Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday through Friday

It ends here

This is the last Sunday edition (at least for now) of Off the Dribble. As detailed earlier we begin a Monday through Friday publication schedule tomorrow, no more weekend editions. It’s hoped this new schedule will meet your needs as much as mine. Thank you for continuing to read this blog from its start in 2011 or just now.

It ain’t me!

This soap opera of Kyrie has forced me into a corner so be it, I’m tired of reading letters saying how poorly Kyrie Irving is being treated. As I tried to point out on social media this is what I see:

Life is about choices; there are good choices and bad choices made, learn to live with your choice.

According to Forbes Kyrie’s 2021 net work is reported to be $90 million, wow and wow.

Are you telling me a guy making a little more than minimum wage working a 40 hour a week job is suppose to feel sorry for Kyrie?

Sorry Kyrie fans, that ain’t me.

Old faces in unfamiliar places or vice versa

Elements in Laker Nation are perplexed, “What’s wrong with our team, they can’t beat anybody”. That statement is far from the truth if we consider the big picture. The Big Two, LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been missing major time in these exhibition games. The other member of the trio Russell Westbrook is trying to acclimate himself to define his role with this new team. The others as the headline read old faces (Kent Bazemore, Dwight Howard & Wayne Ellington) in recent places.

These former Lakers after being re-acquired are finding their way too. Then we have the injuries, Trevor Ariza and Talen- Horton Tucker which has not allowed Frank Vogel and staff time to access this “new” Laker team. Calm down Laker Nation one thing for sure will not occur. The current Western Conference standings have the Kings in first place and the Lakers last, that ain’t gonna happen. The estimation by this member of Laker Nation it might be December before we see a cohesive team on the floor. Until that occurs calm down it will improve eventually (I hope).

The real Superman

Who is the real Superman, it’s not Henry Cavill or the late Christopher Reeves? It’s not Shaquille O’Neal or Dwight Howard who battled for years in the NBA on the title. The real Superman is Kyrie Irving who is certainly “bulletproof.” Allow us to omit his civic and philanthropic efforts it is clear he marches to the beat of his own drummer. Accept a further explanation, we finally heard the words from his mouth. He claims to be “neither in favor of the vaccine or opposed he is looking out for his body.” This is the key; letters of support have come forth defending the stance Irving’s taken. 

Even more interesting supporters of Irving have chosen to attack the NBA on this issue although the NBA had nothing to do with his status. An unknown number of the public have taken this stance despite the fact New York City has a public gathering mandate. This rule says you must have at least one shot of any of the available vaccines, it’s not the NBA people…it’s New York City. Now the question for you to ponder, after being somewhat skeptical LeBron James went on record saying he’d been vaccinated. This certainly was no ringing endorsement, but further said it should be an individual’s choice. The point of course is clear, what if this had been LeBron James rather than Kyrie Irving? Any idea how this subject would have been addressed by the media and fans, I don’t know about you however I do?

He is key to success

There is no requirement to defend the fact, NBA basketball has always been a team sport. Despite this statement there are athletes more valued over others. With the Lakers most say its LeBron James. For me it is Anthony Davis, the Laker Big Man can do so many different things when healthy, note the statement…healthy. The 6-foot 10-inch AD is not only valuable, but he is only 28-years old, contrast his age with the balance of the grizzled Laker veterans. There is but one key as mentioned his health, as Shaq would say about himself nick-nack injuries. 

That’s AD however the problem injuries have caused him to miss critical time while a member of the Pelicans and this past season with the Lakers. It’s reported AD will see playing time at the center position and this has been mentioned in the past. He prefers playing power forward although AD says he is willing to play the position on occasion. It would appear the Lakers might have the perfect scenario, three centers. Dwight Howard proved to be valuable emerging from the bench in the Lakers championship season, we believe DeAndre Jordan might supply the same spark. Both veterans are proficient at blocking shots and clogging the lane. The Lakers with a healthy AD for offense and Howard/Jordan on defense you see where this critique is headed? The key to a successful season is the health of AD start to finish.