Basketball from a fan perspective

New coach---This certainly didn’t take awfully long, Monday afternoon the Clippers decided to part ways with long-time Coach Doc Rivers.  By the end of the week the veteran coach had a new job, late Thursday afternoon the Sixers decided they had their man.  After parting ways with Brett Brown decided Rivers was the coach needed to lead the franchise to an NBA Championship. 

The Sixers agreed to a 5-year contract for Rivers, they are a good team which has lacked the ability to advance in the playoffs.  There is talent there, they have Embiid, Simmons and others but appear to lack leadership.  Can Rivers provide the guidance and management the departed Brown was unable to provide?  The 2020-21 season should be interesting in the City of Brotherly Love.     

“Injuries are part of the game” --- The Lakers won Game 1 116-98 over the Heat as you are aware.  One writer indicated “The Lakers were lucky the Heat suffered injuries.”  The writer was correct however there is nothing we can do to avoid them.  The Lakers could have suffered the same fate and once they did in 1989.  The NBA Championship featured the Lakers versus the Pistons. 

Prior to Game 1 guard Byron Scott suffered a hamstring injury, he’s out.  In Game 2 Magic Johnson went down with the same injury, imagine you’re starting backcourt both lost for the series.  The Pistons would sweep the Lakers 4-0 and there was nothing the reserves could do to replace the backcourt of Scott-Johnson.  It was said then, it was repeated Wednesday evening it’s unfortunate, but injuries are part of the game.  

Jeff Van Gundy---I’ve mentioned this previously, Van Gundy’s mind tends to drift at times while broadcasting a game.  He begins discussing issues that are somewhat connected to the game we are watching but not always.  Game One featured one of those occasions, this paraphrases the Van Gundy statement.  “I think a team should only count championships won in the city”, the Lakers have won 16 championships however 5 of them represent wins in Minneapolis.  Van Gundy is certainly intitled to his own opinion, but it doesn’t make a great deal of sense. 

Help Wanted---The sign is still in the window, several NBA teams remain in the hunt for a head coach.  We are unsure if they are waiting for the NBA Championship to be completed or it might be something else.  There remain five head coaching jobs that remain open as this is written.  This is a reminder of the teams still in the hunt as the Knicks (Tom Thibodeau) and Bulls (Billy Donovan) and Nets (Steve Nash) and now Sixers (Doc Rivers) have fulfilled their requirement. 

Rockets

Thunder

Pacers

Pelicans

Clippers