Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

A legend gone

The nation and the basketball world received the sad news early Sunday afternoon. The legendary Bill Russell who spent his entire playing career as a member of the Celtics died at the age of 88. A quick but unthorough search indicates only teammates Bob Cousy, Satch Sanders and Don Nelson remain, all the others have gone on to glory. The difference for me Russell was ever present at NBA events, we believed he defied the ages. It was just this past June when he appeared at the NBA Finals to present the Bill Russell MVP Trophy to Steph Curry.

I cannot make known the number of accolades this giant of a man accomplished on the basketball court and life; I’m going to allow media members to do that for me. This view I’m sure everyone is in agreement; the NBA was a semi-pro league in a sense until the fall of 1956. Russell had been drafted by the St. Louis Hawks and the shrewd Red Auerbach Celtic coach managed to trade for him. He arrived in the NBA a winner having led the University of San Francisco to the 1955 and 1956 NCAA Championship. The NBA and the basketball world changed forever from that point on, we can state with conviction Russell was the key to Celtic Championships and defense being emphasized in the NBA. 11 NBA Championships in 13 years is an unparalleled record and certainly one which will never be duplicated.

Dance with the one who brung you

The headline above is reported to be Texas talk, those from the Lone Star State talk different than many other Americans. This saying might have been popularized by former Texas football coach Darrell Royal. What I discovered is interesting Royal didn’t originate it, there was a song in the 1920’s titled “I’m going to dance with the one who brung me.” The definition of the term, “Be considerate and loyal to the one who has been supportive, attentive, or helpful to you.”

In this instance we speak of the NBA and broadcast partner TNT and the association with Charles Barkley. Barkley was reported to have entertained the idea of going to work as a broadcaster for the LIV Tour. What’s wrong with this picture, several things for me. Number one Barkley is a terrible golfer, I might not agree with his take on basketball, but I can admit there was skill when he played. He knew how to play basketball I cannot in good conscience make that same statement about his golfing ability. In any event Barkley was reported to have said thanks but no thanks to the job. Barkley’s ability on the basketball court far outweigh his ability on the links, Charles you need to Dance with the one who brung you.

This story is quite interesting

There are two major components that make for a great college basketball team. The first is a school with a winning program but probably more important is the coach in my view. This statement offers us an account that might affirm that theory. At the time Derrick Rose was in high school he was such an outstanding prospect there were a great number of colleges offering him a scholarship. How did he wind up at Memphis, the schools produced some good teams but certainly not on the level of Blue Blood programs?   

At that period of time Rose was being recruited by basketball programs at North Carolina, Duke, Kansas and several other schools with offers. It was the then coach at Memphis who sold him on the program John Calipari. Rose who grew up in Chicago could have remained in the state and attend the University of Illinois but Bruce Weber then coach lost the opportunity. Rose claims Weber recruited him but didn’t wish to visit him at home. On the other hand, Calipari was different, he maintains Calipari showed up at “his house in a Hummer and everything.” Rose never elaborated on what the “everything was.” Makes us wonder if this generation of athletes might be as impressed as Rose was back in 2007.

“I don’t get no respect!” 

The Rodney Dangerfield line is used once again and maybe that is the case for these Warriors. Despite winning bunches of championships, it appears they must believe they don’t receive enough respect. I wondered if Steph Curry comprehended how dominate Shaquille O’Neal was back in the day. His proclamation the Durant Warriors could have beaten the 2001 champion Lakers is a little difficult to understand. The game was different back in Shaq’s time, as for Curry we discover the Warriors sharpshooter was 4 years old at the time Shaq first began play for the Magic.

At the time the Lakers won it all in 2001 Curry was a youthful 13-year-old. It’s not only Curry, but his teammate Draymond Green also has a heightened view of his Warrior team as well. Green claims these same Durant Warriors could have beaten either the 1998 champion Bulls or their Jazz opponents. The key is defense, I don’t believe either teammate contemplates how different NBA defenses were then. In all seriousness Curry and Green are certainly entitled to their opinion of this subject but the key. Many of us saw those teams in action and have difficulty believing the Durant Warriors would have beaten the Lakers, Bulls or Jazz in a series.