Basketball
from a fan’s perspective
Always a story
Kyle Kuzma was a Laker untouchable; you noticed I said
WAS. Last summer at the time
discussions were begun involving AD the Pelicans asked for Kuzma to be included
in a trade. The Lakers said no, Lonzo Ball
and Brandon Ingram were a different subject.
It’s being reported the team is quietly listening to trade offers for Kuzma. We don’t know the details what caused the flap
between Kuzma’s trainer and LeBron let's just say guess who ultimately wins this match?
Disappointment
Eventually the game became as tough as I perceived, Kentucky’s
Rupp Arena is not a friendly place for visitors. The arena packed with 22,000 Wildcat fans is easy
to understand why they have such an enormous home court advantage. In any event Mizzou managed to hang with them
to nearly the half-way point of the first half before eventually falling 71-59.
We’ve concluded Big Man Jeremiah Tilmon just doesn’t get it,
he’s a junior now and continues to be hindered by foul trouble. The promise we saw as a freshman has
disappeared. In any event Mizzou returns
to action on Tuesday evening and I have no idea what to expect. Last season Tennessee was clearly the better team, with both having 8-5 records it's difficult to make an assessment. Hopefully Mizzou will be able to win its first conference game.
They are good…but!
As this is written Sunday morning the Clippers have a 24-11
record, they are in 4th place in the West. This certainly indicates they are a very good
team however there is a BUT!
Once Kawhi Leonard and Paul George signed last July many in the media
pronounced them “The best team in the Western Conference.” The high point to date, beating the Lakers
twice but that might be it. They appear
to have problems with teams other than their arena mates. Part of the matter appears having Leonard and
George on the court at the same time.
After the Grizzlies pummeled the Clippers 140-114 Saturday evening,
we heard from Sekou Smith and Kevin McHale on NBA TV. The writer and former NBA coach agreed, this game was just a bump in the
road for the Clippers. The playoffs and championship are the ultimate prize however I've always believed you play each game as if it's the 7th game of the playoffs. Teams should play at a high level whether it's the Warriors, Hawks or Lakers. Smith, McHale and others talk as if this team is a work in progress, question isn't that every team coming into the 2019-20 season?
OG (Old Guy)
Sometimes we view stuff with the eyes of right now, some of
us fail to consider history. If I said
Warriors championships, you’d immediately focus on 2015, 2017 and 2018 all
under Steve Kerr. Those were not the
first for the franchise, they won in 1946 and 1957 while the team called
Philadelphia home. They won in the Bay
area in 1975 under Al Attles, most are only casually aware of his name.
An 8.9 point and 3.5 assist average for a career are hardly
noteworthy why is he included with the other OG’s? During his playing career he was a tough
hardnose defender. He sacrificed scoring
prowess to concentrate on defending the opposing teams point guard. The numbers don’t reflect his value to the
Warriors franchise in the Philadelphia past or his later value to the Warriors
in their move west. That 1975 Warriors
team won a championship due to the players first but secondly, they couldn’t
have accomplished the feat without a steady hand at the helm. He coached the Warriors through 1983 and then
moved into the front office becoming GM.
Honors, he’s got a room full, most recently enshrined in the Naismith
Hall of Fame this year.
Prior to that his jersey numbers been retired; North Carolina
A&T retired his number 22 the first in the school’s history and the
Warriors have done the same. Want more, Attles
was enshrined in the Bay Area Hall of Fame in 1993. Now serving as Goodwill Ambassador for the
team Attles has been employed 58 years in some capacity by the Warriors. There’s an OG you need to store in your
memory banks for future reference.
