Basketball from a fans perspective

The Lottery

For many the lottery is almost as exciting as the draft itself. We can begin to formulate in our minds where a particular player might land. Truth is the lower portion of the draft is in somewhat of what most of us believe, let’s say 14 and beyond it’s a guess. As you are aware the NBA Lottery was held on Tuesday, the Magic were awarded the top spot followed in order by the Thunder, Rockets, Kings and Pistons. What changes, much between now and Thursday June 23. As an example, two mock websites have the Magic picking Jabari Smith 6-foot 10 power forward from Auburn. 

Chet Holmgren the skinny 7-foot 1 Gonzaga forward is their choice for the second pick and headed to the Thunder and the Rockets will choose 6-foot 10 wing Paola Banchero from Duke. With the fourth pick comes the departure between these two mock sites, One site list Purdue’s Jaden Ivey and the other Shaedon Sharpe from Kentucky as pick number four. We ask the question of a few…” Do you draft to fill a need or the best athlete available?” Most of those responding indicated if they were a general manager, it would be best available. 

That makes sense if we consider this fact, it’s possible that a uber talented player could be plugged in anywhere on the team. Keep in mind you make a move but not one of question, you don’t sit down Steph Curry in 2019 and replace him with Jordan Poole. You develop a Jordan Poole in order for him to eventually replace Curry at some point down the road. Of interest locally Kansas shooting guard Ochai Agbaji, he’s projected a lottery pick by one site but number 22 in another. Of course, the hope by most is to be drafted which should occur in Agbaji’s case, the significant difference between the positions is $$$, they will be much larger at pick 11 versus 22.

M.I.A.

In Game One the Heat managed to beat the Celtics to the pulp, but they had help in the victory. No this is not a reference to the officials it’s the Celtic players missing in Game One. NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart was sidelined with a sprained right foot. Also missing the game was Al Horford in health and safety protocols, so what occurs with Game Two? The outlook isn’t much better for Game Two, Smart is probable, and Horford is listed as doubtful.

This is the third time this season Horford has been sidelined due to health and safety protocol. Hopefully, this doesn’t appear to disparage the 118-107 win by the Heat, but we must face it, the Celtics or any other team cannot win without their full compliment of players. Jimmy Butler went wild scoring 41 points on 63% shooting from the floor, in addition Butler had 9 rebounds, 5 assists along with 4 steals and 3 blocked shots. It’s not just Butler there was help from his teammates; the Heat are a solid defensive team. Hopefully, Game Two will be a little more evenly matched no matter who wins.

Who?

We know the Magic will have the top pick in the 2022 NBA Draft next month, who do they choose? The majority of mock sites indicate Jabari Smith Jr. will be the choice of the Magic. At 6 foot 10- and 220-pounds Smith Jr. is listed as a power forward, but will that be his position in the NBA? The power forward position for the Magic at the present time belongs to Jonathan Isaac and the small forward is Franz Wagner who is physically the same size as Smith Jr.

Who stays and who go’s might be the question at this point, choosing the number one pick in the draft says Smith Jr. will be in the lineup somewhere? Now I will place my scout’s hat on to assess the youngster, often when attempting to evaluate a player I look at his weaknesses first. Is that athlete willing to work to improve those areas requiring development? We have no idea at this point, so this portion of a scouting report is incomplete. Based on what is read to date Smith Jr. might be best suited for the power forward position until other elements of his game improve significantly. “Usually settles for mid-range jumpers when he does drive its almost exclusively to his right. Needs to become a better ball handler” reads a portion of the report.

The Bucks

NBA expansion brought about two franchise, the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks Almost immediately from the beginning a coin flip allowed them to become an NBA power. Prior to the lottery a coin flip often determined the top draft pick and that’s what occurred in 1969. When the coin flip was held the Suns lost and had the second pick, the first pick became Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Although he failed to finish his career in Milwaukee, they became respectable immediately. The Bucks went from 27-55 to 56-26 with a young Kareem in the starting lineup. Once Oscar Robertson was obtained in a trade the Bucks won their first NBA Championship. Over course of time the Bucks lineup has contained a number of outstanding players some earned a place in the Hall of Fame. Just a few of those names:

Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Oscar Robertson

Jesus Shuttlesworth a.k.a. Ray Allen

Giannis Antekounmpo

Glenn Robinson

Bob Lanier

Sidney Moncrief

Marques Johnson

Junior Bridgeman

Bob Dandridge