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Basketball from a fans perspective

Not just me

It would appear from recently released numbers I’m not the only one with objections to the All-Star Game and its format. According to Clutchpoints the 2023 game drew a record low number of 4.59 million viewers, compare that to 6.28 million last season and 6 million in 2021. We could return to 2020 which saw 7.28 million households tuned into the All-Star Game. It’s clear just looking at the numbers something has developed with viewers who feel no need to tune in therefore we see what appears to be a continuing steady drop in viewership. Surely the power brokers of the NBA can see what we the fans are able to see. Maybe they need to conduct a focus group to determine what the public wants. It’s clear by the eroding numbers the television audience is dwindling away.

Sometimes the arrogance is amazing

If you’ve not won an NBA championship you shouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame. How ridiculous, but this is reported to be the outlook of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Their explanation could be opposed on so many levels. In the first place I believe the door above the building reads Naismith Hall of Fame it doesn’t say “NBA Hall of Fame.” The hall’s intention was to honor the men and later women who had distinguished careers playing basketball or contributors to the game. If we begin planning for a hall of fame in 2023 exclusions could be considered but not now, this mantle of basketball prowess has been opened since 1959. Even more interesting the length of time it took these two to earned championship rings, if Garnett hadn’t demanded a trade, he just might have retired ringless. 

A similar statement could be made for Pierce too. I believe all of us understand their intent however it’s just not logical. A link to the story follows if you care to read the explanation of Pierce and Garnett. For me it makes little sense other than Garnett and Pierce voicing their opinion on a subject they have no control. If we used their criteria for entry Dame Lillard would also be excluded, his career is yet to conclude however it’s becoming more unlikely he won’t win an NBA championship. Despite the fact he’s a perennial NBA All Pro if we use the Garnett/Pierce criteria he doesn’t get in. This decision would be made despite the fact Terry in two seasons will score his 20,000 point. To his detriment loyalty to the Blazers is more important than winning a championship…maybe. In any event Garnett/Pierce are out of bounds on this issue. 

https://www.basketballnetwork.net/latest-news/kevin-garnett-paul-pierce-explain-why-nba-title-should-be-pre-requisite-for-hall-of-fame?

I wish him no harm

Pat Beverley has bothered me for quite a time, I have long believed he’s been more talk than ability. This takes into account he’s now 34-years old, every athlete slows once they are on the downhill side of 30. I’m unsure about other members of Laker Nation but this member certainly wasn’t pleased when they picked him up. He’s made defense his forte since he is unable to shoot the ball. In fact in a contest I’d take Russell Westbrook over Beverley, okay Larry Laker tell us what you really think?  At the beginning of the month the Lakers traded him to the Magic, Beverley agreed to a buyout and was waived.

This week he signed with the Bulls and that’s where this portion begins. Beverley says, “I can’t wait to knock the Lakers out of the playoffs.” That might be his intention however there are several errors in his statement. Is he 100% sure the Lakers earn a playoff berth in the first place. The Bulls do have one game remaining with the Lakers but come on, that’s just talk. As usual Beverley is stoking himself again by continuing to suffer his usual malady…oral diarrhea. As I stated at the beginning, he’s more talk than actual ability. If all it takes is for a journeyman player to knock the Lakers off maybe, they are not playoff material anyway. How many is that Pat, 7 NBA teams and 5 of whom you wore their jersey? That certainly sounds like a journeyman player to me despite the fact many claim otherwise. 

The final score is the measurement

Mizzou was coming off two losses in a row, the blowout against Auburn and a tough loss to A&M by 9 points. What did Mizzou Nation expect from its team especially playing at home, a bounce back naturally. Mizzou wanted to return the favor to Mississippi State losing to them February 4. Friends trust me it wasn’t pretty; Mizzou was playing uphill all night long. To set the stage the game was tied with 2.2 seconds remaining, Mr. Reliable Kobe Brown missed a chippy right under the basket.

So the game goes into OT, the final score read Mizzou 66 Mississippi State 64. Guard Nick Honor sank a 3-point basket with 7.6 seconds remaining in OT. I guess it's not necessary for a game to be a thing of beauty, it’s far more important the scoreboard reads in your favor. That’s what occurred Tuesday evening a win for the Tigers and a win for me. You might remember I predicted Mizzou would win its last four conference games; we are down to its last three now. Come on Tigers make me look good on my prediction. Sidebar, the win against Mississippi State was number 20 on the season the most for a Mizzou team since the 2017-18 season under former coach Cuonzo Martin.

Encroachment

The headline is a term generally associated with NFL football not the NBA. Allow me to explain, in this instance encroachment on “my season” is the subject I wish to revisit. You might remember two of our local sports talk radio guys suggested the college basketball season begin in January. They used the excuse of the Chiefs playing into and beyond the month preparing for a February Super Bowl date. This is not a criticism of the Chiefs rather the NFL, depending on your age you might not be aware of this fact. The Super Bowl was not always played in the second month of the year. It was played at the latest the middle portion of January and you know what’s occurred NFL expansion.

The NFL began adding more regular season games and the playoffs were extended even further. Who is encroaching on who might be the question? Christmas Day games were once exclusively belonged to the NBA but no more, the last few years has seen the NFL play Christmas games too. Either these two radio guys don’t know the history or perhaps they are so focused on the Chiefs they fail to take into account their narrow view. Basketball be it college or the NBA has always been an October start, personally I believe the NBA over college has been just as guilty. They too have extended the playoffs; we don’t crown a champion until the middle of June in the NBA. It would be nice if these two radio guys received some pushback on a January basketball start from someone other than ESPN’s Jay Bilas.