Basketball from a fan perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday

The one at the end

On Monday it was said in this blog don’t be shocked if Mizzou is listed as a Top 25 team.  Sure, enough that’s what occurred later in the day, what you might find interesting in that several polls including the AP placed Mizzou at 16.  That is probably a correct place in my view, they are yet to be a Top 5 team yet.  Our hope with the team appearing in polls for the first time in a while it will not cause their heads to swell. 

Mizzou players hear what we hear, SEC broadcasters continue to state Coach Cuonzo believes his team can win the conference.  Early it appears Kentucky is less than stellar, but they and several others are a concern, Tennessee, Georgia, and LSU all appear solid.  As a member of Mizzou Nation, I will take the current state of play, hopefully heads won’t swell too much in Columbia.  As for the end, the only poll that really counts is the one at the end, the NCAA Tournament. 

Perhaps he’s why

We cannot count these games, they are only exhibition, Talen Horton-Tucker scored 19 points on Friday against the Clippers on Sunday the number was 33.  The initial statement is repeated this is not real basketball, LeBron James and Anthony Davis played 0 minutes.  Both stars had a slightly better view of Horton-Tucker in action than us, we only had a televised view of him and the action.  James and Davis (sounds like a law firm) witnessed the youngster in action up close.  Consider this fact, until last month he was still a teen, his birthday in November makes him an old grizzly man at the age of 20 years. 

The Lakers returned several players from their championship season except JR Smith and Dion Waiters.  Should we suppose Horton-Tucker might be the basis for Frank Vogel believing he might be able to move into the rotation as a reserve?  We don’t know this for a fact, perhaps Horton-Tucker is the basis for Smith and Waiters no longer being members of the Lakers.  In addition, with Schroeder possibly a starter at the point Horton-Tucker might assume the backup-backup role behind Alex Caruso and Quinn Cook.  On the other hand, his offensive capability might move him in front of one or both veteran guards.  Frank Vogel said, “It’s going to make my job difficult” we believe many other coaches might love to have such a problem. 

They won’t win the championship

What occurs for the 2020-21 Warriors and fans of Dub Nation?  They won’t win the championship, barring major injuries they should be vastly improved even missing Klay Thompson.  The question at this point is aimed at the bench, the starters are solid apart from rookie James Wiseman at center.  Steph Curry returns at the point, talented but questionable Andrew Wiggins moves into Klay’s spot.  Kelly Oubre Jr. is the small forward while Draymond Green is at the power forward. 

Depending on help from the reserves this team can return to playoff type basketball.  Steve Kerr is a capable coach and will make those moves necessary for the Warriors to win and return the franchise to winning competitive basketball.  In a shorten NBA season how many games do they win of 72?  They will likely finish the season with 40+ wins, if reserves are not as productive, we could lower the number.  In either case the Warriors should be able to earn a playoff berth.   

Swapped franchises

The NBA has many historical events occur over its existence but nothing like the decision allowing the Clippers move to California, owners of the Buffalo Braves and Boston Celtics swapped franchises.   The Braves were an NBA expansion team born in 1970, over the course of time certain portions of the events are lost to history.  As best we can uncover Irv Levin then owner of the Celtics wanted to move his team to the west coast, the NBA would never allow an original franchise to move so he arranged with Braves owner John Y. Brown to swap franchises.  It turned out most of Levin’s business was located on the west coast was the basis for the move. 

Once Levin took ownership of the Braves franchise, he petitioned the NBA to move the team to San Diego which occurred in 1978 and the team was rebranded as the San Diego Clippers.  Later the team would be sold to Donald Sterling, in 1984 the team would move again this time to Los Angeles.  The Clippers made the move to Los Angeles without league permission, the NBA fined Sterling $25 million and the owner would countersue.  Eventually the fine was reduced to $6 million and its reported Sterling relented, as for the move to California we are quite sure nothing similar ever occurred in NBA history and likely will never occur again.