Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Tuesday, Thursday plus Saturday & Sunday

Trading Places

One of the early Eddie Murphy movies was a 1983 release titled Trading Places. Just in case a few of you have never seen it this is the premise, Murphy was cast as a street hustler named Billy Ray Valentine and he traded places with well-groomed preppy Louis Winthrop III played by Dan Aykroyd. The two are made the subject of a bet by the Duke brothers Mortimer (Don Ameche) and Randolph (Ralph Bellamy) to determine if Valentine and Winthrop III could successfully change their roles in life. I’m not going to reveal any more of the movie just in case some of you haven’t seen it, it’s available on one of the streaming services currently.

As for the headline I believe “Trading Places” might certainly apply to Game Six on Thursday evening involving the Pacers and Thunder. With a 3 games to 2 lead I had convinced myself the Thunder would be prepared to close out the championship series, instead they “Traded Places” with the Pacers. After all the Pacers had suffered a Monday beat down 120-109. Based on that outcome of Game Five you understand why I expected a win by the Pacers on Thursday evening. The second quarter witnessed the Pacers scoring 36 points to the Thunder 17, after the half it was 18 for the Thunder and 26 for the Pacers in the 3rd quarter. Six Pacer players scored in double figures with Obi Topping leading the way with his 20. Pacer guard Tyrese Haliburton moved much better than expected although he only scored 14 points. It was more than simply scoring baskets, the Pacers played lock-down defense for much of the game. It was 21 TO’s for the Thunder with 10 for the Pacers, final score Pacers 108 Thunder 91 but it really wasn’t that close.

At one point during the game the Pacers held a 30 point lead, reserve players took over at the midpoint of the 4th quarter and the lead was reduced. With a Game 7 on Sunday if you were to ask me right now who wins this is my statement. Playing at home I expect the Thunder to be crowned 2025 NBA Champions tomorrow night. Would I be willing to wager large sums of money on what I just wrote; I don’t think so. You might say “Larry Laker you don’t appear quite as confident as you were at the beginning of this series,” that would be an affirmative. Since the beginning this series has appeared to be the Pacers climbing a mountain, can they reach the summit? 

Why does he make such astonishing statements

Numerous relatives and friends who are sports fans advise me to steer clear of ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith statements. For the most part I attempt to ignore Smith; however, he continues to make controversial assertions which require me to respond. This is not his problem it’s mine I can admit that fact. The latest proclamation involves Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks and the ongoing conversation about a potential trade since the end of the season. Smith commented, “Giannis will have underachieved if he doesn’t win another title.” After reading this my first thought…WHAT!

There are several points that could counter this statement. I will begin with this one, how about NBA All Stars who failed to win a championship? We could begin our count with Allen Iverson, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Reggie Miller, and Patrick Ewing all had outstanding careers yet did not win an NBA title. If their NBA careers were assessed based on titles won, one might claim they underachieved. NBA players and others in the sports field are often scrutinized intensely. As for Smith if we approach this strictly from a media perspective, it raises the question of whether achievements should be judged by specific standards, such as winning a Pulitzer Prize in journalism. Will someone claim he underachieved since he failed to win a Pulitzer?

It’s changed once again

A friend said; “There is no need to follow college basketball, it’s now the same as the NBA.” The college basketball scene’s changed once again and a series of earth shattering events have caused this. I’m unsure of the order of events, in addition I’m uncertain if all the series of incidents are fully covered. I believe Name, Image and Likeness may have been the beginning. For the first time in amateur athletics a player could be legally paid based on commercial endorsements. The transfer portal came into being, Covid was an indirect result as players were granted additional years of play. There are reports that a handful of players have obtained 5 or 6 years of competitive play through appeal despite the fact that in the past 4 years of play had been the standard without an injury.

The next domino to fall occurred late this spring with yet another court ruling. This from AI: “A U.S. judge has approved a settlement that allows NCAA colleges and universities to directly pay their student athletes. This landmark decision, which includes a $2.8 billion settlement, enables schools to compensate athletes for the commercial use of their name, image, and likeness (NIL), both past and present. The ruling also allows for direct revenue sharing with athletes, starting July 1.” The University of Missouri recently hired a GM who I guess will perform the same role as their counterpart in the NBA or NFL. Note, this is not the first nor latest hire of a general manager by a university just one I am most familiar with. Don’t consider this complete, this represents bits and pieces of information I was able to compile.

When 

In the NBA Championship series you might have caught a glimpse of a woman on the Pacer bench or during TO’s. She is Jenny Boucek assistant coach on the staff of Rick Carlisle. Boucek played at Virginia but went undrafted in the WNBA draft in 1997, despite that fact she had a brief pro career as a player. After serving as an assistant coach for several WNBA teams she was hired as an assistant by the Kings. From there is was an assistant coach position with the Mavs and 2021 she was added to the staff of the Pacers.

The first NBA assistant coach hired was Becky Hammond by the Spurs in 2014, although she is currently coaching the WNBA Aces she has an extensive period with the Spurs. North of the border there is Brittni Donaldson assistant with the Raptors, when JJ Redick became head coach of the Lakers he added Lindsay Harding to his staff. In Memphis, the Grizzlies have Sonia Raman, as you can see these women have set a new standard serving as assistant coaches for NBA teams. Will one of them be hired as a head coach one day? For now the question remains unanswered however it will occur at some future unknown date.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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BREAKING NEWS!

Most of us were unfamiliar with the name Mark Walter, I make this statement despite the fact he was a Laker minority owner. The announcement caught all of Laker Nation off guard, the Buss family was selling its majority interest in the team. Walter’s been a long-time minority owner of the team despite the fact most of us had no inkling of this fact. A brief look at the Buss family history, Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers in 1979 for $67.5 million which included the NHL Kings and the Forum.

When Jerry died in 2013 the franchise passed to his children. Jeanie Buss has held the role of governor for the team and its reported she will continue in that role. As for Walter he is CEO and chairman of TWG Global, this from the web. “It invests across various sectors including financial services, insurance, AI and technology, sports, media, and entertainment, and merchant banking. TWG Global is also known for its motorsport division, TWG Motorsports, which manages its racing teams.” As for the sale price of the team news reports indicate it was in the neighborhood of $10 billion, currently the Buss family owns about two-thirds of the team. As for the future we should not expect immediate changes in the manner of team operations. I almost left out this very important fact, Walter also owns the Dodgers.  

Portions of this account from Yahoo Sports and Wikipedia

Missouri basketball

The SEC schedule for Missouri is yet to be finalized however the non-con portion is now complete. At first glance my impression is this, the schedule is middle of the road…it’s not too tough nor too easy. A portion and dates have already been mentioned however there were a couple of game dates that required clarification, with that said here goes:

Howard University Nov 3 (Mon) – road

Southeast MO State Nov 7 (Fri) – home

VMI Nov 9 (Sun) – home

Minnesota Nov 12 (Wed) – home

Prairie View A&M Nov 17 (Mon) – home

South Dakota Nov 20 (Thur) – home

South Carolina State Nov 25 (Tues) – home

Cleveland State Nov 28 (Fri) – home

Notre Dame Dec 2 (Tues) -road

Kansas Dec 7 (Sunday) – neutral (Kansas City)

Alabama State Dec 11(Thur) – home

Bethune Cookman Dec 14 (Sunday) – home

Illinois Dec 22 (Mon) – neutral (St. Louis) 

22 Turnovers

The final score read Thunder 120 Pacers 109, the lopsided score is easy to understand. The Pacers committed 22 TO’s during the game some forced others unforced. We’ve looked at SGA as the driving force behind this Thunder team and he is but once again help was there for him. J-Dub scored 40 points and much of it with timely scoring, did I say he played tough defense? SGA had his usual stat game, 31 points and 10 steals, but in my view this might have been the Thunder’s most complete game.

On the other side Tyrese Haliburton clearly was injured, he finished the game for the Pacers with 4 points all from the free throw line. T.J. McConnell emerged from the Pacer bench and attempted to keep the game even for a time, although he accomplished his task for a brief portion it was too much Thunder defense and offense. Even with a healthy Haliburton I’m unsure if the Pacers will contend successfully tonight. It seems to me even the games won by the Pacers they are like ants pushing a huge boulder up a hill. Excuse the symbolism, that’s been my thought. My wife asked me before Game Five who wins, I stated very quickly “I don’t know.” As for tonight’s game the Pacers could win although I have serious doubts.

His travel ticket

Kevin Durant will be playing somewhere other than Phoenix next season. As this is written that location is an unknown however he’s provided us those he preferers. They are in no particular order, the Heat, Spurs and Rockets. I have no intention to choose a destination for him but he remains an enigma for me, despite his talent the guy’s been all over the NBA. Drafted and played the last season the Sonics were located in Seattle, he would move to OKC with the team. From 2016-19 it was the Warriors, 2019-23 the Nets and 2023 to the present the Suns. He’s been an NBA champion twice with the Warriors and Finals MVP two times.

In addition Durant was named 2014 league MVP and he’s been a perennial NBA All-Star 15 times. I’m going to stop at this point, there is so much very more Durant’s managed to accomplish over his pending Hall of Fame enshrinement. There are suiters for his services not specified in HIS choice of teams so you know what that might entail. Durant could be traded to a team he doesn’t wish. What if that scenario plays out, what do we suppose occurs? Despite his travel from coast to coast I’ve never read or heard of him butting heads with a coach. Durant having issues with a teammate might be a different matter, a report has claimed his desire to leave the Warriors was based on problems with former teammate Draymond Green. I cannot confirm or deny the truth behind that story.   

The Perfect Storm

In 2000 Hollywood released a movie under the title The Perfect Storm. I’ve often wondered about the definition of the term so I decided to define it for you and me. “A perfect storm is an unusual combination of events or things that produce an unusually bad or powerful result.” For our study we intend to focus on the latter portion “powerful result.” This might apply to the Mavs, sure they traded franchise player Luka Doncic however a combination of events caused a less than successful season. This should work out well for Cooper Flagg, he can be inserted into the lineup with very little difficulty based on the returnees.

Anthony Davis remains a very talented player who missed a considerable number of games after arriving from the Lakers. He should be good to go if only he can remain healthy but it’s not just him. Veteran Kyrie Irving suffered an ACL tear March 3 and was lost for the balance of the season. Center Dereck Lively a vital contributor to the playoff Mavs the year prior only played 36 games, Daniel Gafford also missed considerable time during the season. There were others missing from the previous playoff Mavs during the 2024-25 NBA season but I attempted to provide a sketch of why the Mavs missed the playoffs. So there you have it, everyone except Irving returns healthy and adding Flagg to the lineup should aid the cause. If they can remain healthy the Mavs will compete in the Western Conference.

Oxford Language Dictionary

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Have you heard it

An old saying attributed to Percy Bysshe Shelley you may be aware, “The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.” This is an aphorism attributed to his work in “A Defense of Poetry.” You may be wondering how this saying relates to basketball; allow me to explain. Duke University’s basketball program recently saw a huge portion of it freshman class advance to the NBA, including standout players Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach, along with Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor.

The incoming freshman class for Duke includes prominent recruits such as five star Cameron Boozer, Nikolas Khamenia and Dame Sarr. We can also count Cayden Boozer and Sebastian Wilkins both four star prospects in the number. Sarr is a top international prospect arriving from Italy and FC Barcelona. Coach Jon Scheyer and his staff continue to attract exceptional talent, ensuring that Duke remains a formidable force in collegiate basketball. In several instances we have multiple point guards, power and small forwards including the holdovers. All this is likely to be sorted out by the time Duke plays its first basketball game in the fall.

Are you confused

ESPN/ABC’s Doris Burke might have broken the glass ceiling however you certainly can’t tell it. If some of you are unfamiliar with the term “glass ceiling” simply refers to women being allowed to hold positions that were exclusively male dominated. Burke is not the first woman analyst however she is first in the roll of the number one broadcast team for ESPN/ABC. I read numerous complaints regarding her broadcast style which certainly confuses me. I had to grow accustomed to Jeff Van Gundy’s broadcast stylings. It wasn’t his knowledge that bothered me it was the wandering path he would often take while conducting his role as analyst.

This stands out for me because it involved my Lakers, while broadcasting a game Van Gundy said; “The Lakers should only be allowed to hang banners of championships won in Los Angeles.” My initial thought, what do banners have to do with the game in front of us? Why is there a problem with Burke, I have few questions regarding her description of the game. At the time she first began broadcasting I read complaints regarding her appearance. My thought, how she looks certainly has nothing to do with the action on the court. Besides the fact 98% of the time she (and other broadcast members) are not appearing on camera. The headline of this account asked the question, “Are you confused?” You might not be, however, I certainly am based on the continuing number of complaints I hear and read regarding Doris Burke.

Jamaica Olympic team

Everyone wants to win, that is certainly understandable, how you go about in this attempt is a whole different story. Let’s take the Olympics as an example and the team Jamaica is assembling to compete in basketball. The roster of their team is not finalized yet but this is the issue for me, they in the same manner of other nations of the world have allowed “anyone” with a passport to play for them. I’m not picking on Jamaica they are not the first just the latest nation to allow citizens of other countries to play for them. In any event check this out, they have nearly a full roster and this I uncovered.

Only four players to date have connections to this island nation of Jamaica, they are Nick Richards who plays for the Suns. Richards was born and raised there but came to the U.S. to continue his basketball preparation. He played at Kentucky and was originally drafted by the Pelicans. We have Scottie Barnes of the Raptors, although he was born here his father is originally from Jamaica. The Thompson Twins, Ausar with the Pistons and Amen a member of the Rockets have Jamaican ancestry through their father. I am not anymore critical of Jamaica than any other nation conducting business in this manner. It just so happens this was brought to my attention, it’s not going to stop here. If (or when) I discover other nations with similar basketball rosters my intent is to report it.

They don’t need him to score

Jazz basketball has been so bad there’s not been much of a national television audience recently, few of us (including me) have had an opportunity to see Walker Kessler in action. Kessler might just be available to the Lakers this summer if they can make a trade for this post player. He played two years of college ball at North Carolina and Auburn, he was then drafted by the Grizzlies with the 22nd pick in 2022. Kessler’s rights were traded to the Wolves who then traded them to the Jazz.

Kessler stands 7-foot and checks in at 245 pounds. His scoring is average but that is not the Lakers chief concern, they have Luka, LeBron and Austin to handle that area. As for Kessler this is the exciting part, he was 13th in the NBA with 707 rebounds and 4th in blocked shots 138. Perhaps the best part, Kessler is only 23 years old so there would be no requirement to draft a youngster and groom him to eventually take over the role at some future date. This is the beauty of the information provided, the numbers he presented were accomplished in only 58 games. Kessler is at the end of his rookie contract, the Jazz could decide to sign him to a new contract. On the other hand they could trade him for at least three warm bodies one of them being sharpshooter Dalton Knecht.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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They said…not yet

My intention is to stand by the statement I made, some might remember I wrote “Whoever wins Game Four will win the NBA Championship.” The Thunder won the game 111-104 but this time they were the team facing an uphill fight. The Pacers feeling inspired by their victory in Game Three came onto the court believing they had the upper hand. Truth is they did for a major portion of the game however an NBA game is 48 minutes in length, during most of that time the Pacers were in command. It was the 4th quarter that determined the Pacers fate for this game, they held an 87-80 lead at the end of the third quarter. From that point until the end of the game the Thunder scored 31 points to the Pacers who were only able to score 17.

For Game Four SGA managed to avoid the switching defenses hung on him by the Pacers in the previous game. He led in scoring, 35 points but had 0 assists, how the heck did the Thunder win the game with no assists from SGA the clear leader in that department? Well that portion of the game is a little difficult to detail, the Thunder as a team only had 11 assists for the game. The balance of the box score looks rather strange, the Thunder shot a meager 19% from three. In this game it was the other guys, J-Dub had 27 points and Alex Caruso. Caruso the “everything” reserve guard after an underwhelming Game Three registered 20 points and had 5 steals. Who wins Game Five on Monday, I’ve mentioned my belief previously. I will state I don’t know who wins however I maintain the Thunder will be victors and become NBA Champions, but that will not occur on Monday.

Mizzou basketball

Missouri will begin play on the road for the second consecutive season, the Tigers will be in Washington D.C. on November 3 where they will face the Howard Bison. On November 9, the opponent will be Virginia Military Institute, later in the month Missouri will play Illinois Springfield a Division II institution. December 1 it will be Maryville from St. Louis also a Division II program while December 4 it will be Division II Lewis in Romeoville Illinois. The Tigers will face Kansas Sunday December 7 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. On December 14 it will be HBCU Bethune Cookman, later the Tigers will face the University of Illinois in the Braggin’ Rights Game at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.

That date has not been announced however this game is usually scheduled Christmas Week. I am going to hold off reporting the date of the SEC/ACC Challenge due to conflicting information. In any event the opponent and location have been finalized, it’s likely the Tigers will be invited to play in the ACC/SEC Challenge again. This season I believe Missouri is not the great mystery it was this time last year. In addition to a number of returnees from last season plus an outstanding freshman class now sophomores. In addition Coach Gates and staff brought on talent from the portal. I really don’t have any idea of the strength of Missouri however one member of the media said he believes “Missouri is just outside the Top 25.” I cannot help but be optimistic based on my belief in coach Gates program.

Who is it

As all NBA fans are aware the Knicks are seeking to hire a new head coach following the dismissal of Tom Thibodeau. As of this writing they have encountered several refusals, it is important to note that these refusals have come from the respective teams rather than the coaches themselves. Each of the coaches named remain under contract and their current employers have refused the Knicks permission to interview them. Among those reportedly approached are Jason Kidd (Dallas), Ime Udoka (Houston), Quin Snyder (Atlanta), and Chris Finch (Minnesota).

Additionally, candidates for the interview process include former coach Mike Brown, previously with the Kings, and Taylor Jenkins, who recently coached the Grizzlies. Both Brown and Jenkins are scheduled to be interviewed for the position. A notable name missing from the list, as suggested by Shaquille O’Neal, is Mark Jackson, a former Knicks point guard, coach and broadcaster. Although initially perceived as a humorous remark, this suggestion holds significance for me. According to Hoops Nation, “The Bucks granted the Knicks permission to interview Doc Rivers, but New York declined.”

How about this

Many reading this refuse to believe Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in one game. Well I’ve got some more stuff you will find impossible to accept as true. The 1961-62 season you know the one he didn’t score 100 points, he led the NBA in scoring with a 50.4 point per game average. Imagine this he played 80 games that season, which meant he scored 50 plus points in every single game. His second year in the NBA Wilt averaged 27.2 rebounds a game in 79 games.

Not simply scoring the basketball he was a skillful passer as well, he dished out 7.8 assist per game and the following season led the NBA in that department with 8.6 assists per game. His scoring average for his fourth year in the NBA was 44.8 points per game. Two players have won Rookie of the Year and NBA MVP in the same season, Wes Unseld accomplished the feat in the 1968-69 season however Wilt accomplished it first. His double-double occurred in the 1959-60 season. As for the competition besides Bill Russell, no one blocked Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s Skyhook, nobody but Wilt. There is video of him blocking Kareem twice in the same game. 12 out of Wilt’s 14 years in the NBA he rebounded the basketball at a 21 plus a game clip. 

Is their built in bias

If you are a member of Jayhawk Nation, please refrain from reading further as the following content may be distressing. With that caution provided, let us proceed. We are several months away from the commencement of the college basketball season. The transfer portal has been finalized and the majority of high school prospects have announced their decisions. I reviewed various websites to ascertain their perspectives on the 2025-26 college basketball season. Notably, for the first time in an extended period, Kansas basketball concluded the 2024-25 season outside the Top 25 rankings.

Before delving into this analysis, I would like to reiterate my belief that Bill Self is an excellent basketball coach. Nonetheless, I contend that his teams are occasionally overrated by the media. As we approach the new season, media reports have begun to surface. According to 247Sports, Kansas is ranked sixth nationally, while On3 places them at twelfth, CBS Sports at seventeenth, and both ESPN and Fox Sports at nineteenth. Each site provides an explanation for their ranking methodology. Upon reviewing these assessments, the question arises: Is there an inherent bias favoring Bill Self and his Jayhawks? For instance, CBS Sports justifies their seventeenth ranking by stating, "This ranking is based on the Jayhawks returning one of the top seven scorers—specifically Flory Bidunga—from a team that finished 21-13 and advanced to the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament." This rationale offers limited insight into the potential competitiveness of the upcoming Kansas team.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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No fix

On television we’ve seen Paycom Center in OKC chock full of fans, the same statement could be said about Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. As for the television audience at least in the United States that’s a different matter. The audience for this championship is reported to be low comparing to the recent past. Part of the issue as I see it there are two “small market” teams representing the Western and Eastern Conference of the NBA. Check this out, I located this information on the Net from Station Index.com, the Top 100 Television Markets in the country, Indianapolis sits at 25 while OKC is 45. Neither of these metro areas are small however compared to New York City (1) or Los Angeles (2).

If we look even further on the list Houston and Detroit are 10 and 11 respectively so you can see where I’m headed. Unlike the NFL which has the small market Kansas City Chiefs (31) it’s a different matter. The NFL has a larger fanbase, across the nation large numbers flock to their sets whenever the Chiefs play. For the sake of the NBA it would be outstanding if New York or Los Angeles were playing for the championship. Unfortunately (or fortunately) neither was the best team in their respective conference. That honor belongs to the Thunder and Pacers and there is nothing the NBA or anybody for that matter can change that. Just my thoughts, the series has been highly competitive and a superior product, that’s all the NBA can hope for. If the nation is tuned out there is no easy fix except an attempt to attract more fans to the product. 

There are no Super Teams

The Bill Russell and Larry Bird Celtics, the Showtime Lakers or the Michael Jordan Bulls those teams no longer exist or do they? For the most part we see the Thunder and Pacers playing for the NBA Championship. Both teams were built primarily through the draft. Have we seen a change in how NBA teams from this point into the future are now assembled? On the other hand will the Thunder or Pacers become this generations Super Team, that remains a question at least for the foreseeable future? Okay, back to the present Game Three is barely over and this is written as if the Pacers have won the whole thing.

They ain’t won nothing yet except this past Wednesday night’s game but it is how they managed to accomplish the task in front of them. It seemed all evening long the Pacers were climbing a mountain, they would sprint ahead and the Thunder would come back tie the game or even lead for a time. This is the discussion from the Pacers side, “Let’s stop or at least slow SGA” was the statement at the beginning of the game and it sure appeared to work. SGA’s game was similar to prior games with one exception of his 6 TO’s, it seemed every trip down the floor the Pacers had a different defender on him. I’ve often heard the comment “You can’t stop a player at this level however you can make it more difficult,” that’s exactly what the Pacers managed to accomplish winning the game 116-107. The “engine” that drives the Pacers returned, he’s better known as Tyrese Haliburton, he scored 22 points dished out 11 assists and almost had a triple-double with 9 rebounds.

Haliburton might have been the engine driving the Pacers but it was actually Bennedict Mathurin who was driving the “bus.” Mathurin a reserve guard came off the Pacer bench aiding the cause scoring 27 points and playing tough defense. He wasn’t just jacking up shots, Mathurin also shot 75% from the floor with 66.7% of it coming from the three line. This description of the game is written on Thursday prior to the Friday night game. I have no idea who won last night’s game however this is what I believe, the winner of the game last night might be soon referred to as the NBA Champion next week. What do you think about the early premise, will super teams continue to prevail in the future of the NBA?    

Yet there is one more

Some of you might remember I stated no more stories regarding Cooper Flagg until after the draft. The statement was made because I had grown tired of former NBA players who questioned the talent of Flagg. The two primary players certainly have more cred than me having played in the association. Despite this fact I believe they are/were haters, allow us fans to determine if Flagg can’t play at this level. With that out of the way the report, the Mavs announced Flagg has been invited for a workout on June 17. In addition to that news the Mavs also indicated no other players had been invited to the city ahead of the draft.

This is no sure sign however the reports of the Mavs trading Flagg’s draft rights might be just that… fiction. I figure because the Mavs traded Luka Doncic in late winter why make such a trade unless Giannis Antetokounmpo is arriving in Big D? Former Mavs coach Don Nelson was in town to receive an award and indicated he was wearing Luka’s new Nikes. “Nelson said his philosophy on generational players is the one legendary coach and executive Red Auerbach taught him: Don’t trade those talents. “His philosophy was when you have a great player—Bill Russell, (John) Havlicek, Sam Jones, you name ‘em—you don’t lose that player. You keep him for a lifetime. You put his number up, and you honor that player. That’s been my philosophy.”

ESPN NBA

Thanks…but no thanks

Jay Wright former Villanova basketball coach is next to say NO to the Knicks job. What I’m reading he is a friend of Knicks GM Leon Rose plus the fact the team is loaded with his former players, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. Just like the commercial, all the Knicks need do is acquire Donte DiVincenzo from the Wolves and they could have a Villanova reunion. On a more serious note Wright indicates he wants to remain retired, it’s clear he enjoys his television gig. So what occurs from here, do the Knicks hire a coach by June 25?

That’s the date of the NBA draft, I’m sure Rose and staff could conduct the draft however that head coach whoever it might be is important. Even a newly hired coach desires to say yes or no on a particular athlete. I have no insight into the mind of the Knick brain trust however I believe we are going to be surprised when the name is announced. We’ve conducted speculation on a name and it’s my belief we are all going to be amazed. Despite coming up short against the Pacers this Knick team is good, they managed to eliminate the defending NBA champion Celtics. A tweak here and a tweak there and this team could have been playing for the championship.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Trade the pick

It’s my desire to aid the Laker cause in their quest for a championship, I also intend that same strategy for the Spurs so here goes with that effort. In case you questioned why allow me to inform you one requested this, I have taken on this task at my own request. I have joined the Spurs front office of GM Brian Wright and head coach Mitch Johnson prior to the draft (just kidding). From all indications the number two pick will be made by the Spurs and combo guard Dylan Harper will be chosen. It’s likely Harper remains a Spur but wait there is more to the story, they also have the number 14 pick and it is highly likely they will trade the pick.

In my opinion the Spurs should acquire a talented front court player with the pick. Despite my statement that talented players should not be named Kevin Durant. Durant still continues to exhibit his skill on the court but he’s 37 years old now and it’s my belief the Spurs would be better served attempting to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo over Durant. I’m not going to detail a list of quality small and power forwards available I just happen to believe this youthful team should continue in a youth movement. This youth movement entails moving past Chris Paul even in a limited role. The Spurs are a young team who will only get better, we can look no further than Oklahoma City and see a youth movement in full effect and playing for an NBA Championship.  

They changed the landscape of the U.S. 

It might be difficult reading this in 2025 however in 1939 it was far different than today. Segregation or separation of the races existed at the time in most facets of life. As for higher education that was a slightly different matter, blacks had been allowed to compete in athletics although it was only a trickle of the vast poot of talent. The south had a strict admittance policy although many northern and west coast schools such as UCLA not only allowed black students but they competed athletically as well. The 1939 UCLA Bruins men’s team would make history, members of this team would help usher in racial change, Jackie Robinson is the name most are familiar with.

Jack Roosevelt Robinson in April 1947 would break the color barrier in baseball when he began play for the Brooklyn Dodgers. There were others, Kenny Washington would later become the first black player in the NFL after the league lifted its ban. Strange as it might seem black players were allowed in the league and then a nearly 20 year ban was placed in effect by the NFL. Woody Strode is easily the most unrecognized name, after a time playing in the NFL Strode went to Hollywood and played a supporting role in a number of movies and television from the 1950’s through the 1980’s. Strode’s bio indicates he appeared in well over 25 Hollywood productions. There were two other black players on that UCLA roster which as I mentioned was unheard of for the time, both went on to distinguished careers in law enforcement and public service.

What we learned (or didn’t)

The NBA Draft Combine often provides us timely information, I will cite you an example. Although Cooper Flagg was in Chicago he did not participate in any scrimmages, which certainly makes sense. This is what we learned, the ESPN College page which I guess is based on Duke supplied information that needs to be tweaked. He is listed at 209 pounds, his combine weight read 221 which is certainly more significant. In addition that height thing, everyplace I found had Flagg listed at 6-foot-9 inches in height. Measured without shoes Flagg stands 6-foot-7 ½ inches in height. Despite the number of positives there appear to be a number of detractors. You’ve read some of the same stuff I have, “Cooper Flagg will not be NBA royalty” or “His game is lacking ________.” If I take you back two years ago we read and heard much of the same negative talk regarding Victor Wembanyama.

We might question how that turned out, did we discover much of the negative talk about Wemby was just that…talk with not much to back it. As this is written I have no idea of Flagg’s NBA future, based on what I’ve read and heard he can play despite the comments of some naysayers. This goes for any rookie, the transition to the NBA is far more complicated than it might seem on television. You might remember this statement from several years ago, a rookie player said; “I was surprised at the speed of the game.” I don’t remember that players name but his statement has stuck with me over the years. In addition we must take into account the opportunity for significant minutes on the court. My statement has always been that one cannot learn how to play the game at any level sitting on the bench. There have been several players over the years who arrived in the NBA and we soon discovered they couldn’t play. Simply stated their game was fine tuned for college or Euro basketball and they were unable to adapt it to the NBA. 

It's different for college ball

Later you will read a brief account on my favorite NBA teams. I realize that might be shocking to some I do follow other NBA teams besides my Lakers, that’s another story for now. The Missouri Tigers are at the top of my list for several reasons, although Missouri State and St. Louis University play Division I basketball Missouri has been the best over several generations. In addition to that I live almost three miles from State Line Road, I live on the east side of the street which places me in Missouri. As for other programs it’s been the coach generally over the school allow me to explain.

I wasn’t much of a Kentucky fan until John Calipari arrived, now that he’s moved to Arkansas I don’t have the same feeling. My new/old favorite for number two is the Duke Blue Devils, always been a fan of Coach K. and Jon Scheyer has moved into place and continued the winning tradition. Right behind Duke I place Penny Hardaway and his Memphis Tigers, he tends to always turn out competitive teams. This next one probably will surprise some of you, I have Creighton and coach Greg McDermott, the coach is able to continue recruiting talent to this Omaha Nebraska school. Again with the coaches, UCLA drops a notch for me strictly due to the school’s revolving door at the head coaching position. There you have it my brief list of favorite college programs, check back with me at the end of the 2025-26 season because some schools might be among the missing.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Has he been blackballed by the NBA

Mark Jackson’s television career lasted longer than his coaching tenure. The former point guard turned coach turned broadcaster has wanted to return to the coaching ranks for a number of years. The problem it seemed whenever a job opening came up his name was mentioned as a candidate. The media finally ceased mentioning his name and that’s where this account begins with the question. Has he been blackballed by the NBA, many give him credit for laying the foundation for what the Warriors eventually became. This is no knock at Steve Kerr, in my opinion he’s an excellent coach however much of the team was in place at the time he took over from Jackson.

There have been rumors circulating for years why no one is willing to hire him, I don’t intend to entertain the questions simply ask is it time for the NBA to make amends? I cannot take credit for first mentioning Jackson’s name, it was Shaq who I read indicating that the Knicks should consider hiring him. The Brooklyn born Jackson played his college basketball remaining at home and St. John’s University. He’s got a connection to the Knicks having been their point guard doing a portion of the Patrick Ewing era. Perhaps Jackson no longer has a desire to coach but it would be interesting if the Knicks at least reached out to him. What do you think, am I off base on this matter? It certainly would make amends for what many (including me) consider an injustice.

It was a little misleading

The game wasn’t close, the Thunder won by 16 points (123-107). If you had no opportunity to witness the game and all you had was the box score you might have been unsure of the outcome. The overall numbers for both teams was much closer than the Game One victory by the Pacers. The Thunder were led by SGA again with 34 points along with 8 assists and 4 steals. Chet Holmgren (15 pts) and Jalen Williams (19 pts) aided the cause. Mr. All Everything Alex Caruso came off the bench and contributed 20 points along with his usual tough defense and hustle.

All five starters scored in double figures for the Pacers however not one had a high scoring game, Myles Turner led the way with 16 points. As for the box score check this out, it was Pacers 45.1% Thunder 48.8%. Shooting from three had the Pacers at 35% and the Thunder with 38.9. The Pacers had 27 assists and 35 rebounds while the Thunder were 25 and 43. The teams now head for Indianapolis for Game Three on Wednesday evening. If the Pacers expect to win this championship series a tangible Tyrese Haliburton game is required versus what we viewed on Sunday evening. The game was somewhat even up till about the middle of the second quarter when the Thunder went on a run.  

No…not a good move…maybe

DeAndre Ayton must prove to me he is ready to play at a high skill level. Of all the reported Big Men headed to the Lakers him being named concerns me more than many of the others. On the surface he appears to have all the tools he’s big (7-foot 252 pounds) with a 7-foot 6 inch wingspan. He presents a lob threat for opposing teams, Ayton is not a three-point threat which is not a concern for me. I believe he would fit perfectly for Luka and LeBron except! Questions continue to plague him for his “inconsistent defensive effort and occasional lack of physicality.”

He sometimes plays poorly and lacks effort while capable of putting up big numbers, for me those are Red Flags. Ayton certainly is more talented than Jaxson Hayes however the questions remain. Is it possible for him to raise his level of play if he should become a Laker? That question can only be answered should the Lakers make the trade. Speaking of trades I’ve changed my mind on Dalton Knecht. The Lakers continue to say positive things regarding Austin Reaves as well they should, he’s good. Reaves has become a valuable asset for the team. However, given a choice between the two, I will prefer to retain Knecht due to his potential over Reaves if it comes to that decision. Regarding Ayton, although he is a veteran, he is still only 26 years old. His age is an intriguing factor that suggest making the deal. 

What happened here

I offer you no proof of what you are about to read, there is not one shred of evidence to prove these events caused a change in the mind of the hierarchy of the NBA. It’s clear to me (and maybe others) Las Vegas leaped in front of Kansas City for an NBA franchise and it was accomplished rather quickly. Back when NBA expansion was being discussed most believed Seattle would be first in line, that continues to be the case. In some circles Kansas City was in second maybe third place in the mind of most others.

As for Las Vegas, if it was under consideration it was at the back of the line, then a number of circumstances moved it past Kansas City into second place. Gambling has long been associated with Las Vegas and the NBA didn’t wish to be associated with it but that changed. Las Vegas has always been a tourist destination over Kansas City. There might have been additional events which caused my hometown to slide downward but those detailed below appear to be the main culprits. In closing you might ask the question, am I upset, of course not? I believe looking at the Big Picture Las Vegas deserves an NBA team over Kansas City based on the facts laid out. 

*The NBA changed its view on sports book and anything associated with sports gambling.

*NHL expansion saw the Golden Knights arrive and tasted success at the turnstile.

*More recently the NFL Raiders moved from Oakland to Las Vegas.

*The growth of the NBA Summer League.

*Las Vegas hosting an increasing number of youth basketball tournaments. 

*A’s baseball has moved from Oakland intending to eventually relocate to Las Vegas.   

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Conference Realignment in College Basketball

College basketball conferences were originally organized regionally. The old Big 8 conference included schools in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Colorado—all located in the same general area. Similarly, the defunct Southwest Conference contained only Texas schools. This regional alignment no longer exists. Historically, west coast schools were affiliated with those on the west coast or at least the Rocky Mountains. Plains and Midwest schools, as well as those on the east coast, followed a similar pattern. However, many schools are now part of conferences far from their original regions.

For instance, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), traditionally associated with the Atlantic Ocean, now includes Syracuse and Notre Dame, which are miles and miles from the ocean. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has the University of Missouri, which is 1,008 road miles from conference member Florida. The SEC also includes schools that were once considered distant cousins like Texas and Oklahoma. Additionally, UCLA and Washington, both west coast schools, are now members of the mostly Midwest Big 10 Conference. The driving force behind this conference realignment is primarily financial, with the prospect of generating increased revenue. While some individuals initially valued tradition, others are more concerned with the success of their teams, regardless of the opponents they play.

What happened was

The Kings have faced challenges for several years, with some brief success under coach Mike Brown before his eventual departure. Draft picks and trades are always uncertain in their outcomes but consider this. In the 2018 draft the Kings selected Marvin Bagley III with the second pick, while the Hawks chose Luka Doncic, who was traded to the Mavs. Doncic has had considerable success, whereas Bagley is now with his third team, has posted respectable numbers but has not reached Doncic’s level of impact. Additionally, the Kings traded Tyrese Haliburton, whom they drafted in 2020 and who played two seasons before his trade to the Pacers. Haliburton has been key to the success of the Pacers especially this season playing for an NBA Championship.

Finally I close with this story, in 2017, the Kings drafted De’Aaron Fox with the 5th pick, and he quickly became a significant addition to their roster, by 2025 he requested a trade. The events that eventually unfolded are unclear however the Kings accommodated Fox sending him to the Spurs this past February. Retaining talent has been an ongoing issue for the Kings, impacting their potential improvements, which is a topic briefly covered in the past. The Kings franchise might not be championship quality but certainly there have been opportunities to improve the team over time. The Kings front office changes coaches so often its necessary to check the website to determine who is coaching them this week. Am I being too tough on Kings management…perhaps I am however the truth is the light. As you can see over the course of time a number of talented players have worn jerseys of the Kings.

Meanwhile….

Hansen Yang has proven he’s got skill based on his performance in the NBA Draft Combine held in Chicago. I have doubts he remains in the 2025 NBA Draft, I imagine the Big Man returns to China and continues development of his game. Standing 7-foot-1 and 253 pounds he’s certainly got the size to play in the NBA, he must adapt to the American game on the fly and I don’t believe that will occur quickly. If he remains in the draft he plays for a G-League team and I’m not sure how much that will aid his development. Video of him at the combine indicates Yang has talent although he is a bit raw. On the other hand I could be wrong, he’s aligned with Klutch Sports and Rich Paul appears to carry a degree of weight now in the NBA, if Paul can “guarantee” Yang is drafted…well.

Neither of the candidates for the Knicks head coaching job was mentioned in my recent blog. I did not include them as I thought there were not interested in the position. Despite my view the media thinks otherwise, this is their observation. They begin with Rick Pitino, who declined the coaching position when contacted, and John Calipari now at Arkansas. Both are experienced college coaches with NBA backgrounds. Pitino previously coached the Knicks (1987-89) and the Celtics (1997-2001). At 72, he appears to prefer coaching at St. John’s rather than returning to the NBA. Calipari’s NBA experience includes head coach of the Nets from 1996-99 and serving as an assistant with the Sixers. It’s also being reported that the Knicks wish to discuss with Jason Kidd taking over the team. Of course the Knicks must receive permission from the Mavs for this to occur.

Players must play

He’s won nothing yet however I am going to pose the question, is Sam Presti the best GM in the NBA? Presti is the executive VP and GM of the Thunder, he’s held the position since he was hired in 2007 at 29 years of age. Presti became the second youngest in NBA history to hold the position of GM. Presti was named GM while the franchise was located in Seattle and moved with them to Oklahoma City. He was involved in the Sonics selecting Kevin Durant and all subsequent high profile players since then. Besides Durant it was drafting Russell Westbrook and James Harden and the belief in Oklahoma City the team was on its way to the top.

They picked up Carmelo Anthony, Paul George and Chris Paul in trades, despite this accumulation of talent the Thunder failed to reach the heights many hoped would occur. 2012 saw them play for their first NBA Championship. The Thunder now find themselves on the cusp of a championship, Presti continued adding talent to this team, Isiah Hartenstein in a trade with the Knicks and drafting Chet Holmgren. Acquiring Alex Caruso in a trade with the Bulls cannot be emphasized enough, he is the defensive wizard as a reserve. The chief reason (and not the only one) is the acquisition of Shai-Gilgeous Alexander in a trade for Paul George. It’s been mentioned SGA’s accession to the become the league’s MVP is the driving force for this season’s championship run. The Thunder are primed for a championship this season, if not this year soon, the average age of this team is 27 years of age.  

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Three seconds

Shock the NBA world, that’s what the Pacers accomplished on Thursday evening. They led in the game against the Thunder all of three seconds however that was all that was required, final score 111-110. The Pacers were downright terrible for much of the game, that’s the easiest description for me, 24 TO’s versus 7 for the Thunder. Most of the game those in attendance and a world-wide television audience believed the Thunder had the game in the bag. The Thunder had a 12-point half time lead, the truth of the matter they held a 15-point lead in the 4th quarter, I will repeat that….4th quarter.  

Most interesting, despite MVP SGA having an outstanding game the balance of the Thunder players didn’t fare as well. As a team they shot an unspectacular 39.8% for the game compared to the sharpshooting Pacers who finished at 47.6%. Obi Topping came off the Pacer bench and had trouble “walking and chewing gum at the same time.” He committed a series of key TO’s at crucial points in the game. That was the early Topping, the late Topping was en Fuego scoring 17 points and shooting 5 for 8 from the three line. This series is far from over, Game One went to the Pacers who could have lost just as easily. Expect the Thunder to come roaring back tomorrow evening and certainly not lose a game at the end…maybe.

The commissioner speaks

Prior to the NBA Championship commencing Adam Silver held a press conference detailing at least two events on the mind of several fans. A. league expansion and B. the draft lottery, they will be dealt with a separate items. It appears Silver’s interest along with partners is expanding the Euro market. I have mentioned on one occasion how would NBA Europe operate the early indication is “some” Euroleague teams would become a part of this new league although none of this is set in stone as it is written.

Because this matter is still in the talking stage we must wait for additional developments. In any event Silver indicates this will be a topic of discussion for the July Board of Governors meeting. The draft lottery continues to generate conspiracy stories surrounding it. Draymond Green was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel’s late night program and the host mentioned the lottery. Green smiled and said, “I’m a friend of Adam Silver” and didn’t go into detail, even LeBron has questioned it. No matter how the lottery is revised and re-worked we still continue to hear conspiracy stories…why? Maybe the answer might be to do away with the lottery all together. Maybe the league should return to pre 1985 when there was no lottery. My belief is a Western Conference and Eastern Conference team would flip a coin to determine who receive the top pick. Even that method has flaws based on trades and we can use how the Lakers were able to draft James Worthy as the example.

“In 1979 the Cavs traded their first round pick to the Lakers for Don Ford (absolutely baffling move, the guy averaged just under 7 a game for LA that year) and ended up with the worst record during the 1982 season. Since this was pre-lottery this meant the order at the top of the draft would be decided by a coin toss between the Lakers (via the Cavs pick) and Clippers (worst record in the Western Conference). The defending champ Lakers won the toss, giving them the perfect opportunity to build around Kareem and Magic while the Clippers lost, using their second pick to get Terry Cummings (quality player, but they whiffed on Dominique (Wilkins) who went third…).”

r/nba

Meanwhile….

Some might remember I told the story of encountering Ethan Taylor’s father a few weeks ago. For some reading this for the first time Taylor is a 4-star basketball prospect in the Class of 2026. This meeting with the father was no difficulty it turns out we met at the barber shop, turns out the father gets his hair cut at the same shop I do, in any event allow me to update you on Taylor. He will enter his senior year in the fall of the year at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School Shawnee Kansas, Shawnee is a city located in the Kansas City MO Metro. This is an update on the 7-foot-1 245 pound Taylor, this from 4 scouting sites. Rivals.com places him number 28 on their rating list while On3 places him at 34. Both 247Sports and ESPN100 position him at 72 and 76, respectively.

The television camera frequently spots celebrity fans at Knicks games. Of those attending Knicks games Spike Lee is probably the most well-know, but others include Timothee Chalamet. Chalamet, a long-time Knicks fan, attends games whenever his busy schedule allows. He is known for his roles in “A Complete Unknown.” “Dune” parts 1 and 2 along with “Wonka.” always locates celebrity fans in attendance at Knick games. Despite Spike Lee’s prominence as the top celebrity fan, Chalamet appears unconcerned about rankings; he’s simply there to cheer for his favorite team.

As most are aware a portion of the NBA television package moves to Prime Video in October, with that statement they announced several of their new hires and the positions. The studio program will consist of former NBA players Dirk Nowitzki and Blake Griffin, Taylor Rooks will execute the “Ernie Johnson” role. Also newly hired as analysts, Candace Parker, Dwayne Wade, Steve Nash and Udonis Haslem. As this is written no play by play announcers have been mentioned. It’s my hope somehow Kevin Harlin becomes a part of the broadcast crew. Acquaintances of mine have expressed concerns about the NBA latching onto a streaming service, what can I say except that is the wave of the future in broadcasting. As soon as an announcement is made regarding play by play announcers I will update you.  

Throughout the history of the NBA several coaches have won at least one championship. Some like Steve Kerr are still active and could secure additional titles before retiring, Gregg Popovich recently called it a day so it’s highly unlikely his win total will increase. Among the all-time winners, Steve Kerr has won 4 championships with the Warriors. Next, Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley, and John Kundla have each won 5 championships; Kundla won a BAA championship with the Minneapolis Lakers and then 4 more once the team moved into the NBA. Red Auerbach won 9 championships with the Celtics. Phil Jackson is the NBA’s all-time leader, having won 6 championships with the Bulls and 5 with the Lakers for his total of 11.

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Duke basketball

Under the guidance of Coach K. and now Jon Scheyer, numerous talented players have passed through the doors of Cameron Indoor Stadium. In this discussion, we focus solely on their college basketball achievements and not their professional careers. The question posed is: Who stands out as the greatest player in Duke's history? Coach K. has publicly stated his belief that Grant Hill was the best basketball player ever at Duke. Hill attended Duke from 1991 to 1994, a time when most athletes completed four years of college. During his tenure, he helped the Blue Devils secure two national championships. Hill was named a Second Team All-American in 1993, a First Team All-American in 1994, and the ACC Player of the Year in 1994. Coach K. also mentioned that Christian Laettner was the most accomplished player, and he highlighted Cooper Flagg as the best freshman player in the school’s history.

Thibs

This news caught the NBA world off guard, the Knicks after being eliminated in the playoffs decided a change was needed. Coach Tom Thibodeau was fired after five seasons at the helm, despite the termination Thibs has been one of the best coaches in the team’s history despite being fired on Tuesday. The Knicks made the playoffs four of the five years he coached the team, the 2024-25 season was the best at the helm. In addition Thibs led the Knicks to their deepest playoff run in 25 years. At times like this I remember the old quote; “Coaches receive too much credit when their team wins and too much blame when they lose.” I would say the latter fits Thibs, after leading the Knicks to one of their best won-loss record in decades his reward…termination.

As for Thibs replacement there are several candidates, Mike Malone late of the Nuggets and Frank Vogel both of them NBA Championship coaches but there are others. Last season Dan Hurley was almost ready to leave UConn for the Lakers…could he be persuaded to take the helm of the Knicks? Might Jay Wright former Villanova coach be under consideration too? How about Bill Self, is he ready to take on the role of NBA coach, he would acquire a ready made playoff team? Taylor Jenkins, while at Memphis certainly was proven to be a capable head coach, in addition there is Mike Brown, Sam Cassell and Terry Stotts to name a few. This is a New York/MSG hire so expect the level of coaching possibilities will be a coast to coast search. Who replaces Thibs at the helm is truly an unknown.

Am I making a difference

On Tuesday when discussing the Pacers-Thunder championship effort I wrote this regarding the Thunder: “Based on my belief I’m going to state the Thunder franchise played for its lone championship in 2012, that season found the team located in Oklahoma City. I cannot count a championship won in Seattle (1979) belonging to Oklahoma City.” Okay Larry Laker, are you making a difference regarding the Lakers because they are your favorite team? That is not the case, allow a brief explanation of the history.

NBA records indicate the Lakers have won 17 NBA Championships yet 5 of them came during the period Minneapolis was home base and not Los Angeles. So what makes the difference, when the Lakers moved to Los Angeles in 1960 the name Lakers moved with the team. The team that left Seattle was required by an agreement with the City of Seattle to change the team name.  There is nothing connecting the Thunder with the Sonics except the jumbled history. I realize a number of readers of this account will not agree with my reasoning but that’s the way I see it.

Where is Paul George

Tonight the Pacers and Thunder began their championship quest, the Thunder are heavily favored however they shouldn’t become too comfortable. We have an interesting case here, forward Paul George. George In 2019 a member of the Thunder was traded to the Clippers for among others recently named NBA MVP Shai-Gilgeous Alexander. Prior to that, 2017 to be exact George was traded by the Pacers to the Thunder. George had indicated he intended to leave once he became a free agent.

The Pacers not desiring to lose him in free agency for nothing decided in favor of trading George. He might be one of the few players in NBA history who’s played for two teams in the championship series in the same season. The question might be asked where is Paul George, he’s not on the Pacers roster, he’s not with the Thunder? For those who might believe I’m hatin’ on the player I never stated he wasn’t talented. His NBA career has been quite interesting to say the least, finally this question. I wonder if George will be rooting for either of his former teams. As for his location, my first thought, he might be in Cancun.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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2025 NBA Championship

It doesn’t matter which team wins, there will be a NEW champion crowned. Neither the Pacers nor Thunder have ever won a championship although the Pacers history is bit more extensive. In the American Basketball Association the Pacers won the ABA Championship in 1970, 1972 and 1973. They played in the ABA Finals in 1969 and 1971. In the NBA they were runner up for the championship in 2000 and now 2025. Although this group has no connection to those Pacer teams of the past there is a rich basketball history for the franchise. For the Thunder it’s a little more complicated. Although the team moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City in 2008 they are a new “franchise.”

This from Wikipedia, “The owners agreed to leave the Supersonics name, logo and colors in Seattle for a possible future NBA franchise however, the items would remain the property of the Oklahoma City team along with other “assets,” including championship banners and trophies.” That’s a somewhat misleading statement in my view. Based on my belief I’m going to state the Thunder franchise played for its lone championship in 2012, I cannot count a championship won in Seattle belonging to Oklahoma City. In any event as I stated previously this should be an interesting series, we have the best defensive team in the NBA (Thunder) versus the best offensive team (Pacers). I don’t normally do this in advance however I’m picking the series winner, the Thunder in six.

I wonder why

Carmelo Anthony is the latest former NBA player to comment on Cooper Flagg’s potential in the NBA. Like several others, he acknowledges Flagg’s talent. However, it remains unclear not a single scouting report I’ve read suggest that “Flagg will come into the NBA and dominate.” All these statements by Anthony and others have been made before Flagg has played a significant game on an NBA court. I have mentioned this previously and reiterate it now.

Perhaps I am mistaken, and Flagg may not be capable of playing at the highest level. With three weeks remaining before the draft, I am making an official prediction. Flagg will be drafted with the first pick by the Mavs and will be given every opportunity to integrate into their lineup. It remains to be seen if he will participate in the NBA Summer League; his involvement would offer us some insight into his playing capability. I will make a promise to you, this is the latest and last negative statement you will read from me defending Cooper Flagg. 

Did it occur

We’ve discussed Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 point game on several occasions. There is another story involving him that might be unbelievable to conspiracy theorists. What occurred in the NBA during the 1973-74 season, the league began tracking steals and blocked shots. Consider this, from its founding in 1946 up to the 1949 NBL merger we have no idea of the number of steals and blocked shots that might have been lost. There is a name to become familiar with, it’s Harvey Pollack. Pollack never played the game however his importance to the game is quite interesting.

According to Wikipedia he was “An American sports statistician, a journalist of sports and entertainment, a publicist, and long term director of statistical information for the Philadelphia 76ers. At the time of his death, Pollack was the only person still working for the NBA since its inaugural 1946-47 season.” Did Wilt Chamberlain have a quintuple-double game, Pollack claims he did. Where was Pollack, courtside tracking stats of the game. March 18, 1968, while playing for the Sixers Chamberlain filled up the box in this game, 53 points, 32 rebounds and 14 assists. Pollack says there were also 24 blocked shots along with 11 steals added to that total by Chamberlain.

Is it necessary

Charles Barkley and I have often been on the opposing sides of an issue, this time I am in agreement with him. His complaint, ESPN apparently anointing Anthony Edwards “The Face of the NBA.” I’m a little confused and must pose the question first, “Why is there a need” and secondly shouldn’t it be a natural thing? Why is it necessary for a particular athlete to become the face of the NBA? The impact of the Indiana State-Michigan State NCAA Championship game certainly was a contributing factor for Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in becoming “The Face.” We include Michael Jordan’s name for his pivotal role in leading the Bulls to dominance in the NBA.

MJ’s championship victories contributed to his emergence as a prominent figure. Evidently, winning championships has enabled these athletes to assume new roles in the perception of the media and fans. It should be noted that this is not intended as criticism toward Anthony Edwards; with five seasons completed in the NBA, he still as time on his side. Additionally, it is important to recognize that achieving championship titles alone does not determine one’s status as “The Fame.” For instance, Tim Duncan won five championships with the Spurs yet did not attain this recognition. Perhaps it’s an X factor, something we often find difficult to define, what do you think? Ultimately the determination of which athlete embodies this role cannot be made by any single institution.

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Who disappeared

Years ago I read the autobiography of former Celtic great Bill Russell, I remember several key portions of his book that stood out for me and this focus is on one area specifically. He indicated that even on some of those great Celtic teams a few of his teammates would sometimes complain about playing time or when on the court opportunities to shoot the ball. Russell said during the playoffs all that changed, many of those same players “didn’t want to go into the game or if they were on the floor afraid to take the shot.”

These players disappeared, fast forward to 2025, who are those vanishing today? Two keys, Keenan said “You shouldn’t use reserve players, fans expect this list would be star players.” Okay I can agree with that, in addition nowhere do I claim those named are not talented. They have average to above that regular season stats and then faded once the playoffs occur. There will be no explanation other than the name, check them out. My original list contained more than the number below, I reduced my list maybe you agree with some of the names and not others, that okay: 

James Harden Clippers

Anthony Edwards Wolves

Joel Embiid Sixers

Jason Tatum Celtics

Michael Porter Jr. Nuggets

Kristaps Porzingis Celtics

Kyle Kuzma Bucks

GOAT

In our discussion on who is the GOAT we tend to look at the athletes NBA career. It’s my contention this should take in all levels of the game. If you asked 10 people who is the GOAT 9 of them would probably name Michael Jordan. This is not intended to denigrate the brilliant career of MJ but he is in second place in my opinion if we look at the Big Picture. It’s my long held assertion no one can equal or come close to the brilliant basketball career of Kareem Abdul Jabbar…check this out. While enrolled at Power Memorial HS in NYC as Lew Alcindor his teams won 3 state championships, during that period freshman didn’t play varsity basketball, it could have been 4 won by Power Memorial.

We then move to UCLA, once again his championship pedigree led the way for 3 consecutive NCAA Championships. He was named National College player of the year 3 times and 3 times named an All American. Drafted by the Bucks he won their first NBA Championship, later he would begin play for the Lakers his basketball prowess continued. There would be 6 NBA Championships in total and twice he was named finals MVP, 6 times he was named the league’s MVP. After retirement Abdul Jabbar was enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. What you just read is only a partial list of the accomplishments of Kareem Abdul Jabbar who is the GOAT IMO!

Is there change forthcoming

Changeover is inevitable, those athletes who are considered the bulk of leadership change. Many while continuing to play there is evidence that portions of their game is no longer played at a high skill level. Are we at a point in time for the NBA? The question is posed based on checking out the NBA landscape. Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton are still playing meaningful basketball. Cade Cunningham’s Pistons and Paolo Banchero’s Magic were in the playoffs but their teams were eliminated.

Victor Wembanyama is the only one of the new breed who’s team did not earn a play berth, I believe his Spurs are on that road, however. Guess what, all of the players mentioned and others represent “The New Guard” of the NBA, all are 25 years old and younger. Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant along with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic represent “The Old Guard” of the NBA. The last two players named are 30 years old, and for the others LeBron is 40, Steph 37 and Durant 37 in September. All the 30 something’s teams were playoff eliminated, Durant’s team failed to even make the playoffs. Once again the question is asked, have the youngsters taken over in the NBA?

SEC tough

There might be a few who disagree with my statement, the SEC was the toughest conference in the nation this past season. Myron Medcalf, who covers college basketball for ESPN awarded grades based on the team’s success. Naturally, NCAA Champion Florida received a letter grade A from Medcalf but there were others. Auburn based on an outstanding regular season also received an A along with Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Missouri.

7 teams awarded an A out of a 17 team conference, he included Missouri despite the flameout in the NCAA Tournament Missouri exceeded expectations. Picked by the media to finish 13 in the conference the Tigers finished in sixth place. In fairness to the media Missouri was coming off an 8 win 24 loss season and 0 conference wins. The 22 win 12 loss season was much better than expected. Although it’s too early to assess the upcoming season without reading anything I believe Missouri will fly beneath the media’s radar again. Although the letter grade A awarded Missouri by Medcalf really means nothing it details his belief that the Tigers had an outstanding season based on pre-season projections.