Basketball from a fan perspective
Basketball games are comprised of two halves, it does a team
no good to play an outstanding 1st half and go to sleep in the
second. That’s what Mizzou Nation
witnessed in the second half of the game versus Mississippi State. Mizzou held a 39-27 lead in the first half of
the game, and it could have been a much larger lead. State scored 51 points while holding Mizzou
to 24 points in the second half leading to a 78-63 win for the Bulldogs.
This loss hurts worse than Tennessee, in that game Mizzou was
taken out early, this one was totally different. It certainly wasn’t turnovers because State
registered 11 to Mizzou’s 8. Shots
Mizzou made in the first half were misses in the second half, that was the
reverse as well for State as they sank shot after shot after shot. The one obvious difference Mizzou was savagely
beaten on the boards 37-22. Coach can
take as much blame for this one as the players, Cuonzo was out coached in this
one.
The statement is not if it is when
Glen Taylor intends to sell the Wolves, at this point we have
no idea of the time or the potential owner.
The question is not if it becomes when because Taylor has made it known
he desires to sell the team. This is
pure speculation on my part, but I believe he wants the owner to keep the team
in the Twin Cities. There are always
names we become familiar with as owners, but one potential is well known. The name is Kevin Garnett who holds most of
the franchise scoring, rebounding and assorted numbers as a Wolves player. Once upon a time Garnett spoke of assembling
a group to purchase the Wolves but that was prior to his falling out with
Taylor.
Is there NBA expansion in the future
We cannot provide the date or day but it’s coming, the NBA
will expand at some future date. One
writer makes the claim NBA owners could gain $2 billion which could be distributed
among them, no players would receive any compensation. Tod Leiweke is president of the NHL Seattle
Kraken but has previous ties to the NBA.
In addition, the former Key Arena now dubbed Climate Pledge Arena is
being refurbished and would be available by the time the Sonics return.
With 30 teams surely the NBA would expand by adding two
franchises to balance things, if Seattle is number one on the expansion list
who finishes in second place? Well,
there are plenty of candidates vying for that position. Despite negative comments
by several local civil rights and community groups the NBA eye remains on
Kansas City, the real downside we are likely in third place now. The new Sonics of Seattle remain solidly in
first place and that is understandable but why the drop from second to third my
home? My belief Sin City better known as
Las Vegas has moved into second place, for years the issue of gambling was the
primary reason no professional sports existed in the city.
The sports landscape
regarding sports betting and Las Vegas has changed. NHL expansion witnessed the Las Vegas Golden
Knights an expansion team began play in the 2017-18 season, they have been extraordinarily
successful on the ice and at the box office.
The NFL Raiders moved anticipating play in the 2020 after moving from
Oakland, they play in a brand-new stadium.
It’s difficult to gauge attendance since the pandemic witnessed the
Raiders playing before a virtually empty house.
Based on the success of the NHL and we believe the NFL Las Vegas has probably
moved in front of Kansas City in the minds of NBA Board of Governors.
Halls
of Fame
At the time the Naismith
Hall of Fame opened in 1968 it contained tributes to basketball players,
coaches and contributors to the game be they professional, college or
amateur. As an example, the NFL Hall of
Fame which opened in 1960 reflects only those connected with football, the same
applies to Major League Baseball in Cooperstown NY with its opening in 1936. In 2006 the College Basketball Hall of Fame
was opened in Kansas City MO; it honors only those individuals and teams
associated with the college game.
In basketball we have
individuals enshrined in Springfield MA as well as Kansas City. “The hall is meant as a complement
to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, with a focus strictly on
those who have contributed greatly to college basketball.” * That statement
represents the belief there was a requirement to separate professional aspects
of the game versus those considered amateur.
The pandemic has closed these facilities temporarily, as soon as
practical if you are in either city plan a visit to the Halls of Fame. It is certainly worthwhile for fans of
basketball no matter the level.
*Wikipedia
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.