BASKETBALL FROM A FANS PERSPECTIVE

Dinosaurs still exist today
No, dinosaurs no longer exist however actions of the NCAA certainly represent ancient and out of date thought processes at times.  Mark Emmert president of this entity is paid large sums of money to head this organization responsible for oversight of collegiate sports.  The NCAA often operates as “arresting officer, prosecuting attorney and judge” in a variety of cases.  Let’s just check out the first case Silvio De Sousa you remember him, don’t you? 

De Sousa was suspended by Kansas on October 24, 2018 until a judgement was rendered regarding his eligibility.  Money was reported to have been exchanged between a family member and Adidas.  Coach Bill Self testified indicating he knew nothing of the issue, the same statement was made by De Sousa.  Okay, that’s clear let’s investigate, that was last October we are two days from February 1.  It’s been 90+ days and a judgement is yet to be rendered on De Sousa’s eligibility. 

Dinosaurs NCAA is a slow-moving body in a manner like the extinct reptiles from the Mesozoic era.  The second case grew out of the Adidas trial of which De Sousa was part of.  Although the trial has long concluded the NCAA announced punishment would be forthcoming after the championship tournament.  Hmmmm, wonder why if there are guilty parties we must wait until April for a decision?  Oh, the NCAA’s Big Cash Cow the tournament, never mind I’ve got an idea now.            
He’s still only 23-years old
Jahlil Okafor disappeared in basketballs version of “The Bermuda Triangle.”  You remember him, after a year at Duke he was made the 3^rd pick in the 2015 draft by the Sixers.  Okafor at 6 foot 11 and 275 pounds had decent numbers (17.5 ppg and 7.0 rebounds) for this big man rookie.  The next two seasons Okafor appeared to lose step, by then a healthy Embiid had replaced him in the Sixer lineup.  In December of 2017 Okafor was traded to the Brooklyn Nets but appeared in only 20 games for the balance of the season. 

After his season concluded he became a free-agent and decided to sign with the Pelicans for the 2018-19 season, once again he occupied a spot at the end of the bench. Injuries will sometimes allow a player to move from a reserve role to playing starter minutes.  Anthony Davis suffered an injured finger in early January allowing Okafor to move into his position.  Okafor has scored in double-figures for 5 consecutive games, is it possible an NBA career has been resurrected?  It’s far too early to access a change however he looks good thus far.  Okafor led the way with 27 points and 12 rebounds as the Pelicans beat the Rockets 121-116.  

Jack Nicholson or Spike Lee seats
If you’ve watched a Knicks or Lakers game on television at some point a camera will sometimes focus on entertainers Jack Nicholson or Spike Lee, they are seated in courtside seats near team benches.  The seats at Staples are about $2,200 which is probably equal to those in Madison Square Garden.  They are not good seats, you asked how I know? I received complimentary tickets to a Mizzou-Georgetown game at Sprint Center several years ago. 

Our seats were two rows behind the television broadcast crew, and I discovered a fact.  Although close to the action so to speak there are disadvantages, big guys block your view, official’s get in your line of sight.  I discovered seated up higher is much better, I’m not talking nose bleed seating about half way up and mid-court in most arenas is adequate.  Don’t get me wrong if I had enough disposable income, I could do Jack Nicholson/Spike Lee seats. 

This is different
Several NBA athletes have been drafted from Murray State.  Forward Popeye Jones was drafted in 1992 by the Mavs and played for several NBA teams, he retired in 2004 from the Warriors.  In 2013 the Rockets drafted point guard Isaiah Canaan, he now plays for the Wolves.  The next Murray State NBA player drafted will be Ja Morant in June.  Who is Morant, we’ve mentioned on more than one occasion the rise of Murray State’s in the 2019 NBA mock draft?  NBADraft.net’s mock site is updated weekly so it’s impossible to check Morant’s listing at the beginning of the collegiate season.  The next best thing is to check the site and Aran Smith’s 2018 Big Board: Top 100 Prospects. 

Morant is a sophomore which says he should have been on Smith’s list for 2018.  Guess what, I checked the list 3 times to ensure I didn’t miss Morant’s name.  Sure, enough he was nowhere to be found on the list.  The rise from an “unknown” to the number 2 position is quite an indication in the growth of his game, did NBA scouts suddenly discover Morant?  We can’t be sure on that question however that would appear to be the case.  In addition to fantastic hops Morant scores but dishes out assists too.  Although he’s scoring at a 24 point per game clip, he leads Division I teams in assists with 10.5 a game.  As usual the disclaimer appears at this point, this is no indication of future stardom its simply intended to profile budding NBA future talent. 

BASKETBALL FROM A FANS PERSPECTIVE

Kansas basketball
Kansas losing to Kentucky in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge wasn’t shocking.  Two teams believed to be evenly matched and the Wildcats turned out to be the winner.  Kansas losing to Texas on Tuesday night might not move the needle on the Richter scale, but it is significant.  The Longhorns have been disappointing this season to say the least and the Jayhawks were still number 11 in the nation. 

The final score (73-63) is really no indicator of game action, Kansas outshot Texas but appeared slow and out of step throughout the match.  I changed channels at a point and did not see the entire game.  It’s my belief once Kansas fell behind, they never caught up, at times they were only behind by a single point but never recovered.  Kansas City (MO) and former Oak Park High School guard Ochai Agbaji led the way for the Jayhawks with 24 points. 

Shaquille O’Neal
The Lakers signed free-agent Shaquille O’Neal in 1996, his signing would prove significant.  Shaq blended with young Kobe Bryant and others would result in 3 NBA championships and numerous playoff appearances.  Last summer free-agent LeBron James shocked the world when he cast his lot with the Lakers.  We are now hearing the names Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson mentioned in connection with the Lakers.  Is this the technique now to build a championship quality team today?  NBA teams appear no longer willing to construct a team through the NBA draft. 

Captain Speculation
The Captain is ready to discuss Anthony Davis and his request to be traded.  Do you remember last year everyone was reporting Kawhi Leonard wanted the Lakers.  Later it was said “He wanted Southern California” which meant the Clippers would be included in the picture too.  Fast forward to this season, different player but we hear the same interpretation, this time its Anthony Davis who wants the Lakers.  In a similar manner to a year ago we hear other teams mentioned but it’s the Lakers, Lakers, and Lakers.  Let’s just see out this story plays out over the next several months.  

“When it rains it pours”
The adage above simply states “When things go bad sometimes, they can get worst”, that might be the case for Mizzou basketball over the next two weeks.  An OT loss to number 25 LSU last Saturday, on Wednesday they travel to Alabama to play number 16 Auburn.  On Saturday Mizzou plays Vanderbilt at home and then a week from Tuesday number 1 Tennessee at Knoxville.  

There are questions    
As draft time approaches NBA teams must come to a decision.  The choice might be late as whose available on their list at the time a decision must be made.  There were questions regarding Bol Bol leading into his freshman season at Oregon, they have grown since his injury.  Big men with foot problems cause alarm bells to go off, will this issue linger, and impact develop of the player.  There were a multitude of big men but Zydrunas Ilgauskas is the first to come to mind.  Drafted by the Cavs in 1996 he played 81 games in his rookie year. 

For the next three seasons a series of foot and ankle injuries kept him on and out of the lineup for periods of the season.  Ilgauskas checked in at 260 pounds Bol is a reported 236 pounds on a 7-foot 3-inch body.  Other than the physical questions the remainder relate to Bol’s work ethic and skill.  In his 9 games Bol provided evidence he could score (21.0 ppg), he also had a variety of moves around the basket far beyond most men of his height.  Like last season with Michael Porter Jr. in the draft this one will also contain an injured player with plenty of PO-TEN-TIAL.  

BASKETBALL FROM A FANS PERSPECTIVE

Breaking News
It finally occurred, what had been just talk and rumor became official early Monday morning.  Pelican power forward Anthony Davis says he will not re-sign with the team through his agent Rich Paul, he desires a trade.  The teams who might be interested in retaining the services of Davis include the Celtics, Lakers and Knicks, the Celtics cannot be included in any immediate trade talk until summer.  Celtics are operating under the Rose Rule adopted as part of the 2011 collective bargaining agreement and named after Derrick. 

“The rule allows a player finishing his rookie contract to make 30 percent of a team’s salary cap---up from 25 percent---if he’s twice been voted an All-Star starter, twice been voted All-NBA or won an MVP award.” * Teams are only allowed one player who fits the standard, both Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis are Rose Rule players. 

Even more interesting another report indicated Davis “wanted a trade to a contender.”  The Lakers and the Knicks are certainly not contenders although the Lakers have LeBron James on their roster.  There is a thought, both cities represent tremendous business and commercial opportunities for an athlete.  You ask why, Davis would become a rental player for the balance of the 2019 NBA season.  Although I’ve appointed myself Captain Speculation, I’m leaving this pending move alone.  There are far too many moving parts to guess whether Davis is headed west, east or remains in New Orleans till July. 

*ESPN.com

This ain’t your grandfathers NBA
Did you notice the change, it’s been evident for quite a while?  NBA scoring continues an upward trend over the last several years.  At the other end of the spectrum the give up points easily.  The 21^st Century NBA is not Piston Bad Boys, MJ’s Bulls Celtics and Lakers defense.  Yes, even the Showtime Lakers would be included in a discussion on good NBA defensive teams. 

Those teams in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s and earlier prided themselves regarding team defense.  If you check the current standings, not a single NBA team is holding the opposition below 100 points a game.  The Pistons and Bulls regularly gave us less than 100 points a game for the season.  Take note even top teams Warriors, Raptors, Nuggets and Pacers all have point totals exceeding the century mark.  We’ll guess what, fans love scoring so this fits right in with today’s fans. 

Number 77
Luka Doncic supplanted LeBron James on Sunday evening, unfortunately his stellar game failed to bring about a win.  The Mavs lost to the Raptors 123-120 despite 35 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists by Doncic.  Where did he surpass LeBron you ask, Doncic becomes the youngest player in NBA history with a triple-double of 30 points.  LeBron had accomplished a triple-double at the age of 20 years.  Doncic is still a teen, he won’t turn 20-years of age until February 28.  Doncic and years earlier LeBron faced the same situation …. bad teams.  Being drafted by below average teams allowed them to move into their team’s starting lineup as rookies. 

Remember him?
Thon Maker wanted the NBA badly, since being drafted in 2016 by the Milwaukee Bucks he’s become “The Invisible Man.”  Sure, we know he’s on the roster, but he hardly ever plays and that’s the problem.  Maker has taken quite a life journey to the NBA, his family fled from the violence in Sudan moving first to Australia.  From the Land Down Under it was Louisiana in the U.S. and then Virginia and finally the Athletic institute in Canada.  The 7-foot 1-inch Maker made it into the NBA a year early, with the moves he’d spent an extra year in high school and petitioned the NBA for inclusion in the draft. 

The Bucks made him the 10^th pick in the first round of the 2016 draft.  He’s undergone a life-journey that has taken himself half way around the world to the NBA.  With a coaching change Maker’s seen less and less playing time.  As with many of today’s NBA athletes we discover the concerns through the media.  Maker’s agent indicates his client desires a trade to gain more playing time.  Will the Bucks honor his request by trading him?  We must wait for the outcome which is still unresolved at this time.         

BASKETBALL FROM A FANS PERSPECTIVE

Injuries
We all remember first hearing the term, “Injuries are part of the game.”  It’s true they are, the Lakers have faced the issue with LeBron James and later Lonzo Ball being sidelined.  There are others omitted however the worst tragedy is those causing an athlete to miss the season.  That’s the case for Pacer guard Victor Oladipo, since he was acquired in a trade last season Oladipo has been the heart and soul of the Pacer team.  He suffered a ruptured quadriceps tendon in his right knee.  Rather than Google the term I will relay what I read thanks to CBSSports.com. 

They contacted a surgeon to discuss the injury, the short version Oladipo could be ready for the 2019-20 NBA season.  The long version says he will require months and months of rehab and even then, he might lose some of the explosiveness he once possessed.  The final issue is the mental part which relates to the prior sentence.  Will he be able to slam the ball or sprint down the court as he did prior to the injury?  Those questions and others cannot be answered until late August or early September.  This is one NBA fan who hopes Oladipo can return close to the form he exhibited prior to the injury. 

I listen
If you read Words eye view for any length of time you realize one thing.  I have a great deal of opinions, I must confess often the views expressed are a culmination of information from several of you.  That is the case here, I receive usable advice from a few friends who I perceive to have vast amounts of basketball knowledge.  In this instance my summation regarding Mizzou’s Jeremiah Tilmon Jr. is captured from various sources. 

At 6 foot 10 and 252 pounds when he’s on the court he often demands a double-team, that issue appears to be the crux of his foul problems.  It was mentioned during one telecast most of his fouls have come on offensive moves around the basket, Tilmon Jr. needs a big man coach.  I wonder who works with Tilmon Jr. on the Mizzou coaching staff?  Bottom line the talent is still there, as a sophomore he needs work on portions of his game.  Isn’t that the case with most athletes? 

“Free” throw
In the Warrior-Celtic game Draymon Green bricked two free-throws but managed to grab his errant shot.  He passed the ball to Steph Curry who was fouled with seconds remaining and the Warriors holding a two-point lead.  Curry stepped to the line and a graphic on the television screen indicated he’d recorded 42 free-throws in a row.  Naturally he sank both free-throws sealing the victory for the Warriors.  I thought for a moment how many “Draymons” have been saved by a sharp shooting teammate at the line.     

Curry is shooting .930 from the line but is not in first place this season, that honor belongs to Malcolm Brogdon of the Bucks at .961.  Brogdon averages 2.3 free-throw attempts and makes 2.3, as for Curry he averages 5 trips to the line per game and makes 4.6 of them.  There are six other NBA players shooting .900 and a very significant number at .800+.  We don’t discuss those below .800, EVERY NBA player should be at least at that level.  Hall of Fame honoree Rick Barry continues to stress it’s a free-throw, nobody is guarding you.  I subscribe to the Barry view and maintain there is little excuse for being poor at the line especially at the NBA level. 

The Sixers honor him
Many of us might have believed his number had already been retired, in this instance the reference is the Sixers and the late Moses Malone.  The number 2 Malone wore while a member of the team was not retired.  This number is special in that he was one of key pieces aiding the Sixers to win an NBA championship.  In February his jersey will be officially retired and hoisted to the rafters at Wells Fargo Center.  In addition, a statue of the big man will also be erected outdoors nearby.  Are you like me, “Isn’t his number retired already?” No not yet however this honor will be conferred for Malone soon.          

BASKETBALL FROM A FANS PERSPECTIVE

Don’t read anything that’s not there
It’s been reported Kawhi Leonard has purchased a $13.3 million home in Southern California.  Don’t read anything that’s not there, after all the Clippers also called the area home too.  In addition its not uncommon for NBA players to own more than one home.   

The barber shop
This is a basketball blog however there are exceptions, this is one.  It’s Saturday the first Saturday after the Chiefs lose to the Patriots.  The Chiefs lose was in the back of my mind, I was concerned what lies ahead the losing Lakers and Mizzou Tigers.  The two barbers were in the shop when I arrived along with 5 customers, others later drifted in.  The number of conversations going on at one time was interesting and entertaining. 

Occasionally a temporary truce occurred where one patron or the barber placed his view before the gathering.  Then it went back to a free-for all with several conversation’s occurring at the same time.  Another pause a Laker fan began discussing the team and a few others offered their view and then it was back to the Chiefs again.  I laughed all the way home after my haircut, the Saturday morning gathering provided me a great deal of entertainment.    

Keep an eye on him
A high school prospect to keep an eye out for future news is N'Faly Dante, he's a 7-foot 230-pound center.  Dante attends Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire Kansas near Wichita.  Rivals list him number 7 in the Class of 2020 and he’s attracting attention from schools throughout the nation.  This youngster is from the West African nation of Mali, he decided playing basketball on these shores would enhance his basketball skillfulness. 

It should be guaranteed the University of Kansas is one of many colleges seeking his services.  One report indicates he might re-classify and move into the Class of 2019, stay tuned for further developments on this story.  Dante offers further proof in the growth of the international game.  Witness the increasing number of basketball talent from Europe and African continents.

They had a point guard
The Lakers had a point guard, notice I said HAD.  The team drafted Lonzo Ball in 2017 however they drafted D’Angelo Russell with the second pick in the first round of the 2015 draft.  June of 2017 Russell and Timofey Mozgov were traded to the Nets, a few weeks later the Lakers drafted Ball.  What occurred, why did the Lakers find it necessary to trade Russell after such a short time.  The origin for the trade remains a mystery with this Laker fan. 

Russell was a shoot first point guard; his field goal percentage was not great but certainly higher to that of Ball.  The only trouble occurring was an issue with former Laker Nick “Swaggy P.”  The problem between the two players was of a personal nature and not connected with the team.  The trade to the Nets brought the Lakers a draft choice which turned out to be Kyle Kuzma so losing Russell wasn’t a total bust.  Based on the up and down career of Ball I’m unsure if this was a wise move, oh well no revisionist history for me.

BASKETBALL FROM A FANS PERSPECTIVE

The DVR
In my household between October and June regular scheduled television program is often missed.  I don’t watch much broadcast or cable programming; news and information channels comprise the bulk of my viewing other than sports.  I certainly watch other sports however they run a poor 2^nd or 3^rd compared to the game with the bouncing orange ball.  You ask what about the October to June timeframe its simple, those are the prime months basketball is on television broadcast and cable.  That is also the period my DVR becomes my favorite friend, I check the schedule usually the night prior to determine which games to view and the time.  Naturally Laker and Mizzou basketball take the lead however I have several other NBA and college teams worthy of time.  

Talk me down off the ledge
The term above is often used when a person takes a position and then must defend it despite a negative connection, I need fans to talk me down.  Why the pending leap, it’s all Jeremiah Tilmon’s fault?  Tilmon is very talented, he’s a 6-foot 10-inch 252 pound forward.  In Mizzou’s position less, roster Tilmon is the team’s center.  Despite his apparent talent Tilmon has difficulty remaining on the floor, here’s a recent example. 

In their game against Arkansas Tilmon had accumulated 10 points and an unknown number of rebounds along with a single foul by half-time.  Foul problems plus rest limited his second half performance yet he picked up 4 fouls and no points in the second half of the game.  In the games Tilmon manages to finish his scoring and rebound numbers are nearly double those he’s fouled out.  He’s fouled out of nearly half of Mizzou’s basketball games.  Is Tilmon as talented as I perceive or is, he just fooling me and other Mizzou fans?  

Drafted in the second round
Over the years the NBA draft has produced quite a few 2^nd round very talented athletes.  Let's begin with recently retired Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, the balance of players I located in my research could easily be considered a “Who’s who of NBA All-Pro and Hall of Fame athletes.”  I admit I’ve not witnessed the Nuggets Nikola Jokic play that often.  I’m looking at his stats only, they provide us an indication of his talent.  Now in his 4^th year this second round draft choice has seen his overall numbers rise every season.  Any time we discuss triple-doubles our focus is on guards and perhaps a few forwards, how about the center position? 

It’s easy to see why, generally guards control distribution of the ball, that’s not to say forwards and centers can’t perform the same feat they just often don’t.  Centers for the most part perform other tasks, rebounding the ball, clogging the lane and scoring the ball.  Keep in mind Jokic is not the first 7-footer to record a triple-double however he certainly produces them more frequently than many of the past and present-day centers.  Although Jokic is only in year 4 I saw a graphic indicating he’s in second place among 7 footers generating triple-doubles.    

Temporary stops
We believed the NBA career of Derrick Rose was over, after an MVP season and several years of stellar play for the Bulls injuries forced him to the sidelines.  Leaving the Bulls Rose had a couple of stops, Knicks and Cavs which further led us to believe it was over.  Rose began play last season for the Wolves and continued in 2018-19 in mostly a reserve role.  

Despite this role the point guard has distinguished himself on several occasions for the Wolves, on Sunday night he provided us one more example.  Rose came off the bench scoring 31 points shooting .500 from the floor, he was the spark that led to a 116-114 victory over the Suns with the game winning shot.  Rose is just 30-years of age so he should have several good years remaining in his career.

BASKETBALL FROM A FANS PERSPECTIVE

Isn’t this interesting
ESPN.com savant Jay Bilas listed his Top 68 teams, he’s done this in advance of March Madness.  His Top 10 teams contained the usual suspects except at number 9, Bilas placed the Buffalo Bulls in that position.  Yes, that's not a typo he meant what he said.   

One of these things is not like the other
It’s not that big a deal, it’s just words on a piece of paper, ESPN.com announced LaMelo Ball has been added to their Top 100 prospects for 2019.  As for Rivals.com they omit the “baby” Ball brother for the time being.  The key issue for the youngest Ball brother, does he have a future in the NBA?  That question remains unanswered for now, stay tuned.  

Where are you?
The 61-point performance by Rockets guard James Harden is noteworthy.  He’s averaged 52.2 ppg over a 5-game period.  The headline is for all those Kobe haters, why are you so silent now?  You certainly were willing to share with me your thoughts regarding the Laker guard’s “shoot-first” mentality.  Oh, I get it you just didn’t like Kobe for some reason, okay that’s cool.  Just wanted you to note there’s a guy around who shoots more than Kobe.

Your all-time team
I turned the channel to NBA TV and the studio host announced their all-time starting five team.  The problem we often include players we only know by reputation rather than play.  With that it’s still difficult to whittle your list down to five only.  You’ve got to leave somebody off your team that someone else might include.  It’s still fun although as fans we never produce the same team, with that said I’ve decided my team will contain 10 athletes rather than 5.  This is my list, consider your own.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Wilt Chamberlain
Larry Bird
Magic Johnson
Michael Jordan
Oscar Robertson
Julius Erving
Jerry West
Bill Russell
Shaquille O’Neal

Did you note my team is heavy laden with big men, it’s my list what about yours? 

Outstanding except for…….
This is a disclaimer, there is no attempt on my part to belittle this talented athlete, this is simply intended to point out areas needing improvement.  He stands 6 foot 7 inches and 285 pounds, we almost expect him to rip open his Duke jersey revealing his barrel chest and a huge S.  Is there nothing Zion Williamson cannot do, well there are a couple of things that will require work. 

His 3-point shot needs improvement, he’s shooting .270 and we realize the line is greater in the NBA.  Williamson’s 3 point and medium range shot need work, how about .675 from the free-throw line?  For 285 pounds Williamson is swift up and down the court, his defensive presence is certainly adequate.  Despite pointing out areas of his game requiring improvement there is no doubt, IF he leaves Duke, he’ll be the top draft choice in the June NBA draft.  Every season a phenomenal athlete emerges in the college game, this season it’s Zion Williamson. 

BASKETBALL FROM A FANS PERSPECTIVE

Hurt in the 5^th game
Darius Garland is a 6-foot 2-inch point guard who was playing at Vanderbilt.  Note the sentence says was, two minutes into his 5^th game Garland sustained a knee injury which forced him to the sidelines for the season.  The point guard declared for the 2019 draft, NBADraft.net indicates he’s liable to be a lottery pick.  If you are not familiar with Garland's name that’s easy to understand he’s played so little this season, NBA scouts are familiar with he and his game.  Garland joins Bol Bol of Oregon another freshman sitting out the season but declared for the draft.  

South Carolina born and raised
Allow me to explain the headline, Duke’s phenomenal freshman plays in North Carolina.  Flashy point guard Ja Morant is at Murray State in Kentucky.  NBADraft.net list Williamson one and Morant two in their latest mock draft and there is a further connection between the two athletes.  Both were born and raised in South Carolina, Williamson from Spartanburg (37,498 population) and Morant from Dalzell (2,260 population) 140 or so miles southeast of Spartanburg.  CBSSports.com indicates sophomore Morant and freshman Williamson while in high school were teammates on a regional AAU basketball team out of Columbia South Carolina. 

Battle for LA part II
I’m unsure if this is II or III of the Battle for LA however this is the basis for the battle.  Prior to the beginning of the 2018-19 NBA season I said, “The Lakers with LeBron would be the new kings of LA.”  I didn’t crown them NBA champs but indicated they would earn a playoff spot.  For the last few years the Clippers have been superior to my Lakers on the court.  Last season the Clippers missed the playoffs for the first time in recent memory. 

At the time the 2018-19 season kicked off the Clippers fooled me, they got off to a fast start while the Lakers were left at the starting blocks.  Somewhere around the first part of December the Lakers began to play better and were even up to 7^th place in the Western Conference.  We are now in the middle of January, LeBron’s injury has caused the Lakers to go into a tailspin.  As for the Clippers they have begun to slide downward as well.  If the season were to end January 23, 2019 the Lakers miss the playoffs and the Clippers in 8^th earn a berth.  The two teams are only separated by one game so at least to this point my pre-season prognostication has been proven wrong. 

He’s the glue
Jordan Geist is unknown to most of the country, that’s probably okay with him.  Geist will not be drafted in the NBA after his senior year, despite what might appear negative many believe he’s the glue for this Mizzou basketball team.  Geist arrived on campus last season from Ranger Community College in Texas.  His description might be he’s a shooting guard forced to play the point, in his junior year he’s led the way to victory for the Mizzou Tigers with his steady play, sharpshooting and distribution of the basketball. 

Last season we only saw flashes of his potential his first in a Mizzou jersey, he averaged a mere 7 points and 2 assists a game.  Circumstances led the coach to move him to the point his first year at Mizzou.  In his junior year Coach Martin’s maintained his confidence in Geist making him the starting point guard.  Geist is the leading scorer averaging 13.7 ppg along with 3 assists.  His numbers certainly might not appear eye-popping however the Fort Wayne Indiana native adds a great deal of moxie for this freshman, sophomore laden team.  

BASKETBALL FROM A FANS PERSPECTIVE

I was there
Well not quite, 13-years ago I was a subscriber to NBA League Pass, I turned on my television to the Laker game January 22, 2006.  I had no idea history would be made that evening and I would be a witness.  Kobe Bean Bryant would score 81 points against the Raptors that evening in a 122-104 victory, seeing shot after shot going in the basket I said to myself, “Is he going to break the single game scoring record of Wilt Chamberlain?”  The Laker team that night took 88 shots, and Kobe had 46 of them. 

I know what you are thinking he was just gunning at a point.  Perhaps that might have been the case however he managed to shoot .609 from the floor and .538 from the 3-point line.  I forgot to mention Kobe shot .900 from the free throw line.  Yes, I was a witness to NBA history although I had no seat in Staples Center.  Kobe’s total would pass several NBA All-Pro’s but fall 19 points below Wilt Chamberlain.  Could the record have been broken that night, I seriously doubt it but who knows.  

They slowed him a bit
The Sixers facing the Rockets applied a rotating set of defenders on James Hardin.  The hope was to slow the Rocket guard down a bit.  We must guess they accomplished the feat since Hardin “only” scored 37 points.  Joel Embiid naturally led the way for the Sixers scoring 32 points along with 14 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.  Landry Shamet from Kansas City came off the bench to score 18 points aiding the Sixer 121-93 victory. 

Bits n Pieces   
From time to time we’ve discussed athletes who are truly exceptional.  Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is one of the small numbers of athletes who could have chosen any of three sports.  He pitched a no-hitter while in high school and was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 37^th round.  Baseball fans are aware the MLB draft goes for days and days.  And our sport basketball, the 6-foot 3-inch 230-pound Mahomes showed much promise as a defensive specialist says one publication, like Marcus Smart or Tyreke Evans.  

Can you say lawsuit, one hurdle has been cleared in the Clippers plan to build an arena?  The Inglewood location might have been easy to scout compared to the lawsuits surrounding intending construction.  As indicated above one has been cleared but guess what, according to news reports “there are at least five other lawsuits linked to the project.”  In Kansas City we’ve have been fighting over a re-build for our major airport like forever, I guess we are not unique……the fighting part that is.   

This is revised list of leading women in the NBA, unfortunately I missed several awhile back.  I believe this one to be complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and research.  

Sara Blakely, marginal owner Atlanta Hawks

Ann Walton Kroenke, owner Denver Nuggets

Jeanie Buss, owner Los Angeles Lakers

Gayle Benson, owner New Orleans Pelicans

Jada Pinkett Smith, marginal owner Philadelphia 76ers

Gail Miller, owner Utah Jazz

Valerie Daniels-Carter, marginal owner Milwaukee Bucks

Julianna Hawn Holt, Chairman and CEO Spurs Sports & Entertainment