Basketball from a fan perspective

The game from a fan’s perspective

Don’t slay the messenger

If the headline reads something like “Improved chemistry” what is that saying?  One of the morning readings on ESPN.com’s NBA page featured a story detailing how much better team chemistry was on the Clippers.  What’s that saying to us, are you admitting you did not have it together last season?  No issue here if that is indeed the case, we are okay with it, stay tuned for further developments or additions to this story. 

He’s headed to Texas

Tamar Bates is a 6-foot 5-inch combo guard, Rivals rates him a 4-star prospect in the Class of 2021.  Bates began his basketball initiative at Piper High School in Kansas City Kansas, he’s   now attending IMG Academy in Bradenton Florida.  There were 17 schools with scholarship offers and we might have believed Kansas had the inside track for his services.  After all Kansas City Kansas is a 37-minute drive to Lawrence and the shadow of Kansas basketball looms large over the state.  That might have been the prevailing thought but that’s not fact, Bates is verbally committed to play for Shaka Smart and Texas in the fall. 

“Watching paint dry”

This from September 2020 and the NCAA remains in the same position.  The NCAA is r-e-a-l-l-y s-l-o-w finalizing its decision on the Kansas basketball program.  You remember the story; the governing body of college athletics slapped the school with several major accusations.  The Kansas athletic said, “NO we are guilty of anything.”  Then Coach Self took the issue one step further, he personally indicated he intended to sue the NCAA over the issue, something unseen since the days of Jerry Tarkanian former basketball coach at UNLV.    

What does this back and forth, up, and down of Kansas basketball and Bill Self entail?  We have no method to determine an outcome due to the glacial movement of the NCAA.  If we look at the big picture this entire fiasco is two years old, not recent action but the Adidas story including the trial.  If the issues facing Kansas were swiftly administered by the NCAA guys like me would have a little less to write.  After completing this research was conducted to determine if an update to this story might have occurred, that is not the case. 

Bits n Pieces 

“Who you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes”, the quote is attributed to comedian Groucho Marx.  For those unfamiliar with the name Marx was an entertainer from the middle 20^th Century.  Anytime you are discussing sports do you check numbers or rely on what your eyes perceived?  This began with a discussion on the Lakers and their apparent lack of rim protection.  One person claimed the Lakers were missing rim protection with no Dwight Howard or JaVale McGee. 

Another claimed that was not the case although Marc Gasol was certainly not the shot blocker of the two mentioned.  Once the numbers were checked they proved far different from the discernment of one person.  As this is written the 2020-21 Lakers are 3^rd in the NBA with 6.6 block shots per game.  Only Houston (surprise) and Philly are in front of the Lakers.  What is your view of the discussion, do you believe strictly in the numbers or your lying eyes?  

Stephen Silas finally has an opportunity as a head coach and he walks into a cauldron of fire, it was clear James Hardin wanted out of H-Town.  Now comes word John Wall is uncomfortable with the team as well, now that Hardin is gone perhaps he's okay now.  Unless he’s behind the scenes (Wizard of Oz) owner Tillman Fertitta looks to be removed from the turmoil.  Who’s to blame, the guys who departed for other NBA teams after last season.  Former GM Daryl Morey and coach Mike D’Antoni thought they could build a team of munchkins (cue Wizard of Oz again) around Hardin and the departed Russell Westbrook.  At the time they began disassembling the Rockets with these moves I thought this ain’t going to work. 

Just in case you are part of Laker Nation and desire the Lakers to acquire JaVale McGee it ain’t that easy.  According to Eric Pincus Laker reporter for Bleacher Report it is a somewhat complicated route.  “The Lakers cannot acquire McGee in a trade, the same issue if the Cavs cut McGee, they cannot sign him.  If the Cavs traded McGee to another team and that team releases him the Lakers could acquire him in free agency,” got that?  Although there was no additional detail, we’ve got to believe this is part of the collective bargain agreement with the players.