Basketball from a fans perspective

It’s great to win…..especially on the road

The Mizzou faithful (including yours truly) didn’t know what to expect, after all the Tigers were losers in three consecutive games and faced a tough Alabama team on the ROAD.  Turnovers continue to plague Mizzou however they shot much better from the field.  

Guard Kassius Robertson led the way scoring 22 points, forwards Jontay Porter (13 points) and Jeremiah Tilmon (12 points) aided the winning effort by Mizzou.  Alabama’s all-everything guard Collin Sexton led the way for the Crimson Tide with 23 points.  Next up for the Tigers is the tough Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday, congratulations are also in order for Coach Cuonzo Martin with his 200th career win.    

I don’t know everything related to basketball

And guess what neither do they, who are the they, those who populate the airways on television and radio.   I’d mentioned much earlier a local sports radio guy beat up Oklahoma Sooner Trae Young after his 48-point scoring game which his team lost.  The radio guy mentioned the turnovers and poor shot selection by Young in the game against Oklahoma State, I decided to re-visit the box.  Young had 8 assists plus 7 turnovers but what we don’t know how many of those 7 turnovers were “good” passes his teammates might have fumbled out of bounds.  I thought Young himself might have had the best comeback, he said: “I’m 19-years old”, and this time last year he was playing basketball in high school. 

One more note in closing, this radio host failed to consider the 48-point game was an 83-81 overtime loss, what might have occurred if his teammates turned even two or three of those turnovers into made baskets.  Finally consider this, if Trae Young is such a disappointment (at least to this radio guy) why have ALL the mock draft sites list him as a lottery pick.  Does this radio host know something these other guys don’t?  It should also be of note this same host who was praising Bill Self previously appear to be highly critical of Self after the loss.  He said over and over leaving a poor free throw shooter in the game and Kansas played little offense the last 3:00 minutes or so.  

Motor City crew

The new-look Pistons with Blake Griffin could be much improved, I heard the reasons behind the trade was twofold.  (1.) They were playing in a brand-new arena and (2) their fast start has turned into a crawl.  The downside to the trade is the injury factor, Griffin talented and all is a huge injury risk.  In his rookie year 2010-11 played in all 82 games.  The 2012-13 and 2013-14 season indicates Griffin played 80 games, the balance of his career large portions of his season are missing…..can we say injury prone?  This trade could be beneficial to him and the Pistons if he can manage to remain on the basketball court.   

What is he sayin’ now?

I wrote awhile back I listen to every other statement by TNT’s Charles Barkley.  The “Mouth of the South” sometimes is forced to eat his words.  Earlier in the season he was constantly whining how terrible the Lakers were.  He went on to state he didn’t know why they were on TV as much as they were.  I could explain it to Charles but its likely he’d disagree with me. 

As for the terrible part this is written January 27 and will likely change by the time you read it.  The Lakers are not good, but they are not “terrible”. If Mr. Barkley would check the standings every now and then he’d discover this fact.  Although beset by injuries at time to key teammates plus competing in the Western Conference they are not in last place.  Truth is they wouldn’t be in last place in the Eastern Conference either, I realize Charles you are a Laker hater and that’s okay.