Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

This is changed

The Battle of Los Angeles will occur this evening, Clippers v Lakers. This is similar to the NFL Giants v Jets or Mets v Yankees, it could also be The Ohio State v Michigan…okay enough of that you get the point. Both teams are fighting once again for the hearts and minds of Angelenos however this is changed. In years past Staples Center now Crypto.com was arranged based on who represented the home team. The Lakers and Clippers shared the same arena, for Laker games seating capacity was 18,000 plus and Clipper games it was 19,000 plus.

The teams will truly be a home and home series because tonight’s game will be played in the Intuit Dome the new home of the Clippers. The game will be totally different based on this change, there will be 18,000 fans plus The Wall rooting for the Clippers. I imagine there is likely to be a contingent of Laker Nation in attendance. As for the records the Lakers have won 22 games losing 17 and the Clippers are 23-17. As this is written the Clippers are in first place in the Pacific Division standings while the Lakers are in second place. From the 1950 movie classic All about Eve, “Fasten you seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.” This match will be available on NBA TV and other services beginning at 9:00 p.m. Eastern 8:00 p.m. Central.

He’s not Tim Duncan

Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas has done it once again in a recent podcast. This time the subject was Victor Wembanyama and his impact on the NBA, this was his take. “He (Wemby) cannot be the face of the NBA because he plays in small-market San Antonio, look at Tim Duncan etc. etc. etc.” I guess I must listen to one the Arenas podcast rather than pieces because what comes across to me appears to not be well thought out. I don’t know if this is a fact but my understanding is despite his prowess on the basketball court Duncan was/is a private person. I would imagine there were offers at the time he played I just have doubts he ever acted on them, that’s item 1.

Item 2, perhaps its winning Super Bowls or something else I’m really unsure. Every NFL fan from Paris France to Paris Texas, Athens Georgia to Athens Greece is acquainted with Patrick Mahomes. I make the statement based on a belief that even those who might not be aware of him have seen his face on numerous State Farm, Head and Shoulders, Adidas and Subway commercials. There are two or three local commercials he appears in as well. Mahomes plays in small-market Kansas City with a population close to 600,000. That’s a large number of people but nowhere close to New York, Los Angeles, Chicago or Philadelphia. According to the web Mahomes earns $25M in commercials annually.

I’ve said this previously

A story popped up regarding Roger Brown on my social media page. For some of you Brown was one of a number of basketball players named in the 1961 point shaving scandal. He, Connie Hawkins, Tony Jackson and Doug Moe received lifetime bans from the NBA. None of those named were proven guilty in any court and they never played in the NBA with the exception of Hawkins. Over the years we’ve read the stories time and again but the question becomes were there actually any guilty parties? My research says yes but not the names generally associated with the scandal. Below is what I uncovered from the internet:

There were 37 arrests of players from 22 colleges

At least nine players received money from gamblers or fixers, but were never convicted

Two players received bribe offers but never reported them

Nearly 50 people associated with the scandal were banned from the NBA, including future Hall of Famers Connie Hawkins and Roger Brown.

I continue to argue that a series of events similar to what occurred in 1961 is not possible today for a variety of reasons. Although not the same but intricately connected is Jontay Porter. This former Raptor player has received a lifetime ban however it’s for events that could be documented and proven. It’s my understanding players of that period received lifetime bans without adequate legal representation or evidence. Notice the number of guilty players who took money but were never convicted of anything. No, if a similar event occurred in this age today’s basketball players are a bit more knowledgeable regarding their rights than many were in the 1960’s.

Little movement

The most recent Top 10 boy’s high school teams in Missouri saw little movement, below are the schools and city locations, they are:

  1.Oak Park HS (KC) 11-1

  2.Chaminade (STL) 7-4

  3.De Smet (STL) 11-1

  4.Vashon (STL) 12-1

  5.Principa (STL) 11-0

  6.Kickapoo (Springfield) 12-2

  7.Sikeston 10-1

  8.Rockhurst (KC) 10-1

  9.Battle (Columbia) 7-3

10.Rock Bridge (Columbia) 7-2

si.com/high-school/missouri/top-25-missouri-boys-high-school-basketball-state-rankings