Basketball from a fan’s perspective

“He's had better work habits in practice” Roy Williams

Was there any defense

The final score read Wizards 154 Pacers 141, but it was more than the score. Wizards guard Russell Westbrook stands 6 foot 3, in this game he filled up the box score.  Keep in mind the game was not available in my area, so the box score is all I am able to reference.  Westbrook only scored 14 points but had 24 assists and 21 rebounds in the victory.

Imagine that, 21 rebounds for a guy standing 6 foot 3 is amazing, I must admit I have been one of the biggest critics of Westbrook over his career. I am no longer there, as a reminder I never claimed the player wasn’t talented it was just my belief he was padding his stat total. That is no longer the position taken by yours truly now. According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN in the history of the NBA history a 20-point 20-rebound game has only occurred three times.  Once by Wilt Chamberlain and now with Westbrook twice.      

How do you play forward at 6 foot 4?

The headline should be clarified, we are not discussing high school it’s college and professionally.  We are discussing David Thompson standing 6 foot 4 but a reported 44 inch vertical.  At North Carolina State it was he and guard Monte Towe who created a shot we use in present day.  With Thompson’s great leaping ability Towe would toss the ball toward the basket with Thompson catching it at its apex laying the ball in the basket. Keep in mind at the time the dunk was not allowed in the college game.

In 1975 Thompson was made the number one pick by the ABA Virginia Squires and NBA Atlanta Hawks.  It’s unclear how this occurred but Thompson would sign with the ABA Denver Nuggets. The first year was spent in the ABA however the following season the merger occurred.  Thompson would spend 1977 to 1982 with Denver and his last two seasons with the Sonics. Injuries and substance abuse would force him from the game permanently in 1984. The basketball exploits of Thompson would lead him to be enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. 

Gasol vs Drummond

If the inclusion of Andre Drummond in the Laker lineup had been smooth this account would not be written. As you are aware the Lakers have suffered a slide downward in the playoff picture, many in Laker Nation are pointing the finger of blame at Drummond which I believe is unfair to him. The chief complaint unlike a Marc Gasol his positioning in the post has clogged the lane, Gasol playing on the perimeter leaves driving lanes to the basket open.

While Laker Nation is pointing fingers at Drummond, they fail to consider the basis for Drummond donning Purple and Gold in the first place. Gasol did not perform at the level the Lakers might have hoped, he was never a high-volume scorer or rebounder however the numbers with the Lakers dropped into the cellar. How do you fix the problem, each of the two post players bring elements to the game the other doesn’t possess? I’m not going to second guess the coaches moves let’s just say for now I trust Frank Vogel to make the correct move.   

Bits n Pieces

I'm sure KU basketball fans won't find this story amusing. Former Mizzou coach Norm Stewart was so honed into the rivalry his team stayed in KCMO prior to game day or night. Mizzou would take a bus to KCMO stay overnight here in a hotel and then head to Lawrence the following morning. He was reported to have said he didn't want to spend a dime in Kansas.

Glaciers are melting at a faster rate than the NCAA making effective change. How long has Kansas basketball operated under the umbrella of pending penalties? Is it 3 or 4 years, we have no idea when the charges were first leveled at the program and coach Bill Self?  Recently an official with the NCAA made a statement which caused all of us to scratch our heads. “The matter will be resolved sometime in the next 12 months” which says to me.  That length of time would see Blue Blood Kansas basketball in the tournament again, if this should occur who benefits with a Kansas in the tournament?  And this in, the NCAA provided President Mark Emmert an extension???

“They hate us cause they ain't us,” that would be the statement made by the Nets and Lakers. According to twitter they claim the most hated team in a state-by-state count in the NBA is the Nets followed by the Lakers, the two are followed by the Sixers and Celtics. Interesting there are 19 states that form no opinion whatsoever. Both Missouri and Kansas are neutral, with no NBA team in either state that’s probably understandable.  

I really don’t have an answer for the question.  Many are aware Kim English was hired as head coach at George Mason. English played for Mizzou and later became an assistant coach at several stops. A friend wanted to know the specifics of the George Mason program in the first season for English. Unfamiliar with the program a check of the website indicates a significant number of returnees for the 2021-22 season. George Mason finished 13-9 overall and 8-6 in the Atlantic 10 Conference, 6^th place in a 14-team league.