Basketball
from a fan’s perspective
Superstar…not a requirement
Clutchsports.com poses the question “Is Draymond being
exposed”? The Warriors power forward’s
numbers are down all around and that’s the basis for the question. I didn’t read the account but will offer my
view. There continues to be a belief in
some circles a superstar is required at all five positions on the floor…not
true. There is no argument on my part,
having Steph Curry and Klay Thompson in the lineup alongside you certainly
allows you benefits. We could use as an example
Ron Harper, a valuable member of those MJ Bulls championship teams.
Although injuries had robbed Harper of much of his skill his steady
play aided the Bulls effort. At the time
Phil Jackson took over the Lakers in 1999 guess the name of his starting point guard. With Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and others
Jackson had Harper in place for several reasons. The chief reason by this time Harper had
become a disciple of the triangle offense which Jackson teams utilized. He averaged 7 points a game while shooting .399
from the floor, the Lakers won the NBA championship in 2000 thanks in part to
Harper. We shouldn't get caught up in numbers without the ability to see the Big Picture, Harper brought intangibles to the game often overlooked or unseen by fans.
Team chemistry
We hear the phrase “team chemistry” mentioned in connection
with basketball more than any other sport.
It’s clear there is a requirement for chemistry to exist whatever the
sport. It’s been proclaimed the Lakers
need a third scorer off the bench, they need a “Lou Williams” type. One of the names that’s been discussed in
connection with the Lakers recently is the Pistons Derrick Rose.
Rose remains a talent however he’s a starter (in his mind), he
might have extreme difficulty adjusting to a secondary role playing for the
Lakers. Although Darren Collison is
returning from a short retirement there is no guarantee he wants the
Lakers. Collison once played for the
Clippers and was a member of the Pacers with Frank Vogel.
39-year old Jamal Crawford is working out in Seattle ready to
return to the NBA. He remains an
offensive force despite the fact he’s not played this season, as for Andre Iguodala
it appears, he’s no longer an option in my view. The Lakers don’t have any viable pieces
Memphis desires, although Iguodala has played 0 minutes he’s probably ready.
He’s shut down for
the season
The season is over for LaMelo Ball in Australia, the youngest
Ball brother suffered a bone bruise which has sidelined him since early
December. With the short NBL season
compared to the NBA his agent announced this week Ball wouldn’t return. The Illawarra Hawks record was below .500
which meant they would fail to qualify for the playoffs. Ball remains in a walking boot which may have
sealed the deal on his possible return.
It’s been mentioned LaMelo has been on a steady rise to near
the top in most NBA mock sites. A few
websites have Ball projected at the top of the 2020 draft. The numbers for Ball were 17 points, nearly 8
rebounds and 7 assists per game, certainly outstanding for his limited exposure
to play at this level. This information is
not coming from Larry Laker check two or three mock sites for yourself. The injury should heal, the question becomes LaVar
Ball. Will the elder Ball be a draft day
factor?
It’s still early,
no repeat of last season
With top pick and pre-season Rookie of the Year Zion
Williamson still sidelined until January 22 who is it? It was the Mavs Luka Doncic declared the
NBA’s top rookie by me last season. The
talented combo player did win however Trae Young burst on the scene in late
January. By seasons end the two traded
for one another were even in the stat department in my view.
With hesitation on my part to date NBA Rookie of the Year is
the Grizzlies Ja Morant. The
electrifying point guard has thrilled and excited fans with his play and even
defensive ability. Currently he’s 18.2
points, 6.6 assists and 3.2 rebounds a game.
If there is a single play that’s described his season to date, it’s the
two below. The 6 foot 3 Morant dunking
over 6 foot 10 Aron Baynes or the attempted dunk over 6-foot 8 Kevin Love. I can only think of one word…fearless.
