Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday

Tigers vs Tigers

The Black & Gold Tigers of Mizzou played the Blue Tigers of nearby Lincoln University. The outcome of the game was never in doubt as the Tigers from Columbia beat the Tigers of Jefferson City a Division II program. This exhibition game kicked off the 2024-25 season for coach Dennis Gates and his “new” team. There’s an influx of freshman one site considered this the 5th or 6th best recruited class in the nation. In addition the coaching staff worked the transfer portal extensively acquiring most of the talent desired.

This was accomplished in an attempt to avoid the disaster the team suffered last season. As for this game the final score read 90-45 as the teams faced each other in Mizzou Arena. Transfer Mark Mitchell, holdover Caleb Grill who played only 9 games due to injury led the way to the victory. Although the minutes were limited practically all the high profile freshman managed to play a few minutes in the game. Hopefully, this helps Mizzou prepare to face Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers on November 4 on the road followed by Howard University on November 8.

On the hot seat

I didn’t realize Doc Rivers has experienced few losing seasons as an NBA coach. Once with the Magic, twice with the Celtics, none with the Clippers and none with the Sixers. There is the losing season when he took over as head coach of the Bucks in January 2024. The Bucks earned a playoff berth due to the win-loss record prior to Rivers hire, they finished with 17 wins and 19 losses. The Bucks were then eliminated in the First Round of the playoffs. If you are a Doc Rivers fan you can cease reading at this point and there is a valid reason. I don’t hate Rivers I don’t even dislike him…this I have long believed, he’s overrated as an NBA head coach.

His coaching resume has seen him in charge of several good teams, the problem with the exception of 2008 they come up short. Of course that Celtic team of Garnett, Allen and Pierce was primed to win an NBA championship. What about the other stops, I don’t remember the Magic it was too long ago. The Magic were middle of the road in wins they earned a playoff berth in 3 of the 5 years he was in Orlando. The bottom dropped out in year 5, after getting off to 1-10 start Rivers was fired in 2003. In any event a sports website devoted a story regarding NBA coaches on the hot seat, naturally JJ Redick of the Lakers was mentioned but so was Rivers. I’m not rooting against Rivers to succeed I’d sure like him to prove me wrong about his coaching ability.

A medical issue for Big Men

Paul Mokeski played in the NBA from 1979 till 1991 for several teams, this account is prompted by a statement he made recently regarding Big Men and their health issues. He tied this in with a comment on the Spurs Victor Wembanyama. The 7 foot Mokeski claims (with no medical backup) said Big Men suffer heart related issues at a greater proportion than smaller athletes. Mokeski claims, “The human body is not made to be so tall” mentioning Wilt Chamberlain, Moses Malone and Darryl Dawkins all who died of heart related issues. At the same time Mokeski mentioned that Wemby is doing yoga and stretching something Mokeski claims he never did.

I have no medical background in order to discuss the issue with a degree of knowledge. This I do know, as a person ages, health issues become more prevalent even for the well-conditioned athlete. From what I’ve read over the years Mokeski is correct the names he mentioned plus others I omitted died from heart issues. The key statement is what he said regarding the human body. Genetics control the issue of height, weight and other stuff. The world has witnessed Big Men (7 feet and taller) since the dawn of time. Have they all suffered heart related issues as they aged…that’s an unknown and certainly there is no method to come to a conclusion?

They had their man

Despite the fast start the Lakers continue to search for a Big Man. It’s quite interesting to me because they had him and decided to go in another direction. It was a different front office regime in place at the time. In any event the Lakers (yes those guys) drafted Ivica Zubac in 2013 in the second round with the 32nd pick. That provides you with evidence that the 7 foot 240 pound center was raw, he’d played in Europe but this was the NBA. In any event the Lakers decided to trade Zubac along with Michael Beasley to the Clippers for Mike Muscala.

I’m including Muscala’s name because the Lakers missed this trade. Fast forward to the present its been mentioned over and over, the key Kawhi Leonard would be missing for a time. Someone believed (and wrote) James Harden wouldn’t be enough to keep the Clippers afloat while waiting on Kawhi’s return. The Clippers don’t appear to run plays for Zubac however he’s always available if needed. Zubac filled the box score against the Warriors supporting the 112-104 victory, 23 points and 18 rebounds along with 6 assists. It’s really too bad the Lakers continue to search for a Big Man when they had him all along…they just were unwilling to wait.

This is the before

Walt “Clyde” Frazier is known to scores of fans for his MSG analyst broadcast role over his brilliant Knicks basketball career. Fans of today might be well acquainted with his garish style of dress over his other life. He’s been enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame and voted to the 50th and 75th anniversary NBA team.  This provides evidence to many reading this Frazier is more than clothing and extensive vocabulary describing play on the court. His journey began in Atlanta Georgia and David Tobias Howard HS (now middle school). Frazier was an all-around athlete playing quarterback for the football team and catcher on the baseball team in addition to basketball.

Frazier says he was offered scholarships in football but turned them down, he says “There were no black quarterbacks, so I played basketball.” The time was 1963 and Frazier would accept a scholarship to play basketball at Southern Illinois University. He was named a Division II All American in 1964 and 1965. In 1966 poor grades sidelined him and that’s when a change occurred, he was given the task of tracking teams defense. Seeing how defense was played would become cemented in his mind and his forte once he reached the NBA. The NIT Tournament fails to hold the prominence today it did in 1967. Southern Illinois had moved up to Division I, in addition they won the NIT that year and Frazier was named MVP of the tournament. Later that year the Knicks made Frazier the 5th pick in the first round, as they say the balance of the story is NBA history.