Basketball from a
fan’s perspective
I’m getting behind
It was my hope to publish Words eye view Monday through Friday. Unfortunately, in several instances I’ve had to move news stories in front of those written earlier. Therefore, beginning today we’ll return to a 7-day a week publication cycle from roughly September through the middle of July. Those dates should allow plenty of news coverage.
Almost went to the wrong locker room
The unicorn Kristaps Porzingis made his first appearance in MSG on Thursday. Naturally his first trip to New York as a member of the Mavs brought about the response most of us expected. Not only was the former Knick loudly booed at player introductions it continued every time he touched the ball. Porzingis probably wouldn’t admit it, but he appeared rattled in the first half of the game as he missed shot after shot.
The unicorn Kristaps Porzingis made his first appearance in MSG on Thursday. Naturally his first trip to New York as a member of the Mavs brought about the response most of us expected. Not only was the former Knick loudly booed at player introductions it continued every time he touched the ball. Porzingis probably wouldn’t admit it, but he appeared rattled in the first half of the game as he missed shot after shot.
He did play better in the second half
of the game finishing with 20 points and snatching 11 rebounds while shooting
41% from the floor. I believe Porzingis
is still getting his game legs back, he’s not played competitive basketball in almost
two years. If you didn’t see the game
Porzingis must have forgotten he was the visitor. The television camera caught him headed to
the Knicks locker room till he realized; “Hey, I don’t play for those guys
anymore.” In any event the Knicks
won the highly contested match 106-103.
The demise of the Big Man…. maybe
We’ve discussed the demise of the Big Man in basketball. Researching the 2020 NBA draft I came across this comment on NBA Draft Room 2020. It's the scouting report on 7-foot 275-pound Udoka Azubuike of Kansas. " If this was 1992, he'd (Udoka) be a first round pick but his game doesn't fit well in today's NBA." So, there you have it, an opinion from one source. My question do we blame "small-ball" and the demise of the Big Man on Steph Curry? I presented the matter to several friends and acquaintances, a former Mizzou Tiger responded to my question. He said “If there is any blame it should be placed on David Robinson, Kevin Garnett, Dirk, KD, etc.”
We’ve discussed the demise of the Big Man in basketball. Researching the 2020 NBA draft I came across this comment on NBA Draft Room 2020. It's the scouting report on 7-foot 275-pound Udoka Azubuike of Kansas. " If this was 1992, he'd (Udoka) be a first round pick but his game doesn't fit well in today's NBA." So, there you have it, an opinion from one source. My question do we blame "small-ball" and the demise of the Big Man on Steph Curry? I presented the matter to several friends and acquaintances, a former Mizzou Tiger responded to my question. He said “If there is any blame it should be placed on David Robinson, Kevin Garnett, Dirk, KD, etc.”
Expansion of the
game out to the 3-point line has clearly played a role in Big Men no longer
believed critical. Because it will be
2020 instead of 1992 an NBA team fails to draft Azubuike because of the belief
he doesn’t fit today’s game. You know me
it’s always movies, in this one its Heartbreak Ridge an account of a near
retirement Marine Gunnery Sgt. The quote
from Gunnery Sgt. Highway (Clint Eastwood) has stuck with me over the years. “You improvise, you overcome you adapt”,
that’s the direction of some smart NBA coach regarding Azubuike. The Celtics didn’t draft Tacko Fall, whether
an NBA career is in his future is still a question mark however he’s being trained.
Prior to Donald Sterling
There are occasions we might believe this is the first time ever. That was the case with former Clippers owner Donald Sterling, he was not the first. The Mavs Mark Cuban has often been a pain in the you know what but nowhere close to this man. He disappeared from the NBA so long-ago research was required to uncover the facts, his name, Ted Stepien. Stepien purchased the Cavs in 1981, by 1983 he sold his interest in the team.
There are occasions we might believe this is the first time ever. That was the case with former Clippers owner Donald Sterling, he was not the first. The Mavs Mark Cuban has often been a pain in the you know what but nowhere close to this man. He disappeared from the NBA so long-ago research was required to uncover the facts, his name, Ted Stepien. Stepien purchased the Cavs in 1981, by 1983 he sold his interest in the team.
Was he forced out, no record to that
effect exists however that’s the belief of many at the time? What made Stepien so incendiary, it was the manner
he ran his team, the Cavs were terrible, and this was prior to the
lottery. Stepien traded 1st
round draft choices like nobody’s business, one year he fired three head
coaches while hiring four. When the team
failed to draw, he threatens to move the team to several cities Toronto was
mentioned at the time.
Stepien might not have been the first but
he was the only owner to publicly state “The NBA had too many black players,
the league should be more balanced.”
That alone might have been the final act, NBA owners were upset with his
dispensing draft choices, hiring and firing coaches. The racial issue might have been the final
straw. Prior to the 1983-1984 Stepien
sold the team much to the delight of Cavs fans and the NBA. Stepien ventured into other areas after the
Cavs but is best remembered for his ownership in that team, in 2007 Stepien died
at the age of 82.
