Basketball from a fans perspective

Not this time

I must consider both the good and the bad of Missouri’s basketball strategy, “Win all your home games, steal 1-2 on the road.” This effort fell short Saturday afternoon, Missouri had a chance to steal this road game but lost in OT to Vanderbilt, 97-93. Missed free throws and shots, along with being outrebounded by 11, hurt them considerably. Crucial 3-pointers by Vanderbilt forced the game into overtime. Caleb Grill coming off the bench once again managed to 28 points for Missouri, while Mark Mitchell added 20.

In addition Anthony Robinson and Tamar Bates added to the Missouri total scoring 16 points apiece for the visitors. Vanderbilt is a good team, this win gave them a .500 record in the conference race however their 20th win of the season. Missouri is now 10-6 in the conference and 21-8 overall. This might appear to some reading this I’m pumping up Vanderbilt’s record, they are a good team however not as good as Missouri despite being the winner of the Saturday contest. Although this might appear to be an excuse, that is not the case I believe Missouri could have won if not for critical errors down the stretch. Missouri will receive a tourney invite, Vanderbilt is trying to ensure they receive one.  

Believe what you wish

The February 2 trade that saw former Laker Anthony Davis to the Mavs in exchange for Luka Doncic continues to reverberate a month later. It seems every other day a negative story on Luka appears in social media and makes its way to the mainstream news reporting. I have no intention of discussing each and every one of these accounts only the why. This we know, GM Rod Pelinka of the Lakers and GM Nico Harrison have a relationship from years back. We heard nothing about the trade because the two maintained contact only between themselves.

As I indicated there have been a wealth of stories on why the trade occurred but once again the stories. I’ve got to believe the stories regarding Luka emanate from Dallas and the reason is clear. What would be the purpose of the Lakers trashing an athlete they just acquired and one considered generational by some? These negatives are definitely coming from Dallas but the larger question might be why? The trades been finalized by both parties so there is no going back on this one. This is pure speculation so consider that prior to reading this next portion. I believe a month later ownership is still receiving so much flack for the trade they are attempting to slow the tide, just my thoughts on this matter, what about yours?

He could declare

A key reason for the sound play of Michigan basketball this season can be attributed to Danny Wolf, he’s a 7 foot 250 pound post player in his junior year at the school. Wolf attended Northfield Mount Hermon School in Gill Massachusetts although he was born and grew up in Glencoe Illinois a village in the Chicago metro. One scouting report listed him as “A 7-foot guard.” That might be a stretch although he certainly is quite mobile in and around the basket. In addition to being mobile on the offensive side he’s got 3-point range at least for the college game.

Wolf is not all offense as he plays a defensive game as well. His numbers are not overly spectacular (12.6 ppg), the offense is not built around his skill set however Wolf manages to accomplish the job. His nearly 10 rebounds a game indicate he is capable of going after the basketball off the defensive or offensive backboard. If you’ve read this blog any length of time you know I have an affinity for Big Men who can play effectively. As for Wolf he’s given no indication he intends to declare for the 2025 NBA draft. I sure hope the Laker scouting staff has noted his play and manages to maintain a file, he could declare. It’s possible he could fill the void at the center position.

Are they legitimate contenders

Without confirmation of the exact date whether it was December or January, remains unclear. At that time, conclusions were made by me which I am now retracting. I wrote that the Lakers would not be contenders for the 2025 NBA championship due to concerns about the team's composition, which appeared to lack development potential. Moving forward to the present, this question remains relevant. However, the team now includes Luka Doncic in the backcourt alongside LeBron James.

The backcourt duo of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves presents defensive challenges for the Lakers. Supporting them are two defensive minded wings, Jarred Vanderbilt and Dorian Finney-Smith. While Vanderbilt and Finney-Smith have offensive limitations, their defensive capabilities partially offset this shortfall. Replacing Anthony Davis in the pivot are Jaxson Hayes and Alex Len. Hayes brings athleticism, enhancing lob scoring and shot blocking, whereas Len, as a veteran center, provides stability in the pivot.

Len has been planted on the bench with his minutes now belonging to 6 foot 10 260 pound Trey Jemison III. Whether this Laker trio can compete effectively against players like Nikola Jokic, Ivica Zubac, along with Hartenstein/Holmgren remains an open question for now. Regarding the overall team effort, the Lakers have demonstrated improved defense since the beginning of the year, potentially positioning themselves for a deep playoff run and improved three-point shooting. However, whether their defense is sufficient to secure the Western Conference crown remains unresolved. Ultimately, the legitimacy of their contender status will be determined by their outcome at the end of this season and not by me.