Basketball from a fan’s perspective

A late night (or early morning)
As I’ve aged it’s become more and more difficult for me to remain awake late night.  On those occasions we are attending a party, concert or other event I’ve got no difficulty.  I’m wide awake during those times, at home it’s a far different matter for me.  West coast games with a two-hour time difference cause sleep to creep upon my eye lids, I can feel myself dozing off. 

Doesn’t matter if it’s a playoff game or regular season.  With this issue I didn’t bother attempting to watch the Blazers-Nuggets game which became a 4 OT victory for the Blazers.  I’ll give you an idea, the game began in Kansas City at 9:36 P.M. local time, it ended at 1:13 a.m.  The 140-137 victory for the Blazers provides 2 games to 1 lead.  The teams meet Sunday in Portland; the question might both teams be well rested?   

An adjustment is required 
A discussion regarding team payrolls peaked my curiosity.  The host of a morning program said, “The Thunder have the second highest payroll in the NBA.”  I checked and I’m unsure who is correct, according to Hoopshype.com the Thunder sit at number three.  That might be a requirement for change for the Oklahoma team.  In all the NBA they have the third highest payroll, yet they have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs three years in a row.  The Thunder need shooters, how do they acquire them as strapped cash they are for the 2019-20 season? 

Those questions and many more must be addressed prior to the start of the season.  On second thought Carmelo Anthony once a member of the team remains available.  The older Carmelo must be willing to adjust not only in pay but his role.  It’s possible he could aid the cause provided he’s willing to assume the role of 6^th man.  As critical as I’ve been of Russell Westbrook, he is the glue for the Thunder team.  He will turn 31 before the season is complete, he still has mileage remaining however can his body hold up. 

Not the shooting nor the assists but going to the boards snatching rebounds.  That’s got to wear on the body more than other aspects of the game.  His athletic talent will begin to ebb its just part of life and growing older.  We witnessed it with Kobe and more recently with Dwayne Wade and Dirk Nowitzki.  As the saying goes; “Father time remains undefeated.”  An outside observer might say they sure ain’t getting much bang for the buck they are spending.  GM Sam Presti has received accolades for the teams he’s assembled in the past, but it might now be time for a re-build on the fly.  Russell Westbrook will not be traded; Paul George remains in place as for the remainder of the roster that might be a slightly different story.  It would appear they have talented pieces around the two stars that don’t quite mesh.  How does Presti fix the apparent problem?  I’m not able to fully address the matter but I believe a portion of my assessment is correct. 

Good and bad
It’s a good news bad news story, the Suns hiring Monty Williams.  The former Pelicans head coach has been working as an assistant on Brett Brown’s Sixer staff.  Williams deserved another job after he was fired by the Pelicans, that’s the good news part of this story.  The bad news…….it’s the Suns head coaching job.  Phoenix has become a short stay destination for several coaches over the last few years. 

I’d mentioned earlier any coach should keep a go bag in place its been such a short period as head coach.  This is all speculation on my part however the building blocks (Ayton & Booker) would appear to be in place.  Those two plus several members of the present roster (notice I didn’t say all).  The possible addition of Ja Morant at the point could make the Suns competitive by the 2020-21 season.   

Center play
Shaquille O’Neal gave us his thoughts, he stated Hakeem Olajuwon was the toughest center he faced during his tenure in the NBA.  The NBA was yet to turn into the 3-point shooting guard-oriented league it’s become primarily since the success of the Warriors.  It was a gradual move as team offensives move from the center focus to the guards.  As for Shaq his career in the NBA ran from 1992 through 2011, Hakeem was already an established center having arrived in 1984 and played through 2002.  If we reflect on the time period there were several average to above average centers during this era. 

The Magic had Dwight Howard continues play at present, he is nowhere close to the player he was in 2004 when drafted.  As for the others, Dikembe Mutombo (1991-2009), Alonzo Mourning (1992-2008) and David Robinson (1989-2003).  In addition, defensive specialist Ben Wallace played from 1996-2012 and briefly Shaq battled Yao Ming (2002-2011).  As you can see Shaq might not have faced a dominant center every evening but several of these centers were doggone good.  Wallace as an example was not much of a threat offensively but played tough defense against Shaq, the same could be said of Dikembe Mutombo.