Basketball from a fan’s perspective

I ain’t no hater

Some of my Jayhawk friends will read this and say, “He’s a Mizzou guy, what should we expect?” The recent A/P Top 25 ranking was a little strange from my perspective and I pointed it out on social media. I received this response from a non-partisan basketball fan, “Kansas basketball is overrated ALMOST every year… sometimes they get it right.” On Monday I pointed to the fact Kansas lost a weekend game to number 23 Iowa State.

Should Kansas have dropped in the polls, of course they should but it was only one position they remained in the Top 10…why? Iowa State and Texas Tech sit ahead of Kansas in the Big XII standings yet in the polls sit behind Kansas. I once termed this a “beauty contest” because the winner is not confirmed until the first Monday in April. The A/P Top 25, the Coaches poll and others grab our attention, we pay little if any thoughtfulness to the Basketball Power Index (BPI) or other barometers to determine the strength of a team. In any event beginning now I will try and refrain from mentioning any of the more well-known Top 25 polls due to their inaccuracy.

This is the curse (maybe)

Lack of success has caused the NFL Patriots to drop significantly, I could make the same statement to a degree for the Cowboys. Who’s supplanted these two teams for some…the Kansas City Chiefs. A negative survey of teams over the last 90 days on X (Twitter) identifies the Chiefs as the “most disliked team in the NFL.” My response is simple, “They hate us cause they ain’t us.” For unknown or unexplained reasoning we sometimes appear to hate success, teams be they college, NBA, NFL or baseball. You win the majority of time and haters are going to come out of the woodworks. The Lakers this season certainly haven’t played near the level most fans expected, despite that fact there remain plenty of haters.

Our desire is for success on the field or court however only to a point. We can applaud a Bucks team in winning an NBA championship in 2021 their first since 1971, there is a vast amount of space between the years. I’m looking at my Lakers in basketball but I might contend in some circles that the same hatred exists for the Celtics. That’s what occurs when a team wins 17 NBA championships, for me personally its different. I would be remiss if I failed to mention those college basketball programs we hate. You know the names need I remind you, Kansas, Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina. At one time UCLA was in the mix however not in recent years. So there you have it a brief synopsis not scientific by any means why we hate sports success. I will end with, “They hate us cause they ain’t us.”

A racial issue or something else?

We know the impact Bill Russell made in the NBA while playing for the Celtics. Do you realize history might have turned out differently if the trading partner had kept things as they were? There are a bunch of moving parts to this story so bear with me while I attempt to provide details for you. Our story begins in St. Louis Missouri, local guy Ed McCauley had been an outstanding player at St. Louis University High School, later he would enroll at St. Louis University. McCauley’s SLU team was quite good thanks in part to him, they were able to win the 1948 NIT and from that point it was a return to “home.”

McCauley’s hometown St. Louis Bombers made him a territorial pick choosing him in the 1949 NBA draft. The chief issue back then as mentioned a number of times a few NBA franchises were attendance losers, the Bombers were one of them. It’s difficult to believe but the college game was more popular at the time over the NBA. In any event the Bombers would cease operations and their players placed in a dispersal draft, the Celtics then chose McCauley. He played outstanding basketball from 1950-1956 and then the Russell factor impacts the history. Bill Russell led the University of San Francisco to consecutive NCAA championships; he was certain to be the top pick in the 1956 draft. Due to their poor record the Hawks had the pick, what would you suppose they do? Returning to that time we must mention the civil rights movement was in its elementary phase, Missouri and St. Louis was not a great period for a black man. Let’s just say there were areas of the nation more beneficial for black citizens to live in than Missouri. Keep in mind several NBA teams had black players on their roster by this time however for the Hawks it was a different matter.

The Hawks, after drafting Russell decided in favor of trading his rights to the Celtics for McCauley and Cliff Hagen both white players. The ever-shrewd Red Auerbach anticipated the potential of a lineup featuring the defensive minded shot-blocking Russell. The Hawks would go on to win the 1958 NBA championship but that was it, we know the history of Celtic success, 11 NBA championships with Russell leading the way on the defensive side. Neither the Hawks nor Celtics had the ability to peer into the future however the question still lingers after all this time, was the Russell decision a racial issue or something else?

Are they for real

This is written weeks prior to your reading, is this version of the Thunder ready to compete for a championship? The question is certainly valid based on their play in the 2023-24 NBA season. As this is written they have the best won-loss record in the Western Conference. This might be the best Thunder team since 2012, that was the year the Thunder played for the NBA championship. That Thunder team had youngsters Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden leading the way.

They lost the NBA championship to the LeBron led Heat 4 games to 1. This version also has a point guard leader, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He is assisted by Josh Giddey who’s moved to shooting guard along with Jalen Williams and Luguentz Dort, rookie Chet Holmgren has been a valuable addition. The Thunder finished the season two games below .500 last season but are winning at an incredible pace this season. What occurs going forward, do they have what it takes to win a championship? That question will remain unanswered at least until June 2024.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Patrick Mahomes-the athlete

He is Super Bowl bound, most of us are aware of his athletic prowess in the NFL. He exhibited on Sunday why he is the best QB in the NFL, let’s check out his other talents. Many believe he could have been a professional in baseball or basketball, he decided to concentrate on football. Patrick Mahomes Jr. was a pitcher in baseball like his father, in basketball at 6 foot 2 he played every position at Whitehouse HS in Whitehouse Texas. We might ask the question just how good a basketball player he was.

We can debate whether he could have played in college or better yet talented enough to play in the NBA. As a point guard he averaged 19 points a game and there exists video of him in action. An opposing player cut off Mahomes on a fast break attempting to take a charge. A former teammate said “He (Mahomes) could hardly dunk but he did that time going over the top of the opposition.” Standing 6 foot 2 and 225 pounds I don’t know how much weight Mahomes gained once he begin concentrating on football. This is an interesting note, Mahomes claims baseball and basketball training aided his development as a QB, was named Maxpreps Male Athlete of the Year 2013-14. As my friend Rory says, “Mahomes has that “IT” factor working for him.

???

The latest A/P Top 25 poll places Kansas basketball in 8th place while the Coaches Top 25 poll placed them at number 9. If we check the current Big XII standings prior to Monday night’s action they list Texas Tech, Houston, Iowa State and KU in that order. Houston is the only school at 4 is listed above Kansas, as for the others number 15 Tech and number 12 Iowa State are listed behind Kansas on both polls.

Rebound the ball

A fan wrote, “Victor Wembanyama should average more than 10 rebounds a game.” I’m sure his statement was based on the 7-foot 4 height of Wemby, while height is important effective rebounding is more than one guy being taller than another. I’ve read and continue to believe an athlete must have a work ethic plus the ability to “see where the ball is going.” I’ve mentioned this previously it was said 6 foot 7 Dennis Rodman would intently watch how the basketball would bounce off the rim. Depending on the angle of the shot is the bounce going to entail the ball coming off the left or right side of the rim. This is how Rodman at his height was able to lead the NBA in that department 7 consecutive years.

There were numerous players much taller than Rodman but he did have an advantage. Teams he played for, especially the Bulls, didn’t call on him for offense, it was strictly a defensive role and rebound the ball. This leads us to the Pistons Jalen Duran, I witnessed him playing for Memphis University and not the Pistons. It would appear the 6-foot 10 250-pound Duran has “a nose for the ball.” He’s averaging almost 12 rebounds a game and his most recent game was a gem. In an upset victory over the Thunder Duran scored 22 points and pulled down 21 rebounds, in addition he managed to deal out 6 assists to teammates. Rest assured he’s not going to get 20 rebounds every night he plays but it clearly proves to all he’s got the ability. Duran doesn’t turn 21 until November so Duran and others become building blocks it’s hoped will produce a winning Piston’s team.

Unicorn

I saw a report recently, it’s claimed Kevin Durant was the first to introduce the term unicorn to the NBA. He used the term to describe Kristaps Porzingis at the time the 7 foot 3 Porzingis arrived in 2015 to the NBA. If you are like me on first hearing unicorn you probably thought of the mythical creature however we discover the term unicorn has more than one description. From the Cambridge dictionary a unicorn is “Someone or something that is difficult to or impossible to find.”

The question becomes why is it only applied to extremely tall players skilled at the game, does their capability exceed many of the other players around them? My question is why we can’t locate the term being applied to some skilled player below 7 feet in height. More recently we had another term added to our lexicon, LeBron James seeing Victor Wembanyama in action for the first time used the term “alien” to describe him. Of course that was LeBron indicating this youngster was not of this world based on many of the skills he demonstrated on the basketball court.   

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Double OT shootout

At this point of the season I’m unsure “who’s boat is taking on the most water the Warriors or Lakers.” In any event the two teams met on Saturday night for the first time this season. The headline says it all, a double OT shootout. I will use the phrase made popular by Dan Patrick, this night Steph Curry was en Fuego. In 43 minutes on the floor the diminutive Curry led the way for the Warriors with 46 points, four other teammates scored in double figures as well. It was Jonathan Kuminga (22), Andrew Wiggins (22) and Klay Thompson with 24 along with Brandin Podziemski's 10. On the other hand the Lakers had 6 players in double figures led by LeBron James triple double.

The ancient one scored 36 points along with 20 rebounds and 12 assists, at 38 years of age he became the oldest player in NBA history with a 20-point 20 rebound game. There was help from D’Lo with his 28 points including a sizzling 62.5% from three-point range. If we check the shooting percentage for both teams it was fairly good, the Warriors with 46.2% from the floor and 39.7% from distance. As for the Lakers they shot 48.6% and 33% from three-point range. The Warriors managed to shoot only 69% from the line compared to 88% for the Lakers. James questioned after the game by Lisa Salter said, “I don’t feel like the oldest player in the league.” Based on his game I could agree with his statement, he sure doesn’t play like any 38-year-old I remember seeing. Athletes his age playing basketball usually move at about half-speed.

Two years in a row

This is a re-visit of an earlier account, the prospects for the 2024 NBA draft. Will the nation of France lead the way again having the top pick in the draft class is the question? I mentioned his name previously, as a reminder he is Zaccharie Risacher another French youngster aged 18. Risacher is a 6-foot 9 200-pound small forward who currently plays for JL Bourg in the city of Bourg-en-Bresse. He’s got a 6 foot 10 ½ in wingspan, it should also be of note he turns 19 in April.

Just in case you wish to know the city is reported to be 70 km northeast of Lyon. The only question might be does Risacher believe he’s ready for the stiff competition the NBA will provide him? It would appear the mock draft sites think he’s ready, his name is listed on the three I use for insight especially with international players. Don’t be surprised to hear his name announced in June by commissioner Silver, if drafted all indications he’s a first round choice. This becomes more evidence of the growth of the game internationally.

Say what

There are several in the basketball community who command my attention. One of those names is Joe Lunardi, the guy who projects the field of 68 for the NCAA Tournament. Lunardi said, “Mountain West could have as many bids as Pac-12, ACC combined.” His statement caught me off guard because it was certainly unexpected. I decided to check the standings for the Mountain West, this is written January 28 so the numbers might have changed by the time you read this:

                            Conf     Overall                         

Utah State         6-1         18-2

New Mexico      5-2        17-3

San Diego St.    5-2        16-4

Boise St.            5-2        14-6

Wyoming          4-3        11-9  

Those above represent the top five teams in the Mountain West Conference. I must inform you of the five I’ve only seen New Mexico and that was twice, as for the others I must take Lunardi’s expertise as proof these teams are good. In any event, his pronouncement shouldn’t be considered so outlandish. The turmoil in both the Pac-12 and ACC might be related to the predicament of play today.

Once upon a time

In 1972 the Cincinnati Royals moved to Kansas City-Omaha and a name change…Kings. Omaha was included in the move due to scheduling conflict dates with Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City. A number of games were played in Omaha up to 1975 when adjustments were made and Kansas City became the exclusive home. Although this was different it was not the first time an NBA franchise had been shared. It was Buffalo under the Bisons name the team first began play, after a brief period they moved to Moline Illinois. 

This is where the history is a little murky, it’s unclear when the team became known as the Tri-City Blackhawks. They begin play in 1946 one of the first BAA teams, this arrangement unlike the one in Kansas City years later with its two franchises this one had three. The other two towns added were Rock Island Illinois and Davenport Iowa, if you check out a map you will discover all three towns are in close proximity to one another. 1951 would be the last season the team played in the Tri-City’s before the move to Milwaukee where the Blackhawks name was shortened to the Hawks. In 1955 the franchise moved once again this time to St. Louis, they remained in the Gateway City until 1968 when the team was sold to Atlanta interest and moved there.

I hope

Although I root with passion for the Lakers and Mizzou my hope is to not make excuses. Poor play and execution of the game plan offers no explanation whatsoever. Looking at the Mizzou Tigers I became more excited about the fall of 2024 over that of 2023. I figured with the returnees plus transfer portal players the Tigers would be able to hold on until the outstanding 2024 recruiting class arrives in August. So what occurred, a series of events which severely impacted the program for the 2023-24 season. We are near the end of January so what transpires for the balance of the conference race?

Truth is I don’t know, I wish I could tell you but I’m no Nostradamus. On the schedule the next week or so, Mizzou has South Carolina (4-2, 16-3), Arkansas (1-4, 10-8) followed by Vanderbilt (0-5, 5-13). If I were to speculate Mizzou should be able to win at least two of the three games. It would be an outstanding accomplishment if they were able to win all three games. Although the program is down I believe in Dennis Gates, it’s a matter of plugging in the right guys into the system. I imagine the coach gets a pass for this season based on his accomplishment in his first year. Sorry haters that’s me, no requirement for you to agree with my take.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Another one bites the dust

Was the game an upset, I’m unsure if it qualifies I asked the question for this reason. Kansas was rated the number 7 team in the nation while Iowa State was number 23. The final score from Ames read Iowa State 79 Kansas 75 although there was more separation than the score might indicate. Kevin McCullar hit a 3-point basket as the buzzer sounded which resulted in Kansas totaling three additional points which represents the final score.

What I find interesting is just yesterday I attempted to point out how dangerous conference races have become this season. There are no “super teams” in the college ranks in 2023-24, the P.A. system in Hilton Coliseum could have played the Queen classic at the close of the game…Another one bites the dust. The end of the game the announcer and color guy were discussing whether Kansas would be at or near first at the end. With the Saturday loss their 3rd in conference play Kansas is now in 5th place in the Big XII, they will not close the season in that position but it might be a stretch to expect the usual first place finish for these Kansas Jayhawks.

KAT plus 77 and Booker

The week began with a scoring binge the NBA hasn’t witnessed for quite a while. On Monday it was the Wolves Karl-Anthony Towns who started it all, he managed to total 62 points in his game against the Hornets. It was outstanding shooting by the Wolves Big Man (7 foot 248 pounds) the majority of shots he took for the most part were somewhat close in yet he still managed to shoot 60% from the floor. This CAT KAT has range out to the 3-point line and he demonstrated it with 66.7% from distance. Two downsides to his magnificent explosive effort, he committed 7 TO’s and similar to Booker his Wolves team lost the game 128-125.

Luka Doncic almost matched his jersey number, Mavs point forward Luka Doncic continued the NBA scoring trend begun on Monday. For unspecified reasons NBA scoring appears to be at an all-time high this season. The trend continued Friday evening as Luka the Don scored 73 points in his team’s 148-143 victory over the Hawks. Kyrie Irving was absence so The Don did his part making up for the absence of Irving. He sure took a considerable number of shots but it wasn’t just volume shooting on his part, The Don shooting amounted to 75.8% from the floor and 61.5% from three. I should also mention his box score total included 10 rebounds and 7 assists plus 93.8% from the free throw line. In 45 minutes of action The Don had only 4 TO’s.

Also in action on Friday evening was Devin Booker of the Suns with his 62 points against the Pacers. In the same manner of Luka he wasn’t just jacking up shot after shot, his output was shot with extreme accuracy. In 38 minutes of court action Booker managed 59.5% shooting from the floor with 50% of it coming from beyond the arc. He is normally lights out at the free throw line on this occasion it was 92.3% and despite handling the ball more than usual he committed only 4 TO’s during the game. The only problem for Booker was his Suns team managed to come up one point short, they lost the game 133-131. The output by him is amazing however it’s not his top attempt. On March 24, 2017, Booker scored a scorching 70 points.

The Big E

While conducting research I came across one of those names. He’s a name rarely mentioned from the past, although he’s 78-years old now Elvin Hayes remains one of the greats of college basketball and the NBA. This hall of fame power forward/center first came to prominence while playing for the Houston Cougars. He played in the first nationally televised college basketball game January 20, 1968. I realize in writing about the game that might seem strange but 56 years ago none of the sports networks operating today existed back then.

An entrepreneur Eddie Einhorn set up a string of stations across the country to telecast the game, there was no network affiliation for college basketball at the time. TVS as he named his network operated for several years thereafter ceasing operations in 1995. The UCLA Bruins led by Lew Alcindor would face Houston in the Astrodome before 56,000 fans, at the time the game set an all-time attendance record. Alcindor suffered a scratched cornea in a game a week ahead of the match against Houston and it was questioned whether he’d play. Alcindor did play however the eye injury clearly impacted his play, playing defense against Hayes and the exuberant gathering in the Astrodome aided Houston to win 71-69. The loss broke UCLA’s 47-game winning streak, later that year in the NCAA tournament UCLA would extract revenge with a 73-58 beat down of Houston.

As for the 6 foot 9 Hayes he would become the top pick in the 1968 NBA draft by the San Diego Rockets. Of course, later the team moved to Houston where Hayes first came to fame during his college years. He would later play for the Washington Bullets becoming an NBA champion in 1978. His accomplishments are far too numerous to cover in this brief look at his career. It should also be of note Hayes has been enshrined in the college basketball hall of fame too, Elvin Hayes an outstanding name of the past.

14 miles

Google maps indicate Crypto.com arena is about at most 14 miles from the Intuit Dome. The locations are supposed to be about 30 minutes’ drive time apart although that might be a little misleading, commuting within Los Angeles might require a little more drive time. In any event we are close to the Clippers “taking the keys” to their own arena. What is interesting to me is that I believe Intuit Dome would not exist with Donald Sterling the previous owner in place, check out the prior history of the franchise. The Clippers arriving from San Diego began play in the Sports Arena, it was home from 1984-1999.

Apparently play was split between two arenas, the history indicates that from 1994 through 1999 the Clippers played at the Honda Center in Anaheim. When Staples Center (Crypto.com) opened in the fall of 1999 the Clippers moved into the arena along with the Lakers and NHL Kings. The NBA needed an owner in Los Angeles similar to Steve Ballmer for two reasons. Ballmer’s vision and his deep, deep pockets. Despite what might be perceived as a rivalry I like the fact the Clippers will soon be located at 3939 W 102nd Street in Inglewood. There are 12 million plus folks located in metro Los Angeles, that is certainly a large enough fan base to support the two franchises. New York City’s two teams have always played in their own arenas, Madison Square Garden for the Knicks and the Nets in Barclays Center.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

His ceiling

Gary is a member of Dub Nation, he updates me on Warriors stuff I might have missed. His latest disclosure to me, Jonathan Kuminga is playing outstanding basketball. Recently he sent me an email indicating Kuminga had gone 11-11 from the floor. “He became the first Warrior since Chris Mullin in 1990 to make at least 11 field goals without a miss.” That is certainly quite an accomplishment for the Warriors as they appear to be making changes to their lineup. A little background, Kuminga was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where he first began play.

After arriving on American shores Kuminga began play at several high schools before the 6-foot 7 225 pound forward eventually decided in favor of a pro career over playing in college. In July 2020 he signed a contract with NBA G-League Team Elite, in 2021 Kuminga was made the number 7 pick in the NBA draft. From fall on his playing time with the Warriors was spotty, Kuminga would travel back and forth between the Santa Cruz Warriors and the home team to gain time on the court. As proof his average the first two seasons for the parent club, in 16.9 minutes a game it was 9.3 points. The following season in 20.8 minutes he raised his scoring a notch to 9.9., as for this season it’s become a breakout year. Kuminga is averaging 14.3 points a game on 53% shooting from the floor along with 31.4% from three. With a nearly 7-foot wingspan he’s turned into a capable defender. I inform Gary of this, Kuminga provides us proof of two facts; athletes need time to develop their skill to play in the NBA.

The most critical part is my belief you cannot adjust to playing at this level without being on the court. Young players need an opportunity to be in the lineup on a consistent basis. This is nowhere close to the last of Steph Curry however Kuminga might be the beginning of a change in the future for these Warriors. He gives credit to Andre Iguodala and current teammate Draymond Green for their advice and Just a few of my thoughts, that certainly doesn’t say my assessment or observation is correct. I don’t believe Kuminga has reached his ceiling yet, there is more to see from him.

Words

Tanner Carlson is a baseball player, despite the fact the words are powerful. In addition to that they could just as easily be applied to the sport we follow:

One of the best things I have heard from a coach “My job is to find someone better than you. Your job is to make sure I can’t.” Might sound harsh but it’s true at most levels and in life.

Rebounds

Here’s the story, you discover your neighbor won the Power Ball several months ago. You begin questioning your wife, “Why is John still driving his 2012 Buick, he can afford a new car maybe a Lamborghini or maybe a Porshe or Corvette. I wonder why he’s still driving his old car when it’s clear he can afford better.” That’s a hypothetical story, it’s not the least bit true but bear with me a moment. We have no idea of John’s financial status, maybe he doesn’t want a new car.

Still yet John might have tons of bills and other obligations to pay before spending newly acquired wealth. The point to make is we have no idea of the internal workings of John which leads to this account. A fan wrote, “Victor Wembanyama should be averaging more than 10 rebounds a game.” This fan likely bases his belief on the fact the rookie stands 7 feet 4 inches in height. This fan should be aware that in order to rebound the basketball effectively a bunch of things must occur, the chief one being in position. It was unnecessary for Dennis Rodman to score, his specialty was to rebound the ball. Rodman played for several teams which had the luxury of using his work on the boards despite the fact he stood but 6 foot 7. It was said in practice Rodman would take in the angles the ball would bounce off the rim or backboard. Here’s another example, I hope this is not intended as a slam at Brook Lopez it’s just intended to detail information.

The veteran Big Man is quite effective shooting and often from distance, over the course of his career the most he’s averaged is 8.6 rebounds a game. Lopez stands 7 foot 1 and weighs 282 pounds, do we suppose our letter writing friend believes Lopez’s rebounding totals should be above the number just listed? The last item is positioning, I haven’t seen all the games Wemby’s played however I have seen a substantial number, generally he’s at the 3-point line or on the perimeter. It’s a little difficult to grab a rebound if you are 15-20 feet from the basket.

Conference play

You might not agree with my assessment but that’s okay, this seems to be a down year in the strength of most of the nation’s college basketball teams. Oh sure, most of the usual suspects are in place except what’s different this season they don’t appear as invincible as in past year’s. Usually by late January a Duke, Kentucky or Kansas would be undefeated headed into conference play. What’s different this time around is that Duke has a 14-4 record however there are 2 losses in the ACC already.

Kentucky’s record matches Duke with 2 conference losses. Kansas is 16-3 overall but also has 2 losses in the Big XII, while in the Big 10 Purdue is 18-2 but also has 2 conference losses. Good old UConn saves the day with their 17-2 and 7-1 record in the Big East. Don’t get this twisted, the teams named and several others are particularly good. The question raised, why are there no super teams as they generally are this time of the year? I certainly don’t have an answer although I will continue to ask the question in this collegiate season.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

A Closer Look

Late Night With Seth Meyers, for those unfamiliar with the program this occurs. Meyers begins his weeknight monologue with the daily news he titles A Closer Look. I’m posing the question what do we suppose occurs if the Bucks fail to win a championship in June? After all that’s what Doc Rivers was hired to do because Adrian Griffin couldn’t accomplish the deed. Well wait a moment, Griffin was dismissed after but 43 games, his Bucks team was in second place in the east.

I attempted to point out if the Bucks were in the west they would be tied for first place. Some reading this will assume I have issues with Rivers that is not the case, I just happen to be one of those who despite his record believe in Rivers. The Bucks become his 5th stop as a head coach first it was Orlando then Boston and the L.A. Clippers and Sixers followed. With the exception of the Magic the other teams were veteran laden, they made the playoffs but that’s about all. In 24 years as an NBA head coach teams coached by Rivers have competed for two NBA championships. In 2008 his Celtic team beat my Lakers, two years later 2010 the teams faced one another again, this time the Lakers were winners. As I pointed out earlier the resume of Rivers is one of winning, you don’t win 1,860 games accidently.

Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Joel Embiid I could go on. Those named are just a few of the All Star caliber players Rivers has coached over the course of his career with various teams. If you are a Doc Rivers fan so be it, I certainly am making no attempt to persuade you to my side. I don’t dislike the coach I just happen to believe he’s overrated. In closing I hope Adrian Griffin receives another head coaching job someday, 43 games is certainly not a fair amount of time to determine one’s ability as a head coach.   

Extinct

There are plenty of things extinct, probably the first thought might be dinosaurs but there are more. We have the Passenger Pigeon, Sabre-tooth Cat, Wooly Mammoth and the Dodo bird. Those are but a few are now many living things now extinct. A species that soon will no longer exist, the pure point guard. Once Chris Paul retires the last pure point guard will no longer be active in the NBA. Sorry folks, although Steph is close to retirement too I’ve always considered him a combo guard rather than a point guard. So what occurred, I just said it, the development of Steph Curry and Warriors success.

The Warriors championship success story is partially responsible for the change in how the game is played. Once upon a time in the recent past teams were looking for quality Big Men, second to that was a quality point guard in the draft. Many argued the Lakers Magic Johnson at 6 foot 9 wasn’t a point guard due to his height, I believe his 11.2 assist per game lifetime average says otherwise. He wasn’t the only one, John Stockton with the Jazz, Oscar Robertson for the Royals and Bucks. I must mention Steve Nash, Walt Frazier, Bob Cousy and Gary Payton. These guys could shoot the ball but it was their duty to run the team’s offense and to score on occasion. The NBA will never return to those days, Big Man basketball and pure point guard play have just about become extinct.

Growth spurt

It was over the summer between the end of my 6th year and beginning the 7th grade in the fall. I hit a growth spurt and gained almost 3 inches in height, this was me. “Boy I’m on my way to 6 feet,” needless to say that would not be the case, I stopped growing short of my goal. What about basketball players, some are naturally tall Kareem and Wilt were 7 feet tall at the time they graduated high school, as for others they hit the “growth spurt.” David Robinson stood 5 foot 9 as a 16-year-old, two years later it was 7 foot 1.

Anthony Davis handles the ball effectively for a tall guy and it is easy to understand the why. As a high school sophomore he stood 6 foot 2 and played guard, by his senior year he’d grown 8 inches to his present 6 foot 10. You’ve read accounts of Scottie Pippen being in the band at Central Arkansas and not the basketball team at 6 foot 1, in the NBA we’d witnessed his ability to handle a basketball, his senior year of college Pippen stood 6 foot 8. By his 19th birthday Dennis Rodman was 6 foot 8, that’s quite a growth spurt from his reported 5 foot 6 at a point. There are other NBA players with dramatic increases in height, these are but a few to check out.

Urban basketball

What was once the hope for the University of MO KC now Kansas City displayed on the jerseys never materialized. The University of Kansas City was a separate educational facility, the University of MO took over operations in the recent past. The former school had a basketball program which disappeared, it was resurrected once it became a part of the University of MO system. It would be NAIA basketball and then move up to the NCAA Division I level, most saw a UCLA, Memphis or St. John’s scenario. An urban basketball program in the heart of the city which never came to fruition. In 34 years of play there are only 10 years the school finished above .500 and worst still is the revolving door with the coaching staff. Other than Lee Hunt who coached the program early there have been 7 other head coaches.

During this time only one coach, Billy Donlon, had a winning record (46-39), he led the program but two seasons 2020-2022 but resigned. He took on the role of associate head coach at Clemson where he remains to this day. Another Rich Zvosec led Kansas City to an 84-91 record between 2001-2007, he was terminated and today he’s Senior Deputy Athletics Director at UCF. The other coaches were unable to turn the tide of losing for the university, you might ask the question where are we going? I presented much of what you’ve just read to my co-worker Keenan, and this was his response. Maybe they need to go to the Division II level, that might not be as unusual as it might seem. Oral Roberts University downgraded its program to NAIA level before returning to Division I, who knows maybe Kansas City should consider doing the same. By this move they could aid the program significantly although income would be reduced.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Bits n Pieces

The concern with Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell is more money than his play. He’s not a great defender but certainly not as bad as cynics would have you believe. The problem is his contract which calls for a large payout next season, apparently after trading for him last season management is unwilling to pay. The money issue is real, I cannot provide documentation if the Lakers are willing to pay the “balloon” salary next season his contract calls for.

We love success of a football or basketball team but only to a point, I’m reading letters none locally how “We are tired of the NFL Chiefs winning.” Interesting in that the Chiefs have won in the playoffs but are yet to play in the Super Bowl. The same “hate them” followed the Patriots during the Tom Brady era. The Lakers haven’t won anything since 2020 (I don’t count the in-season tourney) yet check out any NBA page. Sooner or later you will come across a letter or two expressing hatred toward the Lakers.

On Tuesday a story headline read En Fuego, I was discussing the game Joel Embiid had played. I attributed the headline term to Dan Patrick from the days he was co-anchor for ESPN's SportsCenter. Patrick used it to describe an athlete who'd played a great game, as an example he might say "Charles Barkley was En Fuego in tonight's game." That's not quite correct, I utilized the English to Spanish translator, on fire is actually "en Llamas. .  

The IT factor

Although the discussion began on football it could easily be translated to basketball. I ask Rory what makes Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes so different over others. Rory said “Mahomes has the IT factor working for him,” what the heck is the IT factor? Rory said, “It goes beyond the physical side of the game, Michael Jordan had it, Michael Jackson had it.” After I tossed the question out to others Chris gave us his definition. “I think “it” is a drive to be the best above those around them.

They have such a force of will they bring out the best in their teammates and drive them to succeed. While they may not, in Jordan’s case, necessarily be liked by their teammates their leadership elevates everyone around them.” Michael Jordan’s name was mentioned twice, are there others in basketball that have the “IT?” Larry Bird possessed it, so did Magic Johnson but there are others. I happen to think Kobe Bryant had it too although some will argue against me including his name in the count. A coach can also have that “IT” factor working for them as well.

A double surprise

The first surprise, Adrian Griffin was fired after 43 games in his rookie season as a head coach. The Bucks are in second place in the east with 30 wins versus 13 losses. If they were in the Western Conference they would be in a first-place tie. I’m not going to attempt a read between the lines on this one but I can say the news caught me off guard as probably most of you. As for the second surprise it’s now official that Doc Rivers has been hired to replace Griffin as head coach of the Bucks.

Before I began allow me to state this at the beginning, I happen to be one of a few unimpressed by Rivers coaching. If you check out his coaching resume it looks exceptional, his teams have won 1,097 games losing only 763. One positive thing I cannot ignore is the fact Rivers always earns playoff berths, his teams fall short with the exception of 2008 when his Celtics beat my Lakers 4 games to 2. Beyond that one year, with head coaching stops in Orlando, Boston, L.A. Clippers and Sixers his teams have won a single NBA championship.  

Wemby v Sampson

I’m going to venture into territory I usually avoid…comparisons. Often when describing an athlete we might say, “His game resembles _______________.” That’s usually the only barometer we have to attempt judgment of an athletes capability. In this instance we are going to check out Ralph Sampson prior to injury. Sampson might have been Wemby before Wemby, he measured the same height (7-4) but he was 228 pounds. He was selected the number one pick in the 1983 draft by the Rockets, although he was a center in college his position in the NBA would become power forward. It was done for two reasons number one, the Rockets had Hakeem Olajuwon already established at the center position and number two, Sampson’s skill at handling the basketball. Despite his height no one with his height had demonstrated such dribbling and ball handling ability to that point.

As for Sampson’s play that first year he was named Rookie of the Year in 1984, he and Olajuwon were able to become a formidable Twin Tower tandem that performed at a high ability level. It was 1987, February 4 to be exact, Sampson suffered a major cartilage tear in his left knee when his right foot slipped. Although he would later play for three other NBA teams it was his tenure with the Rockets most remember, the dribbling skill and other aspects of his game surprised some and shocked others. How good was Sampson, he’s enshrined in the College and Naismith Hall of Fame. At Virginia he was a three-time college player of the year and first team All American three times as well. Check out the YouTube video below of number 50 for a look at his unique skill set. What’s the old saying, “There’s nothing new under the sun,” that certainly applies and it’s sad to see injuries robbed Sampson of maybe becoming spoken of in the same manner as MJ, Magic or Chamberlain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxRUPDjKlU4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgDJbb8bMhM

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

His stat line

Breaking a team record held by Wilt Chamberlain places one in exclusive territory, that’s what’s occurred for the Sixers Joel Embiid. To accomplish this before a national and maybe worldwide television audience is even greater. That’s what Joel Embiid did on Monday evening against the Spurs in Wells Fargo Center, even more remarkable is the Big Man’s stat line. The 7-foot 1 285-pound Embiid did this: 

 

Min      FG%      3P%        FT%   REB      AST       BLK     STL   PF    TO        PTS

37.0      58.5      50         91.3      18.0      5.0        1.0      1.0       2.0    1.0      70

This is different  

Oklahoma City voters approved a plan to build a new arena replacing Paycom Center. Since the affirmative vote last month no additional news has emanated from the mayor’s office or the city council. There are no architect renderings of the arena nor is there an indication where the arena is to be located. It appears this new Thunder arena would be constructed in a downtown location however where is the question.

A little further south, San Antonio to be precise we have a great deal of conversation but not much action. You might remember I’d written business interest believe with the potential talent of Victor Wembanyama attendance would increase at Spurs games especially from out-of-town visitors. San Antonio interests have been even stealthier than Oklahoma City, I’ve searched the net for updates from both locations and nothing exists. I should point out just because there is no news updates fails to take into consideration there might be work accomplished behind the scenes.

Think positive thoughts

Although I’m disappointed in the play of the Lakers Mizzou not so much. I had a concern if the mix of talent was good enough to win in the tough, tough SEC. Early on it appears they have come up short to date. This is not a boo-hoo story rather it’s a standup and cheer report regarding Tiger basketball. The cheer part is looking ahead to next season’s crop of freshman. Let’s check out the Class of 2024 and update it, Mizzou remains a Top 5 in recruiting talent to Columbia. According to 247Sports Mizzou’s dropped a bit from late summer-early fall. For a time Mizzou had the number one class in the nation, since then a slight drop but here they are:

       1.   Duke

             2.   Kentucky

             3.   Rutgers

             4.   Mizzou

             5.   Baylor

As you can see Rutgers moved into the number 3 slot once belonging exclusively to Mizzou. Despite what some might consider a negative I’m okay with the recruiting. Mizzou’s recruited McDonalds All Americans in the past however they have never had a talent gathering similar to what will be in place in August 2024. Let’s take a look again at the names in this group of incoming talent. Annor Boateng, he’s a 6-foot 6 210-pound small forward from Little Rock, also incoming is 7-foot 300-pound Peyton Manning.

Manning is a throwback to a traditional back to the basket center, don’t confuse my statement he’s not Shaq but I believe he could come close if he works. Marcus Allen a 6-foot 6-inch 210-pound combo, also included is 7-foot 3 210-pound Trent Burns plus T.O. Barnett a 6-foot 4 180-pound point guard. There are two questions one for now and one later, in January 2024 will they remain committed until August? The second question will most be able to make the leap from the high school level to the tough SEC. The latter will not be answered until conference play begins next January.

All Star vote

The media was responsible at one point in selecting the NBA All Star team. I have no idea how this was done however at a past date it was decided fans should be responsible for choosing the participating individuals. That’s been the history and for the most part its worked however there have been issues in the past we could consider errors, that is the case here. Voting is still open however if it were closed today Ja Morant of the Grizzlies would be a starter over the Suns Devin Booker.

The problem Morant’s only appeared in 9 games due to suspension, he will miss the balance of the season after surgery. I’ve not checked Booker’s stats however this plain doesn’t make sense. Morant will continue to compile votes while sidelined maybe even preventing Booker from becoming an All Star. This needs to be re-worked by the NBA for this very instance. Without research I’m sure a similar instance must have occurred in the past.

Defensive rating

I have been asking members of Laker Nation the question for the last few weeks, what’s wrong with the Lakers? One individual pointed me in a direction sometimes difficult to determine, a players defensive rating. A player can look great on one play and an opposition screen will make him appear a liability on another. Taking that into consideration I’ve often avoided delving into defensive ratings until now. This particular member of Laker Nation said, “They need a true point guard” while another said, “I never liked him.” As for his statement I didn’t bother to ask what he meant by “I never liked him?”

Both individuals were speaking of Laker point guard D’Angelo Russell, in this age of combo guards is it necessary to have a “Chris Paul” in your back court? Paul is a dinosaur by two standards, his age and the fact he’s a throwback a pass first point guard. As for defensive rating I’m not going to list all just a few, minutes played, blocked shots, field goals taken and made, assists, rebounds and other stuff. Where does D’Angelo Russell rate among NBA point guards? The latest stats indicate Russell is not the best point but he certainly ain’t the worst, he’s number 8 in the NBA. By the way his assists per game fail to lead the league but he distributes 6.1 per game. In conclusion Laker issues are more than D’Lo playing point guard. 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

En Fuego

The headline is a phrase often used by Dan Patrick former ESPN SportsCenter anchor. I’ve since discovered he was not quite correct in his usage. “Borrowed from the Spanish word for fire, fuego is used in English as a slang term for something “excellent” or “sexy,” with the phrase en fuego expressing something “on fire,” or “performing extremely well.” On Monday evening I along with a national television audience witnessed Joel Embiid en fuego.

Embiid scored 70 points and pulled down 18 rebounds as his Sixer team beat the Spurs 133-123. Was it the fact he was facing Victor Wembanyama for the first time or maybe it was something else. Wemby had a good game as he aided his team to keep the game somewhat close, he scored 33 points and pulled down 7 rebounds. It’s interesting Embiid setting a Sixer single game scoring record broke the one set by Wilt Chamberlain. Stop a moment and reflect the gallery of talent that’s managed to wear the jersey over the years. Dr. J., Charles Barkley, Moses Malone, Allen Iverson are just a few of the names of the past that come to mind.  

Few could accomplish this

We’ve discussed athletes who could have played in the NFL and NBA. The list of two sport athletes in college is not extensive however there are more than 9. Once these individuals turned pro they chose the sport they believed they were best suited for. A name that comes to mind is LeBron James, he played football in high school but he never tried out for an NFL team. There are others who could have accomplished this feat I could only locate two.

The name Bud Grant is well known in NFL circles, most remember him as the long-time head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. Grant also played in the NFL for the Eagles and in the Canadian Football League. History indicates Grant left the Minneapolis Lakers to begin his NFL career. I uncovered one other athlete playing both sports professionally. His name is Lonnie Wright and he accomplished this feat in the same season, imagine that. Wright played for the NFL Broncos and later the ABA Denver Rockets, Wright was a guard in basketball.

They fooled me

I truly dislike repeating myself however I cannot figure out this Laker team. At the beginning of the season you could count me in as one of those fans eager to see what this team could do. I was pleased with the talent picked up last February, the draft and free agent signings had my pumped. Did I believe this team would be able to compete for an NBA championship…yes I did. I thought avoiding major injuries they had positioned themselves to play for it. The season through January 21 has been nowhere close to what I anticipated.

The Lakers have played up and down all season long and the problem certainly is lack of consistency. The consistency I speak of is on the defensive side of the court, this Laker team has no problem scoring being led by Anthony Davis and LeBron. The question continues to haunt me, when are they going to stop the opposition from scoring? If they continue to play at this same pace I believe it’s likely they miss the playoffs. I cannot speculate any further on the Laker season then what you’ve read thus far. I’ve not given up on them I’m just totally disappointed in how the season has progress to this point. In closing I continue to believe a change is required at head coach until its proven otherwise.

5-way tie

Would you believe me if I told you Kansas basketball was in a 5-way tie for second place? That is the case as this is written Sunday afternoon. Truth is if we check the Big XII standings we find Texas Tech and Kansas State tied for first place both teams with 4-1 records. The difference to date with Kansas basketball thus far is their inability to beat teams on the road. There was a loss to UCF 65-60 on January 10 and the upset loss to West Virginia 91-85 this past Saturday.

Both losses are games the Jayhawks normally should have won. Average to below average free throw shooting a problem for past teams fails to materialize for this team according to coach Self. We are early in the conference race so there is no doubt the Jayhawks can turn the conference race around. This is written prior to the Cincinnati-Kansas game on Monday, based on it being a home game for the Jayhawks more than likely they won. The primary reason it makes for news it’s just a little surprising to see them in this position at this point in the season.

Does it make sense

I came across a YouTube video regarding “old arenas,” and believe it or not Target Center in Minneapolis was the oldest having opened in 1990. Now keep in mind it has undergone renovation but the arena is only 34 years old. The others, Capital One in Washington D.C. opened in 1997, Portland’s Moda Center (1995), Smoothie King in New Orleans (1999). Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia was on the list too. Wells Fargo opened in 1996, there are plans in place to build a new arena anyway however that’s not where my question starts and begins. The beginning point is “the look” of these arenas, his narration description of some of the arenas “It has such a 1990’s look.”

My question to him is exactly what that describes. The last portion of this discussion involves who pays, it is quite easy and slick to produce a video and deciding which arena needs replacement. I realize we are discussing NBA arenas alone but this guy would have a fit if he traveled to Kansas City. Municipal Auditorium opened in 1935, the arena held numerous NCAA and NAIA Tournaments over the years. The NBA Kings once called the Muni home before their move to Kemper Arena. Until recently the University of MO-Kansas City Kangaroos played their games in this ancient cathedral of basketball. I cannot argue with the video in one instance, if the author believes these arenas need to be replaced so be it. The counter from me is this…who pays for the replacement arenas?

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

What if….

I told you there was a college player scoring nearly 24 points and 12 rebounds a game. In addition this prospect is shooting 63% from the floor, you might surmise NBA teams would leap at the opportunity to draft him. Despite the positives I just mentioned there is a possibility Zach Edey of Purdue might not be selected by any NBA team in the 2024 draft. I realize you might find that difficult to believe but true, don’t take my word for this please consult other sources for confirmation.

This was mentioned previously the 7-foot 4 300-pound Edey declared for the draft last year but after a time decided in favor of returning to Purdue. The question, is Edey a legitimate NBA prospect, it might depend on who you this with. The three mock draft sites I utilize place the Canadian youngster all over the map. Example, thankathon.com indicates Edey could be the 22 pick in the first round while nbadraftroom agrees with the first round they say it will be number 30. One site, nbadraftnet project Edey as pick number 47 in the second round.

The two complaints I’ve read about his game, “He’s got no range,” by that statement scouts indicate he is no 3-point threat. In this age Big Men are expected to have distance on their shot attempts. In addition it is reported he is “Slow a foot,” I’m sure Bill Russell and Wes Unseld might have been limited racing up and down the court. What both possessed was the great skill to grab a rebound off the boards and toss bullet passes to teammates streaking down court on a break. What I find even more interesting is this quote from another, “If this was 20 years ago Edey would be a Top 10 pick.” Has the NBA game changed to this degree teams are willing to pass on a prospect due to shooting from distance and foot speed?

Side by side

Since I’m always comparing the two, how about a check of stats between the two leading candidates for 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year, Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs and the Thunder’s Chet Holmgren. I believe you will find the numbers quite interesting. Wemby leads Holgren in scoring 19.8 v. 17.4 ppg, as for snatching rebounds its Wemby with 10.1 v. 7.2 for Holmgren per game. I know what some of you are saying with the height difference, “Wemby should have more rebounds and blocked shots since he's got a 3–4-inch advantage over Holmgren.”

Let’s continue this task, the block shot totals a game are Wemby 3.2 v. 2.5 for Holmgren. It should be noted here, although Wemby leads the NBA in blocked shot percentage he actually sits in second place behind the Bucks Brook Lopez in the number. Lopez has 118 to Wemby’s 109 however Lopez has played in 6 more games than Wemby. One other note, is minutes on the court, up to this past weekend coach Pop had placed a minutes restriction on Wemby. I’m unsure if there was an injury issue or something else, in any event he is no longer limited to a specific number of minutes from this point onward. 

Bits n Pieces 

A great amount of basketball stuff comes my way accidently over actual research, that is the case here. It’s been mentioned on more than one occasion Larry Brown’s coached NBA, ABA and NCAA champion teams but I didn’t realize there was an athlete with a similar resume. His name, Tom Thacker and at age 82 he’s still among the living. Thacker a guard played his college basketball at the University of Cincinnati winning NCAA championships in 1961 and 1962. In 1968 as a member of the Celtics he won an NBA championship, two years later 1970 Thacker won an ABA championship playing for the Pacers.

Some might question me on this, “How can you root for Wemby and the Lakers at the same time?” For me, the answer is easy, as long as the Spurs don’t play the Lakers everything is cool. A little history here, I became acquainted with Shaq early maybe his high school days in San Antonio. I followed his career while he played at LSU and later in the NBA with the Magic. Of course when he signed with the Lakers that made it that much better for me, now don’t confuse what I’m stating. I don’t expect Wemby one day to decide to sign with the Lakers although I wouldn’t mind.

Chaifetz Arena is the home of St. Louis University basketball and other activities, the arena seats 10,600 for basketball. Chaifetz located at 1 Compton Avenue opened its doors in the spring of 2008. It contains 14 suites and 2 party rooms on the north and south end of the arena. The construction allows a good view of the action no matter where you are seated. In addition there are video screens located in the upper portion of the arena allowing a view of the action. The building is named for Richard Chaifetz a 1975 graduate of St. Louis University and CEO of ComPsych Corporation, Chaifetz contributed $12 million for construction of the arena.

"It was a complete disgrace to the legacy of the Chicago Bulls... Whether you like Jerry Krause or not, that man's dead... His wife is there, and y'all made that lady cry and that was total BS... That hurt my heart watching that thing." Those are the words of Charles Barkley former NBA player and current NBA analyst on TNT. His reaction to the Ring of Honor ceremony held at the United Center recently.