Basketball from a fans perspective   

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They are the missing

The calendar has flipped over from November to December, despite this fact there are two players missing. We are accustomed to players absent due to injury but neither Ben Simmons nor Kyrie Irving are injured. Both are missing in action for distinct reasons, Simmons has requested the Sixers trade him which has not occurred as this is written. He’s reported to be upset as to how management has portrayed his issue with Sixer fans. Naturally, you the fan are the judge on that one whether the Simmons claim is valid. As for Irving you are familiar with that story too, he claims his fight is for the “little people” or those lacking a voice with government.

Simple fact, Irving has no desire (at least for now) to agree with the city managed policy on covid-19 vaccination. What occurs going forward in both instances, we can only guess so here goes. Simmons is traded, where too is the unknown location at this time. Irving’s situation is a little murkier, in his case two scenarios exist. The easy answer Irving agrees to be vaccinated, the difficult answer he’s traded. In the same manner as Simmons, we have no idea where and to whom Irving is traded.

Over time players have sat on the sidelines uninjured for many reasons, the Simmons-Irvin story is unlike any we believed that existed in recent memory. Irvin is just a different kind of dude for example, you remember what occurred in Cleveland. After being one of the keys to the Cavs NBA Championship he “talked” his way out indicating he wanted to be the leader of his own team. That would never occur with LeBron James on the scene, exit stage left to the Celtics. That was okay for awhile and then it became the Nets. In all this time do you realize how many games Irving’s missed either injured or in this instance covid-19 related?

Distance shooters 

Over the NBA’s 75 years of existence a plethora of long-distance shooters have played the game with precision. The 3-point line is relatively new compared to the league having been adopted in 1979. Who are those distance shooters who scored large numbers of points without benefit of a 3-point basket? The first name on our list is obvious…Pistol Pete Maravich. While enrolled at LSU Maravich scored over 3,600 points a considerable number on distance shots. Once he began play in the NBA his shot was curtailed but that does not take into consideration a percentage were beyond the NBA’s 3-point line. There are more next up is one of the most prolific shooters of the past.

Brown spent all 13 years of his NBA career with the Sonics, he picked up a nickname due to his ability to shoot from deep. He would become Downtown Freddie Brown due to his prolific distance shot. But wait there’s more one of the keys to Celtic victories of the past was shooting guard Sam Jones. Jones was proficient at the bank shot but also from distance. As for the others there was Jerry Lucas, Bob McAdoo and Dave DeBusschere all who played the forward position but shot the deep ball. We also had sharpshooting guards Jerry West, Hal Greer, Dave Bing and Lou Hudson. These players and others show us the game has evolved however the names mentioned would have fit right in with today’s NBA talent. These players and others had long-range on their shots and were proficient at scoring buckets.

Conference strength

This will have changed by the time you read it although most teams will likely remain in the Top 25 just position changes. In this early collegiate season, we might ask which conference is the best? At this point it’s strictly a “beauty contest” because the first Monday in April is a truer test. By then all conference races will be resolved and a new NCAA Champion will be crowned. As for early December check out the AP Top 25 it looks interesting. The poll has:

3 Pac-12

4 Big XII

6 SEC 

5 Big 10

2 Big East

2 AAC

2 West Coast

1 ACC

You might find most interesting the ACC once thought to be the strongest conference in the nation has Duke it’s only representative in the Top 25 in week 4. No North Carolina, North Carolina State, Florida State or Syracuse to be found. This will have changed by the time you read this however it still is interesting.

Ever wonder why?

It doesn’t matter where the game is played, it could be Denver or Dubai, Venice Italy or Venice California. We might be in Paris France or Paris Texas on the other hand it could be Berlin Germany or Connecticut. The regulation height for a basketball goal is 10 feet (304.8 centimeters) from the floor. Have you ever been curious enough to research how Dr. James A. Naismith decided on that height in his original 13 Rules of Basketball?

It’s always been interesting to me, basketball the only sports “invented,” in addition the game coming to culmination in America was introduced by Canadian Naismith. As for others this information on the history is already known, for others I’m happy you asked the question so here goes. In 1891 the peach basket (the first goal) was hung from the railing below the running track on the upper part of the floor. The height of the railing was exactly 10 feet above the floor. The 6 foot 7 and taller giants of today are able to score with dunks and other shots which were uncommon back then. The average height for an American male back then was a little over 5 feet 8 inches tall.