Basketball from a fan perspective

Game 5---Winner, winner chicken dinner…that would be the Heat at least Friday evening.  In a hard-fought game, they beat the Lakers 111-108.  It’s difficult to describe the game since the Lakers had plenty of opportunities to close it out and win the 2020 NBA Championship.  If it appears the Heat are being shortchanged that is not the case, they came to play and proved it.  On to Sunday night and Game 6.   

I am the spokesperson---What about the NBA, is there or should there be one voice speaking for the league by members of the media?  It appears many believe that to be the case, they look toward Stephen A. Smith (a non-player) and Charles Barkley (a former player) as the voices of reason.  Both individuals are entitled to their opinions but are the attitudes expressed precise?  This is certainly no attempt to paint either individual full of errors or inaccuracies, often we find common ground with both.   

Good job---I’ve made it known in this blog Russell Westbrook is not one of my favorite players.  This view is based on play on the basketball court and has nothing to do with the man.  This is Westbrook the man…it is being reported at the time the Rockets checked out of their hotel he left the staff an $8,000 tip.  Someone might question why report this, Westbrook likely had nothing to do with the report becoming public.  The amount of the tip provides us proof Westbrook is a remarkable person, there may have been no requirement to leave such a large tip.   

Use all the tools---A photo was posted on social media of Kareem Abdul Jabbar and former Laker Andrew Bynum.  The post asked you to describe what the photo detailed, my first thought “Use all the tools at your disposal.”  Andrew Bynum is 32-years old now, he’s been retired for several years, we don’t know for sure if it was injury or lack of effort that stunted his NBA career. Many of us believe it was an effort and conditioning factor.   

In the photo Kareem has the index fingers of both hands pointed to his head, it appears he’s saying to Bynum the game is as much physical as it is mental.  It was reported by the media young Bynum did some things uncalled for while he was recovering injury, one of those bowling.  Much as I’d like to believe otherwise his downfall might have been lack of effort. 

When you stand 7 feet tall and weigh 285 pounds and enter the NBA at age 17 you are sitting on top of the world.  The first few years playing for the Lakers he appeared to be a diamond which required polishing hence the hiring of Kareem to work with him.  Funny thing Bynum, and Michael Olowokandi (look him up) seemed unable or unwilling to take in lessons on playing the center position from the master.

For Sale---There is no sign posted in front of Knicks headquarters, owner James Dolan claims he wants to sell the Knicks but only for the right price and in his time.  You remember earlier stories Dolan went ballistic when fans and a congressman proposed he sell the team.  We can research to discover the $$$ of this franchise certainly exceeds their own court performance.  Sure, enough we uncovered their value, this according to the February 2018 edition of Forbes the Knicks are valued at $3.6 billion ($4.6 in 2020) which makes them the most valuable franchise in the NBA.  Dolan claims he’s seen figures of $5 billion offered for the team but doesn’t consider them bona fide

As we often see location, location, location has got to be the key factor in the net worth of the team it certainly isn’t their performance on the court.  New York City, i.e. The Big Apple, Broadway, Times Square, Wall Street we could go on, but these must be contributing factors to the Knicks being such a valued commodity.  As for Dolan selling the team that’s unlikely to occur soon despite an uprising by many of the citizens.  We don’t have a clue where the bids for this team come from however there are a great number of zero’s between 3.6 and 5.  It would seem if Dolan is serious he would put forth more of an effort to sell the team rather than just talk.