Basketball from a fans perspective

Lighting rod

I was going to leave Malika Andrews alone however Saturday night it was evident. As the Lakers were being presented their medals for winning the In Season Tournament a chorus of boos could be heard. They were not aimed at the Lakers but rather the introduction of ESPN’s Malika Andrews to the television and arena gathering. I just read a tweet on X and the writer wrote in defense of Andrews saying this, “She’s a journalist, she was 100% correct in reporting on Brandon Miller draft night.”

The commissioner later claimed the NBA could not suspend or curtail play of Josh Giddey because no charges have been filed at the point of his statement. He is clear and understandable however what about last June? Andrews chose to mention Miller’s involvement in the loss of life for a young mother. Authorities after investigating chose not to charge him yet she believed her duties as a journalist required reporting the incident. Giddey’s been charged with nothing, the same could be said for Miller except Andrews found the need to report on one and not the other. Was it a race issue, Miller is black while Giddey is white…as for Andrews she’s black. NOTE: For further reference check the story of December 3rd. 

Bronny’s debut

The final score read Long Beach State 84 Southern Cal 79 in OT. There was interest in the fact this would be Bronny James first game after his health issue prior to the start of the season. James came off the bench and played 17 minutes scoring 4 points, he was 1 for 3 from the floor which included 3 rebounds 2 assists plus 2 steals and 1 blocked shot. Southern Cal is off until Sunday December 17, they travel to Auburn to play the Tigers. My best guess is James will see action, exactly how much time will likely be determined by coach Andy Enfield receiving input from the medical staff.

Shoot threes

I posted this on my social media page after re-checking the stats from the Lakers-Pacers championship game. Did you realize in the 41-point outburst on Saturday night AD didn’t score a point from three. In fact he didn’t even take a shot from distance which is interesting, there are a legion of folks who claim the Laker center should take 3-4 a game. Truth of the matter is that his coach has gone on record indicating he wants AD to take shots from three. This is what I read from a member of the media, this gives us an idea the mindset of today.

“How does he (AD) expect to compete against Joker and Embiid with no 3-point shot?” I realize elements of the game have transformed over time but I remain skeptical about some of them. Question, if Joker (or Embiid) is standing at the line is it AD’s responsibility to go out there and chase him? Mizzou basketball has all 7-foot 5-inch Connor Vanover taking three’s when he’s in the game, this is completely backward to me but then again I’m not Dennis Gates. Peyton Marshall arrives on campus next fall all 7 foot and 310 pounds of him, I hope there are no plans for him to shoot threes.

Where no man has gone before

The headline above are the words of Captain James T. Kirk commander of the Starship Enterprise. It could easily be you or me making that type of statement after seeing Victor Wembanyama in action. As a 19-year-old he certainly has gone further than many projected, even draft night. I check stats on a daily basis. Chet Holmgren of the Thunder is also having an outstanding rookie campaign. In some circles its believed he’s exceeded Wemby but not in my book. Holmgren’s shooting percentage is certainly higher but Wemby is doing stuff no Big Man standing 7 foot 4 has ever done.

I could include former NBA player Ralph Sampson in this assessment. Holmgren does have an advantage, he’s playing on a better team and there is no requirement for him to be the leader. The Thunder have a group of veteran youngsters who provide Holmgren a cushion. Don’t confuse my statement Holmgren is really good I just happen to believe Wemby is better all around. The Spurs have lost 16 games in a row despite the monster game Wemby registered against the Bulls on December 8. The numbers of Wemby, 21 points 20 rebounds 4 assists and 4 blocked shots by a 19-year-old. I hope no one makes a statement indicating Wemby cannot play at the NBA level.