Basketball from a fan perspective

5-4-3-2-1---The countdown to the word asterisk, rest assured someone other than Pat Riley probably said it first.  The reason this one requires a response because its untrue, the Heat president and former coach is one of my favorite NBA personalities but not on this issue.  Riley was displeased at the time LeBron James left and returned to Cleveland.  We remember reading he indicated LeBron did not bother to contact him before making his decision. 

Feelings had probably mellowed until his Heat team was beaten by a LeBron led Laker team for the NBA Championship.  As coach of the Showtime Lakers Riley will always be held in esteem by this member of Laker Nation.  Let’s just say I don’t agree with his take based on the outcome, if his Heat team had won this would be no story.  Pat Riley remains one of my favorites in the NBA despite the fact we don't agree on this matter.   

“The mouth that roared” ---Ask LaVar Ball his opinion on a subject, any subject.  It seems to not matter whether he’s got expertise in the area he certainly is willing to offer you his opinion.  Example, he was no fan of Luke Walton as a coach while eldest son Lonzo played for the Lakers.  He made his feelings known to the public on that subject.  He had little to say about the recently fired Alvin Gentry, as for Stan Van Gundy that might be a different matter.  Is there trouble on the horizon in the Crescent City ahead of the coach’s arrival?  You remember Marcin Gortat former NBA player, don’t you?  This is the tweet Gortat sent out,

 “Ball Sr. has to deal with Stan 😅 😬. Good Luck 👊 😜”

Sometimes folks who might only know you in passing have formulated an opinion regarding your personality.  Let us suppose LaVar is okay with the hire and if there are concerns about Van Gundy’s coaching, he will communicate it to the son rather than the media…we hope.   

This is different---To our knowledge John Calipari likely begins the recruiting process of talent in middle school, just joking folks however Kentucky Wildcat prospects usually arrive having played for only three coaches middle, high school, and AAU.  This time it’s different, for the first time in memory Coach Cal has two transfers who will begin play a few weeks from now.  Oliver Sarr 7-foot center from Wake Forest and Jacob Toppin 6-foot 8 forward (younger brother of Obi) from Rhode Island.   

Sarr was a double-digit scorer last season for Wake Forest while Toppin is considered a project. Kentucky won its usual 20+ games and would have been invited to the NCAA Tournament, we have no idea how far they might have advanced if not for covid.  As for the NBA Championship we might guess which team Coach Cal might have been rooting to win.  Despite the fact former Wildcat Rajon Rondo played for the Lakers the coach was likely rooting for the Heat with two of his former players Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.

No All-Star Game---With a compacted 72-game schedule for 2020-21 something had to go.  That something would appear to be the annual NBA All-Star Game, the game was scheduled for Indianapolis, but the reasoning for skipping it makes sense.  We are in the middle of a pandemic and it is likely it will remain with us through the time the All-Star Game would be played.  Can you imagine thousands of fans, players, and others in Bankers Life Arena, this would become a gigantic super-spreader of COVID-19?   

NBA teams failing to make the playoffs have not played competitive basketball since March, that would provide those teams almost 9 months off.  As for the playoff teams that was a different story, the Heat and Lakers played until October 12 so these teams and other playoff teams would have a shorter turnaround time.  A letter from a fan reading the same story wrote, “The Clippers rested more than anyone else so they good.”  A clear effort by the writer to point out Load Management, don't get upset with me I'm just the messenger.