Basketball from a fan perspective

Laker legend gone

Elgin Baylor died on Monday at the age of 86, Baylor played his first two seasons with the Minneapolis Lakers and along with Jerry West became the foundation for the team at the time the franchise located to Los Angeles.  The Minneapolis Lakers made him the top pick in the 1958 NBA Draft, Baylor was an 11 time All Star and NBA MVP.  Standing 6 foot 5 he played small forward throughout his career and his 225 pounds allowed him to contest taller heavier players for the ball.  After his playing career concluded Baylor served as GM of the Clippers, he would be enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Halls of Fame.  He was honored again being selected a member of the 35th and 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, Elgin Baylor R.I.P.   

Contrasting 

During the 2008-2009 NBA season the Houston Rockets won 22 games in a row, this streak ran from Jan 29-March 18.  Contrast that win total with the 2020-2021 Rockets who are losers of 20 games in a row and pending.  The Rockets are now tied with 4 other clubs for the most consecutive losses.   

A bump in the road or a boulder?

The weekend was not good for several college teams, I can make the same statement about my Lakers.  By now you are aware LeBron James sustained a high ankle sprain, he’s out until he returns.  I wrote it in that manner because we have no idea at this point the timeframe on his healing.  If fully mended Anthony Davis should return around April 2 which should help but there is a dilemma.  Do these injuries represent a bump in the road or a boulder for the Lakers?  I returned briefly to the past, I noted 6 consecutive losing seasons were posted by the Lakers. 

The 2012-2013 season was the last one they finished above .500 prior to last season’s championship.  I can remember the doom and gloom during that period hoping the Lakers would draft THAT player or acquire THAT player in trade or free agency.  This is revisionist history I contend the Lakers would have finished above .500 in LeBron’s first season without injury.  All I can state at this point for Laker Nation, stay strong…what appears difficult will eventually become better.  I'm not comfortable waiting 10 years for another championship however I did it previously (2010).     

Wow, this is amazing information

Did you know Kansas City Missouri experienced professional basketball prior to the NBA Kings, this was also before the 1961-1962 Spurs of the American Basketball League?  As occurs sometimes while conducting research you uncover unknown information, that was the case here.  Examination indicates the Kansas City Hi-Spots played the 1950-1951 season in the National Professional Basketball League.  Never heard of the NPBL, neither had I prior to reading the history?  Why is this a major rather than minor league you might ask, the explanation follows?

Three of the teams in this 8-team league were former NBA teams.  At the time of the merger forming today’s NBA there were objections, New York interest were not keen on the idea of Waterloo Iowa, Sheboygan Wisconsin and Anderson Indiana competing with the big city Knicks and Celtics.  The three teams dropped out of the newly formed NBA and began play in the NPBL, but it wouldn’t be lasting, the upstart league ceased operations in January 1951.  The Hi-Spots played their games at the Pla-Mor Ballroom located at the corner of Linwood and Main, the building was demolished in 1972.