!
Awhile back I compiled a list of the very best Laker coaches in history. 16 NBA Championships and numerous playoff appearances there have been few bad coaches sitting in the lead chair. A few who given time proved they were not up to the task, they are in order. I’ve excluded a number of interim coaches because they were only intended to fill the postion until a permanent head coach was hired.
1. Byron Scott 2014-16 38 wins 126 losses .227
2. Randy Pfund 1992-94 66 wins 80 losses .452
3. Mike Brown 2011-12 42 wins 29 losses .591
Go back and read my “Best of the Best” coaches, there were five. After careful research and excluding interim or short-term coaches Scott, Pfund and Brown become the select few. I expected Scott to succeed however he might have been too old school for many of his millennial team. I don’t remember much about Randy Pfund as for Mike Brown this this might be a surprise too. Brown is the only one of the three with a winning record but appeared to lose control of the team.
Maybe it was the Kobe Bryant factor or something else that caused Brown to be included in this group. Are you surprised Mike D’Antoni isn’t in the number? Although I’m no fan of this coach the team was not terrible and D’Antoni was not close to being fired he resigned when the team would not give him an extension. Although Luke Walton’s record is not good I’m going to allow him time to build HIS team. If he’s unable to turn the Lakers around he might find company with Scott, Pfund and Brown.
