Basketball from a fan’s perspective

What was it

I didn’t bother seeing all of the Nuggets-Wolves game, I changed channels with about 3 minutes or so remaining in the game. The 115-70 beat down experienced by the Nuggets had me shaking my head. What caused it, were the Wolves more comfortable sleeping in their own beds or eating home cooked meals or was it something else? Game 6 had a vastly different outcome, you remember don’t you? The 112-97 victory by the Nuggets was reminiscent of Game 6, the difference of course the home team was the victor in both cases.

If we just check out the box score of Game 6 it’s almost unbelievable, you beat the opposition like a drum (45 points). The box score numbers certainly provide us the why of the victory. Field goal % Nuggets 30.2, Wolves 46.5, three point % 19.4 Nuggets, 37.5 Wolves. It didn’t end there of course, 12 turnovers by the visitors to the 6 by the home team. The rebound totals were astronomical, the Nuggets had 43 compared to the Wolves with 62. Who wins Game 7 on Sunday when the teams return to Denver? I would guess the home team would be slightly favored however if I were a betting person I’d be quite apprehensive. At this point I am divided between which series is the best so far, is it this one or Knicks-Pacers, you decide?

Two jobs

You remember reading on Friday the report of Doug Gottlieb, Green Bay announced the hiring of the Fox Sports radio personality as the school’s head basketball coach. He’d never served as a head coach at any stop but filled the role of assistant previously. Now that’s out of the way how about this caveat of information. Gottlieb indicates his intent to continue his radio program which runs 5 days a week. He maintains the role of head coach and radio host can be performed by him.

I have no idea what it takes to perform either role however it would appear quite difficult based on the time required to perform both roles. I’m not stating Gottlieb cannot hold down both responsibilities I just have my doubts. My view is partially based on my blog, I know the time required to provide this on a 7-day a week basis. Although we are in the off season surely scouting and other assorted duties are going to take time from his hosting duties on radio. This is what I believe eventually develops Gottlieb takes leave from his radio job, just my thoughts perhaps he can perform both roles.

Dinner

Our journey takes us to Jersey City NJ and dinner at the home of Bob Hurley Sr. There are guests seated around the table, the Hurley brothers along with their sister. Seated at the head of the table of course is the Father Bob Hurley Sr., seated on one side is eldest brother Bobby Hurley Jr. On the opposite side is his younger brother Dan Hurley. Just imagine the basketball conversation around that table, Hurley Sr. is one of few high school coaches to be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. From 1972 through 2017 Hurley Sr.’s St. Anthony’s teams won over 1,000 games.

This number includes 4 national and 28 state championships. With basketball being such a key component of the family it’s easy to see why the son’s gravitated to the sport. Bobby Jr. is the head basketball coach at Arizona State and younger brother Dan is head coach for the UConn program. Does sibling rivalry exist between the brothers, probably to a degree? To date Dan might be considered to be the more successful coach having won back-to-back NCAA championships. Their sister is a public-school teacher, I was unable to locate any information if she ever competed on the basketball court. Thus ends the brief introduction to some, the Hurley’s of New Jersey, the father and his two sons and daughter.

“It must be the shoes”

The headline is the line used by Mars Blackmon a.k.a. Spike Lee in all those old Air Jordan commercials. If you’ve never seen any of the commercials you can check out YouTube, I’m sure without checking they are probably available. In any event this account is regarding another Nike product. The signature shoe Air Zoom G.T. Hustle 2 of Victor Wembanyama was released and the $170 shoe sold out 5 minutes after their release. I’m not a sneakerhead but I understand the majority are being sold on eBay for two or three times the Nike price. For me, the shoe appears rather plain, take a look and see what you think. It should be noted that the apple green and black shoe comes with glow-in-the dark soles.

 

  

NAIA

It’s the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics or NAIA. These are colleges and universities that play football and basketball however their budgets are far below that of NCAA Division I schools. Despite what might be considered a negative the schools have sent a number of players into the ranks of NBA teams over time. Truth is probably a few of the all-time greats you probably had no idea they came from the ranks of an NAIA school. 

Just a few names, NBA legend Elgin Baylor who played at College of Idaho before becoming a Laker. How about Earl ‘The Pearl’ Monroe who came to our attention from Winston-Salem, he would make his NBA mark as a member of the Bullets and later Knicks. Then we have Bob ‘Butterbean’ Love, Southern University and the Chicago Bulls along with Dennis ‘The Worm’ Rodman from Southeastern Oklahoma State and several NBA teams. We also have Jack Sikma Illinois Wesleyan who played for the Sonics and Bucks, in addition there is Scottie Pippen Central Arkansas and the Bulls. Our list would be incomplete without mentioning the Captain. Willis Reed was at Grambling State prior to his Hall of Fame career with the Knicks. 

The names mentioned are but a few of the outstanding athletes who once dotted the roster of NBA teams, your question might be what happened? The basketball landscape began to change for a variety of reasons. The last player from an NAIA school to be drafted in the NBA was Robert Whaley chosen in 2005. Since that time there’s been no other although NAIA teams continue play, the NAIA Basketball Championship is held in Kansas City every April.