Basketball from a fan perspective

The game from a fan’s perspective

Hit the Road Jack

“Hit the Road Jack and don’t you come back no more, no more Hit the road jack and don’t you come back no more” is the opening line from the 1962 R&B hit by the late Ray Charles.  The Laker coaching staff might believe playing on the road is best for this version of the Lakers.  They beat the Bucks 113-106 on Thursday evening with LeBron James leading the way with 34 points. 

As for the road versus home issue grasp this tidbit, the Lakers are undefeated thus far this season on the road.  As for play at Staples Center that’s a whole different matter, they find themselves with 4 wins and 4 losses at home a .500 team.  On the road the Thursday win leaves the Lakers with 8 wins and 0 losses for a sparkling .1000 percentage.  There are no fans in the stands at home or on the road, generally teams play better at home versus the road.  The Lakers certainly are an anomaly this season, unbeatable (so far) on the road and only an average team at home, go figure.   

Queens in da house

In the movie Coming to America Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) arrived here from the fictional African nation of Zumunda, he decided the borough was a place to begin his search for a queen to share his throne.  Mizzou went searching for basketball talent and Queens was one of the locations searched.  Over the years the New York City boroughs produced several outstanding basketball talents.  Metta World Peace might first come to mind although Lamar Odom, Jamal Mashburn and Rod Strickland are also worthy of mention.        

In the fall of 2020 Mizzou received a commitment from Sean Durugordon a 6-foot 6-inch small forward from Queens.  We expected this Class of 2021 prospect in the fall and BAM he shows up in January, number 15 is in Columbia and on the roster.  He graduated early from Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut and likely wanted to beat the other freshman to Mizzou.  There are doubts he receives much play from the middle of the season on, but it is interesting he chose to arrive in January rather than August.  Naturally with any freshman this is no attempt to tout Durugordon’s talent, there is a vast leap from high school to Division I basketball.  Speaking for Mizzou Nation hopefully he is another budding basketball talent in Columbia. 

Two sport athletes   

At the time Drew Lock arrived on the Mizzou campus he’d been recruited as a quarterback.  Because he played basketball too at Lees Summit High School word spread, he intended to be a two-sport athlete at Mizzou.  Lock would never suit up in a basketball jersey for Mizzou.  That story never rang true as he distinguished himself on the football field and now plays for the NFL Broncos.  Many of us first witnessed former Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzales on the basketball court rather than the football field. 

One time Chargers tight end Antonio Gates was an NFL All Pro, Gates played basketball at Kent State. Must be something about past catching tight ends who play the other sport.  Years ago, the NFL Chiefs under the late Hank Stram draft 6-foot 10-inch Morris Stroud in 1970.  Unlike some of the others Stroud never played football until he arrived in Kansas City.  Anytime an opposing team attempted a field goal Stram would have Stroud station himself beneath the cross bars.  Stroud would attempt to knock down any intended field goal a practice against the rules in today’s NFL. 

Now for a switch, how about the Mavs Willie Cauley-Stein a 7-foot-wide receiver in high school or 6-9 receiver LeBron James.  All Pro wide receiver Randy Moss never played basketball in college however he did in high school.  Former point guard Jason Williams was a teammate of Moss, as for this next statement we can only take the opinion of Williams.  He claims Moss was “good enough to play in the NBA.”  A brief glimpse of athletes who played football and basketball, like any report this certainly shouldn’t be considered complete. 

A nose for the ball

Let’s face it, sometimes even tall guys don’t rebound the ball effectively.   From time to time we might witness a player with a nose for the ball like Andre Drummond or Dennis Rodman a specialist.  Cavs Big Man Drummond has been a double-double man since he arrived in the NBA in 2012.  Correction except his rookie season when he was 7.6 a game and played a reserve role for the Pistons who drafted him. 

Rodman was unique in that his teams didn’t require him to score, they looked to him for rebounds.  His resume shows he led the NBA in rebounds 7 years, outstanding for a 6-foot 7 inch forward.  Despite their height (7 feet) and bulk 280 pounds neither of the Lopez twins Brook or Robin are considered outstanding at rebounding the basketball.  The Wizards Russell Westbrook’s aggressiveness has allowed the 6-foot 3-point guard to be a double-double man in rebounds for three consecutive seasons. 

We could also check out Hassan Whiteside of the Kings, 7-foot Whiteside has double digit numbers in rebounds since he first began playing starter minutes.  We have no method to determine if the Lakers Montrezl Harrell should be included in this account.  Harrell plays a reserve role but his hustle plus his huge wingspan allow the 6-foot 7-inch Harrell to snatch a significant number of rebounds.  This is but a glance at this key component of basketball…rebounding the ball and those who succeed or come up short.