Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

Obviously, they are not going to trade him!

I guess it could be the Lakers, maybe Los Angeles or something else. It seems once a week I read the name of Austin Reaves mentioned in a proposed trade. The Lakers will not compete for an NBA Championship in the 2024-25 season, based on that fact alone why is Reaves at 26 years old even being mentioned. Don’t misunderstand my statement, if Wemby or his equivalent is headed to the Lakers that would be okay.

It appears that would not be the case, Reaves might not be an All Star but to borrow from Arenas below, he is an outstanding complimentary player. He will not wow you however he appears to do all the little things well. I thought facing the Kings they would be on a mission, perhaps they were however their win was curtailed thanks mostly to Austin Reaves. Is Reaves a great defender, let’s say he’s slightly above average but the offense. With no LeBron in the lineup he stepped up big time, 26 points along with 6 rebounds and 16 assists. I have said to all within earshot the Lakers need to play youngsters, in addition to Reaves we see Max Christie (age 21) inserted in the starting lineup.

Although he’s returned to a reserve role rookie Dalton Knecht (age 23) continues to demonstrate his ascending capability. I’m sure many in Laker Nation would be displeased if they believed the Lakers were tanking the season. Far from it, I believe (or hope), JJ Redick is attempting to look toward the future when there is no more LeBron. NOTE: As this account was being completed came word D’Angelo Russell was traded to the Nets, Reaves is now the Lakers starter at point guard.

Bits n Pieces of information

Several reading yesterday’s projection for the Big XII race were upset. Not at me I hope, as the headline indicates I was only providing information KemPom projected. I’ve not seen Houston or Iowa State play thus far this season, I have seen Kansas play and more than one occasion. I’ve seen victories and I saw the two defeats against Creighton and Mizzou. On a personal note I can’t say yes or no on Kansas basketball, the school has one of the premier coaches in the nation in Bill Self. Beyond him is an unknown, do these baby Jayhawks have enough shooting, defense and other stuff to fight for the Big XII crown?

As the major portion of Monday’s edition was being completed came word D’Lo had been traded. His name has been mentioned in trade talk as much as Reaves. D’Lo heads east to play for the Nets his second time with them, in his place the Lakers receive PF Dorian Finney-Smith and SG Shake Milton. On the surface this would appear a beneficial trade for the Nets and Lakers…of course we must wait for verification of this matter. I must place this as depth chart trade, I’m not familiar with either player. Neither player arrives prepared to contend for a starters role with the Lakers. As for the Nets the difference in my view D’Lo could become a starter, the roster notes only Ben Simmons at the position.

I missed reporting two human interest story’s involving basketball. The first story the death of longtime broadcaster Greg Gumbel. His national renown began first with ESPN, later it would be CBS and briefly NBC. He returned to CBS and was behind the desk during college basketball and we all remember him during much of March Madness. Gumbel was always insightful without much of the perfunctory we see with many sitting behind broadcast desks today. We’ll miss him and his reporting R.I.P. Greg Gumbel. Earlier I’d written about those old enough to retire but still active, that was Jim Larranaga. Larranaga turned 75 in October but his age wasn’t the issue. He been head basketball coach at Miami (FL) since 2011 and a successful one, he leaves the game with 274 wins versus 174 losses. Larranaga steps down after leading Miami to the Final Four two years ago. It’s being reported NIL had impacted his coaching effort, goodbye Jim Larranaga we’ll miss you.

Maybe they are guilty too

Mizzou is sometimes an afterthought by local KC sports media. I was discussing the issue with a friend and he pointed out a fact I overlooked. At the time Mizzou was a member of the Big XII their basketball was on local television. Once they moved to the SEC all that change, don’t misunderstand they remain on television but not as much as previously. In addition at the time Mizzou left the Big XII was still a regional conference, KC fans were accustomed to hearing Iowa State, Oklahoma or later Texas being discussed.

Even now all these years later perhaps many in the metro have difficulty hearing about Florida due to its distance versus KU 50 miles down the highway. This is not a case of “crying over spilled milk” the move Mizzou made to the SEC was strictly a money decision, the last time I checked it remains beneficial. With the ever expanding Big XII (16 teams & counting) Conference might even might KU eventually face the same issue of Mizzou? Of course that is speculation on my part, the purpose of this exercise was an attempt to explain the way of local sports media. You know who you are, thanks for providing much of the direction of this account.  

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

Say what?

Apparently Kings owner Vivek Ranadive decided to make a move. The Kings mired in a 5-game losing streak decided to part ways with coach Mike Brown, it’s not unusual for this to occur. Professional teams in all sports decide to terminate the contract of the guy they once believed in. Brown was named NBA Coach of the Year in the 2022-23 season his first at the helm, he’d managed to coach the Kings into the playoffs.

You say teams earn playoff berths all the time…not the Kings since those glory days of the recent past. The Chris Webber and Peja Stojakovic Kings teams were in the playoffs every season until a playoff drought begin one lasting 16 seasons (2006-2023). It would become the longest in NBA history. During this period, the team had 11 head coaches including Mike Malone who was also fired. Of course you realize Malone was later hired by the Nuggets and won an NBA Championship. Next up defending Brown was Steve Kerr, he served as an assistant to Kerr for a number of seasons. The next portion you are reading cannot be documented however reports are Mike Brown was on his way to the airport, the Kings scheduled had them playing the Lakers in Los Angeles last night. Kings management was reported to have fired Brown “on the telephone.”

I’ve long maintained a coach is hired or fired based on the whims of an owner, despite this fact if true this is not that manner. As for the future former Kings player and current assistant coach Doug Christie’s been named interim. If I am seeking a head coaching position I just might take a pass on Sacramento although there is an opening, apparently there is little stability in being hired by the Kings. You might be hired however you might not be in place very long.

The Big XII race

There are more than 12 teams in this conference, I wonder when a decision is made to change the name. Of course that’s a different discussion than what you are about to read. From where I sit the SEC is the strongest college basketball conference in the nation, second is the Big XII. The conference race officially begins next week, I thought it would be a suitable time to check out the KenPom ratings for the Big XII Conference.

These are in order according to KenPom and how they believe the race is liable to unfold. Of course there is no guarantee this will be the finish, this is their projection based on all that analytic stuff. They believe the finish will be Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech and Baylor in that order, immediately after the name is the latest KenPom ranking. Keep in mind, a team’s place can go up or down during the season. Naturally, this projection fails to take the post-season tournament into consideration. 

Houston 4

Iowa State 5

Kansas 8

Texas Tech 13

Baylor 18

Never say never

This was news we expected to hear but when would it occur? The Clippers announced Kawhi Leonard will play in their January 4 game scheduled against the Hawks. This will be the first appearance for Leonard since he appeared in an April 26 playoff game against the Mavs, in that game he played 25 minutes and scored 9 points. I don’t believe anyone questions the talent of Leonard he’s clearly demonstrated it in the past because it’s his health, this is the chief concern.

The game will be broadcast on NBA TV so those of us with the network will have an opportunity to see him in action. Leonard’s now 33 years of age plus he has an extensive injury history so I don’t believe anyone should expect the Leonard we saw at the time he was in San Antonio. Truth is we cannot expect the Raptors version of him either, the hope is the return to action is successful. In the meantime I must complement Kansas City’s Tyronn Lue who’s managed to keep the Clipper ship afloat through this issue with Leonard and place a competitive team on the floor.

What’s the first thing…

You are discussing the previous night’s Spurs game with your buddy. “Boy, you missed a treat, the Spurs beat the Wizards 139-130.” Your friend continues, “Wemby had a monster game, he scored 50 points in the win.” What do you suppose is wrong with that picture, nothing really but I will attempt to detail for you. As fans we sometimes place a great deal of emphasis on the point total accumulated by a player, it’s as if the points detail for us a players worth or value. There are areas that impact the final score, however, for the most part we pay little if any attention to them.

Rebounds, assists, free throws we can measure to a degree. There is no effective method to measure a players value on the court I’m just not sure analytics does that either. Dennis Rodman, Michael Cooper or Bobby Jones three players from the past. Their role was to be an interrupter to play with belly button defense on the opposition, rebound the ball and in some instances be an assist person. For the most part the numbers might be small by comparison to those who might play more minutes as a starter. Next time you evaluate talent don’t just look at the scoring aspect of the game.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

Every game matters

Although the Chiefs have played every day of the week except Tuesday this season the NFL remains a once a week sport. NBA teams play every night of the week unlike the NFL, despite this fact at most there might be back to back games. This discussion leads into the Christmas games by both leagues, to no one’s surprise the two NFL games swamped the 5 NBA games in viewership. Obviously, the NFL is pleased with the number however from my perspective it’s not that big of a deal.

It’s simple math, 82 versus 17…the figures represent the number of games excluding playoffs played by the NFL and NBA. With the limited window of NFL football every game played carries significant weight on a team’s possible playoff berth. An NBA team could have a losing record in the middle of January yet be in the playoffs in April. Every game played in the NFL is critical to the outcome, with 82 games in the NBA it’s less so. It’s okay if the NFL powers wish to boast about beating the NBA on Christmas that’s okay. Those of us who are fans of the NBA remain steadfast in our love for the game with the round bouncing ball.

Help Wanted

There is no Help Wanted sign at 1 Frost Bank Center Drive in San Antonio, that address belongs to the home arena for the Spurs basketball team. Victor Wembanyama is filling up the box score yet the Spurs have a two game losing streak despite his strong play. In the last two losses one against the Sixers and the other versus the Knicks these are the Wemby numbers for both games. 68 points 27 rebounds, plus 12 blocked shots. He accomplished these totals in addition to shooting 46.2 and 37.5% from the three line.

Despite the losses the Spurs are slightly better than last season, they have a 15-15 record, if we check last year’s total they only had 4 wins. With coach Pop missing the improved play can partially be attributed to Wemby the coaching of interim Mitch Johnson and the addition of 39-year old Chris Paul. Despite his advanced NBA age Paul has shown leadership that was not in place this past season. If we look at their roster Paul and newcomer Harrison Barnes are both 30+, the balance of the roster is made up of 20 somethings. As you can now realize the Spurs have a noticeably young team however they still require a veteran presence. It’s hoped the presence of Wemby will attract free agents to the team.

Has the product been cheapened

A declining audience caused major league baseball to innovate, several new processes were put in place to speed up the game. Baseball a slow game had become even slower in the early part of the 21st Century. The NFL is constantly searching for changes to its product, some changes are good while others leave the public scratching their heads. We arrive at the doorstep of the NBA, is it time for change once again, has the game not evolving in the manner hoped?

That question might be addressed by fans, players and those who played the game in the past. I’m old fashion, my preference is post play not a 7-footer at the three line jacking up shots. While on that very subject I’ve found an ally…Shaq. The Big Aristotle who rarely took them claims there is far too much emphasis on shooting threes. When did it become too much for me, the first time I witnessed a player driving toward the basket but stopping at the line taking the shot with the opposing team nowhere near the basket. I blame this on the Warriors, they became successful with the Splash Brothers bombing from distance. As the old saying goes, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” if you do it and are successful I can as well. It pains my soul anytime I hear of a player sitting out a game and hear the term “load management.” I along with other fans understand the meaning of the definition but hate it.

Eastern Conference teams play a home and home series against their Western Conference foes, imagine this scenario. This Laker fan paid $178.00 plus parking for he and his wife to see the Grizzlies and Ja Morant. Once they arrive at Crypto.com arena that evening they discover Morant’s not playing…load management. The NBA season could be shortened however that’s highly unlikely to occur. Those are just a few of the changes I’d like to see implemented for the future and the NBA.

This is why

Some are aware there is an NBA Academy on the African continent. It’s not just there for show it’s to train an ever increasing number of African youth the game, some might not earn an NBA invitation but the training is invaluable. Over time the best of the best has got to be Hakeem Olajuwon, his college and NBA career led him to be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame, as some are aware Olajuwon is originally from Nigeria.

Also in the Naismith Hall is the late Dikembe Mutombo, his place of birth the Democratic Republic of the Congo before Georgetown and the NBA. Please note, the academy was founded long after these two retired from play. A number of NBA players were born in the U.S. after their parents immigrated here, the number is much larger than you might think. Of the number the majority probably didn’t attend the academy however a few did and are a part of the count. The following are just a few of the countries on the African continent whose players have spent time on an NBA roster. This fails to take into consideration those who played the game in college but never earned an NBA promotion, with that said here are the all-time numbers:

Nigeria 30

Senegal 14

South Sudan 9

Cameroon 7

Democratic Republic of the Congo 6

Ghana 3

Ivory Coast 3

Mali 3

Egypt 2

Gabon 2

Libya 2

Uganda 2

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

Christmas and the NBA

I explained to members of my family Christmas games don’t belong to the NBA exclusively. Despite the fact the NBA has long arranged for games to be broadcast on December 25, the NFL’s decided to horn in. I make this statement as a fan of the NFL Chiefs who played the Steelers in the early afternoon, the NFL Ravens faced the Texans afterwards. As for the NBA the number of games played on Christmas has increased over the years with the advent of cable and now streaming services. If we go back in time we discover the first Christmas game was played December 25, 1947. The Knicks defeated the Providence Steamrollers 89-75 in the old Madison Square Garden.

As mentioned earlier if we fast forward to 2024 we discover there were 5 games scheduled they were late morning, afternoon and two evening games. As you are aware the games were broadcast over both ABC and ESPN. A further note regarding the NFL and NBA vying for a viewing audience. There is no argument from me, the NFL has a greater fan base especially on television over the NBA but there is an issue which is a slight bit different this time. The NFL games will be available for viewing in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Houston… that’s it. The balance of the nation is blacked out unless you happen to be a Netflix subscriber, apparently the NFL is ignoring the fact a large percentage of fans are not subscribers this becomes a win-win for them based on what I read they paid the NFL.

I hope this was mentioned previously

A social media group exists who’s focus is the American Basketball Association (1967-1976). I became a member hoping to gain insight into the league and a number of its players. Several outstanding ABA players would conclude their careers playing in the NBA. Dr. J., George Gervin and Artis Gilmore are a few of those names. In any event a member of the group wrote, “Does anyone know why basketball hall of fame does not have any acknowledgement of the ABA. Bad enough NBA doesn’t acknowledge ABA stats.” I wasn’t there but it’s easy to respond to his statement. As far as the NBA is concerned the former league never existed at least in the form this writer would prefer.

I’d mentioned this previously, at the time the Pacers, Spurs, Nets and Nuggets came into the NBA it was termed a merger when in truth it was actually expansion. If the 1976 agreement were expansion all the ABA teams would have moved into the NBA not just the four above. As for ABA stats, why include numbers for a league that technically didn’t exist? I understand the feeling of nostalgia for some however they fail to take into consideration the ABA couldn’t sustain itself. The ABA the had been hemorrhaging money for years. The ABA had no national television contract, the NBA had an ABC contract from 1962-1973 and later with CBS beginning in 1973 through 1976 which was later extended. The ABA was a great experiment while a novel idea couldn’t have continued to operate. From what I’ve read NBA owners could have held out another 2-3 years and the ABA might have closed shop on its own.     

Bits n Pieces of information

I’ve come to this conclusion, its far easier for a sports anchor to discuss Top 25 over KenPom or NET rankings. The majority of time from me expect to hear more about KenPom or NET rankings over any Top 25 discussion. As I attempted to explain in another story it’s my belief if we delve into KenPom or NET rankings they accurately describe a team’s strength much better than the popularity contests of most Top 25 polls. This is just offered as food for thought without submitting any scientific basis for the assumption I am making.

I cannot provide you a definitive answer for the change. As you are aware it seems scores of teams have changed conferences, the Big 10, SEC and Big XII and others have increased their number. With that said it appears the strength of the landscape has changed. In the recent past basketball power was strongest in the ACC, Big East and Big 10, other than Kansas the Big XII was not in the conversation until the last several years. All that has changed now, at least for this season the SEC appears to be formidable followed by the Big XII. The once heralded ACC is no longer (in my view) the power conference it once was. Could it be portal transfers, freshman talent spread all over, I have no key for the apparent change.

I was watching the Warriors-Lakers and realized this fact…the Warriors have a Lilliputian lineup. That certainly wasn’t the reason they lost 115-113 to my Lakers but check this out. The roster list 7 foot 238 pound Quinten Post, he played his college ball at Boston College, here’s the problem. The ESPN site contained no stats so is he playing or not, I don’t know? The balance of the Warriors lineup contains three guys who stand 6 foot 9, that’s it in the height department. Will they compete with such a small lineup, only the remainder of the 2024-25 season will tell the tale.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

First you are ejected…then you’re not?

The final score read Sixers 111 Spurs 106, in between there was a strange mixture of basketball. Sixer Andre Drummond was given a second tech and ejection, then it was determined Wemby had flopped and he was accessed the tech. The second tech on Drummond was rescinded and after headed to the locker room he was allowed to return to the game. Later Sixer Joel Embiid was ejected after a second technical foul call, he went after the official although there is a question whether he bumped him. The final saw Tyrese Maxey lead the way to victory for the Sixers scoring 32 points along with 10 rebounds and 8 assists securing the win. As for Wemby his box saw 26 points 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 8 blocked shots. Wemby ended the game shooting 48.3% from the floor with 39.2% from three.

In all my years of following NBA action this was beyond a doubt the strangest incident in a game I’ve ever witnessed. In closing I’m going to take a stand on an issue after reading a letter written by a fan. He wrote quite emphatically that “Women shouldn’t officiate men’s games,” he went on to explain the why which is not included, a secondary male wrote in agreement. We have traveled so far to arrive near the same place, this is my response to both. I don’t often seen Jurassic age thinking expressed in this manner in 2024. If we take the views of these two there are few instances a female should be in charge. As for Wemby over his last five games he’s got 31 blocked shots for a 6.2 per game average. If Wemby continues at his present pace there is no way he will be denied Defensive Player of the Year this time around.

The explanation 

I am sure by now some of you who read a portion of Monday’s Off the Dribble are questioning, “Why is he so upset with Barkley and Arenas?” While both played in the NBA they did some outrageous stuff, without detailing what they did my statement is certainly factual. Is it necessary to burden yourself with issues or problems one might have faced in the past…of course not. I happen to believe these two and others seem to be preoccupied with airing dirty laundry regarding the NBA.

Listen, I could point toward 25-30 things wrong with today’s NBA in my opinion. The question might be is anything going to be accomplished, will Adam Silver make changes because I complain about an issue?  I have serious doubts anything will be done about my complaint, Barkley’s or Arenas. I have discovered a strange fact, NFL radio guys in KC love Barkley. This was mentioned in the past, there is little if any NBA talk here which is not a complaint. We have no NBA team there is no requirement for lengthy discussions on sports talk radio. Despite this fact at the time Inside the NBA appeared to be scuttled with TNT no longer being in the NBA family this is what I heard. “How insightful Barkley is and I am going to miss him. I tune into the program to hear his take on a matter. When the game begins I turn off the television or change channels.” How about that for a statement from someone in sports media, they watch a specific program but not the game which is generally the topic of discussion.

My question to radio guy, how the heck do you know what Barkley is talking about 75% of the time if you don’t keep up with what is going on in the NBA? I have concluded sports talk radio and Inside the NBA and other programs have become more about clicks than content. I raised the issue, am I being too critical of sports media today…that might be the case you are the judge.  One of the things I’ve always attempted to do was balance the content of this publication, I’m unsure if that is the current state of affairs in much of sports media.

I am in agreement

We are often on opposite sides, I speak of former NBA player and current analyst Charles Barkley. There is one area we find common ground…. analytics. Barkley has often been quoted “I hate analytics” and I agree with him, what exactly are we discussing? This is what I located on the world wide web, “Analytics is the process of discovering, interpreting, and communicating significant patterns in the data. Quite simply, analytics helps up see insights and meaningful data that we might not otherwise detect.” Taking this one step further we have:

Types of Data Analytics

Descriptive analytics: This describes what has happened over a given period of time.

Diagnostic analytics: This focuses more on why something happened.

Predictive analytics: This moves to what is likely going to happen in the near term.

Prescriptive analytics: This suggests a course of action.”

Kenpom.com-Dec 23

  1.Auburn

  2.Duke

  3.Tennessee

  4.Houston

  5.Iowa State  

  6.Gonzaga

  7.Florida

  8.Kansas

  9.Alabama

10.Marquette

You remember him…don’t you?

I turned on the television Friday afternoon and changed to the NBA TV channel. Before me was a G-League game between the Salt Lake City Stars and the Cleveland Charge. Because I didn’t see the game from the beginning I immediately began a search for Emoni Bates, you remember him I hope. This has been an unusual journey for Bates as he hopes for an NBA career. Bates was Gatorade High School Player of the Year while enrolled at Lincoln HS in Ypsilanti Michigan, from there it was Ypsilanti Prep and onto Memphis to play for coach Penny Hardaway.

After a year he transferred to Eastern Michigan, Bates declared for the NBA draft and was made a second round choice by the Cavs in 2023. Since the draft he’s spent more time with the Charge over the parent club Cavs. When inserted in the lineup he’s shown occasional flashes of the talent many believed he possessed. Bates now in his second year in the G-League appears light years from the promise once shown. An NBA scout declared him ready for the NBA if the league still allowed high school talent. Never say never but the NBA dream of Bates just might be a dream deferred. He possesses enough talent to earn a considerable income in the G-League or Europe, an income far above most but I don’t believe it will be from play in the NBA.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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The loss hurts

Other than facing SEC competition the loss in this game is the worst. For the next year Mizzou Nation will be forced to hear those fans and alumni of Illinois gloat about their 80-77 win. It could have been so different if Mizzou had played better during portions of the game. Tamar Bates (17 pts), Tony Perkins (18 pts) and Mark Mitchell (18 pts) led the way for Mizzou in this hard fought loss. The valiant 3-point shot that bounced off the rim wouldn’t have changed the game only extend it to OT, it was more than that attempt. Far too many mistakes, missed free throws and even bad shot selection at time. 

My chief concern Mizzou was outrebounded again sometimes on the offensive side. Of course that says guys are not blocking out properly, although Mizzou fell behind they managed to come roaring back in the second half of the game. Other than rebounding the ball Mizzou shooting 40% as a team will certainly not lead to very many victories. Mizzou has one more non-con game, they will face Alabama State next Monday and then the rugged SEC play will begin. The first conference game is against Auburn on the road Sat Jan 4, an afternoon contest. Although Mizzou didn't shoot good on Sunday they can, the chief concern on my part is rebounding the basketball. 

“Leave him alone!”

The headline is not mine, it belongs to a co-worker after our discussion. I mentioned a number of former NBA players have voiced an opinion Victor Wembanyama “needs an inside game,” the clear leader being Charles Barkley. My co-worker after seeing a nights worth of action by Wemby said, “Leave him alone, he’s doing the things he’s comfortable with.” His statement was made prior to the Spurs facing the Blazers Saturday night. Wemby led the way in a 114-94 victory over the Blazers scoring 30 points and tying his career high of 10 block shots. Yes I said the number was 10 and that’s why Keenan says to leave Wemby alone.

Rest assured at some stage the youngster will further continue develop his game adding an inside portion. Below you will read my concern regarding Barkley and others, they serve a vital purpose. He and others give us their insight into the game from a players perspective. Despite this fact what is often stated is not always accurate or correct for that matter. I’m going to borrow my friends statement and say this about Wemby, leave him alone. Just in case you wondered about the NBA record is 17 blocked shots in a game recorded by Elmore Smith of the Lakers and he accomplished this against the Blazers October 28,1973. Second, we are reminded the NBA didn’t begin to track blocks until the 1973-74 season. From the leagues inception in 1947 until the date mentioned we really have no idea how many shots were blocked.     

His take is certainly valid to me

I’m not sure how good a coach JJ Redick has become in a brief time. He’s given his take on a very controversial issue that’s being discussed…lower NBA TV ratings. All indications so far indicate NBA ratings are down and the basis can be varied however Redick mentions an issue which certainly has concerned me. He says, “We haven’t done a very good job of telling the story.” Redick said, “If I am a casual fan and hear analyst and those in social media complain about the product I certainly wouldn’t be inclined to follow the sport.”

That’s not the exact quote but close to the statement made by Redick. Let’s delve into this a little further, if you tune into ESPN when not discussing the NFL generally the conversation is focused on baseball or the NBA. It seems the commentary regarding the NBA is almost always of a negative tone. My next statement is going to upset some of you reading this, among the worst offenders are the Inside the NBA crew of Shaquille O’Neal and at the top Charles Barkley. I don’t watch Inside the NBA all the time but when I do generally complaints are registered about how the game is played. Podcasters share the blame as well, one of the worst in my view is former player Gilbert Arenas. Sometimes it seems anyone with access to YouTube, Facebook or Tick Tok has something to say negative about the NBA product. What’s even interesting most of those on social media (just like me) don’t speak with the voice of authority.

You are probably saying to yourself he’s trying to inhibit free speech, that’s far from it my concern is the same as Redick’s. I too mention negative stuff but make an effort to not dwell on it. How in the world is the NBA going to attract new fans with those close to the game informing us 24/7 how bad the NBA game of today is. Redick has a much larger audience then I do, this is my hope. Those in the media not make it a habit to constantly mention the bad they see and fail to mention any positives.

42

The number will never be worn in baseball again, 42 has been retired at all major league ballparks across the nation. Of course the number belonged to Jack Roosevelt Robinson, shortened to Jackie. He broke the color barrier that existed in baseball prior to 1947, in addition to being a pioneer much of his bio’s not fully covered. We hold discussions routinely regarding the greatest athlete, the names always mentioned seem to be Bo Jackson or Jim Thorpe. Although it was an earlier time Robinson exceeded both having lettered in four sports.

It was baseball, football, basketball and track while he was enrolled at UCLA. Because this is a basketball blog I will cover that part of the Robinson bio. The records indicate Robinson averaged 12.4 points and 11.1 rebounds a game, the rebound total jumps off the page. He stood but 5 foot 11 inches in height so you understand why this figure stands out. It’s reported Robinson was responsible for 40% of UCLA’s scoring. In 1946 he was prepared to join the Los Angeles Red Devils an independent team, despite this fact the team owner had desires to move into the National Basketball League. The NBL would eventually merge with the BAA to become today’s NBA. Baseball came calling and there lies the history however it could have been much different if Robinson had decided on a basketball career.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

ROY

Jared McCain was chosen at 16 in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft by the Sixers. This former Duke guard displayed outstanding numbers and was on his way to being named 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year. The 6 foot 3 guard was averaging 15 points while shooting 38% from three and then it occurred. McCain sustained a meniscus tear in his left knee after playing 23 games. Surgery to repair the meniscus was successful however he’s lost to the Sixers until next season. The NBA season is a distance run and not a sprint, there is no method to determine if McCain would have maintained his lead for ROY.

Moving up and into contention is Stephon Castle, this former UConn guard was chosen by the Spurs with the 4th pick. He’s been a part-time starter at shooting guard, his season numbers are not a true reflection of his overall play. How are the Spurs improved this season you might ask, Wemby has played better basketball in his sophomore season but there is at least one more consideration. The leadership of veteran point guard Chris Paul along with Harrison Barnes and the contribution of rookie Stephon Castle. It will be interesting to follow the progress of Castle and find out if he can maintain the pace that might lead to him being named 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year.   

Braggin’ Rights

At noon Central Time today the annual game between the Mizzou Tigers and Illinois Fightin’ Illini will be played. This basketball game is the renewal of a longtime rivalry on the east side of the State of Missouri. In the history Mizzou and Illinois have played one another 54 times with Illinois holding a 34-20 lead in the series. In 2023 Illinois was the winner while 2022 saw the Mizzou Tigers victorious. The game will be played at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis and generally arena capacity is divided almost evenly between those rooting for the Tigers and those cheering for Illinois. Headed into this game Mizzou has 10 wins and 1 loss while Illinois has won 7 games and lost 3. In the game’s history Illinois had a 9 game winning streak while Mizzou’s longest stretch was 4, it will be broadcast by ESPN.

It’s clear now the Lakers won

No, I’m not referring to an NBA championship although AD helped them win in 2020, the Lakers won the trade. Anthony Davis arrived in a 2019 trade with the Pelicans, the question might be asked these years later what did the Lakers give up to acquire him. Well in some circles a great deal, Lonzo Ball who was presumed to be a budding superstar, also sent to the Pelicans was Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart. A final portion of the trade involved the draft rights to DeAndre Hunter and draft capital. Let’s explore this trade from the Pelicans perspective, Ball after playing for them was shipped off in a trade to the Bulls.

Ball’s had a great deal of difficulty remaining healthy and the oldest brother of the Ball family is highly unlikely to reach the heights once projected. The truth is Ball’s NBA career might be over sooner rather than later. Josh Hart a promising guard was eventually traded and is now a member of the Knicks, as for DeAndre Hunter he too was traded prior to wearing a Pelicans jersey and is now a member of the Hawks.  Remember I mentioned draft capital, that turned out to be either the Lakers 2024 or 2025 draft pick. The Pelicans conveyed the 2024 pick to the Lakers which turned out to be Dalton Knecht. In a technical sense the trade becomes Anthony Davis for Brandon Ingram, despite being tagged fragile AD is a much improved player over Ingram. Don’t misunderstand my statement I continue to consider Ingram a talent he’s just not on the level of AD. Early reports indicate Knecht might be a budding NBA star so who wins?

KenPom

I’m unsure if this was mentioned recently, if not its news to some and an affirmation to others. Going forward this collegiate season I intend to utilize KenPom only to assess the strength of teams and conferences. The AP Top 25 poll is a bunch of guys and gals just like me, they follow the game but generally have not much more insight on the game than you or me. As for the Coaches poll it’s slightly different, the coaches are well acquainted with how the game is played and managed however they have an issue as well.

Do you really believe during the season Bill Self or Penny Hardaway or any other coach has time to sit down and judge the positioning of teams either raising them or lowering them in a poll? Like Charles Barkley I have been critical of analytics, not because it’s incorrect I don’t understand it in its totality. KenPom is full of analytics however I only intend to utilize that which I am able to comprehend. With that said let’s check out the Top 10 as of December 18 and see what KenPom indicates. This certainly looks different from the polls we are accustomed to seeing or utilizing. There are 4 SEC members, 3 from the Big XII, 1 from the ACC, one from the West Coast Conference and one from the Big East.

 

  1. Auburn

  2. Tennessee

  3. Duke

  4. Houston

  5. Iowa State

  6. Gonzaga 

  7. Florida

  8. Alabama

  9. Marquette

10. Kansas

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

Sounds right

I am guilty of this practice, if I read or hear something that appears correct I often don’t conduct a fact check. I must admit it is a shortcoming of mine however maybe I’m not as alone as I might believe. In any event this is what I read that didn’t surprise or shock. “Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has missed 50% of the games the teams played since he was drafted in 2019.” Could that be correct, surely that must be an error I thought before checking. This is the information I discovered, Williamson played 24 games his rookie year, year two witnessed him in action for 61 games.

He missed the entire season in his third year, year four he played 29 games. Last season was the high water mark, Williamson played in 70 games during the regular season. The ESPN NBA page list he and other Pelican players out, as for Williamson the time as to a return date is unknown. Let’s dive a little deeper into the issue, I probably couldn’t locate anyone who would deny the talent of Zion Williamson. There is one problem all the talent in the world fails to help or improve the Pelicans if he’s constantly sitting out with injuries. Williamson is not the only “brittle” athlete this is an occurrence that exist in the sports world. The team sport of basketball requires all its best players available come game time. For the Pelicans since drafting Williamson that’s not always been the case.

I wanted a workout 

Jayson Tatum went on the record and expressed his disappointment, Tatum indicated the Lakers didn’t invite him for a workout. Of course you are aware of the history, the Lakers, with the second pick in 2017 chose point guard Lonzo Ball. The Celtics through a trade held pick number three which they used to draft Tatum. You might remember this as well, Magic Johnson was still associated with the Lakers and made the decision to choose Ball. I have been critical of player moves however I can see why the Lakers didn’t extend an invitation to Tatum.

Magic says, “We had Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr., we had enough forwards we needed a point guard.” That was the decision behind the pick, with the 3rd pick the Celtics through a trade chose Tatum. None of those forwards is with the Lakers now and Ball is in Chicago after being first traded to the Pelicans. If I look at the 2017 draft from the present I must say the Lakers were losers, they could have had the talented Tatum in their lineup. One by one all the forwards that prevented the Lakers from looking at Tatum are gone, so too is Ball. With this explanation so goes the story of why they failed to work out Jayson Tatum. Magic Johnson the superstar player was not a superstar in the front office assessing talent. 

That’s their belief

Lenny Kravitz had a hit tune titled “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over” in 1991, the lyrics have only a slight connection to the developments in Philadelphia. As reported in this blog as recently as yesterday the ongoing effort to okay a new arena for the Sixers. The Sixers desire to “own” their building rather than pay a lease as they do at present with Wells Fargo. The city council passed the bill on Thursdays allowing the Sixers $1.3 billion arena 76 Place to move forward, the vote before the full city council was 12-5. The mayor is behind the project so are labor units and now the council is too, everything would appear to be moving in a positive direction.

We are moving toward a groundbreaking date and eventual construction start…but wait there is more. Despite passing the bill a number of citizens groups remain opposed to the arena and made their voices heard at the council meeting. As reported previously no taxpayer funds are utilized opposition appears to be location more than anything else. As for the gathering the protesters attempted to disrupt the vote with a voice protest, it’s clear they believe the fight over the arena is not over. What occurs going forward is advancement and it looks as if a 2031 arena opening is possible. The only unknown will the citizens group file an injunction to pause the proceedings, as I indicated yesterday of the three projects (OKC, San Antonio) 76 Place continues to be the shakiest of all.      

This will have changed

A portion of Off the Dribble is written ahead of the published date, that is the case here. Although Wemby’s Spurs lost I saw his blocked shot total for the game was 7, I wondered if he was still leading the NBA. Yes, sure enough his name was at the top with 3.5 block shots a game but then I checked out the balance of players. The list continued with centers and power forwards, there was one small forward and one point guard in the mix. Tied at number 34 is point guard Derrick White of the Celtics, interesting in that his per game block shot total is ahead of several well-known and taller NBA players such as Karl-Anthony Towns and Draymond Green. We held a discussion on the subject at work and Keenan said, “Blocking shots requires effort.” That statement is certainly fact however, it’s my belief its more to it than that.

It’s been my contention that scoring the ball might be the easiest component of basketball and the simplest measurement for most observers of the game, that’s why a number of players are outstanding yet other facets of their game are often lacking. Rebounds, blocked shots and “belly button” defense in my view require effort sometimes only visible to the most ardent. When discussing a game we almost always focus on a players offensive total rather than other portions of his or her game. There is an obvious reason why we can see the point total easily, I include myself too. What’s the first thing usually asked about a game…” How many points did (insert a name) score?” It’s not done intentionally but we tend to ignore other facets of the game, I will give you a quick answer why I love guys like White. Not only does he play the game defensively but we can look at his 17 points and nearly 5 assists a game to point out his value to the Celtics.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

Bits n Pieces of information   

I covered NBA Europe previously however there some who continue to believe this will work. Let’s explore two of the stumbling blocks to this effort. At some date in the distant future the Lakers fly from Los Angeles to Paris France to play Paris’s NBA team. According to information uncovered on the web that is a 10 hour and 45 minute flight, the next day the Lakers board their charter for an 11 hour and 45 minute to Los Angeles. I hope you seen the intent here, NBA players complain about travel in the continental US and Toronto. Imagine if there is an NBA team in London, Paris, Berlin and other European cities face with flight times similar to those listed here. Recently I had an opportunity to view a YouTube video on continental and European expansion. I’m unsure how former commissioner David Stern envisioned Euro-NBA teams being part of those on this continent. The other issue other than travel is infringement, would the NBA take on Euro basketball and compete with them, a league begun with FIBA in 1957 and Euroleague Basketball beginning in 2000.

At one time HBCU schools produced a considerable number of basketball players who found their way into the NBA. For those who might be unfamiliar with the term it stands for Historically Black College (or) University, these schools in the south sent Willis Reed, Earl Monroe, Sam Jones plus Bob Love and a host of others. In all over 350 athletes were drafted by NBA teams from HBCU institutions. Baseball’s Jackie Robinson attended UCLA in 1939 but that was California and not the deep south which prohibited black and white students from attending the same schools. 

Two early NBA pioneers Earl Lloyd and Chuck Cooper at West Virginia State and Xavier of Louisiana broke the color barrier in the NBA in 1950, both attended HBCU schools. If the question were asked why are there no HBCU players currently when 70% of the players in the league are black? The passage of civil rights legislation changed the landscape for America, black athletes from the south began slowly bypassing HBCU’s. These athletes might have said, “Why play for an HBCU or northern school, I can remain home and attend Auburn or Georgia.” Don’t misunderstand the intent, there remains good basketball play however the overwhelming majority of black players have chosen other paths. 

I wondered why the date of February 9 was selected, I read on and discovered that date would be the last telecast for longtime ESPN television analyst and former coach Hubie Brown. The game is from Milwaukee and the location where his coaching career began in 1972. The 91-year is still sharp as ever in his role as an analyst. The Hall of Fame Brown will leave the NBA after 50 years of association and more than 35 years providing his insight of the game for radio and television. It should also be noted that Brown was named NBA Coach of the Year twice.

To quote Suns forward Kevin Durant “I hate it”! He was referring to the announced change in the format for the NBA All Star Game. Read it for yourself and formulate your own opinion, after reading details of the change let’s just say I intend to echo Durant’s opinion, I will affirm what he said, I too hate the format. Also agreeing with his teammate was guard Devin Booker. Former guard Jeff Teague with a 15-year NBA career also expressed his opposition to the change, we also heard from LeBron James on this revision. He is the only player as this is written to come out in favor of the change. We shall see what occurs over the next few weeks and determine if this change is intended to become permanent.

An update

As an outside observer I thought it was time to indicate the progress (or lack thereof) of planned arenas in Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Philadelphia. In simple terms Oklahoma City could be described as making progress, a Kansas City sports architectural firm has been hired to design the replacement for Paycom Center. The planned opening for the arena is the summer of 2028, which is feasible at this point. As for San Antonio its quite different from Oklahoma City and Philadelphia, a little over a month ago Project Marvel was unveiled to citizens.

The project is given that name because there is more than the “Wemby” arena that’s to be part of the project. The entire development less the arena is detailed as a 15-year building plan, developing for the future with that large a window could create huge cost overruns. From what I read the arena will not be funded by taxpayers although it is unclear where the funds will come from for the balance of the project, as more information is available I will attempt to update you. Although it’s difficult to determine from where I sit but it appears 76 Place in Philadelphia might face the greatest hurdle of all the three cities. The mayor and the city council have approved this arena be built and no taxpayer funds will be utilized in this effort, that’s the good portion of this story. The bad, is this a done deal because there appears large scale community opposition to the project.

The chief opponents are businesses that lie in the Chinatown section, this is near a location where the arena would be built. Representatives of the owners have lodged complaints about the impact of traffic flow affecting revenue. In conclusion I can state with certainty that the project that’s a go is Oklahoma City. In San Antonio it appears to be a yes however there seems a degree of hesitation with exception of the arena. Maybe the solution might be separating the arena from the other portion. I believe 76 Place will eventually be resolved however not smoothly or rapidly. As news continues to develop I will keep you advised.  

A new guy

Coach Gates is playing his entire roster, only those injured have not had the opportunity. The opportunity I speak of is being Mizzou’s top scorer in a game, on Tuesday evening it was Jacob Crews a 6 foot 8 senior guard. Crews emerged from the bench and led in scoring with 19 points, it was 66.7% shooting from the 3pt line. He was assisted by Mark Mitchell with 18 points and Trent Pierce with 12 leading to the 83-72 victory over Jacksonville State. This win became number 10 for Mizzou which exceeds last year’s victory total. Mizzou has one more tough game (Illinois) before beginning SEC play January 4 against Auburn on the road.

The only downside to the win over Jacksonville was the rebound total, Mizzou was outrebounded by 10. As for the other portions of the game Mizzou registered good numbers, it was 50% shooting from the floor, 48% from 3 and that came with only 3 TO’s for the game. As I indicated yesterday one of our local sports talk radio guys remains unimpressed with Mizzou. He hints their schedule is somewhat light however there is an explanation. There was no reason to stock the schedule with Top 25 opponents based on last season. This statement is made because the SEC with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas is probably the strongest in the nation. I am sure several who follow the Big XII might believe it to be the strongest however I continue to believe the honor belongs to the SEC.

25

We continue to hear the question, “Why was Dalton Knecht picked at 17 rather than the lottery?" The Laker sharpshooter is 23-years old, birthday number 24 will occur prior to the end of this season. As far as we can determine Knecht’s age was the basis that caused him to slide downward in the draft. The NBA has become a “youth dominated” league seeing an increasing number of 19-year olds and Euro players. Keep in mind the NBA game continues to develop however all the youngsters covered in this account are under the age of 25 and certainly could be termed budding talents. We begin our list with 22-year old Paolo Banchero, he’s injured currently however he should return to the Magic lineup soon.

At this point LaMelo Ball is clearly the best of the three brothers, he’s played some outstanding basketball for the Hornets…he’s 23-years old. In San Antonio we have the Spurs Victor Wembanyama, he will turn 21-years in January. Zion Williamson has an injury history however I would be remiss in not including the 24 year old in this list of talents. Wemby’s French teammate Bilal Coulibaly a member of the Wizards is also a rising start at 20. We close with the names of Tari Eason and Alperen Sengun of the Rockets, Dyson Daniels Hawks, they are 23 and 21 and 22 years of age. You’ve read the complaints of Charles Barkley and others, they say these youngsters don’t have the reverence for the game they did. The NBA has changed its course over time but that fails to take into consideration overall we might have the most talented basketball athletes in the leagues history. I’m sure that last statement will upset some but it’s my belief it’s true.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

KenPom

Mizzou escaped a “trap game” with an 83-72 victory over Jacksonville State. I was listening to sports talk radio on the drive home, the host spent more time in my view discussing Kansas State’s game against Drake (now 6-4) over Mizzou (now 10-1). The focus from this host was on Mizzou’s overall record giving the listener he was less than impressed. The guest indicated Mizzou might earn an NCAA invitation just by playing in the SEC. He said if they are .500 in the conference race they might earn an invite. As for the headline Mizzou is rated 49 by KenPom if they remain at or near that level it just might be enough. Yes, my reference to a trap game, it’s my belief Mizzou might be looking ahead to Sunday. On that day Mizzou will face Illinois in the Annual Braggin’ Rights game.

Pop

Long time Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has been missing since November 2. As most are aware coach suffered what the medical staff refers to as a mild stroke. Based on that statement it appears Pop will return to the Spurs bench although the date is yet to be determined. I’m not going to repeat what you already read, he wanted to thank fans for their support during this time. Pop will turn 76 years old next month and there is no doubt in anyone’s mind. He’s served in the role of coach because he loves the game and loves his players.

Despite a downturn in victories the last few seasons Pop has the most wins in NBA history with 1,401. What’s most interesting like fine wine his ability to coach went through an aging process. His first head coaching position was at Pomona-Pitzer College in Claremont (CA) a Division III school, his record there (76-129) was less than stellar. The truth of the matter I seriously doubt he would have been hired by the Spurs or any NBA team with a losing record on his resume. Despite his rough exterior there appears a heart of gold, I don’t know this to be a fact. I can only make that assessment based on those who played for him on the Spurs. In all the years he’s coached the Spurs I’ve only read or heard from a single player with a negative comment regarding Pop.

No, that’s not the reason 

A website yardbarker.com’s NBA page provided a list of the Top 15 cities for NBA expansion. After checking the list a number of them have me scratching my head…why. I realize some of you will claim I’m hatin’ cause Kansas City is not on the list, believe me that is not the case. With the disclaimer out of the way I am disclosing five I believe are questionable in my mind. Along with the location I provided the basis why I believe the NBA should bypass those named:

San Diego-Despite its large population how many ABA and NBA teams has this city had in the past. The NFL Chargers after calling San Diego home for years decided in favor of Los Angeles. The city limit to city limit boundary indicates the two cities are only 120 miles apart however I cannot estimate drive time due to California traffic, as for San Diego its thumbs down in my opinion.

Jacksonville-The city has an NFL team which is certainly noteworthy. The issue for me is location, location…the city of Orlando and Jacksonville are close to one another (140 miles). It would seem to this observer wouldn’t a franchise here be extending into the Magic’s fan base since the two cities are so near one another. This is even closer than road miles between Oklahoma City and Dallas, this is a no.

San Jose-This represents the same issue discussed earlier, this Silicon Valley city lies 55 miles from San Francisco and 119 from Sacramento. In the instance of San Jose it would be encroaching on the territory of two present NBA franchises, this would be a no in my view. On the other hand this is home of the microchip and deep pockets…who truly knows the answer.

Baltimore-The second Bullet franchise began play in 1963 and were mainstays of the city until they moved in 1973. It’s too far down the road of history to detail why the Bullets left the city and now call Washington D.C. home. At most the two cities are some 50 miles apart definitely an encroachment on the Wizards territory.   

Philadelphia-My question here is simple…why? The metro population of Philadelphia is well over 6 million people but is that reason enough. There is major league football, baseball and basketball. In addition there are 6 colleges that play basketball, and toss in several high schools with their sports programs this might be a different case than the other cities named. Can we state the Philly metro might be oversaturated in basketball?   

Below are the other cities the article indicated they would be ready day one for an NBA team. The cities listed have concerns as most in the nation, despite this fact I believe the cities below would be ideal candidates to add teams to the NBA. Finally this fact, money always talks, if some billionaire in Baltimore or Jacksonville decides he wants a team in his hometown you really thin the NBA will turn him or her down.

Vancouver

Montreal

Seattle

Las Vegas

Pittsburgh

Mexico City

Raleigh NC

Louisville

Nashville

Columbus OH

An expanded tourney

As most are aware the NCAA Men’s basketball tourney now consists of 68 teams. This tournament has continued expanding, in 1951 it expanded to 16 teams, doubled to 32 in 1975 and expanded to 67 in 1985 and finally in 2011 the 68 team format was adopted. As the NCAA tourney has expanded the prospect of teams selected to play in the NIT tourney has diminished. Expansion is very much on the agenda again, NCAA president Charlie Baker wants to increase the number of invited teams to either 72 or 76.

In my view expansion will occur the only question is when, the chief reason it will occur is $$$. The information I am relating to you might have changed by now, I cannot document it. It was said at one time that nearly half the revenue of the NCAA is generated from the basketball tourney. For you and me there will not be any change just more basketball games to watch in March. As for the revered National Invitation Tournament currently on “life-support” an expanded NCAA tourney will see it cease to exist. What’s interesting this tournament predates the NCAA tourney. The NIT first played in 1938 while the initial NCAA tourney began play a year later in 1939.