Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Bits n Pieces

In the search for replacement New York coaches (Knicks & Nets) and elsewhere one more name is added.  Tyronn Lue won a championship with the Cavs and is well regarded by several players.  It’s been reported (unconfirmed) Kyrie Irving wants Lue as Nets coach.  If we looked at a drop date its likely June 25, that’s the date of the NBA draft usually a coach wants to provide input on players the team intends to add.      

The small-ball Rockets have lost four consecutive games, are we sure this style transformation works?  It would appear part of the problem is the manner they are playing the game; at the time the change was initiated Westbrook was driving the lane.  Although outrebounded this aggressive style allowed them to compete successfully.  It’s been reported the team is taking perimeter shots, they are not driving the lane. 

The Big 12 made its conference awards known, to no one’s surprise Udoka Azubuike was named player of the year.  Kansas basketball is good this season, it’s significantly better with the 7-foot Azubuike patrolling the paint.  His scoring numbers are average it’s the other areas that provide value, blocking shots and rebounding the basketball.  The only downside to his game, he follows the pattern of most Big Men…he’s poor at the line.  Rest assured NBA teams will not focus on that one negative.    

Media needs to be prepared for the answer they receive, the Clippers Patrick Beverley after Sunday’s match against the Lakers and LeBron.  Giving up 70 pounds and 8 inches in height Beverley was asked about the difficulty of guarding LeBron.  Beverley’s response was plain and simple, “It’s not too hard.”  After losing a tough game what might we suppose the appropriate reply to be?  I’m sure Max Kellerman of ESPN and Skip Bayless Fox Sports were not watching the same game I did.            

We didn’t know

Most of us believed Toni Kukoc returned home to Croatia after his NBA days, you say Toni who?  He lives in Highland Park and works for Jerry Reinsdorf Bulls owner.  Kukoc was the 29th pick in the second round of the 1990 draft by the Bulls.  “We were sure we could play in the NBA (back then)…I wish I had come here with a coach (that would) give me the ball and trust my decisions like you see with Doncic, Jokic, (and ) Giannis back then.  They were ready for us then.” *  Those of you old enough to remember Kukoc do you agree with his statement?  It would appear

Kukoc is knocking Phil Jackson and Tim Floyd his coaches with the Bulls.  Does he include the coaching staff of the Sixers, Hawks and Bucks whom he also played before closing out his NBA career in 2006.  I believe we must explore the time period, there is no way we can compare the NBA in 1990 with the NBA of 2020.  In this instance we speak of the Euro players, Kukoc might have been considered in the first wave, although he was a pro like others there remained an unknown factor.  The Euro players he mentions were not “handed the keys to the automobile” and told to drive.  Perhaps the coaches they have might look at Euro players differently than coaches in the past.   

*clutchsports.com

It might appear he wasn’t too impressed

ESPN’s Jay Williams describing the Lakers-Clippers match on Sunday was a little confusing at least for me.  This is not a word for word report of his comments but somewhat close to the statements he made.  “I still think the Clippers have better shooters” or “The Lakers had more concern with winning the game than the Clippers.”  This one, “Next time they meet Doc Rivers and Tyronn Lue will come up with a better game plan.” 

Finally, “LeBron had to work really hard for the win, can he do that again?”  I like Williams but his explanation of the game could be picked apart by me.  “Better shooters”, no dispute Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are good shooters, we could say the same for Lou Williams and Montrez Harrell.  In the NBA teams are never going to shut anybody down, you can however make it more difficult for them to score i.e. Lou Williams. 

“The Lakers had more concern with winning”, come on Jay seriously you don’t think the Clippers wanted that game as much as the Lakers?  The Clipper brain-trust implementing a new game plan next time.  That could work two ways Jay, do we suppose the Lakers are going to expect the same Clippers team again, I think not?  Finally, LeBron energy, I continue to be amazed at the vigor of this 35-year old athlete.  Can LeBron do it again, I don’t know but I wouldn’t bet he couldn’t be it one game or 7.