Basketball from a fan perspective

Doc Rivers---There are times the news moves faster than the ability to publish and that is the case here.  The following is not the account that would have been placed here, in any event here goes.  One sports site claimed Rivers was fired, another claimed it was a mutual decision by Rivers and owner Steve Ballmer.  Whatever, Rivers is no longer the coach of the Clippers which is surprising and then not so much.  This team with the addition of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George was expected to win now. 

There would be no adjustment allowed and maybe that might have been part of the problem.  With Leonard and George on Load Management all season there appeared at times to be no cohesiveness.  The Clippers were loaded with talent but seemed (in the playoffs) with little direction.  In that case the coach becomes the fall guy, it’s easier to change coaches than fire 14 players. 

Both Leonard and George will become free agents next summer so owner Ballmer might have felt the need to move now.  ESPN asks the question many of us might ask, “How do you replace a reasonably successful coach?”  If you’ve read Words eye view any length of time you realize I’m no Rivers fan however that doesn’t extend to him being fired.  I speculated regarding Billy Donovan and he took a job much sooner than expected.  This time around I will allow Rivers to make his own way, I believe he should be hired again somewhere. 

The coach---The Heat have a coach who is hardly ever mentioned any time a discussion of NBA coaches is held.  We speak of Erik Spoelstra, he is now in his 5^th championship series.  Several well-known coaches have never sniffed a championship yet Spoelstra’s got them beat, even more interesting is how he arrived at this point.  He played point guard at the University of Portland but went undrafted in 1992. 

Spoelstra would travel to Germany to play basketball; he would later become an assistant for that team.  Spoelstra was first hired as a video coordinator for the Heat, in 2008 he became an assistant coach and finally head coach of the Heat in 2008.  Someone could state it might be easy to win when you have LeBron James on your team but its more than that, the guy can flat out coach and the evidence is in front of us. 

He’s a winner regardless---Laker Dion Waiters is in a unique situation; he could receive a championship ring regardless of a Laker or Heat win.  Bleacher Report reminded us Waiters was on the Heat roster earlier in the season and of course is now with the Lakers.  Rest assured a similar situation might have occurred in the past this is just the latest example. 

Division III---If you’ve read Words eye view any length of time you might be aware of this fact.  There are few NBA players playing at the NAIA or Division III level.  It certainly isn’t a talent issue more likely the opportunity to play, that might be the case for Heat shooting guard/small forward Duncan Robinson. 

Robinson began his professional basketball journey at Williams College a Division III school, from there he transferred to the University of Michigan.  Robinson went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft but would sign with Miami’s G-League affiliate the Sioux Fall Skyforce.  From there the balance of the story is being written, Robinson has become a vital member of the Heat.  Look for Robinson in action as the NBA Championship round begins today.