Basketball from a fan perspective

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No G.O.A.T. discussions here

The 12^th man on the 2020 Sixers could probably run circles around the 12^th man of the 1960 Celtics.  As for other matches they might be a slight bit more difficult to determine who is the best.  I would bet money (if I were a betting person) the 1960 Wilt Chamberlain could hold his own against 2020 Joel Embiid.  How about matching Oscar Robertson versus LeBron James would James shut down the Big O or vice versa. 

That’s a reach, no one really shuts down an opposition player let’s just say make play more difficult.  The athletes of the 21^st Century are better trained; they have improved conditioning over those of the 1950’s and earlier there is no argument with that logic.  It is unfair in my opinion to compare athletes who play in different eras of NBA play.  There are so many variables that make it downright ridiculous to compare LeBron James to Michael Jordan.  Just a few of my thoughts, certainly doesn't make it correct.  What do you think, am I on to something or off base regarding this view?   

Is he gone too?

“Sweet” Lou Williams is one of those guys, he could walk into a gym and hit 5-6 long range shots with no warmup.  Despite his sharpshooting we are reading reports the Clippers are attempting to trade him.  Like his teammate Montrezl Harrell the always accurate Williams didn’t shoot particularly well in the bubble however it might be more to the story.  We read reports he and Harrell were two of the Clippers who “appeared” to have issues with Kawhi Leonard and Load Management. 

It didn’t help Williams in that he left the Bubble to attend his grandfather’s funeral, he was present at the funeral but was also spotted later at a strip club.  Williams claimed he was at the club to eat; he was reported to have said they have the best wings around.  There might be one other factor, this could be a salary dump by the team.  There you have it the reasons why Lou Williams might be history with the Clippers.  If this appears to be a critical account rest assured, if I’m a GM and need a reserve shooter I'm going to ask the question "Is Lou Williams available?"   

Attendance

With no bubble in place (nor vaccine) how will the 2020-21 NBA season unfold?  Numerous questions exist, at the same time the prospect of COVID-19 looms over all activities.  There is no intent for the NBA season to be played in a bubble as existed in Orlando.  With the prospect of fans how do teams intend to host fans.  The Lakers indicate early games will witness no fans in attendance; that would lead us to believe Staples Center might eventually host fans even in a limited manner. 

On the other side of the building the Clippers are yet to announce their intentions.  In San Francisco, the Warriors indicate Chase Center will allow 50% capacity in the arena and their guidelines will follow those planned by the NBA and local ordinances.  As for Staples and Chase Center and others masks will be required for all fans over the age of 2, those sitting 30 feet from the court will be required to test negative for COVID-19 two days prior or a rapid test the day of.  There are additional guidelines in place, and they will be updated at a future date. 

No excuse is offered

You might remember we profiled several older citizens remaining active in basketball be it the NBA or college.  It’s been awhile however it’s my belief we missed at least one noteworthy senior and that is Bill Raftery.  Raf as he is nicknamed is 77-years old and fills the role of analyst for Fox Sports, not just a broadcaster he played and coached the game too.  Raf was drafted in 1963 by the Knicks but never played in the NBA, he began coaching at Farleigh Dickinson in 1963-64.  He would remain there until 1967 when he became head coach at Seton Hall lasting until 1981.  

As for broadcasting he went to work for CBS providing analysis for college games and later moved to ESPN.  It’s Raft’s work at CBS where he gained notoriety for his catchy basketball terms.  “Man, to man” in an excited fast voice as the game first begins is heard, “With a little kiss” his catch phrase for a bank shot.  “A little nickel-dimer”, his definition of a light foul there are other broadcast terms but those three are the standouts.  Bill Raftery another standout septuagenarian who refuses to be replaced, it should be clear to all he loves the game and loves broadcasting it. 

Basketball from a fan perspective

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It begins again

Wasn’t the NBA Championship just completed October 11, you’ve got that right however we are about to begin the entire process again? The shortest turnaround in NBA history or any professional sports for that matter.  NBA training camps open December 1, beginning December 11 and running through December 19 pre-season games will be played.  Each team will play no more than four pre-season games, on December 22 the NBA will begin the regular season. 

The 2020-21 NBA season will be reduced from 82 to 72 games, no All-Star Game and the schedule will be released in two parts.  The judgment behind releasing the schedule in two parts is likely based on possible COVID-19 adjustments.  Finally, the NBA has compiled a 134 page book of health and safety protocol for the season, it will be provided to each team prior to training camp opening December 1.  

Bits n Pieces  

In addition to Westbrook desiring to leave Houston we understand James Harden is singing the same tune.  In the case of Harden, he is supposed to want the Nets but it’s my belief that could be a potential difficulty.  Can you imagine him in the same backcourt with Kyrie Irving, that sounds like trouble with a capital T.?   Remember after the Rockets acquired Westbrook and the fact Harden indicated the two would have no issues, how’d that work out? 

Speaking of the Nets, have they replaced the Knicks in the hearts and minds of New Yorkers?  Rest assured celebrity fans such as Brooklyn’s Spike Lee might disagree vehemently with that statement.  The Nets haven’t exactly sat the NBA on fire after moving from New Jersey, their best season was their first 2012-13.  They finished that year with a 49-33 record, despite not playing exceptionally well this free agents Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant bypassed the Knicks for the Nets.     

Clear the confusion for you and me, perhaps you didn’t understand the Toronto Raptors dilemma I didn’t at first.  The Raptors CAN TRAVEL to the states, the problem is the return issue.  Subject to Canadian law in effect at present, they would be required to undergo a 14-day quarantine.  For you and me that is unlikely to cause a major problem, the NBA schedule will not allow that much time between games.  So, the decision was made to play home games in Tampa. 

No discussion of money

If you’ve noticed rarely is money discussed in this blog and there is a basis for this take, I love sports, especially basketball.  Anytime we begin talking money it pains me to see the amount of money coach’s in college and the NBA earn.  NBA players are not excluded from this rant, in this instance the focus is on a coach.  An agreement was made between Gregg Marshall and Wichita State which amounts to a Golden Parachute an old-fashioned term.  If you are unfamiliar with the term it simply indicates a person is paid a large sum of money to leave and that is certainly the case here. 

The agreement between the former coach and school contains several aspects however our focus is on the money only.  This according to the Kansas City Star, Marshall will receive a $7.75 million separation agreement, he will be paid $48,000 every two weeks for 6 years.  The balance of the contract will be made in a lump sum payment of $250,000.  We have no idea if Marshall is prevented from seeking employment during this length of time in coaching or any other pursuit.  Are there folks who could see a salary increase, how about those in the medical field in this pandemic?  We could also include other first responders, educators, our military, and those who provide services to our populace. 

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Gonzaga wins

It’s somewhat unusual for highly ranked teams to meet this early in the season.  Gonzaga was ranked number one while Kansas was number six, a fan we believe of Kansas Nation had difficulty figuring out how Gonzaga was rated so highly.  At the time basketball ceased play in March 2020 Kansas was ranked number one in the nation, we assume this fan didn’t believe Gonzaga deserved its ranking.  We are unsure if this fan had an opportunity to see the game, on the other hand perhaps he might not admit he watched it.  The final score read Gonzaga 102 Kansas 90.   

NCAA Bubble

This college basketball season will be like no other in history except maybe during World War II.  Past accounts indicate play continued during wartime however large numbers of athletes were serving in the military which certainly must have impacted play to a degree.  This time rather than war it’s COVID-19 which is forcing the game into potentially strange waters.  As this was being compiled the Ivy League announced it was cancelling winter sports which includes basketball. 

Unlike the NBA the college game will not be played in a bubble, arenas will not be filled however fans will be present.  What occurs should a player test positive; games would be forfeited and a 1^st place team with no ability to practice might find itself sliding to 3^rd or 4^th place depending on forced lockdown and the schedule.  All this is speculation at this point, but we can look at college football and note several games were cancelled due to the pandemic. 

We shall see how this plays out, this is likely to occur, the NCAA is not going to cancel the tournament two seasons in a row.  As this account was being completed word came the NCAA was exploring the City of Indianapolis serving as host for the tournament.  Nothing is finalized as this is written however it makes sense considering the success the NBA experienced.  These are young men hopefully they realize the importance of wearing mask, socially distancing themselves and other precautions in this pandemic era. 

Who are they??

We are surprised, we no longer know the NBA Thunder Sam Presti has blown this team up.  The moves covered might not be in order but are covered here.  Chris Paul and his huge contract was traded to the Suns, two of the players received in trade have moved on to other teams.  Next up Dennis Schroder was traded to the Lakers, remember he was runner up in Sixth Man of the Year voting.  Danilo Gallinari left in free agency and later the Pelicans obtained Steven Adams in a trade.  There is other player movement not covered in this assessment, but it’s hoped you get the point.  

The names taking airline flights out of OKC comprised the bulk of scoring (and defense for that matter) for the Thunder.  The front office intends a complete rebuild of the team with the 100 draft picks they have.  Just kidding folks, they don’t have that many picks, but they certainly have a significant number, a number I cannot provide without research.  There is a good and bad in the 21^st Century NBA, it’s my belief attracting quality free agents might be more important than draft picks.  The reason is clear, drafted players no matter how good there is a period of adjustment required.  The Thunder won 44 games this past season, they are unlikely to approach that number in the 2020-21 season.  Fans in Thunder Nation will certainly require a program to identify new players.     

The grade

Almost any time a trade or draft occurs various websites will award a grade; the trade of Danny Green for Dennis Schroder was probably based on Rajon Rondo leaving in free agency.  It’s likely the Lakers desire to re-sign the veteran point guard although this is probably going to be a difficult task.  This Laker expressed his belief the trade was favorable to the team despite the hint that Rajon Rondo might leave in free agency (which he did).  Are you curious how various sites rate the Dennis Schroder-Danny Green trade, I sure am?  Below are just a few sites we located for your viewing. 

clutchPoints.com – A-

si.com/nba – B

espn.com/nba – C+

laker-lakerblogspot.com – B

reddit.com - C

Numbers are key to this analysis so we shall attempt an assessment, for the most part defense is somewhat difficult to discern.  Player to player we are even, Rondo is no better than Schroder and vice versa.  Intangibles goes to Rondo, his ability to see the entire floor as a pure point guard.  Schroder is more a combo guard although he certainly has point guard skills.  Along with others this writer applauded “Playoff Rondo”, it was stated the Lakers might have come up short if not for the contribution of the veteran point.   

That is the problem, Rondo’s play during the season was only average.  Part of that was due to the veteran point guard suffering injury however the same cannot be said for Schroder.  The record indicates reserve Schroder played in 65 games for the Thunder while reserve Rondo saw action in 48.  We mentioned Rondo’s sharp 3-point shooting in the playoffs, Schroder shot nearly the same number over the course of a regular season.  This comparison is made regarding the two-point guards, Danny Green was left out of the equation because he is a shooting guard/small forward.  So, there you have the assessment of Larry Laker. 

Basketball from a fan perspective

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I’m not impressed

The Memphis Zoo had a new arrival recently; it was the birth of a baby giraffe.  Someone decided to provide the baby a name, why not name him after one of the city’s sports stars Ja Morant who plays for the Grizzlies?  That’s exactly what was done, the giraffe was named Ja Raffe.  I shared the story with my wife who gave me one of those looks, next time I will keep stories of that type to myself LOL. 

Speaking of gettin’ paid

Fred VanVleet has played his way into an NBA career; he signs a 4-year $85 million contract to remain with the Raptors.  The 2016 NBA Draft was held through rounds 1 and 2 and we never heard his name mentioned once, that’s because he wasn’t drafted.  Scouts didn’t consider him an NBA prospect or at least good enough to draft but boy were they wrong.  The point guard who honed his basketball skill at Wichita State was to become a valued teammate for the Raptors.  

VanVleet could have walked as a free agent however it’s likely in addition to being paid he wanted to demonstrate his appreciation to Raptors management.  Playing at Wichita State many in the metro had an opportunity to witness his play, did we believe he was headed for the NBA?  I certainly cannot claim I knew in advance; this I did know.  I saw a hard-nose, scrappy athlete who would run through brick walls to win.  I for one certainly appreciate his play and the fact he got paid. 

What do you think?

Shannon Sharpe applauded LaVar Ball for his ability to train his sons for the NBA since they were youngsters.  History was made draft night with LaMelo being drafted at 3, earlier Lonzo was the number 2 pick in 2017.  For the first time in history we had two brothers drafted in the Top 5 of the NBA Draft, this is certainly commendable for Daddy Ball.  I’ve always believed a portion of the vitriol aimed at the brothers was a result of the actions of the father. 

LaVar Ball is always over the top and his actions sometimes reminds one of the lines from the movie Patton.  Prior to a crucial battle the World War II general uttered words like the following to his adjutant.  “You know General, sometimes the men don’t know when you’re acting.  Patton’s response: “It’s not important for them to know.  It’s only important for me to know.”  Perhaps that’s been the case all along with LaVar Ball, he’s been acting for us NBA fans have become his audience.    

Wheeling and dealing

Rob Pelinka and the Lakers continue to revamp this championship team.  We have no idea if they win it all in the 2020-21 season, they certainly haven’t rested on their laurels.  The continued optimism by Laker Nation is based on the replacement players and attempting to upgrade the areas requiring just that.  The Lakers drafted Marc Gasol in 2007 but traded his draft rights to the Grizzlies for brother Pau.  The younger brother will now wear Purple and Gold, the Lakers traded JaVale McGee to secure Gasol to anchor the middle. 

Although he signed a 2-year deal Gasol is 35-years old, so this is a short-term move for the 6-foot 11-inch 255-pound center.  The downside, he’s not very mobile but neither were McGee and Dwight Howard.  Marc is an accomplished passer at the center position, he’s got range out to the 3-point line.  As proof consider this jewel, Kentavious Caldwell Pope led the team shooting .385 from distance, Marc shot .385 for the Raptors.  I would imagine the Lakers are not necessarily looking at him from an offensive standpoint, whatever he brings to the table will be satisfactory and his 3-point shot making is certainly a plus.  Is this the last of the deals for the Lakers?  

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Stealth mode---The Lakers operating in stealth mode again picked up another undrafted 2020 athlete.  The team signed Tresh Tinkle a 6-foot 7-inch small forward who played at Oregon State, best guess on my part.  This appears to be a G-League assignment although Tinkle has NBA potential.  Scouting reports indicate he is deficient in several areas that might keep him from entering the NBA.  One claim, his positives might be enough that he could take on a reserve role.  Whether he makes the parent club or not this is another attempt to infuse youthful presence into the Laker roster, Tinkle is 24-years old.   

They want to get paid--- An acquaintance, a casual NBA fan ask me the question, “Why do teams trade so many players in the NBA?” If we check the baseball, the NFL and NHL they trade players but certainly not at the level of the NBA.  I believe he thought I could answer the question since I follow the NBA and basketball with intensity.  I don’t remember my response however for you I will provide my shorten answer, “They want to get paid”.  NBA players as other athletes realize the window on a sports career is brief. 

With no major injuries we might expect a player to have a 10-15-year career.  Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Vince Carter and perhaps others playing to age 40 are the exception rather than the rule.  NBA players especially those looking ahead realize there is a huge world that exists without basketball.  Several former players have been quite successful once their playing career concludes, for others it’s a far different matter.  We read of former players existing at the poverty level with no adequate future planning. 

 Will the NBA ever return---Seattle is mentioned as a future destination for a return to the NBA.  The Sonics left in 2008 but a condition of the sale the name and everything connected with Seattle would remain in the Pacific Northwest.  It would appear the Oklahoma City Thunder are an expansion franchise with no records prior to 2008 but that’s the explanation why nothing exists.  For those of us residing outside the metro is the hope for a rebirth of the Sonics that important to many residents.   

The difficulty I don’t know anyone who lives in the area, there appear to be folks I refer to as “movers and shakers” in the forefront.  Former Sonics guard Gary Payton is certainly one individual, they have even enlisted Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson to the cause.  There will be no NBA expansion until 2025 that appears to be sat in stone, could a team move to a refurbished Key Arena now named Climate Pledge. 

Seattle’s NHL expansion team will begin play in the 2021-22 season so one issue is resolved, i.e. where the Sonics play.  There are at least two franchises which could be moved although that is not the desire of the NBA.  The Kings were packed and about to be sold when a 12^th hour halt by the NBA witnessed them remaining in Sacramento.  In closing we don't know at this point; Seattle could be at the top of the expansion list or someplace in the middle.      

James Wiseman---The 2020 NBA Draft was all over the map, we had no idea the order of the Top Five.  One selection I believed might hold true is the Warriors drafting James Wiseman, it has nothing to do with the Klay Thompson injury which occurred the same day.  No argument the youngster is extremely raw however we could foresee plenty of potential.  Wiseman has size (7-1) but is not a conventional back to the basket Ol Skool center.  

Although he’s got no 3-point shot he certainly could develop the range which enhances his ultimate potential.  As for the present at least through high school and 3 games at Memphis we discovered Wiseman blocks shots, in addition he clogs the lane and does several things that make this selection worthwhile.  Dub Nation is bummed out with the loss of Klay Thompson, hopefully the addition of Wiseman will make the loss less painful.   

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Rob’s been active---Remembering back to last season; the Lakers were expected to compete for free agents; however, it didn’t ultimately in a sense.  The front office with a Kawhi Leonard mindset waited and waited and waited for a Leonard decision.  As you are aware instead of the Lakers Leonard would choose the Staples Center co-tenant Clippers.  What was perceived as the big fish (Leonard & Paul George) managed to swim away although reserves were signed.  2020 is going to turn out different if the moves thus far are at an end, Rob Pelinka and crew have been quite busy. 

Not a single fan can claim the Lakers have become complacent this time around. As this is written the Lakers have signed free agent Wesley Matthews a 6-5 shooting guard.  Also signed as a free agent is Montrezl Harrell, the 6-8 center/power forward and NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2020.  As we can see the front office under Pelinka have been active, in addition to those moves they picked up point guard Dennis Schroder in a trade.  The Lakers have the winner and runner up (Schroder) for NBA Sixth Man of the Year on their roster. 

The Lakers added point guard Zavier Simpson who went undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft.  Those are the additions to date, the subtractions thus far…Dwight Howard, Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo.  In Howard’s second tour with the Lakers proved to be much better but after some confusion on signing he moved to the Sixers on a 1-year contract.  Bradley played valuable minutes during the season but chose to remain at home and didn’t play in The Bubble.  Finally it was Rajon Rondo leaving signing a 2-year deal with the Hawks, I will repeat my earlier statement.  If not for "Playoff Rondo" the Lakers may have lost the 2020 championship.  These moves and those of the future should aid the Lakers in defense of the championship.  

The chances were remote anyway---I mentioned my excitement with the possibility of the Raptors locating in Kansas City, the chances of success of landing the team were remote.  The mayor of Kansas City and a U.S. Congressman signed the letter to the NBA commissioner both these gentlemen are African American.  This is mentioned due to the next occurrence, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Kansas City Chapter of the NAACP, and the local Urban League branch followed the city’s letter by writing the NBA commissioner. The letter by these groups highlighted problems between the Kansas City MO Police Department, the mayor’s office, and the minority community.  

Kansas City is not unique, problems with racial profiling and violence occur in NBA cities as well.  Recently Bucks guard Sterling Brown reached a $750,000 settlement with the City of Milwaukee and its police department regarding an incident.  In 2014 Eric Garner died of a prohibited chokehold by a New York City Police officer, just this year a Minneapolis police officer knelt on George Floyd’s neck causing his death.  All three cities mentioned are home to NBA teams, this is no effort for this to become morbid its intent is simple. It points to the fact Kansas City is not excluded from racial problems but shares the same issues as other American cities, the chief concern is the picture of Kansas City painted by these organizations.  

These groups certainly have the right to protest and voice their beliefs, the problem as others see it is the manner its done.  For example if a Fortune 500 company were considering locating in Kansas City would they receive a similar response from these organizations?  If we just consider an additional fact, T-Mobile Center plus the Power and Light District employ a large number of persons many of whom are black and brown, what about a paycheck for them?  Late Friday afternoon came the announcement from the Canadian government they would not allow the Raptors to play in Toronto, Tampa will be home for the 2020-21 season for this NBA team. 

A myth---Wilt Chamberlain had numerous colossal games during his illustrious 15-year NBA career.  Perhaps none was more noteworthy than a March 18, 1968 game versus the Lakers.  The box score indicates Chamberlain shot .500 from the free throw line which was on par for him.  The balance of his scoring and rebounding in that game are enormous.  Chamberlain played all 48 minutes which was not uncommon for him, he rarely left games during his career.  In this game Chamberlain filled up the box score, .828 from the floor on 24 for 29 shooting, 32 rebounds, 14 assists, 24 blocked shots along with 11 steals. 

The latter two figures cannot be documented, the NBA didn’t begin tracking blocked shots or steals until the 1973-74 season.  The block shots and steals are based on the recollection of quite a few fans and the announcers who witnessed the action, Chamberlain’s prolific game led the way to a 158-128 win over the Lakers.  Over the following summer the Lakers acquired Chamberlain in a trade.  As most are aware, he was an outstanding defender, so the numbers mentioned are not beyond the realm of possibility.  Because the NBA didn’t track the stats at the time it only can be termed A Myth or is it?

Basketball from a fan perspective

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Too many moving parts---Far too many stories surrounding the 2020 NBA Draft to cover in detail.  With that said I decided to concentrate on my favorite team.  The Dennis Schroder deal was finalized, the Lakers pick up the 27-year old veteran point guard.  He is expected to replace Rajon Rondo who may not return however that is unsure as this is written.  With the 1^st round choice gone in the Schroder trade what do the Lakers do with no second-round pick?  They will make a deal for Xavier Simpson a 6-foot point guard out of Michigan. 

Simpson was passed over in the draft however the Lakers must believe he’s got ability.  I am not familiar with his game so his stats at the university is all I am able to check, his assists and even rebounds look good for a guard his size.  The only negative he is a poor free throw shooter, poor in the fact he shot .590 from the line, he should be at least a .750 from the line at a minimum.  This concludes Laker news on the draft, next up free agency which starts tonight at 6:00 p.m., teams can sign players beginning Sunday November 22.   

Defending him--- The resignation of Gregg Marshall is bad for Wichita State in several ways.  The chief one is the success the coach and school experienced over his tenure at the university.  Several letters arrived either supporting former Coach Gregg Marshall or tough coaching in general.  Without going into details demanding coaches in all sports have existed since the beginning of time.  Physical abuse by a coach is a different matter, it should never be tolerated on any level. 

At least one writer attempted to point out these athletes are Generation Z and don’t recognize the value of discipline.  If the report of abuse is true, I would ask the writer which choke position is his preference, immediately under the head or slightly lower.  Marshall’s top assistant Isaac Brown was named interim head coach, with college basketball beginning in less than two weeks there certainly was no time to begin a search.  The former assistant is 51-years old and has served as an assistant at Louisiana Tech, Arkansas State, Arkansas, and South Alabama.  Best guess, Brown will have a “trial by fire” opportunity to determine if he is head coaching material.    

Again---If it seems I'm talking NBA basketball there is a reason, NBA training camps open December 1.  The 2020-21 NBA season begins December 22, most NBA teams missing the playoffs have not played competitive basketball since March 12. Those teams earning playoff berths played into September and October, the Heat and Lakers completed championship play on October 11. parts of this swift start have not been ironed out however travel is an issue.  This is the projection and not official, back to back games in Los Angeles and New York or nearby cities would be played differently.   

if a team visits Los Angeles they play the Lakers one evening and the following night the Clippers.  The same scenario would occur with teams playing the Knicks and Nets.  The Texas Triangle of Dallas, Houston and San Antonio would continue, in addition east coast corridor teams would see changes too.  NBA teams have opened their facilities for up to 10 players to work out at one time provided they have undergone COVID testing.  There are other forthcoming changes which will be implemented that remained unanswered but will surely occur.  As soon as these are announced you will be advised.  This is the shortest period between seasons for any professional sports teams. 

Remember when---Awhile back you might remember a story regarding Jay Scrubb.  He’s a 6-foot 5-inch shooting guard who played for John A. Logan Community College in Illinois.  It was mentioned he was being discussed in connection with the NBA Draft.  Well low and behold on Wednesday night it occurred, Scrubb was the 55th pick drafted in the 2nd round by the Nets, his rights were later conveyed to the the Clippers.   

This is certainly no declaration of pending stardom however it is noteworthy, for the first time in 15 years a player was drafted in the NBA from a junior college.  How he arrived at Logan CC is interesting, it was reported he hope to attend a D-I school however his GPA was not satisfactory.  Scrubb hoped to raise his grades and then head for a 4-year school.  Somewhere along the line he decided the NBA rather than another school was in his future, turns out he was correct.   

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The 2020 NBA Draft--- The NBA Draft will be held tonight virtually, who goes number one is on the mind of fans and the athletes.  If could be that player has already received the word, he will be the top choice.  2020 is such a mystery as who goes number one, we might have an idea however for the first time we can state with certainty the pick fails to qualify as a sure thing. 

The Lakers will not be participating unless they manage to arrange a 2^nd round trade, their pick (28) went to the Thunder in exchange for Dennis Schroder.  This draft will be historic for several reasons but chief among them, this will be the latest time of the year it’s been held in NBA history.  Who goes number one, best guess…LaMelo Ball?  Despite this news I'm not exactly sure he remains with the Wolves with the first pick, oh well enjoy the virtual drama tonight I certainly will.   

The game is on again---Annually Mizzou and Illinois face off prior to conference play in St. Louis at the Enterprise Center.  Although the game is played in Missouri the city is considered a neutral site since it's not played on the campus of either university, as for the road miles that's a different story.  Columbia is about 40 miles nearer to St. Louis than Champaign-Urbana where the Illinois campus is located.  In an event the game became an early casualty of COVID-19 as it was first cancelled.  But wait there is more, on Wednesday November 11 it was announced the game would be played after all.   

A coin flip on November 12 would determine if the game would be played on the Mizzou or Illinois campus.  On the following day, the Tigers were announced as winners of the coin flip and Columbia will be the site of the match to be held December 12.  As this is written there is no indication of ticket sales or student/fan attendance.  Best guess, Columbia would appear to be operating in a similar manner to others around the nation with limited seating in the arena.  The game should be interesting for more than just Braggin’ Rights, Illinois basketball is a pre-season Top 25 team.  Mizzou is expected to be improved over last season so it should prove exciting. 

He’s on the move--- Chris Paul is the highest or 2^nd highest paid player in the NBA, we are unsure without research.  Due to the fact NBA trades must balance many were unsure if the reports were accurate that Paul was traded.  On Monday, the trade was announced, Paul along with a guy we never heard of was traded to the Suns.  The Thunder will receive Ricky Rubio, Kelly Obure, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and the 2022 first round pick of the Suns.  Paul healthy will aid the Suns earn a playoff berth something the team has been unable to accomplish over the last 10 years.  This trade will allow another Western Conference team to contend in the west.  Not one single team will have a cakewalk now, the Warriors return to playoff form and the Suns will compete too.     

A story--- Several years ago I discovered the son of an acquaintance was quite good in basketball.  Later I would read in the newspaper the son received a basketball scholarship to a mid-major school, naturally I wanted to keep up with the progression of his son.  I had an opportunity to ask him one day, how’s your son doing.  He indicated a transfer was in the works and ended the conversation by stating, “That coach is crazy.”  His response caught me completely off guard with nothing to say other than “Oh.” 

I don’t know the father well; I only know the son through the father.  There was no method for me to check on the coach he ran a winning program.  I’ve shared that story with only two other persons until now.  That coach was Gregg Marshall who formerly coached Wichita State, after reports of abuse was levied at the coach the school began an investigation.  Tuesday Marshall resigned, you can read the details of the charges on a number of news sites, I wanted to provide you a portion of what I knew years ago but had no ability to verify if the story was true. 

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It’s been confirmed---The Lakers will acquire point guard Dennis Schroder from the Thunder.  It’s being reported Danny Green and the Lakers 28^th point in the 2020 draft are the components of this trade.  The Lakers have acquired the speedy point guard to play a key role in defending the 2020 NBA Championship.  A few fans applauding the move mentioned their hope Rajon Rondo remains with the team and so do I.  There are several pluses in my view the acquisition of Schroder might be an upgrade regardless of Rondo’s decision.

We witnessed “Playoff Rondo” during the playoffs and this fact, the Lakers surely would not have won it all without his valuable play.  Rondo is a free agent, and he might leave if not compensated at the level he believes.  As for the differences Schroder is a much better shooter than Rondo, in addition he’s only 27-years old versus 35-year old Rondo.  It is too early to decide the role Schroder plays however Green was a starter, we guess he replaces him in the lineup although that’s not set in stone.  I really like this move for several reasons, chief being the Lakers have no plan to sit back and rest on their championship laurels. 

There are other moves planned by the front office we must wait and see how they develop.  As for this trade as a Laker fan I appreciate the role Green played in the team winning their first championship since 2010.  As for the draft on Wednesday any player chosen at 28 would not play major minutes for this team.  It remains possible for the Lakers to swing a deal in the second round although it is not critical, there remain on the roster youngsters Talen Horton-Tucker (age 19), Devontae Cacok (age 24) and Kostas Antetokounmpo (age 22).  The trio is yet to prove they are NBA ready however their youth is just as much a key to the future of the Lakers as Schroder and other possible additions.   

He’s the best yet since…you know who---Chris Livingston is entering his junior year at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson Ohio.  The city is located about 15 miles from his birthplace Akron, this 5-star prospect is considered the best prospect since you know who came on the scene from that city.  As a sophomore the 6-foot 6-inch Livingston averaged nearly 33 points and 12 rebounds a game, he’s rated the number three prospect in the Class of 2022 and a MaxPreps All American.  South Carolina, Ohio State and Florida are among the contenders for his services, there are five schools in total with offers and his junior season could see the number increase significantly.

“Were number one” ---We often hear that chant from college arenas across the nation.  How about the gigantic task of Matt Norlander cbssports.com?  Norlander decided to rank all 357 Division I basketball programs across the nation.  I frantically searched for my Mizzou Tigers on Norlanders list to determine what he thought of the 2020-21 program.  Well Mizzou is not number one on his list, but they are not 357 either. 

Norlander believes as I do with a veteran presence on the Mizzou roster, they should be improved over last season, but how much better?  Norlander placed them at 50 which is neither good nor bad, allow for a brief explanation.  At the end of the season the NCAA Committee invites 64 teams to the tournament, so it would appear Norlander believes Mizzou is possibly good enough to earn a berth that’s the good.  The bad, a high tournament seed might find them matched against a Gonzaga or Villanova early.

The asterisk is on you---Years later the always cerebral Phil Jackson claims it was all a joke.  He’d gone on record indicating the Spurs should have an asterisk next to their 1999 NBA Championship.  Due to a lockout the NBA season did not begin play until early February 1999; teams would play 50 games that season.  The 2019-20 season was played in two parts beginning in October 2019 and running to a March 2020 date when the pandemic struck in full force.  Once teams began play again in late July most concluded with either 72 or 73 games played prior to the playoffs. 

The 2020 playoffs were no different than any of the past, teams were required to play 4 rounds to determine a champion.  With all teams remaining in Orlando playing in The Bubble there were aspects which made these playoffs more competitive.  Chief among the positives no travel, we heard in the past of the travel factor and accompanying fatigue sometimes impacting play, we listen to none of that.  If the Heat, Celtics, Clippers or Rockets had emerged champion this account would be written no differently.  This next statement was made within a day or so of the Lakers win, we have no method to go back and change history.  As for the 1999 Spurs they were NBA Champions the same for the 2020 Lakers…sorry if you have an issue with this opinion. 

Basketball from a fan perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday

We tuned in to see the wrong guy---You were probably like me, it’s likely you tuned into the Thursday evening match on ESPN to see Emoni Bates in action.  Bates did have an outstanding game although it appeared, he was pressing at points he took shots that might be considered questionable.  7 foot 1 Chet Holmgren and Team Sizzle won the exhibition game 78-71 over Bates and Ypsi Prep Academy.  Bates scored 36 point and grabbed 10 rebounds; his game certainly was outstanding however he came in second place to Holmgren. 

Holmgren scored 31 points 13 for 18 from the floor with 2 for 3 from the 3-point line.  In addition, he snatched down 12 rebounds along with 6 blocked shots, there is no telling how many other opposition shots were missed strictly by his intimidation.  Okay, he’s a skinny 7-footer who should dominate high school players, that’s true.  Holmgren proved he could handle the basketball as he often advanced the ball up the court and has a reliable 3-point shot, the announcers compared his game to (unfairly in my view) that of Kristaps Porzingis. 

Holmgren is a boney 195 pounds who needs to gain weight, but we can point out NBA players of similar stature.  Porzingis, Kevin Durant, and others gained weight once they arrived in the NBA.  Shannon Sharp Fox Sports had the funniest comment, “The basketball ain’t that heavy.”  Don’t misunderstand the declaration this is no projection of Holmgren’s future it’s simply to point out he will gain weight in the future.  As for his skill it’s easy to understand why Holmgren is rated the top prospect in the Class of 2021 and in conclusion on Thursday evening, we tuned in to see the wrong guy play. 

Part 2---Late word last week Russell Westbrook indicated he wanted to leave the Rockets.  He no longer desires to play for them despite the friendship with James Hardin.  Let’s check out Hardin for a moment, good shooter above average distributor of the ball.  Downside, his steal totals are always near the top in the league, yet we continue to read reports he’s not a good defender.  The issues that make him a great player also might be a contributing factor to Westbrook wanting out.  We read Kevin McHale was nicknamed “The Black Hole”, science indicates objects entering a black hole never emerge. 

That description applied to McHale; you pass the ball into him you ain’t never getting it back.  The tag could be applied to Harden as he dominated the offense but the problem for the Rockets appeared to be twofold.  Westbrook’s shot has disappeared, in the playoff’s teams backed away from him daring him to take the shot especially at the 3-point line.  Generally, when Westbrook took the shot it was a miss, we witnessed him shooting a pathetic .421 from the floor and a paltry .242 from 3.  Compounding the shooting woes, he was “Shaq like” from the free-throw line with a .532 average.  Despite great athletic ability there comes a time you must modify your game which it appears Westbrook is unable or unwilling. 

I’m probably wrong---It’s difficult for me to see D’Angelo Russell and LaMelo Ball in the same backcourt.  Don’t confuse the statement it is not a talent issue it’s a “head” issue.  We’ve witnessed Russell’s game moving from the Lakers to the Nets and then the Warriors and now the Wolves.  He’s more a combo guard than pure point guard and what about Ball?  We can only look at the game he displayed in Australia; NBA scouts were raving about his performance.  That play has led to him being considered the top pick in several NBA mock drafts.  We have two ball dominate combo guards in the same backcourt, I can’t see it.  Perhaps the Wolves draft Ball with the intent of trading him to the Knicks or some other team.  

Who is he? ---The Thunder announced the hiring of a coach to replace the departed Billy Donovan.  The new man is named Mark Daigneault and he was an assistant on Donovan’s staff.  According to the information provided he’s previously served as head coach of the Thunder G-League team.  Daigneault certainly has youth on his size, at 35 years of age he becomes the youngest head coach in the NBA.