Basketball from a fan perspective

Bulletin---The experts believed the Lakers missed the boat, now only did they miss signing Kawhi Leonard but Paul George as well.  Once the Clippers fully assembled their roster these same experts claimed with their starters and reserves they had the deepest roster in the NBA.  The greatest team on paper lost Game 7, 104-89 versus the Nuggets.  

Turmoil---The college basketball world remains in a quandary due to the pandemic.  Exploratory sites are being checked to serve as host for several pre-season tournaments.  Mizzou certainly is no different from hundreds of other basketball programs across the nation.  On the schedule for Mizzou are two non-conference games of significance for the 2020-21 season. 

The first of these is the revival of Kansas-Mizzou basketball, these two foes once in the same conference will renew their rivalry.  The first game is scheduled to be played in Kansas City in the T-Mobile Center.  The second game of the two is the annual Braggin’ Rights game between Mizzou and Illinois played at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.  Alternate sites can be selected for tournament play, these two games and one other are likely in critical condition at least for now. 

Bill Simmons is an idiot---“He gets Portland in Round 1, and they’re like running on fumes, then Lillard gets hurt, that’s perfect. Gets this garbage Houston team in Round 2 that just completely runs through the hills the first time of strife, and they’re down 29, and Westbrook’s talking sh*t saying don’t double me. It’s like, you guys are just a lost cost, like the looser island.  An now the Lakers might bet Denver; that's the perfect team for them to play.   

The words of Bill Simmons don’t make a great deal of sense if we consider this fact, you must play the games to win.  Simmons will be at the front of the line complaining if the Lakers lose.  I can hear him, “How could they lose with a series “planned out” for them?  You cannot win any series sitting behind your desk as Simmons does, this is a correction.  Rest assured Simmons family loves him; Celtic fans love him and there are probably others as for the rest of us…. well. 

Small ball work---The answer to the headline is yes and no, yes when a healthy Warriors team runs it.  No when a Mike D’Antoni Rockets team utilizes it, this writer claims no inside information however there are key differences in the manner each runs its offense.  This difference between the two styles is not entirely a talent issue.  The Warriors had a Big Man (Andrew Bogut/JaVale McGee) in the middle skillful at passing the basketball and taking the occasional shot when needed. 

Rebounding the basketball when necessary is key in the Warriors offense.  The Rockets have no Big Men in their lineup, in addition for the most part they were sorely lacking in rebounds.  The issue is more complex than what you read here.  Despite the talent of James Harden and Russell Westbrook the Rockets once again find themselves short of contending for an NBA Championship. 

The key takeaway, historically Mike D’Antoni teams play at defense they are never lock down defenders.  A football story but it fits for this account, the Chiefs once hired a winning head coach.  A local radio media person contacted his counterpart in the coach’s former city.  The member in this city said, “______ is a great coach, he will get your team to the playoffs every season, but he will break your heart.  He will turn out a winning program, but his teams never rise to championship level.”  I believe that quote fits Mike D’Antoni teams throughout his coaching career. 

Hmmmm!! –--The old Arsenio Hall line you might remember, “Things that make you go hmmmm?  That’s what we have here, did you realize Lonzo Ball had 148 3-point baskets to Devin Booker’s 141?  None of us had that information however with a choice between the two who do you place on your team?  For those who believe I’m hatin’ on Ball that is not the case, it’s just my observation this type of information is not important.  Okay, you asking why am I writing about this if it is unimportant?  Someone in their wisdom believed it was important for us to have this information.  Lonzo Ball is on the road to becoming a better basketball player, will he ever attain elite status is an unknown.