Words eye view

Basketball from a fan perspective

What are they sayin’?

Wednesday afternoon I did a rare thing, I never ever look at betting odds.  I did this with the upcoming Mizzou-Kentucky game later that evening, the site provided the odds and a brief writeup of the match.  A portion read, “Mizzou is an overachieving team facing an under achieving Kentucky team”, well we know this is a very down year for Kentucky basketball and despite that statement we knew it would be a tough game.  Although played on Mizzou’s court my description, it was an ugly game. Kentucky was determined to stop or at least slow Jeremiah Tilmon, Mizzou's Big Man would often find himself double and sometimes triple teamed.  

Guard Dru Smith led the Tigers with 26 points and 5 assists while forward Mitchell Smith pulled down 12 rebounds.  Mizzou as a team managed to shoot 39% from the floor versus Kentucky’s 47%.  Kentucky also out rebounded Mizzou although not by much, the Wildcats led in blocked shots as they forced the Tigers to play at their pace especially in the second half.  The final score read Mizzou 75 Kentucky 70, although this is a down year for Kentucky it’s always good to beat the Wildcats which doesn’t occur very often for Mizzou.  I guess it might be okay to be an overachieving team. 

The Magnificent Seven…Three

We are going to briefly look at the Nets again, they decided the team needed James Harden to compete for the 2021 NBA Championship run.  What occurs for them now with a lineup comprised of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Harden?  All three especially Harden never saw a shot they didn’t like and no hesitancy to take that shot.

This group should have no trouble scoring we’ve already witnessed evidence of that fact.  In the regular season they are probably better than every Eastern Conference team, as for the West that’s an open question for now.  None of the three has ever exhibited a yearning to play extended time on the defensive side of the ball.  If the Nets average 130 points and give up 140 as an example you get the direction we are leaning?   

Great White Hope part I

In 1967 Howard Sackler wrote a play titled The Great White Hope, it was later made into a movie in 1970, the title character was named Jack Jefferson.  Heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson was the foundation for the play and movie.  The short version of the story a national search was begun in 1910 for a white victor to beat Jack Johnson a black man who held the heavyweight boxing championship.  The term Great White Hope has been utilized over the years to not replace but to demonstrate the need for a white championship athlete.   The term came into prominence with the emergence of Larry Joe Bird from Indiana State and the Boston Celtics.  Bird was a winner in several ways as he led the Celtics to NBA championships. 

At the time he retired the prevailing thought might have been who becomes the next “Great White Hope.”  It would seem in basketball more than any other sport this need for a white champion type player has become quite evident.  You remember them, Adam Morrison, Jimmer Fredette, Frank Kaminsky, and Doug McDermott come to mind.  There have been others, those named are just a few outstanding college players unable to translate the success they attained in college to the NBA.  It might appear white players born in this country are no longer able to compete at a Bird like level in the NBA.  Gordon Hayward would assume the level and then bam, a series of injuries have curtailed what was once an auspicious NBA career. 

Hayward’s continued to play but not at the level he did while a member of the Utah Jazz.  Where do we go from here, hopefully we continue to develop basketball talent without race being a factor?  Is it that important to see an outstanding white basketball player, the answer is twofold?  YES, in that people love to see someone who looks like them playing a significant role on an NBA team.  NO because little white boys have grown up wearing Michael Jordan jerseys and many now sport Kobe Bryant and LeBron James jerseys.  The families purchased them for their sons (and in some instances their daughters) because they represent players they admire.