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 Basketball from a fans perspective

I can exhale…for now

During ever Laker game I hold my breath, this applies specifically to AD and LeBron. As you are aware both have been missing in action for large periods of time during this season. Injury is always in the back of my mind as they demonstrate their talent, I am able to exhale at the end of this game. That’s what occurred Friday evening as they faced the Wolves in Minneapolis. The final score would read Lakers 123 Wolves 111 as AD led the way again with 38 points and 17 rebounds. LeBron had a very pedestrian game for him, 18 points along with 10 rebounds and 6 assists. D’Lo only scored 12 points but dished out 10 assists, fact is all 5 starters scored in double figures.

As for the reserves Dennis Schroeder contributed to the victory with 11 points and 6 assists. It’s difficult to provide you detail of the defense so I can just say even that’s improved since the February trade deadline. The biggest takeaway for me is seeing D’Lo and Schroeder take on the role of facilitator, it’s no longer LeBron alone. This allows for a totally different dynamic in the Lakers offense. We have a little more than a week remaining in the NBA season, the Lakers appear to be streaking toward the finish. The game was telecast on NBA TV with Wolves broadcasters. If there was one consolation they said “We (Wolves) won the regular season against the Lakers.” I can agree with them it’s a nice consolation prize however I believe the Friday evening match was certainly more crucial as both teams battled for a playoff spot. Then it occurred, Saturday morning I read AD tweaked his ankle, he’s out once again for an unknown time…wow.

47

Do you think a Division I team will ever complete an undefeated season? It’s hardly likely, there are far too many moving parts at this point in time. The number is 47, it was 1976 the Indiana Hoosiers led by Coach Bobby Knight completed the season with a 32-0 record. Indiana was the last Division I team to complete a perfect season.  Prior to Indiana it was UCLA which finished its season as NCAA Champion two years in a row with the same 30-0 record. Prior to that it was the 1967 UCLA team that completed a 30-0 championship season.

1964 would see another UCLA team at 30-0. In 1956 and 1957 two teams, San Francisco (29-0) and North Carolina (32-0) also finished with an unblemished record. The college game’s been played over 100 years but in the last 30+ its popularity has increased two-fold. At a point it was an East Coast game exclusively, that’s not to say it wasn’t played across the balance of the nation the attraction didn’t exist everywhere. Football was and still is king in the southern portion but basketball has made inroads even there. At one time if you said Texas or Bama, the first thought would be football but that’s old fashion thinking.

Hawk

His hands were so huge he could hold a basketball in one hand like a grapefruit. Dr. J. and Michael Jordan were said to have modeled portions of their game after him. He was the “model for Dr. J. and Michael Jordan. The late Connie Hawkins arrived in the NBA in 1969 at age 27. He experienced a travesty of justice I believe couldn’t occur in today’s climate. He was banned for life from playing in the NBA by then Commissioner J. Walter Kennedy due to a point shaving scandal. Hawk was acquainted with Jack Molinas, the key figure in the gambling probe, don’t misunderstand there were players who were actually guilty of taking money.

From all reports Hawk was not one of them, he claimed the borrowed money from Molinas was repaid in full. In addition the money had nothing to do with point shaving. This is the most interesting portion of the story, the time period of the story. This incident came to the surface during Hawk’s freshman year at the University of Iowa, in the 1960’s players had only three years of eligibility. All college teams at the time had freshman teams, if Hawk took money, he couldn’t have affected the varsity game because he wasn’t eligible as a first-year player. I’m going to stop here instead and suggest you read Foul by David Wolf, Wolf details for the reader the entire set of circumstances and Hawks play from high school into the professional ranks.   

Can he play?

Over his brief NBA career I’ve mentioned on several occasions how impressed I am with Austin Reaves. Free agent Reaves chose the Lakers over 29 other teams in 2021. He began in a reserve role last season and into his second year. Darvin Ham’s promoted Reaves to the starting lineup and the 6-foot 5 shooting guard has done just that…shoot the rock. Over the last 5 games Reaves is scoring at nearly 21 points a game. Reaves will be a free agent this summer and Laker Nation is wary of losing him like Alex Caruso a few years ago. Hearing reports of dollars surrounding Reaves we hear from Rashad McCants. You might remember McCants was drafted by the Wolves in 2005 from North Carolina, he would remain with them until 2009.

In February 2009 he was sent to the Kings in a trade, since then his professional career has been spent overseas. McCants is insistent Reaves is not that good, the only reason large dollars have been mentioned is because “He’s white and the Lakers are trash otherwise, he wouldn’t be playing.” Allow me to respond to each issue McCants raised, Reaves has game that doesn’t matter what his skin hue is. The Lakers are not trash and Reaves is playing because a black head coach decided to insert a white shooting guard into the Laker lineup. Per my usual policy I’m not going to entertain the dollars, that’s an area I refrain from commentary. I hope the Lakers find $$ to pay Reaves because despite what McCants says Reaves can play the game and at a high skill level.

It's too late

If this were 1986 or even 1990 Purdue’s Zach Edey would be at or near the top of most mock draft sites. Edey is a legitimate 7 fee 4 inches tall and 295 pounds, he can score and rebound the ball. Despite these Big Man skills he finds himself in a unique position, drafted in the second round of the 2023 draft or maybe not at all. Has the game changed so much a prospect like Edey is on the outside looking in? I can answer with that might be the case in this “small ball” era, no longer are teams looking for a back to the basket post player.

The positives, “Edey has nice hands and a good touch around the rim. He finishes plays pretty well and draws plenty of fouls and has developed into a sold FT shooter at over 70%. Does a good job of keeping the ball high and putting the ball up quickly to avoid getting stripped. Knows his role and gets right into the paint and throws his weight around. His size really ‘wows’ you when he elevates to dunk the ball and he can be unstoppable once he gets deep position in the paint. Has good touch on half hooks and little flip shots and layups around the rim. Unstoppable at the college level but an awkward fit in today’s NBA.” * I underlined the last portion of the scouting report so you’d have an idea of Edey’s assessment by an NBA scout of his possible draft stock.

*nbadraftroom.com/zach-edey/