My Fix 

Recently you might have read Gilbert Arenas and his "NBA Fix" this one belongs to me alone. Arenas played in the NBA  I only watch the NBA. These are the thoughts of a fan, most of the changes proposed must be league and coaching mandated here they are:

1. Reduce the number of 3's, they are certainly great when they go when they don't.

2. Return a portion of the offense to an inside game, then back to the basket play.

3. Greater emphasis on team defense (I believe the volume of threes is responsible).

4. Less time I check traveling is still in the rule book...enforce it.

5. Ban the Euro step.

6. We don't require three TV analysts for a single game.

7. Blackouts should be limited to a 150 mile radius.

8. A 65-game minimum should be amended to qualify for post season awards.

Those are just a few of the changes I would love to see the NBA, TV networks and coaching staff implement for the future. I'm sure you have your own ideas about what makes a better game, I am certainly not claiming this solves all.   

The SEC 

The mention of conference expansion recently the SEC was briefly covered. The SEC will undergo a change next season, this 14-team conference will expand by two. Coming on board will be Texas and Oklahoma, a brief history of both follows. In 1920 Oklahoma joined the Big 7 (later the Big 8), the school would remain a member through the expansion to the Big XII. As for Texas their route was different, they were members of the Southwest Conference which was founded in 1915. They remained members  until that conference went out of business in 1995. In that same year Texas moved into the Big XII where they remained until this latest move.

Crypto.com Arena

I still hate the name, Staples Center rolls of the tongue far easier but that is another story. I was aware at the time the arena opened the Clippers were low on the list of tenants. It has nothing to do with priority but what former owner Donald Sterling did at the time. As the arena was under construction the Lakers and NHL Kings made arrangements move from The Forum to Staples signing contracts and all the other stuff required. The Clippers played at Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim (now called the Honda Center). Staples opened in the fall of 1999 with two primary tenants in place, the Lakers and Kings both having contracts.

Somewhere in mid to late spring Clipper management decided it would be better to be housed in downtown Los Angeles over Anaheim. Why am I rehashing this old story at this point in time, it's because of the coach. Coach Tyronn Lue recently expressed his belief everything changes next season. As you are aware the Clippers move into the Intuit Dome their exclusive home, Lue complained about scheduling issues regarding their place ranking behind the Lakers/Kings in available scheduling dates. I don't believe the scheduling was done with malice, part of the reasoning might have to be based on signing. Former coach Doc Rivers did this, he began to have the Laker jerseys covered during Clipper games, how childish of him. Why the Clipper complaints now, the season is winding down and it's my guess the Clippers are anxious to move into their own building.  

The Hot Seat

Yesterday a list of college coaches was provided, these were among the number losing their jobs. How about the NBA, no one's been fired yet however two names were recently profiled as on the hot seat, they are Darvin Ham and Monty Williams. Ham has been covered by me in the past so the purpose of this is Monty Williams. Unlike Ham who only has last season and this a history exists for Williams. He was hired by the Pelicans for his first head coaching position, after four losing seasons the franchise turned around winning 45 games. The problem was, they lost in the first round of the playoffs so I guess that was the basis for his termination. In 2019 Williams was hired as head coach of the Suns, his first season the team finished below .500.

After that came records of 51, 64 and 45 wins, at the conclusion of the 2023 season Williams was fired again. Again I must guess l guess lack of playoff success was the basis for the second termination. June 2023 Williams was hired by the Pistons and that's when this latest "job in jeopardy" came about. The Pistons would set an NBA record losing 28 games in a row under Williams, he was unable to begin his tenure on a good note. If we check the history we discover the Pistons were coming off seasons of 23 and last year 17 wins. Can we conclude Williams has a monumental task on his hands rebuilding the Pistons. Fans of the team certainly cannot be pleased but the question is how much could the coach accomplish in less than one full season. It's my belief Williams might be in a safer position than the Lakers Ham, we shall see how this matter plays out in the not too distant future.