A basketball fans perspective

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Surprise, surprise

By the time you read this the Lakers-Rockets will have played Game Two last night of their playoff series. I have no idea of the outcome however the game played on Saturday I do, reading this the Lakers could be up two-zip or the teams could be tied 1-1. Allow me to be honest with you I hoped but didn’t expect a win by my favorite team, no Luka no Austin. I held on to my belief the Lakers would win and they did, 107-98 but it’s how they managed to achieve the win. Could a 41-year old who’s taken a “backseat” to a degree resurrect the 31-year old or younger LeBron James?

That’s exactly what the Lakers accomplished, 61% shooting for the Lakers, as for the Rockets it was 38%. You might remember on Friday I wrote an account titled Stand up, stand out….this was aimed at but one Laker player Deandre Ayton. It is time for Ayton to shine and he did, he executed to the tune of 19 points 11 rebounds. It wasn’t him alone this was a true team effort with LeBron also scoring 19 points but dishing out 13 assists as he managed to set the tone for the game. How do you tell someone to shoot the ball more, that was the case for Luke Kennard and he did it Saturday night. Kennard led the scoring for the Lakers with 27 points and a spectacular 69% shooting from the floor with 100% of it coming from behind the three line. Veteran Marcus Smart is in his first year with the Lakers, he’s one of those guys who’s always played tough defense. He’s exhibited this type of basketball throughout his NBA career.

Although Smart is on the downside of his NBA career at age 32, nevertheless he remains a tough defender and he proved it once again in this game, by the way Smart also managed to toss in 15 points too. Kevin Durant was sidelined with a right knee contusion, would the outcome have been different if he’d played? That question cannot be answered and I am sure Durant if asked would not offer his injury as an excuse. As for this member of Laker Nation it becomes one game at a time, I have no intention to “get in front of my skis.” In closing all I can say I’m surprised at the outcome but not shocked at the outcome of Game One.

DPOY

I cannot imagine any NBA fan who is surprised with the news, Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs was named Defensive Player of the Year. Not only was The Alien named DPOY he was the first in history since its inception in 1983 to be a unanimous choice. He led the NBA for the third year in a row averaging 3.1 blocks per game, there were also 168 deflections and 66 steals plus 597 contested shots. How many times did the intimidation factor occur during the season, an uncounted number? The “fear” factor was not included, I speak of the instances opposing players would drive toward the basket but withdraw due to Wemby’s presence.

Some naysayer might state, “Sure he blocks a great deal of shots….he should because he’s 8 feet tall!” For me there are more factors working in Wemby’s favor over his height, the chief one being desire. A time ago I remember reading Bill Russell’s autobiography, this statement from him that went something like this. “I know I can’t block every shot but it’s the fear having them think I can.” Wemby places that fear factor in the forefront of opposing players minds, he accomplishes this due to desire and effort. He’s extremely tall but his will to succeed towers far above him in the height department. Congratulations Wemby, you might not win Most Valuable Player this season but if a healthy career remains in your future you will eventually win one day.

He was a Brazilian basketball legend

Brazil is the largest nation on the South American continent, it was also the home of Oscar Schmidt. Most in the U.S. at this point are likely unfamiliar with his name.  Schmidt was one of the first international players to burst on the scene to become a world-wide name. As I am writing this my research indicates his nickname was Mao Santa, he passed on April 17 at the age of 68. If we travel back in time we find the 6-foot 9 Schmidt a force on the basketball court in FIBA and Olympic basketball, an outstanding basketball player who never played in the NBA

There were factors involved in his decision that caused him to bypass play in the NBA. This from AI; “Oscar Schmidt did not play in the NBA primarily because he prioritized playing for the Brazilian national team, which was prohibited by FIBA rules at the time for NBA players.” The other issue, its pointed out he was drafted in 1984 in the 6th round by the New Jersey Nets, he felt insulted drafted so late. There is no argument, he could have played successfully in the NBA at the time. Despite this fact he was likely the inspiration for Leandro Barbosa, Tiago Splitter and others to eventually play in the NBA, this Brazilian giant was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2013.

Gone are the days

At the time sports channels first began broadcasting ESPN and its family of channels dominated the airways. Others arrived on the scene but always managed to come up short. Gone are those days, I believe from a documentary standpoint Prime Video has caught ESPN’s 30 for 30 and other programming of that type the network produces. The truth of the matter in several instances they might have exceeded The Worldwide Leader in Sports. Currently there are two documentaries you should be on your list of programs to seek out.

The first one is titled; "Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association." This four-part series includes commentary from former ABA and NBA players plus broadcasters such as Bob Costas and others, they offer insight into the league's history. I can affirm that those interested in the evolution and history of professional basketball will likely appreciate this retrospective examination of the ABA. The second is titled Jerry West: The Logo, this 2-hour look into the life of Laker great Jerry West is worth the time required to view it in its entirety. By the way I receive $0 compensation for endorsing these documentaries….I just happen to believe they are excellent productions.