Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday-May through September
Still my team
I
didn’t have an opportunity to witness the entire game, but I was impressed,
stunned with the manner the Celtics beat up my playoff Sixers. The final score read 117-101 and it appeared
(the portion I saw) a boxing event.
Every time the Sixers appeared to throw a knockout punch the Celtics
would toss a counter-punch in their direction.
No Gordon Hayward, no Kyrie Irving and Monday no Jaylen Brown no matter,
Celtics stood in the gap. Terry Rozier,
Jason Tatum, Al Horford and Marcus Smart stepped into the gap. The trio of Simmons, Embiid and Redick didn’t
play that bad it’s a fact the Celtics had answers for every punch they
threw. I hope my Sixers can come back on
Thursday, the Celtics have been here before the Sixers…. well they need to
adjust.
The decision
Romeo
Langford was likely the last high-profile prospect in the Class of 2018 yet to
commit. He is no longer uncommitted as
of Monday April 30 when he announced he was headed to Indiana. The New Albany (IN) talent is a 6-foot 6-inch
195-pound shooting guard. His list of
awards and honors probably extends the length of his height.
McDonald’s
All American (2018)
Indiana
Mr. Basketball (2018)
First-team
Naismith High School All-American (2018)
Indiana
Gatorade Player of the Year (2018)
Indiana
All Star Team (2018)
Langford
rated the number 6 prospect by Rivals had reduced his list of prospective
schools to three, Vanderbilt, Kansas and Indiana. Lanford will travel about 105 miles I-65
north and 46-west to Bloomington home of Indiana University.
This Westbrook thing!
I
posed the question is Russell Westbrook a stat stuffer or a player? I got plenty of comment from acquaintances
and friends, I believe there is a misunderstanding with my statement. I never indicated Westbrook wasn’t talented, the
problem was blending his game to make his teammates better. The counter argument is “Westbrook can’t help it, he
passes the ball to teammates for open shots and sometimes they don’t make
them.” That statement is certainly
true however it’s his shooting that truly concerns me or rather the lack of accuracy.
During his NBA career he’s never shot
above .457 which isn’t awful however it slides downward once the playoffs
begin.
In
the recent series versus the Jazz Westbrook shot .398 from the floor, last
season witnessed him even lower at .388.
At times his aggressiveness leads him to believe there is no such thing
as a bad shot, there is despite his conviction.
I thought at one point he would tailor his game to better fit the talent
around him, at this stage of his NBA career that’s unlikely to occur he can’t
be Wilt Chamberlain. In a February 1968 game
Chamberlain had a 22 and 21 game, the second number 21 assists. The man holding all the NBA scoring numbers
had an assist game for the ages, in that game he also registered 25
rebounds.
I love it!
Jay
Wright’s success at Villanova (2 NCAA Championships in 3 years) provides us
proof. It offers evidence it’s unnecessary
to recruit one and done athletes to attain success on the basketball
court. Don’t confuse my statement I’m
quite sure Wright is willing to recruit any athlete he believes would
aid Villanova. It’s just the fact
McDonald’s All-Americans are not a requirement for his program. It was reported early Jalen Brunson would be
a one and done player, his father a former NBA player. Brunson said: “He was there (Villanova) to
graduate.”
I’m
unsure if Calipari was the first but we’ll give him credit, coaches who
resisted recruiting one and done athletes relented. Rick Pitino at Louisville, Roy Williams at
North Carolina, Coach K. at Duke and others slowly changed and began recruiting
one and done players. With an NCAA
Championship won by Calipari, Williams and Coach K. one and done recruiting was
provided validation. I shouldn’t be
writing this; the NBA must change its policy allowing high school players in the draft once again.
