Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Missing toughness

The ESPN.com NBA headline read exactly what I’ve been thinking, “This was not the season the 76ers expected.”  After last season many Sixer fans believed their team would successfully compete for an NBA championship.  After an up and down season, they might be unsure what to expect.  Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are both sidelined with injuries but its more, they are missing toughness. 

With all NBA teams there’s a difference in talent, as for toughness that’s a different matter.  Part of the “missing” might be in Miami in the form of Jimmy Butler.  He’s got to be part of the difference, subtract Butler and add Al Horford which says you should be better but they ain’t.  The Sixers will earn a playoff berth despite injuries, how far they advance is a question mark at this point. 

Could it work?

The Hawks CEO Steve Koonin has made a proposal almost radical.  Koonin wants the NBA season to begin in December rather than October.  He says “they can avoid baseball, NFL and college basketball” with this revised schedule.  Baseball has extended its season with playoffs; the World Series is often not concluded until early November. 

The NFL has played almost half its schedule in October, but the balance of the schedule is not concluded until after Christmas December 25.  College basketball in my view is not that great a distraction.  With playoffs and championship series all major sports have extended their seasons.  There will never be a point in time one sport alone occupies the spotlight.  I would hope the NBA might look at this proposal seriously. 

NBA championship

Despite the earlier statement by Charles Barkley this game between the Clippers and Lakers decides one thing,  One of the two teams will win, the NBA championship will not be decided today, for that we must wait till June.  Naturally being part of Laker Nation I’d prefer the Lakers win, I’d be lying if I didn’t desire that to be the outcome.  Barkley most of all should know the playoffs are the true test, first team to four games wins the series.  Until we reach that point we really don’t know if it will be the Lakers or Clippers.  The truth is there might be another team representing the west that’s not located in Los Angeles. 

$500,000 lighter in the wallet

Mark Cuban certainly loves to give his money away; history indicates in 2018 he was fined $600,000 which might be the largest in NBA history.  The chief complainer about NBA officiating and Mavs owner allowed his mouth and actions to conclude the league required a portion of his funds.  Not only did Cuban complain publicly about game officials but confronted them as well.  This action stemmed from action during the Mavs-Hawks game February 22. 

Cuban didn’t physically assault the officials only confront them, this issue between fans and officials has become quite serious.  Several states across the nation have passed legislation to protect middle and high school officials due to physical harm perpetrated on them by family members and fans.  It might be advisable for Cuban to take the issue of officiating to the Board of Governors rather than the court of public opinion.  The court of public opinion causes you to lose your money.    

This is difficult

I will remain a Mizzou basketball fan, the statement is made because it’s been extremely difficult at times to watch this season.  Unforced turnovers, poor shot selection, woeful defense you name it.  I’m quite sure Alabama fans won’t appreciate this statement, but they are a team Mizzou should be able to beat.  At the half Bama was shooting 28%, Mizzou was 33%, the score an unspectacular Mizzou 21 Bama 20. 

At one-point early in the second half on one play Mizzou took 5 shots had 5 offensive rebounds and didn’t score, this sequence ended with Mizzou committing a foul.  Fast forward to the end final score Mizzou 69 Bama 50 as the home team came to life in the second half.  How did this occur, Mizzou would conclude the game shooting 42% from the floor however Bama didn’t improve much ending at 30%.  I can state with conviction Mizzou basketball has been an enigma to me season long. 

Hopefully next season will see improvement, senior Reed Nikko will be gone replacing him on the roster 7-2 245-pound Jordan Wilmore, he arrives in Columbia as a 4-star prospect.  5-star shooting guard Joshua Christopher remains on Mizzou’s radar although he might be a longshot to sign.  6-3 shooting guard Coban Porter has also attracted Mizzou’s attention.  If the last name sounds familiar it should, he’s the son of Mizzou assistant coach Michael Porter Sr.