Basketball from a fan’s perspective

The Rules 

1. Never match players from different eras against one another.

2. A nickname is given, a player cannot bestow a handle on himself.

3. Comparing draft choices ensure the player you use as the example is well known.

4. Become well acquainted with basketball abbreviations or phrase

5. Research high school prospect sites periodically, they are a valuable source.

6. NBA mock draft sites are a reference tool only, an analyst opinion.

7. Don’t attempt to invoke humor discussing a serious event or person.

Ant Man

The 5,000+ foot altitude of Denver certainly didn’t appear to effect Anthony Edwards one bit, his 43 points were a key factor in the Wolves being able to defeat the Nuggets 109-99 in Game 1. This Wolves team made an emphatic statement winning the first game of this series. They also detailed for us how to play The Joker, utilizing Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert defensively. After the game TNT analyst Kenny Smith indicated as much saying: “They speeded him (Joker) up” and that certainly appeared to be the case. 

Joker managed to score 32 points and shot well but he was really forced to work for every shot he took. This was due to the defense of Towns, Gobert and Reed, his 9 assists also kept the Nuggets in the game. Based on the first game of this series we witnessed this evening we should be in for an entertaining series. I would be remiss without mentioning Naz Reed, the Wolves reserve center came off the bench and scored 16 points while aiding the defensive effort of his team. I am looking forward to Game 2 on Monday evening, are you?

15 minutes

“In the future everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” All these years later I discover it wasn’t Andy Warhol visual artist and film director who first uttered the phrase, it was actually an offshoot of a phrase first used in the Elizabethan era of Great Britain in the 16th Century. Now the history is out of the way how about the purpose of this exercise, I’m glad you asked. I have ranted and raved about ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith over the years and have discovered this about him. There is no middle ground, he’s either loved by some in public or hated by others. Why am I writing this, there is a fork in the road for me, I can choose the left path or the right. Heading left I can continue to report on many of the outlandish statements he often makes or if I take the right path he’s ignored by me.

There is a two-fold reason why I believe Smith’s used nearly all his time up. I imagine he’s dishonest and his venture into the political arena. The untruthfulness part has been discussed, briefly the call he reportedly made to NBA offices attempting to ask why a player was not suspended. He doesn’t work for the NBA he’s a media member, he cannot be serious about placing a call. The second part addressed recently was the 17 consecutive 3-point baskets he made scrimmaging for a Hall of Fame coach. I’m a political person, you might see that if you were privy to my social media page. I believe for the most part I have avoided discussing politics in this blog over time. Smith’s role in the past has been reporting sports, on the other hand its apparent he sees no issue with political commentary. Based on these two issues and others I believe my destination is the path on the right.

How to present this   

I wrestled with this presentation, how should I present the results of the Clippers-Mavs game? The Clippers were down 3 games to 2 playing in Dallas but it was more to the final score of 114-101. Paul George, Terrance Mann and others did the best they could to lead their team to victory. The key problem once again no Kawhi Leonard, at a point during the game play by play guy Mike Green said this. “Of 20 playoff games Leonard has played in four,” once again the question is raised regarding Leonard.

How valuable are you to your team when your play is sporadic especially in the playoffs? Perhaps sporadic is too strong an adjective to use, Leonard is certainly not missing games on purpose he’s been injured. The point I’m attempting to make his importance to the Clippers is vital at the same time his failure to partake in so few games devalues his worth to the team. Several NBA fans love to point fingers at LeBron, he might be a problem as well but there is a key here. Although he’s older than Leonard he’s missed fewer games while in Los Angeles, the same statement cannot be made about Leonard. Prior to the beginning of the season there is always a debate for me…which Los Angeles team is the best in Southern Cal.

Based on their first-place finish in the Pacific Division and the Lakers in 3rd I would conclude the Clippers were the better team, now I'm not so sure. Based on their first round exit it would appear the Clippers have just as many issues to resolve as their Crypto.com neighbors. One of the other issues is the disappearing act of of James Harden, how do they get around this annual move. The Clippers have now escaped the arena, in the fall they will begin play in their brand new home the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. Expect drastic changes next season for this Clippers team...maybe more than the Lakers. 

Everyone is recruited

The headline is intended to point out a great deal more effort is made now to recruiting than in the past. I cannot document this so the story comes with a disclaimer. Truly little background checks were involved in recruiting athletes in the recent past. Some would arrive on campus and almost immediately get into trouble, in this instance I’m not discussing grades or classroom attendance. It’s the other stuff, burglary, armed robbery, sexual assault and other criminal activity would occur with the finger pointed toward the athlete. Recruiting in this age is more than sitting in the family room with mom or both parents at the time a coach is attempting to attract that athlete to his school.

UConn’s Dan Hurley claims he’s recruiting the parents as much as the athlete. In addition it’s people that athlete surrounds himself with. This from Hurley, “They drop hints (athlete). An if you have the wrong type of people in that inner circle around your players. They will sink your program.” I don’t believe there is a desire by the coach to exclude friendships. Athletes more so than others might have a reason to maintain a smaller and smaller circle. Before someone misses the point I’m not stating the athlete must disavow bunches of friends however it’s for the betterment and future of the athlete to maintain a small circle. As the headline states everyone is recruited, which includes family and circle of friends. Finally this from Dawn Staley South Carolina coach, "If they respect their parents, they are going to respect us. If they don't respect their parents, we don't have a shot."