Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Tuesday, Thursday plus Saturday & Sunday 

They finally succeeded

The Knicks finally showed up in Game Five winning 111-94, I guess the “home cooking” aided the cause. They shot nearly 50% from the floor with Jalen Brunson leading the way scoring 32 points. KAT contributed 24 points along with 13 rebounds despite reported right knee pain. Tyrese Haliburton had an unlike “Tyrese Haliburton” game scoring but 8 points and dishing out 6 assists, as most reading this are aware he is key to the success of the Pacers. Pascal Siakam led the way in scoring for the Pacers with 15 points as the team managed to only shoot 41%.

This series returns to Indiana for Game Six, what occurs in this evening’s game? Will the Knicks tie this series up or will the Pacers get back on track and end this thing tonight? Despite the Knicks win on Thursday I have several concerns about Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau and his rotation policy. It appears in this playoff series its often been the Knicks with 6 or 7 players versus the Pacers with 8-10. On the other hand I could be off base, moving Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup proved beneficial at least in this game. Other than Robinson the Knicks don’t appeared as lockdown defenders. Has this plus the shorten bench been a problem for the Knicks, have they run out of “gas” at points in the series? Of course I could be off base, I’m only a basketball fan not a coach.

There is no report

99% of the time a write up by yours truly would be as I see it. The close out game for the Wolves-Thunder is incomplete, sure the game was played but at the half I changed the channel to another program. Final score Thunder 124 Wolves 94 which indicates a 30 point victory but it was more to it. The Wolves scored but 9 points in the first quarter…allow me to repeat that…9 points. Meanwhile the Thunder placed 26 points on the score board. In the second the Wolves scored 23 points but gave up 39, halftime score read Wolves 32 Thunder 62. With such a huge lead the outcome was determined well in advance the remaining question would be the final score.

The Thunder with a combination of shooting and outstanding defense vanquished the Wolves most of whom are headed to Cancun as you read this. By now you either watched the game live or read the writeup in various publications. So there you have it, the Thunder Western Conference Champions for the second time in their history. They will face the winner of the Knicks-Pacer series, in all likelihood it will be the Pacers. I’ll repeat my earlier statement, the Thunder have the best defense in the NBA versus the Pacers with the best offense. They say (whoever they are) claim defense always wins over offense, we shall see how this plays out in the end. Will the Thunder be able to win their first NBA Championship or will the Pacers with ABA titles in their past win their first title in the NBA.

A new arena

We’ve profiled pending NBA arenas in Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Philadelphia. Although not a shovel full of dirt has been turned over yet I could state the arena in Oklahoma City has progressed the furthest. Construction is expected to begin in Oklahoma City in 2026. San Antonio’s plan for a new arena has been approved by the city council, In Philadelphia the Sixers will move to a new arena but not adjacent to the Chinatown neighborhood originally planned. Now come news of another arena, the Mavs desire a new home as well.

American Airlines Arena longtime home of the Mavs will be replaced and there is a planned opening for the 2031-32 NBA season. The location is unclear at this time however Dallas sites will be given priority. If this effort fails a site will be selected within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. One site, although certainly not finalized is the old Texas Stadium location, the now demolished stadium was home for the NFL Cowboys from 1971 through the 2008 season. This new Mavs arena will be basketball exclusively, currently in the American Airlines the Mavs share dates with the NHL Stars. It should also be noted the arena will serve as host to concerts.

Your decision

What is your plan, you are part of the Spurs brain trust which includes GM Brian Wright and coach Mitch Johnson. Your team has the second pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, 98% of the mock draft sites claim that pick should be Dylan Harper who played at Rutgers. Harper is a big guard standing at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds, consider the present Spurs backcourt. The old man, point guard Chris Paul is still around although his minutes could be curtailed in the 2025-26 season.

They acquired DeAaron Fox from the Kings at the trade deadline, he’s 27 years old. We can add Stephen Castle who was named 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year. Do the Spurs add another guard (Harper) to that crowded backcourt or do they trade the pick? As the Spurs chief scout what is your recommendation to Wright and Johnson? Now I am going to provide you help, some are aware…the Spurs have another pick in the first round. They have the 14th pick, will that influence whatever decision you make? Currently nbadraft.net claims that pick could be Thomas Sorber Georgetown Big Man or Carter Bryant Arizona forward.

I didn’t know

The family name probably fails to register with most of you reading this…allow a further explanation. We have Rudolf Dassler (1898-1974) and Adolph Dassler (1900-1978), theses brothers from Germany founded a shoe company in 1924 which was successful. Despite the accomplishment that came to an end in 1948, the brothers began a feud. All I was able to uncover there were differences in leadership style and business philosophies and personal misunderstandings. The disagreement was so severe it caused the brothers to dissolve their business relationship.

So what occurred after the breakup, both went their separate ways but formed new shoe companies. Rudolf began manufacturing his shoe line under the Puma brand name while younger brother Adolph’s brand would be named Adidas. I’ve not read any numbers recently however the Adidas brand is quite prevalent in many major schools across the nation. As for Puma after not being visible for a time they have begun aggressively marketing their brand. Nike is the most popular sneaker brand in the U.S. followed by Adidas and Converse. I could locate no figures for Puma however it is not too far down the line from the leaders.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Tuesday, Thursday plus Saturday & Sunday 

He repeats the same story

Stephen A. Smith continues to repeat the same story with no one confirming it. He mentioned a portion of this on Wednesday after the brilliant game Tyrese Haliburton played in the Pacers victory. SAS claims without offering any proof he wanted his Knicks to draft the point guard in 2020. He took this one step further indicating he’d informed a member of the team they should draft the Iowa State prospect. What actually occured for the Knicks with pick number 8 in the first round?  

They decided to choose Obi Toppin now a member of the Pacers. With pick 12 the Kings chose Haliburton, as for the 2022 trade that brought him to Indiana I am unable to explain the basis for it. He was a reserve player for the Kings his rookie year and was traded to the Pacers in the middle of his second year. If SAS has the NBA connections he claims and he offered his belief they should draft Haliburton what happened? I am not accusing him of lying about the series of events. I do believe this might have occurred, SAS is embellishing how the events unfolded.

Two chances

After the Pacers 130-121 victory over the Knicks I can state the loser can still win the series. The Knicks have two chances, slim and none and guess what…slim just left town. A friend posed the question, “Is Tyrese Haliburton a super star?” I am not prepared to fully address the question in detail however his team’s victory in Game 4 may have proven the point. The number that stands out is 0 turnovers in 38 minutes on the court for the Pacers point guard. Beyond that was a filled box score for Haliburton, 32 points with 12 rebounds, 15 assists and 4 steals. Although he led the way this was a team victory for the Pacers, Pascal Siakam contributed 30 points.

It wasn’t just these two the Pacers represented starters and reserves. Once again the Knicks couldn’t figure out a method to slow down their swift opposition. I heard a member of the media make this statement which has me thinking maybe he’s correct. He said, “Jalen Brunson is a very good basketball player, he just might not be the best for the Knicks.” I foresee the Pacers close this series off tonight, they will face the Thunder. This will be interesting to see the best defensive team (Thunder) versus the best offensive team (Pacers) for the 2025 NBA Championship. Sidebar here: Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is one of those coaches who lives and breathes NBA basketball, this series has caused me to question his coaching strategy.

It’s never occurred

I conducted a deep dive on NBA MVP’s to discover if it’s ever occurred in the past. I found several names, players who won MVP’s and were later traded. A partial list would be Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Roberston and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. We could add Bill Walton and Moses Malone to our list, there might be others but I’m stopping there. I couldn’t locate a single player traded who later became NBA MVP, that is until now. Shai-Gilgeous Alexander was recently named league MVP, most probably don’t remember that’s not the way it started. In 2018 SGA was made the 11th pick in that year’s draft, later that same day his rights were traded to the Clippers.

He would spend his rookie year with the Clippers before a July 2019 trade sent him to the Thunder. Similar to a flower in bloom once he moved to Oklahoma City his game begin to excel. The last three seasons saw him score at a 30+ point a game clip but it wasn’t just the scoring he also played stellar defense and his assist total began to rise as well. His generation loves the 3-point shot but not SGA, he can shoot it but prefers the mid-range game. This month SGA was named the NBA’s most Valuable Player, should his Thunder team win the NBA Championship it might be a two-for for SGA. By the way I failed to mention who went to the Clippers in exchange for SGA, it was Paul George. One publication termed it “The Worst Trade in NBA History.”

The secret game

If I informed you Duke played HBCU North Carolina Central you’d probably think nothing unusual here. What if I told you the game occurred in March of 1944 at the height of a segregated America. At that time there existed a huge divide between black and white citizens of the nation. This separation of races extended to the point of even separate water fountains but that was just the tip of the iceberg. The history is unclear how the basketball game came about but Duke University would play North Carolina College for Negros as it was named then. The date was March 12, 1944, and the game was played at North Carolina Central’s gym which still exists today. In accordance with the laws of that period the game had to be played in secret, if word got out the Durham Police would have been dispatched and arrested all parties involved.

The game was kept from the public and even now 81 years later it is mind boggling no one, white or black discussed it ahead of play. As for the game North Carolina Central won 88-44. The significance of course the game defied the racial segregation of the period and perhaps was one of the first integrated basketball games played in the south. The coach for North Carolina Central was the late John McClendon who learned the game from its inventor James A. Naismith while at Kansas University. McClendon went on to success at a number of coaching stops. His Tennessee State team won the NAIA Championship three consecutive years, in addition McClendon is twice enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall. We cannot fully embrace the impact this game might have made in making for change in America.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Tuesday, Thursday plus Saturday & Sunday 

“I ain’t seeing KD…I’m seeing Andrei Kirilenko”

Those are not my words, they were spoken by Tony Allen former NBA guard. He said, “I don’t think he’s gonna turn a franchise around like that.” That’s his view of Cooper Flagg, he claims his view is not hate its perspective but where does it come from? I certainly don’t have the credentials of a Tony Allen however I have an opposing view. First, some reading this might not remember Andrei Kirilenko. He was an international player but spent the bulk of his NBA career as a member of the Utah Jazz, he was nicknamed AK-47 for his initials and jersey number.

During an 11-year career with the Jazz he played an integral role in the success of the team, although drafted in 1999 he continued to play in Russia. Beginning in 2001 through 2011 he was a valued member of the Jazz. Kirilenko was All NBA Defensive First Team in 2006 and earned second team honors twice. The 6-foot 9 forward even led the NBA in Blocked Shots in 2009. If Flagg plays defense anywhere close to the level of Kirilenko that will be beneficial to the Mavs. As for the franchise thing I never read of anyone claiming Flagg “would turn a franchise around.” I would implore Allen and anyone else to adopt a wait and see attitude regarding Flagg’s future. Must I remind you again we heard similar comments regarding Victor Wembanyama, Allen just happens to be the latest to provide us his take on Flagg.

NBA on ClutchPoints   

I’m surprised

That would be me, the surprise is you didn’t hear me yelling at my television. I was begging Karl-Anthony Towns to stop shooting three’s, the guy is 7-feet tall and 250 pounds. He should dominate on the inside but that’s another story for another time. The Knicks won, they came roaring back (thanks in part to KAT) who aided much of the effort in the second half of the game. The Pacers had raced to a 20 point lead in the second quarter, the Knicks played a little better whittling that huge lead down to 13 at the half. The third and fourth quarter belong to the team from NYC.

The Knicks tightened up their defense and played much better than what was witnessed during most of the first half of this game. I’ve picked on KAT for his distance shooting however if not for him the Knicks surely would have lost this game. He finished with a needed 24 points and a 15 rebound effort for his team. The final score read Knicks 106 Pacers 100, both teams shooting was even, behind the line proved to be the downfall for the Pacers, they managed to shoot a meager 20%. The Pacers remain in the driver’s seat with a 2 Games to 1 lead however the Knicks proved they are legitimate contenders. By the way I’ve been a long-time fan of KAT he just happens to play for the Knicks, does that entail favoring the Knicks?  

The best defense in the NBA

After overwhelming the Wolves in two consecutive games only the home team had an idea what might occur. The Wolves at home performed a beat down on the Thunder, that’s the only way to describe it. I’m unsure of the period however at some point in or near the middle of the second quarter. The Wolves ran through, around and over the top of the Thunder. The primary issue the Thunder appeared incapable of stopping them. It was not only scoring by Ant Man the Wolves appeared to ramp up their team defense as well.

The Wolves shot 57.3% from the floor and 76.5% from three, as for the Thunder it was 40.7% and actually a decent 31.8% from three. The final score read Wolves 143 Thunder 101, this is written ahead of reading anyone else but the 42 point victory has got to be an NBA record. Ant Man led the way for the Wolves with 30 points however Julius Randle made an appearance too. After a meager 6 points in Game Two he finished this game scoring 24 points. The Wolves will require more than Randle to win this series but it certainly aids the cause when he doesn’t “disappear” as he did in Game Two.  Whoever wins Game Four on Monday, I have no idea but continue to believe the Thunder will win this series, have I placed the kiss of death on them?

A decision

Wilt Chamberlain, despite his numerous NBA scoring records, had a notable weakness in shooting free throws. Throughout his distinguished NBA career, he achieved many accolades; however, his performance at the free throw line was significantly lower, with a career shooting percentage of 51.1%. Interestingly, during his historic 100-point game, it is reported that he shot 28 for 32 from the line, an impressive 87.5%. Chamberlain shot underarm for this game, which was number 75 for the Warriors, With only four remaining games in the season Chamberlain continued to shoot the ball underhand from the free throw line.

It was stated in the following season (1962-63), Chamberlain reverted to the conventional free throw method, causing his free throw percentage to decrease once again. At the time, Chamberlain remarked that the underhand method seemed unmasculine, a sentiment influenced by the fact that Rick Barry was the only NBA player employing this technique. Barry’s free throw percentage was 88.0% in the ABA and 90% in the NBA. This statement should not be interpreted as a criticism of Chamberlain. It is my belief (without offering you any proof) that Chamberlain could have potentially scored an additional 10-15 points per game over the course of his career. What do you think, am I off base in my unverified assertion that Chamberlain might have been even more prolific a scoring machine if not for his free throw percentage?   

The son of…

Dylan Harper has good basketball genes, a number of you reading this might remember his father former NBA player Ron Harper. The elder Harper played for the Cavs but most remember him for his time with the Jordan Bulls and the Kobe/Shaq Lakers. The 6-foot 6 220 pound Harper is about the same physical size of his father, what about his future? He is projected as the number two pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and that pick belongs to the Spurs. Whether Harper is drafted and remains with the Spurs is an unknown ahead of draft night.

I read a scouting report compares him to one current and one former NBA player. “(Deron) Williams was a bulky point general who didn’t need a knockdown 3 to become an All-Star, which may be the path for Harper.” And this, “Even if Harper doesn’t become an offensive engine, he has Jrue (Holiday) like high-end role-player skills to fuel a fruitful career.” As I have often indicated it might be unfair to compare a potential rookie to an existing NBA player, unfortunately that’s all we have most times. There is no requirement for you to remain late night for the draft, the commissioner will announce Dylan Harper’s name quite early in the evening.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Tuesday, Thursday plus Saturday & Sunday 

Are they hungrier

Pacer fans allow me to apologize upfront, during the season I only watched one Pacer game. This was a road game for the Lakers, my team eventually won the game but the Pacers kept fighting back. I thought to myself at the time “This team can’t be that good.” I have since discovered they are that good, they head back to Indiana after placing the Knicks in an O-2 hole. The final score on Friday read Pacers 114 Knicks 109 but it was the manner the Pacers dealt what might be a death blow to Knicks hopes to play for an NBA Championship.

Tyrese Haliburton’s game was missing to a degree…up steps Pascal Siakam scoring a career high 39 points. The turnover battle was somewhat even (10 Pacers 12 Knicks) it seemed to me the Pacers had a little more going for them defensively than the Knicks. There were points where it seemed the Knicks shot selection was also questionable. Mitchell Robinson, despite his offensive limitations, played a significant role in keeping the Knicks heads above water. So what occurs now, the Knicks are in an O-2 hole as mentioned. It’s certainly still possible for them to win this series however they have placed themselves in a problematic position, Sunday evening in Indianapolis should be quite interesting.

What do they do

The Celtics have a number of moves to make in the off season based on their playoff results. At the top of the list, Jayson Tatum is sidelined at the beginning of the season, what I read indicates an 8-9 month period for him to return from the Achilles injury. If that is the case he should be able to return to action in January or February 2026. I have no medical background and don’t wish to be portrayed as ‘Donald Downer’ but that time limit would appear a little rushed to me. I believe a more realistic time period would be late March or early April and that might even be premature on my part. No one replaces Tatum in the Celtic lineup so maybe they move around existing players to fill the void.

In any event perhaps on the same level but maybe for a different reason the issue of 7-foot-3 Kristaps Porzingis must be addressed. I have no manner to prove what you are now reading, it is being claimed the Celtics have no desire to pay the huge salary of Porzingis next season. In addition to that the mystery illness and injury that has managed to keep him in and out of the lineup. That’s compounded by the fact that sometimes when he was in the lineup his play was subpar. Al Horford is a valuable commodity for the Celtics but at 38 years old he cannot be expected to play major minutes any longer. Jrue Holiday remains serviceable especially for his defense but even he might be expected to relinquish some minutes. I’m sure happy I’m not seated in the shoes of Joe Mazzulla and the front office. The Celtics must re-tool if they expect to compete in the Eastern Conference next season.  

Recycle, I’m a believer

The headline says it all, I believe we have a responsibility to recycle stuff. If that’s not you there will be no argument from me however even for me there are exceptions. One of those exceptions is hiring a coach who was fired at his previous stop first thing, that’s not to say a fired coach should never be hired somewhere else. There are several NBA teams who will soon began a search for a head coach. The Grizzlies and Nuggets, perhaps the Spurs will be included in the count as well. There might be at least one addition to the list but it would be speculative on my part to mention the team at this point.

The names I’ve read so far are Taylor Jenkins ex-of the Grizzlies and Mike Malone who coached the Nuggets to a championship. I will never say never but it sure would be ideal if a new name was added to the picture. We understand what occurs, that recycled coach is always a safe bet for a number of reasons. The chief being he’s accustomed to the pitfalls of serving in this position, he’s responsible for coaching 15 prima donna athletes. Those recently terminated should sit for a period because I’m sure they have no immediate need of financial remuneration. I’d like to see the names of interim coach Mitch Johnson, Becky Hammon and others be added to an NBA search list. Closing this exercise, the Kings announced they have removed interim from Doug Christie’s name.

What’s wrong with the NBA!

There was more talk than viewing the game, four of us were gathered, although the basketball game was on we discussed the good and the bad of the NBA on television and some of the issues facing the NBA. One of the topics raised by my friends, “NBA games are too difficult to see.” They cited the NFL as an example, all games are on television with the exception of I believe the Thursday night game. If the Chiefs are playing on Thursday night fans in Kansas City are still able to view the game.

“That might be valid but we are talking about an 82 game season (NBA) versus no more than 20 games including the Super Bowl.” It’s always been my belief television did the NBA and NFL a favor promoting both sports beginning in the 1960’s. First it was broadcast and later the advent of cable and other packages saw the NBA increase its television coverage. If there is so much NBA available on television “why is NBA viewership in a downward trend?” There are a number of possibilities, the first is bad basketball, I believe the product on the court barely resembles good basketball at times. This is no excuse however by the middle of January most teams have “broken down” due to travel and knick knack injuries as Shaq refers to them. Thirdly, the issue of load management has become a term I personally hate, NBA players of the past only sat out games due to injury. Today’s players are physically superior to those of the past, there are all kinds of training opportunities to increase your career that didn’t exist. In addition great strides have been made medically, some injuries suffered by today’s players ended careers 15 or 20 years ago. That is certainly not the case now with players returning from all sorts of injuries that once ended the career of a player.   

If we look strictly at the numbers there are probably more fans of the aligned NFL over the NBA. Despite my statement that’s not to say there are folks (like me) who prefer the NBA over the NFL. Despite what some might believe the NBA is not going out of business nor is close to going belly up. Franchises are selling at an all-time record high. No owner or potential owner is going to pour money into a product they might be unable recoup a portion of their investment. 

Changed landscape

Most of you reading this are not the nerd I claim to be. I check for young prospects in a number of ways, mostly scouting sites such as Rivals.com or 247Sports. I believe they provide me a heads up on potential talent. We’ve discussed this subject in the past however the landscape has changed for college basketball. No longer can the Kentucky’s, Duke’s, Kansas or UCLA attract talent on their name only, the term Blue Blood program might still exist but not as much to this new generation. What changed, a bunch of things but chief among them is Name, Image and Likeness. This is the impact, a BYU can compete on an equal footing with a Kansas program.

Both schools and several others were competing for the services of AJ Dybansta. The 6-foot-9 small forward the number one prospect in 2025 chose BYU. If you are associated with BYU in any manner this is not intended as a formal accusation against the Provo Utah school, Dybansta is there for two reasons. I’m unsure of the order so I will state this, the rapport with the head coach and NIL money. I had mentioned this earlier, Dybansta’s NIL valuation is estimated at $3.8 million, that amount places BYU at the level of any school in the nation including Blue Bloods. I’ve read and heard numerous complaints regarding NIL the chief one “These basketball players are professional athletes,” that might well be true but who is going to fix it? We arrive here partially due to the manner the NCAA once prevailed in its manner of operation.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Tuesday, Thursday plus Saturday & Sunday 

MVP…MVP…MVP

We’ve heard plenty of vociferous MVP chants in NBA arena’s around the nation, we heard it every time the Knicks Jalen Brunson stepped to the free throw line at MSG. We heard it in Paycom Arena in Oklahoma City but this time it was for real. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Thunder point guard has been named the NBA’s MVP for the 2024-25 season. As for the vote SGA received 913 points edging out Nikola “The Joker” Jokic who received 787 points. Most of us (including this writer) had forgotten the Clippers drafted SGA but would trade him to the Thunder 6 years ago. The trade has allowed him to fully develop and exhibit his talent.

Unlike others of his generation SGA’s game is mostly mid-range, it’s not that he can’t shoot from distance he appears to favor shooting the ball in much closer to the basket, when you shot 51.9% from the floor why take shots from longer distance. Despite the statement SGA can and sometimes does shoot three’s, during the regular season he was nearly 38% behind the line. The Thunder won 68 games during the regular season the most in the NBA this recent season, without hesitation I can say SGA led the way in most of those games. It is clear to me and others that follow the NBA he is the real deal, should the Thunder continue to advance and win an NBA Championship we can point the finger directly at SGA.

Duke reloading

Coach Jon Scheyer has managed to snag the world’s top international prospect. His name is Elhadji Dame Sarr and he simply goes by his middle name Dame. He is a 6-foot-8 wing who is reported to have a 7-foot wingspan, that sounds a little suspect to me however I will accept it for the time being. Home for Sarr is Italy where he was born and raised, his parents are immigrants from Senegal on the west African continent. I am repeating myself, it’s difficult to assess talent at an all-star game however that’s exactly what presented itself to me. A few weeks ago we saw him in action as Team USA faced Team World at the Nike Hoops Summit.

Team USA prevailed however Sarr represented himself quite well in the game. Sarr went on to score 17 points and pull down 4 rebounds in 25 minutes of action. As for the balance of incoming freshman we have the Boozer brothers, Cameron and Cayden. Add Nikolas Khamenia a 6-foot-8 power forward and a 5-star prospect. This roster will also see 6-foot-6 Cedric Coward arriving from Washington State along with former Rutgers Big Man 6-foot-10 Ifeanyi Ugochukwu. Teams don’t win on paper however it appears Duke will have one of the deepest rosters in college basketball. NOTE: Duke moves quicker than me, as I was finishing this update Sebastian Williams made his commitment known. The 6-foot-8 230 pound power forward was a Class of 2026 prospect, he decided to reclassify to 2025 in the fall and will be heading to Duke.   

The world knows

If you are familiar with NFL legends the late Jim Brown should be in your memory. Despite his record setting NFL career did you realize he played basketball while enrolled at Syracuse? Sure most of us are aware he played (and was great at) lacrosse, the basketball was an entirely different story. Brown divided his time playing two seasons for the basketball team, standing 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds he earned high praise as an outstanding rebounder. He scored 13.1 points per game clip for those two seasons as a starter.

The record indicates he decided to not play basketball his senior year of college. The history says he refused to play because he wouldn’t be a starter, although we are talking black and white players on the same team this was 1957. It was said Syracuse had an unofficial policy it followed, no more than three black players on the floor at one time. Of course Brown would go on to fame and glory as a running back for the Cleveland Browns and later be inducted in the NFL Hall of Fame. From there it was Hollywood calling where he transitioned into the role of an actor. This is a brief look at the life of Jim Brown who might have played in the NBA if not for the other sport.

Convince me…please

I am reading this account from several sources, the Lakers will attempt to trade for Kristaps Porzingis. The 7-foot-3 240 pound Big Man would certainly fill a role if healthy. That is the issue for me, despite being very talented in most facets of the game (less rebounds) he would make a worthy edition however it’s the other things. I remember just like it was yesterday, it was actually 2015, the Knicks made Porzingis the 4th pick in the first round of that year’s draft. In my mines eye I can still see apoplectic Stephen A. Smith pontificating for several minutes the morning after the draft. Smith was roundly criticizing the Knicks for selecting Porzingis, fast forward to the middle of the season Smith was forced to admit maybe he was wrong. Later Porzingis would leave the Knicks, since then he’s been on a “world tour.”

From the Mavs to the Wiz and now with the Celtics, once again I said nothing about his talent it’s the other thing. Remember the nickname “street clothes” often applied to Anthony Davis, I could relate it to Porzingis as he’s managed to miss considerable time with all the franchises he’s played. There is another name being mentioned, Brook Lopez of the Bucks. Throughout his NBA career while not great at rebounds for someone 7 feet and 282 pounds he manages to accomplish the other things well, for a Big Man he is excellent behind the 3-line. My reservation on Lopez is his age, he just turned 37 years old in April. The question that cannot be answered for now, is he ready and able to undergo another NBA season…one with a new team? Although he is older than Porzingis he does not have the injury issue so prevalent with Porzingis. The bottom line for both, should the Lakers decide to pursue Porzingis and Lopez I must reluctantly accept them to the Purple and Gold. I would hope there is a Big Man in residence as a future replacement.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Tuesday, Thursday plus Saturday & Sunday 

Points are good…great defense is better

Scoring more points than the other guy always guarantees a win. If you register a beat-down in the process you are making a declaration, “We are the best team on the floor.” That’s what occurred Tuesday evening as the Thunder totally destroyed the Wolves. Early on we had no indication the end result would see the home team winners. The Thunder were behind at stages of the game although it never appeared they were out of the game. The Wolves were led by Ant Man and Julius Randle. The first half of the game was even as both teams took the lead at times, down at half time by 4 points the Thunder demonstrated why they are the best in the west maybe the NBA.

Points are good but defense is what wins you championships, the Thunder defense or Wolves poor play at times saw them commit 19 turnovers for the game. Randle who led the Wolves in scoring with 28 points only registered 8 in the second half. As for Ant Man he appeared bottled up by the stiff defense of the Thunder, he would only score 18 points in the loss. In the meantime SGA who’d gotten off to a relatively slow start came alive in the second half of the game. He led with 31 points but had plenty of assistance, 3 of the other 4 starters scored in double figures. The final score read Thunder 114 Wolves 88, credit is due this Thunder team from top to bottom. If you play for coach Daigneault you better be prepared to play defense and that’s what the Thunder have managed to do season long and into the playoffs. Game Two of this round is scheduled for tonight at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Meanwhile….

The following names are potential candidates for my Lakers to consider acquiring to play center, this is not indicative of importance. First up is Jalen Duren, he’s currently a member of the Pistons, is a 6-foot-10 player who has been contributing double-doubles and effective defense for his team, he is only 21 years old. Next up, Walker Kessler of the Jazz, standing at 7 feet, is also known for his consistent double-doubles and offensive rebounding skills. Bam Adebayo from the Heat, although only 6-foot-9, packs 255 pounds of muscle on his frame. Adebayo is a capable scorer and rebounds well plus he plays tough hard-nose defense, he is the oldest on my list being 27 years old, there may be others to consider however these are at the top of my list.

Thunder forward Jalen Williams has been fined $25,000 by the NBA for a profane statement on his tee-shirt. I’m unsure if you read one of many letter writers who claim “The league is overstepping its bounds, he’s got free speech privileges are something similar. That statement is partially correct, Williams as with most Americans has freedom of speech however there is an exception. Some of you are familiar with contracts containing morality clauses. I cannot verify this applies to the contract Williams signed however there are stipulations on NBA contracts. This might not be the same issue but consider this fact. Jay Williams now an ESPN analyst had a motorcycle accident which ended his NBA career, his contract had a provision prohibiting riding motorcycles. Despite violating the contract the Bulls paid him in full although he’d never play for them again.

If the proposed change comes about the NCAA will soon find itself removed from doting out punishment. Don’t misunderstand me I’m sure there were instances in the past that punishment to institutions was conducted fairly and evenly across the board. You’ve read them and so have I, complaints from mid-major schools severely punished and Power 5 schools receiving a slap on the wrist for practically the same offense. The NCAA will continue its operation, they will be responsible for academics and eligibility issues but will no longer issue punishment. Personal note, I am okay with the academics I have concerns with the NCAA still involved with player eligibility. The responsibility for issuing punishment falls to the newly appointed CEO of the College Sports Commission. Keep in mind this change is yet to be approved, at present we have no idea if it will be successful until it is implemented.

The last few days we’ve dealt with conspiracy theory’s surrounding the NBA Draft. Questions have been raised how could the Mavs with a 1.8% chance win the lottery? Shaquille O’ Neal added his name to those on the conspiracy side of the ledger with his version. He claims months prior to the draft he met with the late David Stern then NBA Commissioner. Shaq says: Stern asked him if he preferred a warm or cold city destination to begin his NBA career. He informed the commissioner he preferred a warm climate, although he played for several teams it was the Orlando (Florida) Magic who drafted Shaq into the NBA. Shaq's story about Stern remains, and with Stern's passing, there is no way to verify or question the story much further.

This was displayed just the other day, it was a posting of several NBA players who’d scored over 1,000 playoff points before the age of 25. Anthony Edwards earned a spot on the list along with 7-8 others. Based on this fact alone I’m guessing this was the basis for making the comparison to the late Kobe Bryant. I saw Kobe play live plus numerous times on television, I am sorry to report this news if you are a fan. Ant Man you are an exceptional basketball player however I for one find it very difficult comparing you to the Black Mamba. After reading this I am quite sure a legion of fans of Ant Man will disagree with me and that is actually okay. In addition there were a large number of detractors of Kobe Bryant’s game as well.

It's a losing battle, I must concede that fact 

For those who might not be familiar with the geography Missouri and Kansas share a border. A rivalry has always existed some unrelated to sports have existed on both sides. For eons, the University of Missouri and the University of Kansas competed in the same conference, over the years this rivalry intensified. The Kansas City (MO) metro lies in Kansas too which probably has intensified the rivalry. Missouri would leave the Big XII Conference in 2012 and since then a change has occurred in metro sports broadcasting. Kansas has been more successful on the court than Missouri so news relating to KU basketball began an upward trend. I attribute this to these factors, KU hiring Bill Self who led the team to outstanding records including two NCAA Championships.

In the meantime Missouri muddled along with head coaches either resigning or forced to resign or plain fired. Based on this fact the basketball program was on a downward trend until Dennis Gates was hired. The 2024-25 season began with KU ranked number one in the nation and Missouri coming off an O-18 season unranked. By the end of the season both programs were unranked but what occurred in the end? Both finished in 6 place in the SEC and Big XIII, Missouri experienced a 22-12 won-loss record and an NCAA invite. As for KU it was 21-13 and an NCAA invite as well, both teams lost their opening round matches so what’s next? Since the basketball season ended for both KU continues to dominate the local news coverage. Is it a closeness issue (Lawrence 50 miles away) versus the distance to Columbia (150 miles), local media has no issue dispatching a team of reporters to conduct interviews with Self and company. Rarely does this occur for Gates and Missouri basketball, am I jealous? Yes I am, there is no basis for unbalanced media coverage.                    

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Tuesday, Thursday plus Saturday & Sunday 

We are down to four teams

In the west we have the Wolves facing the Thunder, in the east it’s Pacers versus Knicks. Two of these teams will advance and play for the NBA Championship…I’m getting ahead of myself. The Thunder would be the only team expected to be at this point, they were the number one team in the west and might emerge to play for the championship. As for their competition the Wolves were the number 6 seed in the west, they beat the number 3 Lakers 4 games to 1. The Wolves then thumped the number 7 Warriors 4 games to 1. It played out this way in the east, the number 4 Pacers beat the number 1 Cavs 4 games to 1.

The Knicks the number 3 team managed to vanquish their longtime rival and number 2 seed Celtics 4 games to 2. In 2025 the NBA Champion will be new in more aspects than another if we look at the history. The Thunder, Wolves and Pacers have never won an NBA championship. As for the Knicks it was 52 years ago, 1973 the last time the Knicks won it all. I don’t bother looking at won-loss records during the season, that fails to provide a photo of the now. With that said in both sets of games one of the teams will be favored over the other even by the slimmest of margins. My Lakers are not competing so I have no favorite…my hope is we are able to witness great championship basketball from this point until the end.

IMO it remains important

We’ve discussed recent changes in the basketball landscape of today. It’s been said several veteran coaches have retired rather than attempt to coach in the day of NIL and the transfer portal. It might appear the transfer portal has become more important than recruiting high school talent. That’s easy to understand the why, generally individuals in the portal have played at the college level. They must adjust to a change but it might be far easier for them over a fuzzy faced freshman player. A portal athlete says ‘experience’ to college coaches, that fails to take into account they might not adjust as has been the case in a few instances. It’s more likely they will manage to alter their game over a freshman who must adapt to a monumental leap from high school to college. Below are scouting sites and the school’s they consider the Top 5 on their list, check out who they consider which school has the best recruiting class in the nation:

 

On3.com                                                             Rivals.com                                            247Sports.com    

Houston                                                                 Arizona                                                      Houston

Duke                                                        Houston                                            Arizona

Arizona                                                                  Duke                                                           Duke

Arkansas                                                               BYU                                                             UConn

North Carolina                                                      Arkansas                                                      Notre Dame

If you have any questions regarding my Missouri Tigers, I can provide you with the significant information. According to 247Sports, the Tigers are ranked at number 55 by their site, Rivals.com places them at 42, and On3 ranks them at 39. Missouri has only 2 incoming freshman although both are considered talented.  Coach Gates and his staff devoted significant efforts during the spring to evaluate and recruit talent from the transfer portal rather than seek additional high school talent. With one of the best teams in the nation perhaps coach believed it was more important to focus on the portal. Whether this strategy will continue to be successful for Missouri remains uncertain, but it is hoped that it will benefit Mizzou Nation as a whole.

Meanwhile….

The name Khaman Maluach has appeared in this blog on more than one occasion. The Big Man from South Sudan was the starter in the post for the Duke Blue Devils. If we checked mock drafts last October I’d bet money Maluach’s name was no place to be found yet hear we find ourselves. The 7 foot 2, 250 pound Maluach has moved from not in the draft to as much as a lottery pick in a few weeks. What occurred from the start of Duke’s season through the NCAA Tournament was the growth of the youngsters game. Although some portions of his game could be considered needing work others have NBA scouts excited. I hate to compare NBA players however sometimes that’s the only method we can use. He’s not, I repeat he’s not Dikembe Mutombo but Maluach’s game could be compared.

The Blazers have a For Sale sign outside the team’s headquarters, owner Paul Allen died in October 2018 however the team was not sold at the time. In the last will and testament of Allen he placed stipulations which prevented his estate from selling the Blazers. In the 6 plus years since his death one of his sisters has taken on the role of administrator of the franchise. It’s now being reported the team is on the market but surprisingly Nike’s Phil Knight has expressed no interest in purchasing the team. This past October the financial publication Forbes placed the value of the Blazers at $3.5 billion, it will be interesting to see who steps up and announces they intend to purchase the team.

I cannot be sure of anything however consider this belief, the 2025 NBA Draft appears to be stocked with potential talent. If memory serves me correctly there wasn’t a great deal of excitement regarding 2024. I could make the same statement about 2023 although Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson made the lower portion exciting. This is the “Cooper Flagg” draft but the Duke freshman has plenty of likely talent which will follow him into the NBA. We have Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey and Khaman Maluach mentioned in a previous account. Those are but a few names, consider this fact. In order to sustain a successful NBA career it requires more than talent, sometimes right place and right time are just as critical in attaining accomplishment in the association.

You remember the history, after securing Luka Doncic in a trade with the Mavs they made a second move, this one for the Hornets Big Man Mark Williams. As you are aware the Williams trade was later voided, I’m not going to detail the why however this is where Austin Reaves enters the picture. The Lakers made it known recently Reaves will not be included in any trade unless it brings a quality Big Man to the team. How we arrive at this point is interesting, after first signed as a free agent Reaves played a reserve role and occasional starter in his first three seasons. With the coaching change JJ Redick moved Reaves into the starting lineup at shooting guard. Reaves produced career numbers this past season, apparently that is a portion of the reasoning why he will remain with the team.

Duke All American

The second All American basketball player had just a brief career in the NBA. It wasn’t because he couldn’t play its more the fact he chose another sport. Truth is in baseball as member of the Pittsburgh Pirates he was a two-time World Series champion and the league’s MVP in 1960. Most interesting fact, although baseball would be Groat’s life pursuit he actually attended Duke on a basketball scholarship. He played both sports while at Duke and was talented enough to play professionally in both sports. It appears the choice to play baseball exclusively was not his alone.

After a two year stint in the U.S. Army Groat had a desire to return and play for the Fort Wayne Pistons and Pirates. That idea was his but not Pirate general manager Branch Rickey who told Groat; “You have played your last game in the NBA.” Groat said, “I would never have given up basketball, but I would have lost the rest of my (baseball) bonus.” Groat’s only season with the Pistons saw him the second leading scorer (11.9) and third in assists (2.7). Could the 5-foot-11 Groat been as successful in the NBA as was in baseball? In the same manner of many others we cannot answer this question. It should also be of note that Groat might be the only baseball player who is enshrined in the College Basketball Hall of Fame, in 2023 he died at the age of 92.

Basketball from a fan's perspective

Published Tuesday, Thursday plus Saturday & Sunday 

NBA Playoffs

Off the Dribble publication schedule (4 days) and the number of playoff teams I decided to wait. I found it difficult to provide timely updates regarding all the playoff teams. The wait is no longer required, the defending champion Celtics were eliminated by the Knicks on Friday evening. We now have the Pacers-Knicks playing for the Eastern Conference crown, in the west the Wolves will face the Thunder-Nuggets winner. Despite the fact of a limited publishing schedule with 4 teams in both conferences it will become much easier for me to provide updates. Once again thanks to all of you who are loyal readers of this blog, you are truly greatly appreciated by me.

If you are a certain age….

Living in St. Louis it’s likely you have no idea the Hawks once called the city home, that changed in 1968 when the team departed for Atlanta Georgia. Those who might be old enough to remember the Milwaukee Hawks (yes it was Milwaukee) move to St. Louis in 1955, at that time the only competition for the sports dollar was the baseball Cardinals. Some might believe the period from 1955-1968 was the only time the city had an NBA team but that is not the case. The St. Louis Bombers were an original member of the Basketball Association of America, they began play in 1946 the same year as the Knicks and Celtics.

The Bombers in the BAA lasted until the 1949 merger with the National Basketball League, marking the start of the NBA as it exists today. The Bombers eventually ceased operations due to mediocre performance on the court, which led to low attendance. St. Louis Arena (demolished in 1999) was their home, where they averaged just over 3,000 fans. The owners attempted to sell the team but were unable to find a buyer. Consequently, after the 1949-50 season, the team ceased operations. In the NBA dispersal draft, the Celtics selected Ed McCauley, who became a key player for the early Celtic teams before the arrival of Bill Russell. So with this account the history of St. Louis and professional basketball ends.

There are no guarantees

Winning 60 plus games is a high water mark for NBA teams during the season, at the same time there are no guarantees the accumulation of the win total will result in an NBA Championship. Just ask the Cavs and Celtics who were eliminated from championship contention. As this is written the fate of the 68 win Thunder is yet to be determined. What does the history say, let’s check out a few 60 plus win teams from the past and how they finished the season. At the top are the 2015-16 Warriors who won 73 regular season games but lost in the Finals.

In 1972-72 the Celtics were a 68 win team but were defeated in the Eastern Conference Finals. In the 2006-07 season the Mavs were able to win 67 games but lost in the first round of the Western Conference Finals. The 2015-16 season witnessed the Spurs winning 67 regular season games but dropping in the Western Conference Semi-Finals. As history indicates winning games during the regular season is a far different matter than winning in the playoffs. The 61 win Celtics have just been defeated and the 68 win Thunder team remains in these playoffs, it’s likely the Celtics will not advance but for the Thunder the matter might be different. Will they succeed and prove regular season wins can lead to playoff success including an NBA Championship.

The Wemby factor

Frost Bank Arena current home of the Spurs was opened in 2002, that makes the arena 23 years old. The age is really a non-factor because there are other buildings across the association older. Two factors impacted the decision made by the City Council of San Antonio on Thursday. Frost Bank Arena is not located in downtown San Antonio. It doesn’t matter if we are talking baseball, football or hockey there is a requirement that 21st Century sports facilities need to be located in the downtown portion of the city. On Thursday, the San Antonio council voted in favor of building an arena and paying for it which is always a key. The estimated cost of a new arena is reported to be in the neighborhood of $1.2 to $1.5 billion.

Despite the projected cost figure the city council voted in favor of paying for the ‘Wemby’ arena. This could be the effect of ‘The Alien’ being a member of the Spurs, allow me to cite you an example. Frost Bank is certainly from all indications an adequate arena the only drawbacks are it’s age and the fact it’s not downtown. The belief or at least the hope is Wemby will continue to develop his game and the future roster of the Spurs will draw a large contingent of NBA fans from all around the State of Texas. Nothing is set in stone, despite the fact the Thursday vote by the council is a giant step toward beginning the arena project in earnest. This I believe might be the smallest portion of the humongous project the council most likely found a little easier to digest. If you remember the arena was only part of a building plan which included the refurbishing the Alamodome, construction of a minor league ballpark and other retail/commercial additions to be added.

Who is Patrick Ewing

New Yorkers probably hated Patrick Ewing at a point in time. He and his Georgetown Hoyas would arrive in the city to play St. John’s in MSG over his 4 year college career. That hatred turned to love in 1985 with the Knicks having the opportunity to draft Ewing. The Knicks were a pathetic team when Ewing arrived and that would not change immediately. It would take the 1988-89 season under Rick Pitino before the Knicks could turn the corner. Drafting point guard Mark Jackson certainly aided Ewing’s continued development. He arrived in the NBA as a defensive specialist but his offensive game would grow to the point he became a legitimate offensive threat. Ewing ended his NBA career with nearly 25,000 points so the defensive specialist became the Knicks offense.

The statement is made because Ewing had limited offensive help, the Knicks although they tried never had a Robin to his Batman until late in his Knicks career. Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell would arrive providing offensive help needed but it was in the eleventh hour in Ewing’s time with the Knicks. Don’t misunderstand, earlier John Starks and others made their best attempt to aid the offense but much of it fell short, this forced Ewing to be the offense. A wrist injury didn’t end his career but severely impacted it to a point where he was no longer the player of old. Ewing was traded to the Sonics for one season, then finished his NBA career with the Magic. Ewing is enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame, it is almost imperative he is seen in action to provide evidence of his value to the Knicks franchise.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Tuesday, Thursday plus Saturday & Sunday 

I can’t prove anything

Stop me if you’ve heard this story please. Cooper Flagg to the Mavs after the Mavs trade Luka Doncic to the Lakers. To add fuel to the fiery inferno Flagg will eventually be traded to the Lakers. Conspiracy possibly that would prove to be the case there is only one problem. I have no method of verifying the story other than the facts in front of us. Flagg is yet to be drafted although all indications point to the fact that will occur next month, Doncic is currently a member of the Lakers that’s about all I can provide you as proof.

As I wrote on Thursday it is beyond my comprehension why these conspiracy stories continue to circulate. I conducted an unscientific survey at my workplace during a break, I asked 4 co-workers if they believed the NBA Draft was rigged. 3 of the 4 said they believed it to be a fact. Then I tossed them a secondary question, “Did Wilt Chamberlain score 100 points in an NBA game?” 3 said he didn’t while one believed the scoring output actually occurred. As I have mentioned in several instances we are living in a different age. An age that says, “If I didn’t see it live or on video it didn’t occur.” That certainly presents future problems as an example, AI is an ever growing entity.

We see it at work every day in a number of platforms most not connected with basketball or sport. It’s already occurred, I’m unsure if this individual’s intent was meant to be malicious or not. There was a claim to have “uncovered” lost film of Chamberlain’s 100 point game, this was placed on YouTube. The only problem the culprit had the incorrect jersey worn that night, the footage had Chamberlain in a San Francisco Warriors jersey while rather than the Philadelphia jersey worn that evening.

The Bucks are definitely at an intersection 

Dame Lillard will not return to action for the Bucks until he’s almost 36 years of age, coming off an injury he would be considered questionable. Brook Lopez is 37 as this is written and is certainly on the downhill side of his career. Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma are certainly valuable commodities but they definitely are not expected to lead this Bucks team to a championship. Who is left to accomplish the task, yes Giannis Antetokounmpo still remains but after him there is no one capable of leading this team to victory.

So with that said it is time for the Bucks to consider a trade for Antetokounmpo and infuse some youth into this team. If he is traded it must be to a team willing to unload talent to suffice for the loss of the valuable product of such as Antetokounmpo. My Lakers would love to have him but could they package enough pieces along with Dalton Knecht to seal a deal? How about the Spurs, they have ROTY Stephon Castle along with several young players including De’Aaron Fox they could trade to acquire Giannis. The truth of the matter the Spurs have more possibility for a trade without a third party having to be involved than the Lakers. We should pay close attention to the Bucks this summer for some movement even if it fails to involve Antetokounmpo. 

This might not always be the case 

According to reports, AJ Dybansta of BYU has secured a $7 million NIL agreement prior to arriving on campus. No breakdown is provided in this report but it’s supposed to include payment from Nike, Red Bull and other sources. The 6 foot 9 power forward prospect is/was the top high school player in the nation in the Class of 2025. Dybansta is just the latest athlete to benefit from Name, Image and Likeness. 5-4-3-2-1, that is the countdown, we can now allow the debate on NIL to begin and how this change is ruining college sports in general.

It is my firm belief that almost any artificial creation can be repaired or modified and that includes NIL. How did we arrive at this junction is college basketball history? We can look back at college coaches and universities earning millions and the athletes receiving little payment for their prowess on the basketball courts of America. Those athletes who could work were restricted on work hours due to classroom and practices. It would appear I’ve lined up on the side of the athletes, which is not completely the case. Let’s just say the task to “fix” NIL is huge, who is prepared to set guidelines? It certainly cannot be the NCAA, in my view this organization is partially responsible for the mess we are in currently.

Number 77

This is yet to be affirmed however I decided to publish anyway. Cooper Flagg is expected to wear jersey number 77 with the Mavs which is interesting. Flagg is reported to be donning the jersey in honor of his idol Luka Doncic. Doncic wears the number due to his hero Vassilis Spanoulis first wearing it. The substantial majority of NBA fans in the U.S. have little knowledge of Spanoulis so a brief bio is supplied for you. Spanoulis currently serves as head coach of AS Monaco of the French LNB Elite.

Spanoulis was a 6-foot 4 guard, he played extensively in Europe, he played for an abbreviated time with the NBA Rockets but problems over playing time and other issues would see him traded to the Spurs. The Spurs released him in order for him to return to the Greek League to play for Panathinaikos. It appears there were problems between Spanoulis and then Rocket coach Jeff Van Gundy. We cannot look at his brief time in the NBA in order to determine his relationship to the game. It’s clear to all he certainly must have impressed a youthful Luka Doncic with his play. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Tuesday, Thursday plus Saturday & Sunday 

The “fix” is in place 

Many believe the NBA Draft is subject to manipulation. Despite revisions to the lottery system, conspiracy theories persist. The initial draft in 1985 saw multiple changes over the years, yet skepticism remains. This began with the Knicks acquiring Patrick Ewing, a top basketball player, during the first lottery-based draft. The commissioner, David Stern, reportedly drew the Knicks card from a barrel. One theory suggests the Knicks logo card was "frozen" while other cards being at room temperature would feel different. Another theory claims the Knicks card was bent and thus easily identifiable from a touch.

If we fast forward to 2025 similar suspicions have arisen concerning the Mavericks winning the lottery despite low odds (1.8%). Questions remain about recurring conspiracy stories each May. For unexplained reasons we never hear any complaints or conspiracy theory’s surrounding the NFL, WNBA or other drafts. This is my belief, the NBA always marketing would ensure prominent teams like the Knicks, Lakers, Celtics, and Bulls would always be in a position to draft the best. Why is Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio instead of New York or Los Angeles? Below is a YouTube video snippet from the 1985 NBA Draft. For those who support the conspiracy idea, it would indicate the NBA facilitated Cooper Flagg's selection by the Mavericks. Sorry if the headline fooled you into believing I too am a conspiracy theorist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEeXNxfQUc0

Meanwhile….

He was a great draft pick until he wasn’t, the developments were not his fault. The comment reflects my thoughts on Laker Dalton Knecht. Knecht had slid downward in the 2024 draft and the Lakers felt they were extremely fortunate to find him at 17. The Lakers needed a deep spot up shooter and early on he was just that and then changes occurred beyond his control. The first was the surprise acquisition of Luka Doncic, while he’s a point guard Doncic is that…a deep threat. The second move left Knecht bewildered, traded to the Hornets and then returned when the trade fell through. The last move was the Laker pickup of Jordan Goodwin, although not the scoring threat of Knecht he is a better defender. After beginning the season with so much promise in all likelihood this will be Knecht’s first and last season with the Lakers.

Can you imagine this lineup coming out on the floor for the Bucks, Kareem Abdul Jabbar in the post, Oscar Robertson at the point. Julius ‘Dr. J.’ Erving at small forward, as for shooting guard and power forward you could plug almost anyone into that starting lineup. Of course this Bucks lineup never materialized but this is how Dr. J. would be part of the Bucks history. Dr. J. left UMass for the ABA in 1971, this would be several years before the NBA changed its policy allowing underclassman in the draft. Once Bucks management witnessed his play in the ABA decided to draft him although he was obligated to the Virginia Squires. In the 1972 NBA Draft the Bucks made him the 12th pick in the first round. Why he only visited Milwaukee as an opposing player versus becoming one is a complex story, that story will be covered at a later date.

The 2025 draft is good for the NBA, it doesn’t matter whether Cooper Flagg plays in Dallas, Milwaukee or some unknown destination. Flagg will be a goldmine for the NBA provided he makes a successful transition to the NBA game. He can duplicate the accomplishment of Caitlin Clark in her first year, increased attendance around the NBA. Whichever team drafts the youngster they must play him, it will serve no purpose for Flagg, the NBA or it’s fans for him to occupy a seat next to the head coach. Personally, my hope he plays for the Mavs however that is no guarantee but this is my reading. Despite the injuries and no Luka when healthy the Mavs are a good team when all the pieces are healthy and they manage to play effectively and efficiently.

Musical introduction

In my youth I played the piano and trumpet, I never stuck with either instrument. Despite my lack of musical training I’ve always enjoyed listening to all varieties of music. Movies and television soundtracks have sometimes become more important than the production. I can think in some instances the themes have lasted longer than the television program. As for the NBA over the years we’ve heard a number of tunes depending on the network. You might close your eyes and hear the theme music and be aware NBA action is about to begin. Next season the NBA returns to NBC, you should be accustomed to hearing this theme which ran from 1991 to 2002.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pnl1ulaG5k

In an earlier time you heard the themes at the time NBA broadcast were on other networks. The following is the theme and broadcast partner, enjoy.

From CBS network:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOPYxCgCrL0&t=19s

From TNT:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFaWFKAIptA

From ESPN/ABC:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-qpdCcUffs

From USA Network:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Huq7jz7X3k

Fox Sports:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCzxxeYLcb4