Basketball from a fans perspective
Good for him
LaMelo Ball of Chino Hills verbally committed to UCLA when he was in the 8th grade. His older brother Lonzo is playing outstanding ball as a freshman at UCLA. Next season another brother LiAngelo is headed to UCLA, LeMelo the youngest is a high school sophomore. Whether all three brothers play for UCLA at the same time is questionable. I‘d mentioned this earlier LaMelo took a half court shot in an earlier game when it was not required. The game wasn‘t in doubt, it was no desperation shot to tie or win the game.
LeMelo just took it and sank it because he wanted to. Evidently the competition must read scouting reports or just saw video from the earlier game. Point guard LeMelo dribbling the ball up court decided to jack up another 3-point shot at the half-court line. The Etiwanda player guarding LeMelo went up just as he took the shot and BLOCKED it. Chino Hills won the game anyway but hopefully the “Hotdog” will stop shooting unnecessary half court shots. I doubt it though; it appears his high school coach has little control over his players.
Limited time
Do you realize the Sixers Joel Emibiid remains on a 30 minute restriction? The Sixer rookies’ length of time on the basketball court is limited to that figure; in addition he doesn’t play back to backs. Despite the mandated time limit on the court Embiid is still averaging nearly 20 points 8 rebounds and 2.3 block shots a game. Monday he led the Sixers to victory scoring 22 points along with 12 rebounds and 5 blocked shots in a 112-104 win over the Bucks. He did all this in 28 minutes of action, I continue to marvel at his stellar play and hope we see even more.
Confusing
The transfer of Bol Bol from Bishop Miege is certainly strange, these events took several weeks and months but I’m condensing them for purposes of this account. Bol a local talent with a national presence decided to leave Bishop Miege in suburban Kansas City, this occurred in early November not at the semester. His high school coach contacted by local media first indicated he had no idea Bol had transferred. Later the former coach would confirm the son of former NBA player Manute had indeed left school. We later discovered Bol enrolled at Mater Dei in Santa Ana (CA).
News report confirmed Bol’s presence but that’s when things got even stranger. His former coach claimed Bol left Miege “with all F’s.” In earlier January the coach made this statement; “I hereby retract my statement communicated to you by email on are about January 4, 2017 that Bol left Bishop Miege with all F’s.” At this point that’s all the news I can report. I don’t wish to read a great deal into this with the following exception. I believe the information regarding grades is not intended for the public domain. This coach could be sued for his actions.
Surprise
The AP placed Villanova at the top spot which was surprising I figured Kansas would move into the number one position. As for the USA Coaches poll they moved Kansas into the top spot. In any event both polls reflect the same conferences with one exception. There are 3 Big 12 schools, 2 ACC, and 1 each for the Mo Valley, SEC, Pac 12, Big East and West Coast Conference.
I didn’t look at placement except at the top and to locate teams omitted or added to each poll. The USA Today Coaches poll includes Oregon but leaves out Florida State. However the question remains am I mistaken, do the polls reflect the Big 12 is a stronger basketball conference than I’ve voiced in the past, after all they placed three teams in both polls?
Monday, January 16, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
‘Were number one, were number one’
College fans football and basketball have been yelling “Were number one’ for eons, as for this weeks Top 25 consider these tidbits of information. Kansas is 15-1 with an RPI of 4 and strength of schedule 21. Gonzaga at 16-0 has a 13 RPI and 77 strength of schedule. Number one Baylor was a loser at West Virginia (16-1) but has a RPI of one (1), who becomes the top team?
It’s not confusing
Despite what many of us believe the affiliation difference between colleges most often has nothing to do with student enrollment. The athletic department with administration approval determines the level of play. The University of Missouri Kansas City once it decided to revive its basketball program the school competed at the NAIA level and then moved up to Division I.
Kentucky State once an NAIA school now competes as a Division II program. As an example Notre Dame University has always been a Division I program, undergraduate enrollment is 8,462. Its cross town neighbor Indiana University at South Bend is an NAIA school but has almost the same number of students (8,073) as Notre Dame. The University of Central Missouri competes at the Division II level and has a student enrollment of 14,000. These are just a few examples to point out student enrollment rarely has anything to do with the competition level of a school.
Is he NBA ready?
One of the starting guards for George Washington University is from Kagawa Japan located about 700 miles south-southwest of Tokyo. Yuta Watanabe is a junior year at GWU and is the teams’ second leading scorer at 12.4 ppg. Standing 6-9 and a slim 196 pounds he is taller than the average shooting guard.
Watanabe’s demonstrated athletic skill on the court, whether this earns a spot in the NBA is yet to be determined. Keep an eye out for him in the 2018 NBA Draft. It should be of note if he makes an NBA roster he won’t be the first Japanese player he would actually be number three. The first Wataru Misaka who broke into the NBA way back in 1947 and many years later Yuta Tabuse played for the Suns during the 2004-05 season.
Bits n Pieces
You might remember awhile back I listed several movies with basketball as the theme. I don’t believe I listed the 1977 film ‘One on One’ which starred Robby Benson and Annette O‘Toole. It’s not been on cable for quite awhile now, just in case you decide to purchase it I won’t give the storyline away. It was a low-budget film but the basketball scenes were good and the acting as well. I also failed to mention the 2005 movie ‘Coach Carter’ which had Samuel L. Jackson as Carter. Even better this was a true story based on a series of events in 1999 at Richmond High School (CA). Basketball action was good however the story it told is even better.
A number of folks complain about the college game. They moan about the one and done athlete and no more super teams. The world has turned over several times since 1960 as example. We can face-time on our cell phones once the realm of science fiction. Speaking of our phones it’s been stated we have more computer power in our hands than was available to the Apollo astronauts of the 1960‘s. There will be no more 30-0 college teams or any undefeated teams’ period. Fundamentally today’s college players are more talented than their grandfathers
Tacko Fall of UCF finished the game against Houston scoring a mere 11 points. In 29 minutes of action Fall only touched the ball four times leading to the point total he registered. I’d mentioned this previously the 7-6 290 pound Fall’s skill is limited but if he fails to handle the basketball how can his game be expected to improve? I’ll repeat my earlier assessment Coach Dawkins must figure out a method to get the ball to Fall otherwise the growth of his game will be severely impacted.
‘Were number one, were number one’
College fans football and basketball have been yelling “Were number one’ for eons, as for this weeks Top 25 consider these tidbits of information. Kansas is 15-1 with an RPI of 4 and strength of schedule 21. Gonzaga at 16-0 has a 13 RPI and 77 strength of schedule. Number one Baylor was a loser at West Virginia (16-1) but has a RPI of one (1), who becomes the top team?
It’s not confusing
Despite what many of us believe the affiliation difference between colleges most often has nothing to do with student enrollment. The athletic department with administration approval determines the level of play. The University of Missouri Kansas City once it decided to revive its basketball program the school competed at the NAIA level and then moved up to Division I.
Kentucky State once an NAIA school now competes as a Division II program. As an example Notre Dame University has always been a Division I program, undergraduate enrollment is 8,462. Its cross town neighbor Indiana University at South Bend is an NAIA school but has almost the same number of students (8,073) as Notre Dame. The University of Central Missouri competes at the Division II level and has a student enrollment of 14,000. These are just a few examples to point out student enrollment rarely has anything to do with the competition level of a school.
Is he NBA ready?
One of the starting guards for George Washington University is from Kagawa Japan located about 700 miles south-southwest of Tokyo. Yuta Watanabe is a junior year at GWU and is the teams’ second leading scorer at 12.4 ppg. Standing 6-9 and a slim 196 pounds he is taller than the average shooting guard.
Watanabe’s demonstrated athletic skill on the court, whether this earns a spot in the NBA is yet to be determined. Keep an eye out for him in the 2018 NBA Draft. It should be of note if he makes an NBA roster he won’t be the first Japanese player he would actually be number three. The first Wataru Misaka who broke into the NBA way back in 1947 and many years later Yuta Tabuse played for the Suns during the 2004-05 season.
Bits n Pieces
You might remember awhile back I listed several movies with basketball as the theme. I don’t believe I listed the 1977 film ‘One on One’ which starred Robby Benson and Annette O‘Toole. It’s not been on cable for quite awhile now, just in case you decide to purchase it I won’t give the storyline away. It was a low-budget film but the basketball scenes were good and the acting as well. I also failed to mention the 2005 movie ‘Coach Carter’ which had Samuel L. Jackson as Carter. Even better this was a true story based on a series of events in 1999 at Richmond High School (CA). Basketball action was good however the story it told is even better.
A number of folks complain about the college game. They moan about the one and done athlete and no more super teams. The world has turned over several times since 1960 as example. We can face-time on our cell phones once the realm of science fiction. Speaking of our phones it’s been stated we have more computer power in our hands than was available to the Apollo astronauts of the 1960‘s. There will be no more 30-0 college teams or any undefeated teams’ period. Fundamentally today’s college players are more talented than their grandfathers
Tacko Fall of UCF finished the game against Houston scoring a mere 11 points. In 29 minutes of action Fall only touched the ball four times leading to the point total he registered. I’d mentioned this previously the 7-6 290 pound Fall’s skill is limited but if he fails to handle the basketball how can his game be expected to improve? I’ll repeat my earlier assessment Coach Dawkins must figure out a method to get the ball to Fall otherwise the growth of his game will be severely impacted.
Sunday, January 15, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
Big Man’s Kryptonite
Fans of Superman Man of Steel are already aware; kryptonite was the only method to defeat him. The free-throw line is not made of the fictional radioactive material but it might as well be. A significant number of NBA Big Men have exhibited poor accuracy from the line dating back to the days of Wilt Chamberlain. ‘Free throws I make ‘em when we need ‘em’ was the word from Shaquille O’Neal. That’s not exactly the way I remember history in fact ’Hack-a-Shaq’ came into use during this time. How enduring was it for Shaq, the term endures to this day long after he's retired.
We hear it all the time when a team has a poor free-throw shooter on the court. Clipper center DeAndre Jordan is a terror on the basketball court except the free-throw line. Jordan certainly has company the Pistons Andre Drummond. The Piston Big Man is shooting nearly 45% this season which is an all-time high; his career number from the line is 39%. Joel Embiid says; “Thanks but no thanks; I don’t want any part of this team.” The Sixer rookie is shooting nearly 80% from the line which might be the highest number for any current NBA Big Man.
Face the facts
Mizzou fans lets face facts it is slim pickings for college coaches for the most part. I realize without naming names there are likely more than a dozen assistants desiring to become head coach somewhere. The problem for them Mizzou is in no position to take a flyer on an unproven assistant no matter how badly he might want the job. It’s time to hire an unemployed coach such as Seth Greenberg, Steve Lavin or Larry Brown. The coach Mizzou requires is not going to leave an established program and head to Columbia (MO) unless he’s paid $$$$. Let’s go back to Greenberg a moment; he was fired at Virginia Tech after a 16-17 record. His teams made the NCAA or NIT six of the eight years he coached at the school. Steve Lavin ex-UCLA, ex-St. John’s can coach, his overall winning percentage is .633. One losing season at UCLA and the school decides to terminate him.
Check Lavin’s ability to recruit good players based on his winning teams and the number he’s sent into the NBA. Larry Brown is available and we know his track record, the only coach to win an NCAA and NBA Championship. Okay I realize he’s 76-years old but who could be a better teacher of the game than Brown? Brown would be required to bring in an assistant who would take over for him once the Mizzou program is back on the tracks. Brown’s talking about wanting a job as a high school coach I’m sure he’d leap at the opportunity to coach at the collegiate level. Brown took over a team that finished 13-19 and they finished 15-17 in his first year and then it was 27, 27 and 25 wins. This years SMU team is 14-4 (as this is written) with athletes Brown and staff recruited. A number of unemployed coaches remain however I believe these are the best of the best.
Global Games
Devin Booker led the way as the Suns beat the Spurs 108-105 in Mexico City on Saturday evening; the game was played with 20,532 in attendance. The Suns managed to avenge their Thursday loss to the Mavs, that game saw 19,874 streamed into Mexico City Arena. The total of 40,406 attending the two games is certainly noteworthy.
Celebrity fans and owners
For the most part celebrity fans of NBA teams are located in New York or Los Angeles. In New York specifically the Nets former minority owner Jay-Z and his wife Beyonce are often seated court side. Also former president Bill Clinton, Rihanna and David Beckham have been in attendance. Across town the Knicks have Spike Lee, Katie Holmes, Woody Allen and Chris Rock to name just a few. In Los Angeles often spotted at Laker games is Jack, Denzel Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio and Salma Hayek and others.
The Clippers have Billy Crystal, Penny Marshall and Floyd Mayweather Jr. several celebrities have allegiance due to ties to the area. Jimmy Buffett with the Heat, President Obama for the Bulls, Donnie Wahlberg with the Celtics and Tiger Woods living near Orlando (Magic). Drake has adopted his home town Toronto Raptors and has become an official ambassador. A smaller number of celebrities are part-owners of NBA teams. Will and Jada Pinkett Smith are minority owners of the Sixers Will’s childhood home. Usher became a partial owner about the time Dan Gilbert purchased the Cavs; in Memphis Justin Timberlake is a Grizzlies part owner.
Question, is the school or the player?
NBA fans the majority of talent in the NBA comes from just a few schools. Don’t misunderstand my statement a Damien Lillard (Weber State) or Gordon Hayward (Butler) can become stars too. It just seems the majority of NBA talent arrives in the league from Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina, Duke and UCLA. Have those schools and a few omitted cornered the market on basketball talent?
I believe there are two keys to those aforementioned schools attracting talent. A number of youngsters believe heading for one of those schools says it’s an NBA pipeline. Others have been winners throughout their middle and high school years, they love winning. They chose a school not only with a winning record but a history of winning. I don’t have a conclusion just a bunch of random thoughts, what do you think?
Big Man’s Kryptonite
Fans of Superman Man of Steel are already aware; kryptonite was the only method to defeat him. The free-throw line is not made of the fictional radioactive material but it might as well be. A significant number of NBA Big Men have exhibited poor accuracy from the line dating back to the days of Wilt Chamberlain. ‘Free throws I make ‘em when we need ‘em’ was the word from Shaquille O’Neal. That’s not exactly the way I remember history in fact ’Hack-a-Shaq’ came into use during this time. How enduring was it for Shaq, the term endures to this day long after he's retired.
We hear it all the time when a team has a poor free-throw shooter on the court. Clipper center DeAndre Jordan is a terror on the basketball court except the free-throw line. Jordan certainly has company the Pistons Andre Drummond. The Piston Big Man is shooting nearly 45% this season which is an all-time high; his career number from the line is 39%. Joel Embiid says; “Thanks but no thanks; I don’t want any part of this team.” The Sixer rookie is shooting nearly 80% from the line which might be the highest number for any current NBA Big Man.
Face the facts
Mizzou fans lets face facts it is slim pickings for college coaches for the most part. I realize without naming names there are likely more than a dozen assistants desiring to become head coach somewhere. The problem for them Mizzou is in no position to take a flyer on an unproven assistant no matter how badly he might want the job. It’s time to hire an unemployed coach such as Seth Greenberg, Steve Lavin or Larry Brown. The coach Mizzou requires is not going to leave an established program and head to Columbia (MO) unless he’s paid $$$$. Let’s go back to Greenberg a moment; he was fired at Virginia Tech after a 16-17 record. His teams made the NCAA or NIT six of the eight years he coached at the school. Steve Lavin ex-UCLA, ex-St. John’s can coach, his overall winning percentage is .633. One losing season at UCLA and the school decides to terminate him.
Check Lavin’s ability to recruit good players based on his winning teams and the number he’s sent into the NBA. Larry Brown is available and we know his track record, the only coach to win an NCAA and NBA Championship. Okay I realize he’s 76-years old but who could be a better teacher of the game than Brown? Brown would be required to bring in an assistant who would take over for him once the Mizzou program is back on the tracks. Brown’s talking about wanting a job as a high school coach I’m sure he’d leap at the opportunity to coach at the collegiate level. Brown took over a team that finished 13-19 and they finished 15-17 in his first year and then it was 27, 27 and 25 wins. This years SMU team is 14-4 (as this is written) with athletes Brown and staff recruited. A number of unemployed coaches remain however I believe these are the best of the best.
Global Games
Devin Booker led the way as the Suns beat the Spurs 108-105 in Mexico City on Saturday evening; the game was played with 20,532 in attendance. The Suns managed to avenge their Thursday loss to the Mavs, that game saw 19,874 streamed into Mexico City Arena. The total of 40,406 attending the two games is certainly noteworthy.
Celebrity fans and owners
For the most part celebrity fans of NBA teams are located in New York or Los Angeles. In New York specifically the Nets former minority owner Jay-Z and his wife Beyonce are often seated court side. Also former president Bill Clinton, Rihanna and David Beckham have been in attendance. Across town the Knicks have Spike Lee, Katie Holmes, Woody Allen and Chris Rock to name just a few. In Los Angeles often spotted at Laker games is Jack, Denzel Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio and Salma Hayek and others.
The Clippers have Billy Crystal, Penny Marshall and Floyd Mayweather Jr. several celebrities have allegiance due to ties to the area. Jimmy Buffett with the Heat, President Obama for the Bulls, Donnie Wahlberg with the Celtics and Tiger Woods living near Orlando (Magic). Drake has adopted his home town Toronto Raptors and has become an official ambassador. A smaller number of celebrities are part-owners of NBA teams. Will and Jada Pinkett Smith are minority owners of the Sixers Will’s childhood home. Usher became a partial owner about the time Dan Gilbert purchased the Cavs; in Memphis Justin Timberlake is a Grizzlies part owner.
Question, is the school or the player?
NBA fans the majority of talent in the NBA comes from just a few schools. Don’t misunderstand my statement a Damien Lillard (Weber State) or Gordon Hayward (Butler) can become stars too. It just seems the majority of NBA talent arrives in the league from Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina, Duke and UCLA. Have those schools and a few omitted cornered the market on basketball talent?
I believe there are two keys to those aforementioned schools attracting talent. A number of youngsters believe heading for one of those schools says it’s an NBA pipeline. Others have been winners throughout their middle and high school years, they love winning. They chose a school not only with a winning record but a history of winning. I don’t have a conclusion just a bunch of random thoughts, what do you think?
Saturday, January 14, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
Lilliputian backcourt
I tuned into the Central Michigan-Toledo game for a specific reason I wanted to see the nations leading scorer (29.3) Marcus Keene in action. I learned Central Michigan might have the smallest backcourt in the country. Playing along side Keene is Braylon Rayson also 5 foot 9, Rayson is the second leading scorer on the team at 18.7 points per game. It's likely most prep backcourts average greater height than this Division I team. Keene turned his left ankle during a portion of the first half and left the game headed for the locker room. He returned in the second half didn’t shoot very well but managed to total 20 points. His backcourt partner Rayson picked up the slack with 28 points as Central Michigan won 96-88.
‘I’m looking north and he’s looking south’
If expansion ever comes to the NBA I have lobbied for Montreal or a Vancouver return. I offer no proof but believe basketball is right behind the NHL in the minds of younger Canadians. Despite my view someone who’s got NBA clout is thinking south, i.e. Mexico City. Cuban’s Mavs played the on Thursday beating them Suns 113-103 in the Mexico City Arena.
The arena built in 2012 has all the amenities and can accommodate 22,300. Unlike Europe or Asia Mexico is in the same time zone as North American cities. Cuban said; ‘The only problem is distant travel.’ Air miles from Mexico City to Southwest NBA cities San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and New Orleans is less than 1,000 miles one-way. The distance issue Cuban speaks of would be flight time for east (NYC, Boston and Philly) and west (Los Angeles, San Francisco) coast teams.
Kansas basketball
A number of Jayhawks who demonstrated talent while at Kansas never panned out in the NBA Ben McClemore and Darrell Arthur come to mind. There might be others however there are two genuine stars and one about to be anointed. Paul Pierce is probably lining up his speakers for his Hall of Fame induction. As for the others they are named Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid. Wiggins in his third year has clearly proven he’s a star. 2015 Rookie of the Year, his scoring average has climbed every year he’s been in the NBA.
I want to wait at least through the season however it appears Embiid has stardom implanted on his forehead too. Before Kansas fans begin yelling at me about who was omitted at the beginning I attempted to qualify by stating STAR. Currently the number of players from Kansas totals 15, the majority fall into the role of reserves. Kelly Oubre Jr., might have the right stuff however for now he’s in the observation stage. The Morris twins are steady players but to borrow from Kenny ’The Jet’ Smith; ‘Does the player command a double team?’
‘I don’t want to make a mistake’
Anthony Bennett made a mistake, it wasn’t his entire fault the Cavs made a mistake too. Allow a brief explanation Bennett was a McDonald’s All American an athlete many believed was headed for a stellar NBA career. He enrolled at UNLV but we thought it only a temporary stop, he announced his intention to submit his name for the 2013 NBA Draft. The 2013 mock of NBADraft.net listed Bennett as the potential number 10 pick in the first round. To the surprise maybe shock of everyone the Cavs with the number one pick chose Bennett.
Bennett would last with the Cavs through 2014; in 2015 he was included in a trade package and headed to the Wolves. In 2015 the Wolves waived him and he moved to Toronto and Brooklyn before he was waived out of the NBA. This month Bennett signed with a team in Turkey and we shall see how this turns out. Bennett is a talented athlete but not enough to play at the NBA level. At the time Isiah Thomas was running the Raptors his team drafted Tracy McGrady. When questioned he said (I paraphrase) ‘I don’t want to make a mistake by passing over him.’ We know McGrady turned out to be a talent as for Bennett that is another story.
Lilliputian backcourt
I tuned into the Central Michigan-Toledo game for a specific reason I wanted to see the nations leading scorer (29.3) Marcus Keene in action. I learned Central Michigan might have the smallest backcourt in the country. Playing along side Keene is Braylon Rayson also 5 foot 9, Rayson is the second leading scorer on the team at 18.7 points per game. It's likely most prep backcourts average greater height than this Division I team. Keene turned his left ankle during a portion of the first half and left the game headed for the locker room. He returned in the second half didn’t shoot very well but managed to total 20 points. His backcourt partner Rayson picked up the slack with 28 points as Central Michigan won 96-88.
‘I’m looking north and he’s looking south’
If expansion ever comes to the NBA I have lobbied for Montreal or a Vancouver return. I offer no proof but believe basketball is right behind the NHL in the minds of younger Canadians. Despite my view someone who’s got NBA clout is thinking south, i.e. Mexico City. Cuban’s Mavs played the on Thursday beating them Suns 113-103 in the Mexico City Arena.
The arena built in 2012 has all the amenities and can accommodate 22,300. Unlike Europe or Asia Mexico is in the same time zone as North American cities. Cuban said; ‘The only problem is distant travel.’ Air miles from Mexico City to Southwest NBA cities San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and New Orleans is less than 1,000 miles one-way. The distance issue Cuban speaks of would be flight time for east (NYC, Boston and Philly) and west (Los Angeles, San Francisco) coast teams.
Kansas basketball
A number of Jayhawks who demonstrated talent while at Kansas never panned out in the NBA Ben McClemore and Darrell Arthur come to mind. There might be others however there are two genuine stars and one about to be anointed. Paul Pierce is probably lining up his speakers for his Hall of Fame induction. As for the others they are named Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid. Wiggins in his third year has clearly proven he’s a star. 2015 Rookie of the Year, his scoring average has climbed every year he’s been in the NBA.
I want to wait at least through the season however it appears Embiid has stardom implanted on his forehead too. Before Kansas fans begin yelling at me about who was omitted at the beginning I attempted to qualify by stating STAR. Currently the number of players from Kansas totals 15, the majority fall into the role of reserves. Kelly Oubre Jr., might have the right stuff however for now he’s in the observation stage. The Morris twins are steady players but to borrow from Kenny ’The Jet’ Smith; ‘Does the player command a double team?’
‘I don’t want to make a mistake’
Anthony Bennett made a mistake, it wasn’t his entire fault the Cavs made a mistake too. Allow a brief explanation Bennett was a McDonald’s All American an athlete many believed was headed for a stellar NBA career. He enrolled at UNLV but we thought it only a temporary stop, he announced his intention to submit his name for the 2013 NBA Draft. The 2013 mock of NBADraft.net listed Bennett as the potential number 10 pick in the first round. To the surprise maybe shock of everyone the Cavs with the number one pick chose Bennett.
Bennett would last with the Cavs through 2014; in 2015 he was included in a trade package and headed to the Wolves. In 2015 the Wolves waived him and he moved to Toronto and Brooklyn before he was waived out of the NBA. This month Bennett signed with a team in Turkey and we shall see how this turns out. Bennett is a talented athlete but not enough to play at the NBA level. At the time Isiah Thomas was running the Raptors his team drafted Tracy McGrady. When questioned he said (I paraphrase) ‘I don’t want to make a mistake by passing over him.’ We know McGrady turned out to be a talent as for Bennett that is another story.
Friday, January 13, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
NBA Global Games
The Pacers are playing the Nuggets in London England as this is written. Tonight the Mavs and Suns will face off in Mexico City. On Saturday the Suns will play the Spurs in Mexico City. The London game was played before 18,689 quiet souls in the O2 Arena. I didn’t realize the early start time and maybe the large lead by the Nuggets might have some impact on the crowds’ enthusiasm. The Nuggets won the game 140-112 playing mostly reserves in the second half of the game. In the nightcap the Mavs beat the Suns 113-108 before 19,874.
Private versus Public
We have an issue on the Kansas side of the metro which likely exists in other portions of the nation. Bishop Miege a private school has risen to a point of domination in its sports programs, from all indication there’s no evidence of improprieties. The issue of private versus public was brought to light by a former student of Basehor-Linwood. The young lady indicates Miege a private school can ‘recruit’ throughout the metro while public schools are limited by district boundaries. Nothing wrong yet that view is likely correct wherever you might be located. Miege ‘recruited’ two basketball brothers from the Kansas City (MO) side of the metro. Both would go on to play at the Division I level.
Her research proves in this classification (700 enrollment) private schools have won an overwhelming majority of sports events. I have no reason to doubt her research I question the validity of it. Just to state to the television reporter ‘People are getting tired of this’ is certainly not enough evidence proving a change is required. Did I mention she graduated from Basehor-Linwood and Miege are in the same enrollment classification? Should we consider the 52-0 score registered by Miege in a football playoff game against Basehor-Linwood might have something to do with the issue? Despite the concern she expressed; ‘The Kansas State High School Association indicates they will explore changes’ but didn’t offer much beyond that.
The father or the son?
We’ve seen a number of father-son combos in the NBA; you ask who’s had the more successful pro career? It depends as an example Andrew Wiggin’s dad Mitchell had an NBA career but most of his pro years were spent in Europe. His son Andrew in his third year is light years ahead of his dad already. Back in the day Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant played for the Sixers alongside Dr. J. and others of that era most of his pro career was spent overseas too. His son Kobe is headed to the Hall of Fame as soon as he’s eligible. In the early days of the NBA the late Dolph Schayes played for the Syracuse Nats who would later move to Philadelphia and change names becoming the 76ers.
Schayes was elected to the Naismith and College Hall of Fame. Danny Schayes played 18 years in the NBA for seven teams, the 6-11 he retired with a 7.7 ppg and 5.0 rebounds. The late Ernie Vandeweghe had a seven year NBA career playing for the Knicks in the late ‘40’s retiring in 1956 for son Kiki it was a far different story. Kiki retired as a player in 1993 a nearly 20 ppg scoring average. All sons of Rick Barry excepting the youngest had NBA careers. None compare to their dad who is in the Naismith and College Hall of Fame. There are other father-son combos the names mentioned are just a few.
Fear the Deer
The Bucks made plenty of noise last June with their draft choice. The team made Thon Maker the 10th pick in the first round but it’s the ‘other’ rookie who is playing more minutes. This is no declaration of a mistake the 7-1 Maker clearly has talent the leap from high school to the NBA is a ‘Grand Canyon.’ Malcolm Brogdon was drafted in the 2nd round and an injury has allowed the 6-5 guard to move up in the rotation. It’s unlikely he receives any votes for ROY however this former University of Virginia Cavalier has demonstrated he can play at this level. From a financial standpoint a 1st round choice earns more however it’s not always a talent issue. Ask the Lakers Jordan Clarkson also a second round choice.
NBA Global Games
The Pacers are playing the Nuggets in London England as this is written. Tonight the Mavs and Suns will face off in Mexico City. On Saturday the Suns will play the Spurs in Mexico City. The London game was played before 18,689 quiet souls in the O2 Arena. I didn’t realize the early start time and maybe the large lead by the Nuggets might have some impact on the crowds’ enthusiasm. The Nuggets won the game 140-112 playing mostly reserves in the second half of the game. In the nightcap the Mavs beat the Suns 113-108 before 19,874.
Private versus Public
We have an issue on the Kansas side of the metro which likely exists in other portions of the nation. Bishop Miege a private school has risen to a point of domination in its sports programs, from all indication there’s no evidence of improprieties. The issue of private versus public was brought to light by a former student of Basehor-Linwood. The young lady indicates Miege a private school can ‘recruit’ throughout the metro while public schools are limited by district boundaries. Nothing wrong yet that view is likely correct wherever you might be located. Miege ‘recruited’ two basketball brothers from the Kansas City (MO) side of the metro. Both would go on to play at the Division I level.
Her research proves in this classification (700 enrollment) private schools have won an overwhelming majority of sports events. I have no reason to doubt her research I question the validity of it. Just to state to the television reporter ‘People are getting tired of this’ is certainly not enough evidence proving a change is required. Did I mention she graduated from Basehor-Linwood and Miege are in the same enrollment classification? Should we consider the 52-0 score registered by Miege in a football playoff game against Basehor-Linwood might have something to do with the issue? Despite the concern she expressed; ‘The Kansas State High School Association indicates they will explore changes’ but didn’t offer much beyond that.
The father or the son?
We’ve seen a number of father-son combos in the NBA; you ask who’s had the more successful pro career? It depends as an example Andrew Wiggin’s dad Mitchell had an NBA career but most of his pro years were spent in Europe. His son Andrew in his third year is light years ahead of his dad already. Back in the day Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant played for the Sixers alongside Dr. J. and others of that era most of his pro career was spent overseas too. His son Kobe is headed to the Hall of Fame as soon as he’s eligible. In the early days of the NBA the late Dolph Schayes played for the Syracuse Nats who would later move to Philadelphia and change names becoming the 76ers.
Schayes was elected to the Naismith and College Hall of Fame. Danny Schayes played 18 years in the NBA for seven teams, the 6-11 he retired with a 7.7 ppg and 5.0 rebounds. The late Ernie Vandeweghe had a seven year NBA career playing for the Knicks in the late ‘40’s retiring in 1956 for son Kiki it was a far different story. Kiki retired as a player in 1993 a nearly 20 ppg scoring average. All sons of Rick Barry excepting the youngest had NBA careers. None compare to their dad who is in the Naismith and College Hall of Fame. There are other father-son combos the names mentioned are just a few.
Fear the Deer
The Bucks made plenty of noise last June with their draft choice. The team made Thon Maker the 10th pick in the first round but it’s the ‘other’ rookie who is playing more minutes. This is no declaration of a mistake the 7-1 Maker clearly has talent the leap from high school to the NBA is a ‘Grand Canyon.’ Malcolm Brogdon was drafted in the 2nd round and an injury has allowed the 6-5 guard to move up in the rotation. It’s unlikely he receives any votes for ROY however this former University of Virginia Cavalier has demonstrated he can play at this level. From a financial standpoint a 1st round choice earns more however it’s not always a talent issue. Ask the Lakers Jordan Clarkson also a second round choice.
Thursday, January 12, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
Bits n Pieces
Mizzou basketball was never on the level of UCLA, North Carolina or Kansas at the same time in recent memory it’s never been this terrible. Seven losses in a row and no hope for a win in sight, I had to smile briefly while viewing the Auburn-Mizzou game. The play by play announcer or the analyst I’m unsure which one made the statement. He said; ‘Mizzou looks as if they are improving.’ I’m unsure what alternate universe he was in however it wasn’t the one I’m in. I’ve stated over and over an incoming coach must be allowed time to establish his program. Kim Anderson is now in his third year and his team should begin exhibiting signs of improvement.
Is it AAU play, prep basketball, diet or something else. If you check the 2017 DraftExpress.com mock site 9 of the first 10 names listed are freshman. These youngsters have a desire to play in the NBA and in most cases they are ready to play at this level. Despite the injury that delayed his play till this season Joel Embiid will likely be named Rookie of the Year. After a slow start 2016 second pick Brandon Ingram is slowly improving. If we look back to 2007 only three Rookie of the Years (Blake Griffin, Damian Lillard and Michael Carter-Williams) had more than two years of collegiate play.
I read this headline; ‘Ever find yourself yelling at college athletes? Do you realize they are just teenagers?’ If you are doing the screaming due to criminal activity that’s understandable however screaming might be an extreme. If the yelling is done because of poor or inconsistent play keep in mind they are teens or just a few years beyond their teens. They will not act and react in the manner of a mature adult, quit yelling and screaming at the television set they can’t hear you. You might have done the same thing when you were 17, 18 or 19.
Sometimes your thinking about commenting on a subject and someone says almost exactly what you intended to say. That was the case while reading a report on the Sixers Ben Simmons, an email read; ‘Ben Simmons is a Lamar Odom with a little more upside.’ I can see that, both are 6-10, both are excellent passers for their height. Simmons is yet to demonstrate his shooting skill in the NBA so we’ll skip that for now. He’s back on the court now working out which is a good thing. No timetable’s been set for a return but we guess it will be this season.
What are they doing?
A number of NBA front-offices appear to be dysfunctional. I’ve complained about Jim Buss and the Lakers also mentioned the Kings management. A number of teams have yet to win an NBA Championship but are competitive, the Raptors come to mind. How about the Atlanta Hawks, they allowed DeMarre Carroll to leave via free-agency, they traded Kyle Korver and Paul Millsap’s status is tenuous as this is written.
NOTE: The Hawks now claim they have changed their mind and Milsap will not be traded. The Hawks change ownership but seem to be stuck in a middle of the road mentality. They are never really bad they even make the playoffs some years. On the other hand they never field a team anyone believes is capable of winning an NBA Championship. You ask the question what’s wrong with this picture.
Nicknames
‘You cannot give yourself a nickname’ so is the word I adopted from Neil a former
co-worker and friend. Sometimes the nickname is clear other times it might cause you to scratch your head. This example comes from the NFL, former Bears great Gayle Sayers was nicknamed; ‘The Kansas Comet’ for his speed. Sayers was born in Wichita but grew up in Omaha, his exploits on the football field at Kansas University led to the nickname. I Googled ‘Boogie Cousins’ and up popped the name DeMarcus Cousins center for the Kings. The search engine easily located ‘Boogie’ and linked it with Cousins. As for the term boogie refers to ‘A style of blues played on the piano‘ how it became a nickname for Cousins is unknown.
‘The Greek Freak’ is the nickname for Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks, we are unsure who belongs to ‘Superman’, Shaquille O’Neal arrived in the NBA with the nickname and later Dwight Howard claimed it. Anthony Davis was dubbed ‘Unibrow’ due to his eyebrows. Other names are easy ‘Melo’ for Carmelo Anthony or CP-3 for Chris Paul. Others such as J-Smoove for Josh Smith cause you to try and figure out why and where it originated. Dwayne Wade must have been tagged ‘Flash’ for his speedy dashes down the court. And we have at least one that is hated; Kevin Durant never embraced ‘Durantula’. Finally we have King James which is LeBron James, personally I’ve never liked the nickname because I believed he anointed himself.
Bits n Pieces
Mizzou basketball was never on the level of UCLA, North Carolina or Kansas at the same time in recent memory it’s never been this terrible. Seven losses in a row and no hope for a win in sight, I had to smile briefly while viewing the Auburn-Mizzou game. The play by play announcer or the analyst I’m unsure which one made the statement. He said; ‘Mizzou looks as if they are improving.’ I’m unsure what alternate universe he was in however it wasn’t the one I’m in. I’ve stated over and over an incoming coach must be allowed time to establish his program. Kim Anderson is now in his third year and his team should begin exhibiting signs of improvement.
Is it AAU play, prep basketball, diet or something else. If you check the 2017 DraftExpress.com mock site 9 of the first 10 names listed are freshman. These youngsters have a desire to play in the NBA and in most cases they are ready to play at this level. Despite the injury that delayed his play till this season Joel Embiid will likely be named Rookie of the Year. After a slow start 2016 second pick Brandon Ingram is slowly improving. If we look back to 2007 only three Rookie of the Years (Blake Griffin, Damian Lillard and Michael Carter-Williams) had more than two years of collegiate play.
I read this headline; ‘Ever find yourself yelling at college athletes? Do you realize they are just teenagers?’ If you are doing the screaming due to criminal activity that’s understandable however screaming might be an extreme. If the yelling is done because of poor or inconsistent play keep in mind they are teens or just a few years beyond their teens. They will not act and react in the manner of a mature adult, quit yelling and screaming at the television set they can’t hear you. You might have done the same thing when you were 17, 18 or 19.
Sometimes your thinking about commenting on a subject and someone says almost exactly what you intended to say. That was the case while reading a report on the Sixers Ben Simmons, an email read; ‘Ben Simmons is a Lamar Odom with a little more upside.’ I can see that, both are 6-10, both are excellent passers for their height. Simmons is yet to demonstrate his shooting skill in the NBA so we’ll skip that for now. He’s back on the court now working out which is a good thing. No timetable’s been set for a return but we guess it will be this season.
What are they doing?
A number of NBA front-offices appear to be dysfunctional. I’ve complained about Jim Buss and the Lakers also mentioned the Kings management. A number of teams have yet to win an NBA Championship but are competitive, the Raptors come to mind. How about the Atlanta Hawks, they allowed DeMarre Carroll to leave via free-agency, they traded Kyle Korver and Paul Millsap’s status is tenuous as this is written.
NOTE: The Hawks now claim they have changed their mind and Milsap will not be traded. The Hawks change ownership but seem to be stuck in a middle of the road mentality. They are never really bad they even make the playoffs some years. On the other hand they never field a team anyone believes is capable of winning an NBA Championship. You ask the question what’s wrong with this picture.
Nicknames
‘You cannot give yourself a nickname’ so is the word I adopted from Neil a former
co-worker and friend. Sometimes the nickname is clear other times it might cause you to scratch your head. This example comes from the NFL, former Bears great Gayle Sayers was nicknamed; ‘The Kansas Comet’ for his speed. Sayers was born in Wichita but grew up in Omaha, his exploits on the football field at Kansas University led to the nickname. I Googled ‘Boogie Cousins’ and up popped the name DeMarcus Cousins center for the Kings. The search engine easily located ‘Boogie’ and linked it with Cousins. As for the term boogie refers to ‘A style of blues played on the piano‘ how it became a nickname for Cousins is unknown.
‘The Greek Freak’ is the nickname for Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks, we are unsure who belongs to ‘Superman’, Shaquille O’Neal arrived in the NBA with the nickname and later Dwight Howard claimed it. Anthony Davis was dubbed ‘Unibrow’ due to his eyebrows. Other names are easy ‘Melo’ for Carmelo Anthony or CP-3 for Chris Paul. Others such as J-Smoove for Josh Smith cause you to try and figure out why and where it originated. Dwayne Wade must have been tagged ‘Flash’ for his speedy dashes down the court. And we have at least one that is hated; Kevin Durant never embraced ‘Durantula’. Finally we have King James which is LeBron James, personally I’ve never liked the nickname because I believed he anointed himself.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
Elvis Rose has left the building
For unexplained reasons (at this writing) no explanation was made why the Knicks Derrick Rose left MSG early. The Knicks indicate he will be fined and will be in uniform on Wednesday. I cannot or will not debate this issue in the manner of one Stephen A. Smith. Didn’t watch his show or listen to him I’m only going by the banner on the ESPN NBA page.
‘Knicks should consider getting rid of Rose’ this from a man who is reported to have his finger on the pulse of the NBA. Don’t you think it might be a good idea to determine the ‘why’ before you decide to trade someone? Two things I’m very happy about 1. I’m alive and 2. The fate of my life is not determined by Stephan A. Smith. I wonder he’s got so much information and opinions I wonder why he’s not working for an NFL or NBA
team.
Stat stuffer
Call me a Russell Westbrook hater if you must I don’t care. I’m watching the Bulls-Thunder game on Fox Sports Oklahoma and the Thunder raced out to a 20 point plus lead the outcome is hardly in doubt. The event that I found upsetting was Westbrook returning to the floor with about 3 minutes remaining. I believe at the time there were only Thunder reserves on the floor and then the announcer said it.
‘Westbrook is two rebounds short of a triple-double’, Westbrook would add an additional rebound but fall short of a triple-double. The Thunder registered a 109-94 win, in the course of a game with the outcome in doubt no issue on my part with Westbrook returning to action. The game clearly in favor of the Thunder what was this other than stuffing the stat sheet? When I mentioned it to my buddy he said; ‘What if returning to the game Westbrook was injured?’ I nodded my head and said; ‘Good point.’ Returning to a game with less than three minutes and he’s injured attempting to break a record.
First time
Have we gone into an alternative universe, the Baylor Bears are number one in the AP and USA Today Coaches poll. Baylor has never been number one in basketball ever; we keep expecting the balloon to burst for this 15-0 team. Even more amazing is how far the program has risen from the ashes of scandal that even included murder. Coach Scott Drew and staff have worked hard to return normalcy to a basketball time broken. That’s all in the rear view mirror as this team looks to the future. After beginning his coaching career as an assistant at Valparaiso Drew took over the program and led the team to a 20-11 record in his only season as head coach.
In 2003-04 he took over at Baylor. Handicapped by a reduction in scholarships, recruiting and capable players Drew’s first three years were a dismal 21-63. In 2006-07 the team almost turned the corner finishing with a 15-16 record, after that Baylor’s lowest win total was 18-13 in 2010-11. His teams have made the NCAA Tournament for the last four years and in 2013 was NIT Champion. Is this team capable of beating Kansas as I’ve stated before that question remains to be answered. We know this much Scott Drew can recruit and he can coach. NOTE: Baylor fans it's my fault, after I completed this account yesterday the Bears go out and lose to West Virginia. I take the blame.
My belief
DeMarcus ‘Boogie’ Cousins will be in a Kings uniform for the balance of this season. I will go out on a limb and state Boogie will be in Sacramento next year as well. Don’t misunderstand my statement the correct trade scenario and he becomes history with the Kings. Boogie despite the fact he’s a ‘head case’ at times is the best Big Man in the NBA all we need to do is check his numbers. Both sets of numbers, he’s tied with Russell Westbrook for league lead in technical fouls with 12. His temper even gets him in trouble with chairs.
In a recent game against the Warriors he was upset receiving his third foul in the second quarter. He kicked the chair and threw delivered several punches before sitting down. For his action he received his 12th technical foul. Now for the good, the 26-year old is now in his 7th season and his scoring has gone up every year. Boogie’s game has expanded to the 3-point line where he’s become a reliable shooter from range. Boogie could be found elsewhere next season however a monumental trade must be consummated.
For unexplained reasons (at this writing) no explanation was made why the Knicks Derrick Rose left MSG early. The Knicks indicate he will be fined and will be in uniform on Wednesday. I cannot or will not debate this issue in the manner of one Stephen A. Smith. Didn’t watch his show or listen to him I’m only going by the banner on the ESPN NBA page.
‘Knicks should consider getting rid of Rose’ this from a man who is reported to have his finger on the pulse of the NBA. Don’t you think it might be a good idea to determine the ‘why’ before you decide to trade someone? Two things I’m very happy about 1. I’m alive and 2. The fate of my life is not determined by Stephan A. Smith. I wonder he’s got so much information and opinions I wonder why he’s not working for an NFL or NBA
team.
Stat stuffer
Call me a Russell Westbrook hater if you must I don’t care. I’m watching the Bulls-Thunder game on Fox Sports Oklahoma and the Thunder raced out to a 20 point plus lead the outcome is hardly in doubt. The event that I found upsetting was Westbrook returning to the floor with about 3 minutes remaining. I believe at the time there were only Thunder reserves on the floor and then the announcer said it.
‘Westbrook is two rebounds short of a triple-double’, Westbrook would add an additional rebound but fall short of a triple-double. The Thunder registered a 109-94 win, in the course of a game with the outcome in doubt no issue on my part with Westbrook returning to action. The game clearly in favor of the Thunder what was this other than stuffing the stat sheet? When I mentioned it to my buddy he said; ‘What if returning to the game Westbrook was injured?’ I nodded my head and said; ‘Good point.’ Returning to a game with less than three minutes and he’s injured attempting to break a record.
First time
Have we gone into an alternative universe, the Baylor Bears are number one in the AP and USA Today Coaches poll. Baylor has never been number one in basketball ever; we keep expecting the balloon to burst for this 15-0 team. Even more amazing is how far the program has risen from the ashes of scandal that even included murder. Coach Scott Drew and staff have worked hard to return normalcy to a basketball time broken. That’s all in the rear view mirror as this team looks to the future. After beginning his coaching career as an assistant at Valparaiso Drew took over the program and led the team to a 20-11 record in his only season as head coach.
In 2003-04 he took over at Baylor. Handicapped by a reduction in scholarships, recruiting and capable players Drew’s first three years were a dismal 21-63. In 2006-07 the team almost turned the corner finishing with a 15-16 record, after that Baylor’s lowest win total was 18-13 in 2010-11. His teams have made the NCAA Tournament for the last four years and in 2013 was NIT Champion. Is this team capable of beating Kansas as I’ve stated before that question remains to be answered. We know this much Scott Drew can recruit and he can coach. NOTE: Baylor fans it's my fault, after I completed this account yesterday the Bears go out and lose to West Virginia. I take the blame.
My belief
DeMarcus ‘Boogie’ Cousins will be in a Kings uniform for the balance of this season. I will go out on a limb and state Boogie will be in Sacramento next year as well. Don’t misunderstand my statement the correct trade scenario and he becomes history with the Kings. Boogie despite the fact he’s a ‘head case’ at times is the best Big Man in the NBA all we need to do is check his numbers. Both sets of numbers, he’s tied with Russell Westbrook for league lead in technical fouls with 12. His temper even gets him in trouble with chairs.
In a recent game against the Warriors he was upset receiving his third foul in the second quarter. He kicked the chair and threw delivered several punches before sitting down. For his action he received his 12th technical foul. Now for the good, the 26-year old is now in his 7th season and his scoring has gone up every year. Boogie’s game has expanded to the 3-point line where he’s become a reliable shooter from range. Boogie could be found elsewhere next season however a monumental trade must be consummated.
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
No excuses
I read a letter in the KC Star and I thought it unbelievable. The writer was upset because many across the nation were making negative comments regarding the Kansas win over K-State. As for me my objections to Kansas basketball lay in two areas those obnoxious Kansas fans and the coach. As for the coach this has nothing to do with his won-loss record which is exemplary
it’s his refusal to play Wichita State and Mizzou. The letter writer discussed the blatant travel that allowed Kansas to beat K-State 90-88. He didn’t deny an error he indicated ’those who hate Kansas basketball have one more example to use.’ It’s likely the writer will never read this however I’d like to offer a rebuttal. I don’t require events such as this example to have issues with Kansas basketball; it’s the fans---man it‘s the fans.
California Cleveland Dreaming
Laker center Timofey Mozgov is reported to have said he misses Cleveland and still has love for his former team. I’m unsure how Laker fans might feel but I have no issues with his statement. Mozgov was only in Cleveland two years so I’m sure his feelings might be mixed. He left an NBA Championship team for one which is striving to reach the playoffs.
I have no idea of team relations maybe the Cavs players were friendlier than his Laker teammates I have no clue. One positive in Mozgov’s favor over that in Cleveland is time on the court. Mozgov is playing extensive minutes in Laker colors something that didn’t occur much after Tyronn Lue took over the coaching reins of the Cavs. This is no criticism of Lue, Mozgov was returning from injury and the new coach may have believed they gained more mileage with Tristan Thompson in the lineup.
My concern
By now you are familiar with the Isaiah Austin story, he was the 7-1 center believed to be a 1st round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. A physical exam determined despite playing in high school and two years at Baylor it was discovered Austin had a heart condition Marfan syndrome. Late in 2016 Austin announced his doctor had given the “ok” to resume basketball activities. Despite his announcement I continued to have concerns.
On Sunday Austin announced he signed with FMP a team in the Basketball League of Serbia. Red Flag number one, the NBA symbolically drafted Austin in 2014 yet with the December news not a single NBA made any overture. Red Flag number two, an NBA D-League team could have signed him too yet that failed to occur too. It would be great if we could accomplish those life events that please us. Sometimes what we desire is impossible to achieve.
Bits n Pieces
Semi Ojeleye had the GPA which allowed him to attend Duke, that’s the good, the bad he became lost in the numbers at the Durham campus. It’s my belief he never got the opportunity to fully demonstrate his talent. Transferring to Southern Methodist has proven beneficial to him as he‘s become the team leader in scoring and tied for lead in rebounding. Ojeleye was red-shirted last season and is listed as a junior so it’s possible he has at least two years of eligibility remaining.
Talk about coming full circle how about this story. Jaron Rush who many consider the best high school basketball player ever in the KC Metro was headed to Kansas to play for Roy Williams. Somewhere along the line he changed his mind and headed to UCLA and would leave after his freshman year for the NBA. Rush was never drafted, fast forward to the present day son Shea is at North Carolina playing for guess who?
According to Google Maps its 5.3 miles from Madison Square Garden to Barclays Center via 7th Avenue about a 36 minute drive. What about the distance in the hearts and minds of New Yorkers between the two franchises? In the weak Eastern Conference neither team is likely playoff bound although the Knicks have an outside chance. Without a finger on the pulse of the city this is what I believe, Knick fans remain faithful despite their continuing disappointment. Nets fans love having a team inscribed with Brooklyn across the front of the jersey dating back to the days of the Dodgers.
I’m convinced of this statement and it doesn’t matter if were talking high school, college or the NBA. The team falling behind by double-digits usually comes up short at the end. I believe the team trailing expends much more energy attempting to catch up they simply run out of energy toward the end of the game. Of course this is not written in stone; sometimes that team attempting to overcome the deficit sometimes is able to gain the victory.
No excuses
I read a letter in the KC Star and I thought it unbelievable. The writer was upset because many across the nation were making negative comments regarding the Kansas win over K-State. As for me my objections to Kansas basketball lay in two areas those obnoxious Kansas fans and the coach. As for the coach this has nothing to do with his won-loss record which is exemplary
it’s his refusal to play Wichita State and Mizzou. The letter writer discussed the blatant travel that allowed Kansas to beat K-State 90-88. He didn’t deny an error he indicated ’those who hate Kansas basketball have one more example to use.’ It’s likely the writer will never read this however I’d like to offer a rebuttal. I don’t require events such as this example to have issues with Kansas basketball; it’s the fans---man it‘s the fans.
Laker center Timofey Mozgov is reported to have said he misses Cleveland and still has love for his former team. I’m unsure how Laker fans might feel but I have no issues with his statement. Mozgov was only in Cleveland two years so I’m sure his feelings might be mixed. He left an NBA Championship team for one which is striving to reach the playoffs.
I have no idea of team relations maybe the Cavs players were friendlier than his Laker teammates I have no clue. One positive in Mozgov’s favor over that in Cleveland is time on the court. Mozgov is playing extensive minutes in Laker colors something that didn’t occur much after Tyronn Lue took over the coaching reins of the Cavs. This is no criticism of Lue, Mozgov was returning from injury and the new coach may have believed they gained more mileage with Tristan Thompson in the lineup.
My concern
By now you are familiar with the Isaiah Austin story, he was the 7-1 center believed to be a 1st round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. A physical exam determined despite playing in high school and two years at Baylor it was discovered Austin had a heart condition Marfan syndrome. Late in 2016 Austin announced his doctor had given the “ok” to resume basketball activities. Despite his announcement I continued to have concerns.
On Sunday Austin announced he signed with FMP a team in the Basketball League of Serbia. Red Flag number one, the NBA symbolically drafted Austin in 2014 yet with the December news not a single NBA made any overture. Red Flag number two, an NBA D-League team could have signed him too yet that failed to occur too. It would be great if we could accomplish those life events that please us. Sometimes what we desire is impossible to achieve.
Bits n Pieces
Semi Ojeleye had the GPA which allowed him to attend Duke, that’s the good, the bad he became lost in the numbers at the Durham campus. It’s my belief he never got the opportunity to fully demonstrate his talent. Transferring to Southern Methodist has proven beneficial to him as he‘s become the team leader in scoring and tied for lead in rebounding. Ojeleye was red-shirted last season and is listed as a junior so it’s possible he has at least two years of eligibility remaining.
Talk about coming full circle how about this story. Jaron Rush who many consider the best high school basketball player ever in the KC Metro was headed to Kansas to play for Roy Williams. Somewhere along the line he changed his mind and headed to UCLA and would leave after his freshman year for the NBA. Rush was never drafted, fast forward to the present day son Shea is at North Carolina playing for guess who?
According to Google Maps its 5.3 miles from Madison Square Garden to Barclays Center via 7th Avenue about a 36 minute drive. What about the distance in the hearts and minds of New Yorkers between the two franchises? In the weak Eastern Conference neither team is likely playoff bound although the Knicks have an outside chance. Without a finger on the pulse of the city this is what I believe, Knick fans remain faithful despite their continuing disappointment. Nets fans love having a team inscribed with Brooklyn across the front of the jersey dating back to the days of the Dodgers.
I’m convinced of this statement and it doesn’t matter if were talking high school, college or the NBA. The team falling behind by double-digits usually comes up short at the end. I believe the team trailing expends much more energy attempting to catch up they simply run out of energy toward the end of the game. Of course this is not written in stone; sometimes that team attempting to overcome the deficit sometimes is able to gain the victory.
Monday, January 9, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
‘What in the wide wide world of sports is going on?’
The line above was uttered by the villain Taggert in the 1974 Mel Brooks movie ‘Blazing Saddles.’ That was also the line uttered by yours truly after witnessing the first half of the UConn-UCF game. UCF played a terrible first half and it was difficult for me to figure out which team had the losing record. UCF has a 7 foot 6 inch center and his team is jacking up three point shots, you make ‘em good but UCF was missing most of them. The second half of the game wasn’t much better with 16:04 left in the game UConn held a 44-24 lead.
My intent was to provide a scouting report on Tacko Fall however I can’t do that if he barely touches the basketball. I’m pointing the finger of blame at Coach Johnny Dawkins I have no idea what he was trying to accomplish. Maybe UCF is not as good as their record indicates and maybe UConn is not as bad as their record. Tacko Fall is an unfinished product however between now and the next game Dawkins has got to figure a method to get the ball to him. UCF at the 3-point line jacking up shots ain’t gonna cut it if UCF expects to compete. Raw or not there is no reason for a player with Fall’s height to go scoreless in two consecutive games.
Trust the process
Joel Embiid continues his sparkling play despite limited minutes on the court. He’s not playing in back-to-back games and is limited to no more than 30 minutes a game. Despite the limits placed on him by the Sixers medical staff Embiid is averaging almost 20 points and 7 rebounds a game. 1952-53 was the first season the NBA began awarding Rookie of the Year honors. In all that time it was last year before Karl-Anthony Towns became the first unanimous choice in the awards history. It’s quite possible we’ll could witness successive unanimous ROY choices Joel Embiid is so far in front there is no real competition.
The rich getting richer
Hamidou Diallo is headed to Kentucky; the 6-5 guard from Putnam Science Academy is awarded 5-stars by Rivals and the #10 prospect in the Class of 2017. The young man from Queens (NY) graduated from Putnam last spring and plans on enrolling immediately at Kentucky. Whether Diallo plays the balance of the season has not been determined. Whether he plays or not he will practice with Kentucky players.
The trade
It was Kyle Kover for Mike Dunleavy Jr. although Mo Williams and a draft choice were included. By no means is this anywhere close to a blockbuster trade. A trade is made in the best interests of both teams; each wants to acquire a player(s) that will prove beneficial for their team. In this instance I believe the Cavs received far more than they lose. Dunleavy Jr., arrived in the NBA in 2002 from Duke with many believing he would be a star. The Hawks become Dunleavy Jr.‘s 6th NBA team he’s certainly made the rounds of the NBA. In this instance we have a clear winner and it’s the Cavs while I must believe the Hawks are losers.
‘What in the wide wide world of sports is going on?’
The line above was uttered by the villain Taggert in the 1974 Mel Brooks movie ‘Blazing Saddles.’ That was also the line uttered by yours truly after witnessing the first half of the UConn-UCF game. UCF played a terrible first half and it was difficult for me to figure out which team had the losing record. UCF has a 7 foot 6 inch center and his team is jacking up three point shots, you make ‘em good but UCF was missing most of them. The second half of the game wasn’t much better with 16:04 left in the game UConn held a 44-24 lead.
My intent was to provide a scouting report on Tacko Fall however I can’t do that if he barely touches the basketball. I’m pointing the finger of blame at Coach Johnny Dawkins I have no idea what he was trying to accomplish. Maybe UCF is not as good as their record indicates and maybe UConn is not as bad as their record. Tacko Fall is an unfinished product however between now and the next game Dawkins has got to figure a method to get the ball to him. UCF at the 3-point line jacking up shots ain’t gonna cut it if UCF expects to compete. Raw or not there is no reason for a player with Fall’s height to go scoreless in two consecutive games.
Trust the process
Joel Embiid continues his sparkling play despite limited minutes on the court. He’s not playing in back-to-back games and is limited to no more than 30 minutes a game. Despite the limits placed on him by the Sixers medical staff Embiid is averaging almost 20 points and 7 rebounds a game. 1952-53 was the first season the NBA began awarding Rookie of the Year honors. In all that time it was last year before Karl-Anthony Towns became the first unanimous choice in the awards history. It’s quite possible we’ll could witness successive unanimous ROY choices Joel Embiid is so far in front there is no real competition.
The rich getting richer
Hamidou Diallo is headed to Kentucky; the 6-5 guard from Putnam Science Academy is awarded 5-stars by Rivals and the #10 prospect in the Class of 2017. The young man from Queens (NY) graduated from Putnam last spring and plans on enrolling immediately at Kentucky. Whether Diallo plays the balance of the season has not been determined. Whether he plays or not he will practice with Kentucky players.
The trade
It was Kyle Kover for Mike Dunleavy Jr. although Mo Williams and a draft choice were included. By no means is this anywhere close to a blockbuster trade. A trade is made in the best interests of both teams; each wants to acquire a player(s) that will prove beneficial for their team. In this instance I believe the Cavs received far more than they lose. Dunleavy Jr., arrived in the NBA in 2002 from Duke with many believing he would be a star. The Hawks become Dunleavy Jr.‘s 6th NBA team he’s certainly made the rounds of the NBA. In this instance we have a clear winner and it’s the Cavs while I must believe the Hawks are losers.
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
Fisticuffs
Georgia won the game 71-66, there is probably debate who won the fight. You say what fight? The one that occurred at half-time between Mizzou and Georgia that involving players and coaches. I'm unsure who started the altercation however anytime coaches are involved it really creates a negative picture. The Tigers continue to slide downward and this incident certainly doesn't bode well for the program. I'm disappointed in the loss and disappointed in the action of players but especially the coaches.
Bits n Pieces
Jalen Rose selected his all ‘Matchstick’ Team, guys who are really good but thin. Kristaps Porzingis and Anthony Davis were just two of the five Rose cited. I’d like to add an honorable mention to the team the Lakers Brandon Ingram. At 6-9 and 196 pounds I believe he deserves consideration.
Which Warriors team, the 2015 NBA Champs or the 2016 runner-ups. As the calendar turned to January and a new year I’m not sure. Kevin Durant is definitely an upgrade but the loss of Bogut, Speights and others reduces an inside presence. Sorry Zaza fans so far I’m not particularly impressed, Bogut did bunches of ‘little’ things that are missing thus far.
Cynics fail to give the Rockets their just due. I’m referring to the ‘95-’96 back to back NBA Champion teams. I’ve read and often heard; ‘They won because Michael Jordan was playing baseball.’ Yes MJ was playing minor league baseball so critics belittle this outstanding championship team.
Who takes the shot?
Once Nike ran a print ad about Michael Jordan discussed failure and he said; ‘26 times I was trusted to take the last shot and missed.‘ Kobe Bryant was also trusted to take the last shot but he too missed. They failed to sink the winning basket on all several occasions. MJ retired in 2003, Kobe last season who takes the shot now?
Is it the Rockets James Harden, Russell Westbrook of the Thunder or Steph Curry Warriors guard? We could also include the Blazers Damian Lillard or Jimmy Butler of the Bulls in our count. I’m sure there is an NBA player I missed but you get the idea, a player unafraid to take the end of the game shot. A player with ice-water in their veins, your choice is____________.
‘Rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic’
The KC Star is much kinder to Kim Anderson than the St Louis Post-Dispatch. An acquaintance made a statement I cannot begin to defend. He said; ‘The trouble is Mizzou believes it’s good at everything and its not.’ I cannot speak for the football program our focus is basketball and ‘Houston Columbia (MO) we have a problem.’ Mizzou basketball is in a free-fall with a 5-6 record as conference play opens with two losses. As for the non-conference portion of the season Mizzou fans probably hoped for a win facing Xavier and Arizona both Top 25 teams.
Losses in both games were acceptable by the fact ‘We played good teams.‘ Mizzou experienced three bad losses to North Carolina Central, Eastern Illinois and Illinois teams they should have been capable of beating. As for the coach I said it previously this is not the NBA Anderson should be allowed to finish the season. Mizzou fans can only hope AD Jim Sterk is monitoring the situation on the basketball court. Hopefully he is compiling a list of replacements for the revolving door that has become Mizzou basketball.
This is one of those evenings
I’m often forced to change batteries in my remote due to evenings similar to this. My Thursday evening began realizing I wouldn’t be able to see all the games to completion due to overlap and the times the games would begin. At 6:00 p.m. the New Mexico State-UMKC game was broadcast on the American Sports Network a regional sports channel. I left that game with 5 minutes remaining and New Mexico State clearly a winner.
I switched to the Thunders-Rockets game which started at 7:00 p.m. and remained there until 8:00 p.m. and changed to the Cal-UCLA game on ESPN. At 9:30 p.m. I left the Cal-UCLA game and turned to the Lakers-Blazers game on TNT and I stayed with it till the third quarter I had to check in the morning to discover the Blazers had beaten my Lakers. Wheeee---that’s what some evenings are like in my Man Cave.
Fisticuffs
Georgia won the game 71-66, there is probably debate who won the fight. You say what fight? The one that occurred at half-time between Mizzou and Georgia that involving players and coaches. I'm unsure who started the altercation however anytime coaches are involved it really creates a negative picture. The Tigers continue to slide downward and this incident certainly doesn't bode well for the program. I'm disappointed in the loss and disappointed in the action of players but especially the coaches.
Bits n Pieces
Jalen Rose selected his all ‘Matchstick’ Team, guys who are really good but thin. Kristaps Porzingis and Anthony Davis were just two of the five Rose cited. I’d like to add an honorable mention to the team the Lakers Brandon Ingram. At 6-9 and 196 pounds I believe he deserves consideration.
Which Warriors team, the 2015 NBA Champs or the 2016 runner-ups. As the calendar turned to January and a new year I’m not sure. Kevin Durant is definitely an upgrade but the loss of Bogut, Speights and others reduces an inside presence. Sorry Zaza fans so far I’m not particularly impressed, Bogut did bunches of ‘little’ things that are missing thus far.
Cynics fail to give the Rockets their just due. I’m referring to the ‘95-’96 back to back NBA Champion teams. I’ve read and often heard; ‘They won because Michael Jordan was playing baseball.’ Yes MJ was playing minor league baseball so critics belittle this outstanding championship team.
Who takes the shot?
Once Nike ran a print ad about Michael Jordan discussed failure and he said; ‘26 times I was trusted to take the last shot and missed.‘ Kobe Bryant was also trusted to take the last shot but he too missed. They failed to sink the winning basket on all several occasions. MJ retired in 2003, Kobe last season who takes the shot now?
Is it the Rockets James Harden, Russell Westbrook of the Thunder or Steph Curry Warriors guard? We could also include the Blazers Damian Lillard or Jimmy Butler of the Bulls in our count. I’m sure there is an NBA player I missed but you get the idea, a player unafraid to take the end of the game shot. A player with ice-water in their veins, your choice is____________.
‘Rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic’
The KC Star is much kinder to Kim Anderson than the St Louis Post-Dispatch. An acquaintance made a statement I cannot begin to defend. He said; ‘The trouble is Mizzou believes it’s good at everything and its not.’ I cannot speak for the football program our focus is basketball and ‘Houston Columbia (MO) we have a problem.’ Mizzou basketball is in a free-fall with a 5-6 record as conference play opens with two losses. As for the non-conference portion of the season Mizzou fans probably hoped for a win facing Xavier and Arizona both Top 25 teams.
Losses in both games were acceptable by the fact ‘We played good teams.‘ Mizzou experienced three bad losses to North Carolina Central, Eastern Illinois and Illinois teams they should have been capable of beating. As for the coach I said it previously this is not the NBA Anderson should be allowed to finish the season. Mizzou fans can only hope AD Jim Sterk is monitoring the situation on the basketball court. Hopefully he is compiling a list of replacements for the revolving door that has become Mizzou basketball.
This is one of those evenings
I’m often forced to change batteries in my remote due to evenings similar to this. My Thursday evening began realizing I wouldn’t be able to see all the games to completion due to overlap and the times the games would begin. At 6:00 p.m. the New Mexico State-UMKC game was broadcast on the American Sports Network a regional sports channel. I left that game with 5 minutes remaining and New Mexico State clearly a winner.
I switched to the Thunders-Rockets game which started at 7:00 p.m. and remained there until 8:00 p.m. and changed to the Cal-UCLA game on ESPN. At 9:30 p.m. I left the Cal-UCLA game and turned to the Lakers-Blazers game on TNT and I stayed with it till the third quarter I had to check in the morning to discover the Blazers had beaten my Lakers. Wheeee---that’s what some evenings are like in my Man Cave.
Saturday, January 7, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
‘Do as I say; not as I do’
The headline is an old idiom; ‘Take my advice, even though I am acting contrary to it. ‘ Currently the Clippers are in third place in technical’s (32) behind the first place Suns and the Knicks. Coach Doc Rivers announces to his team; ‘Stop racking up technical fouls. ‘ What’s that you say coach about the belligerent attitude your team has demonstrated at times. Coach I just checked the stats and they indicate you’ve been ejected three times this season, your coaching staff has been accessed 6 technical’s placing them in second place among NBA teams. I almost fell out of my chair with laughter after reading Rivers statement.
Was he correct?
The Celtics Jae Crowder went on a twitter rant complaining about Celtics fans. Gordon Hayward of the Jazz will be a free agent at the conclusion of the season. Celtics coach Brad Stevens coached Hayward at Butler University; Hayward plays the same position as Crowder. Celtics fans were constantly applauding and cheering for visiting playing Hayward. What do you think about Crowder’s rant was his criticism valid, you make the call. A day later Crower apologized and indicated he wants to remain in Boston but still feels disrespected.
Don’t worry old-timer
I don’t know if it’s true but I once read unlike Western Societies the Chinese have a great deal of respect for the elderly. I’m not stating European and American culture don’t respect older citizens it seems we in the Western world fail to see the value of older folks. We have often campaigned for their removal without offering any proof they have been derelict in duties. We could make a similar statement regarding broadcasters who continue to work despite their advanced years.
The voice of Kansas University basketball Max Falkenstien retired at the end of last season, he’d ‘only’ been on the job since 1946. Forget about counting on your fingers and toes Falkenstien turned 92 last April. Don’t get me wrong young persons should be given an opportunity to move up too but not at the expense of moving a productive older citizen. We might lead off with 77-year old Dick Vitale, no need of discussing his credentials you are well aware of Dicky V.
Another former coach turned broadcaster is Hubie Brown; he’s 83-years old but still a valued NBA analyst for ESPN. Verne Lundquist has broadcast other sports we are aware however the 76-year old is known as the voice of CBS College Basketball telecasts. ‘And we began the game man to man‘ is always the word analyst 77 year old Bill Raftery provides at the beginning of each of his games.
The long-time Knick and current TNT NBA broadcaster 75 year old Marv Albert has witnessed a great deal of college and NBA basketball over his broadcast career. We include 74-year old Dick Stockton has also broadcast other sports but is primarily known for college and NBA telecasts. It’s likely I’ve omitted a number of older broadcasters who continue to work. I’m sure for many its more than the salary they do it because they still love the game. Just because you reach a certain age is no indication you should retire.
Presidential basketball
The president of the United States is often spotted at sporting events and basketballs are no different. How about the last three, former President Bill Clinton was often spotted at University of Arkansas games however it’s questionable if he was much of a fan. Former President George W. Bush was an athlete in college playing baseball at Yale so he was once an athlete. He once was a partner of the Texas Rangers and CEO but resigned at the time he ran for governor of Texas. In a manner of most presidents George W. Bush attended a number of sporting events while serving in the White House. Recently he’s been very visible at SMU basketball games from his courtside seat. According to reports he arrives early and never leaves the game early. His successor as we know is basketball through and though.
President Barack Obama played varsity basketball at Punahou High School in Honolulu Hawaii. The ESPN cameras and Andy Katz have become regular visitors at the White House as the president provides the public a glimpse of his NCAA Tournament bracket. It should also be noted this resident of Chicago is an avid Bulls fan. There you have it one Republican and one Democratic president and a brief glimpse into their athletic and basketball history. The incoming president Donald Trump had an athletic history in high school and as an adult owned the New Jersey Generals of United States Football League for two seasons. He’s never played competitive basketball at any level. We must wait and see if he has any presidential interest in the game at the college or NBA level.
‘Do as I say; not as I do’
The headline is an old idiom; ‘Take my advice, even though I am acting contrary to it. ‘ Currently the Clippers are in third place in technical’s (32) behind the first place Suns and the Knicks. Coach Doc Rivers announces to his team; ‘Stop racking up technical fouls. ‘ What’s that you say coach about the belligerent attitude your team has demonstrated at times. Coach I just checked the stats and they indicate you’ve been ejected three times this season, your coaching staff has been accessed 6 technical’s placing them in second place among NBA teams. I almost fell out of my chair with laughter after reading Rivers statement.
Was he correct?
The Celtics Jae Crowder went on a twitter rant complaining about Celtics fans. Gordon Hayward of the Jazz will be a free agent at the conclusion of the season. Celtics coach Brad Stevens coached Hayward at Butler University; Hayward plays the same position as Crowder. Celtics fans were constantly applauding and cheering for visiting playing Hayward. What do you think about Crowder’s rant was his criticism valid, you make the call. A day later Crower apologized and indicated he wants to remain in Boston but still feels disrespected.
Don’t worry old-timer
I don’t know if it’s true but I once read unlike Western Societies the Chinese have a great deal of respect for the elderly. I’m not stating European and American culture don’t respect older citizens it seems we in the Western world fail to see the value of older folks. We have often campaigned for their removal without offering any proof they have been derelict in duties. We could make a similar statement regarding broadcasters who continue to work despite their advanced years.
The voice of Kansas University basketball Max Falkenstien retired at the end of last season, he’d ‘only’ been on the job since 1946. Forget about counting on your fingers and toes Falkenstien turned 92 last April. Don’t get me wrong young persons should be given an opportunity to move up too but not at the expense of moving a productive older citizen. We might lead off with 77-year old Dick Vitale, no need of discussing his credentials you are well aware of Dicky V.
Another former coach turned broadcaster is Hubie Brown; he’s 83-years old but still a valued NBA analyst for ESPN. Verne Lundquist has broadcast other sports we are aware however the 76-year old is known as the voice of CBS College Basketball telecasts. ‘And we began the game man to man‘ is always the word analyst 77 year old Bill Raftery provides at the beginning of each of his games.
The long-time Knick and current TNT NBA broadcaster 75 year old Marv Albert has witnessed a great deal of college and NBA basketball over his broadcast career. We include 74-year old Dick Stockton has also broadcast other sports but is primarily known for college and NBA telecasts. It’s likely I’ve omitted a number of older broadcasters who continue to work. I’m sure for many its more than the salary they do it because they still love the game. Just because you reach a certain age is no indication you should retire.
Presidential basketball
The president of the United States is often spotted at sporting events and basketballs are no different. How about the last three, former President Bill Clinton was often spotted at University of Arkansas games however it’s questionable if he was much of a fan. Former President George W. Bush was an athlete in college playing baseball at Yale so he was once an athlete. He once was a partner of the Texas Rangers and CEO but resigned at the time he ran for governor of Texas. In a manner of most presidents George W. Bush attended a number of sporting events while serving in the White House. Recently he’s been very visible at SMU basketball games from his courtside seat. According to reports he arrives early and never leaves the game early. His successor as we know is basketball through and though.
President Barack Obama played varsity basketball at Punahou High School in Honolulu Hawaii. The ESPN cameras and Andy Katz have become regular visitors at the White House as the president provides the public a glimpse of his NCAA Tournament bracket. It should also be noted this resident of Chicago is an avid Bulls fan. There you have it one Republican and one Democratic president and a brief glimpse into their athletic and basketball history. The incoming president Donald Trump had an athletic history in high school and as an adult owned the New Jersey Generals of United States Football League for two seasons. He’s never played competitive basketball at any level. We must wait and see if he has any presidential interest in the game at the college or NBA level.
Friday, January 6, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
Error
I made an error of monumental proportions. In an earlier discussion regarding triple-double I stated Russell Westbrook didn’t compare to Oscar Robertson. I provided the years I believed The Big O had multiple triple-double seasons and the information was incorrect. In the 1961 62 season Robertson's numbers were 12 rebounds 11.4 assists and 30.8 ppg. If I make an error I want to ensure you have the corrected information upfront not buried somewhere in small print. Opinions are a far different from fact, my desire for Words is to be as factual as possible.
It’s his decision
The coach decided in favor of lifting the suspension of his player, I’m referring to Coach K. and Grayson Allen at Duke. We know by now the youngster has anger issues, hopefully the one game suspension will cause him to reflect on his actions in the future. In addition I hope the coach has demanded Allen attend some sort of anger management counseling.
The NBA was seriously looking at him as a draft choice last season; many teams might change their minds in June if he’s not changed his on-court behavior. I’ve read several sources condemning the coach for returning Allen to the roster after only one game. This call is the coach’s he’s closer to the issue than any of us, his track record as a mentor of young men speaks volumes. Yes Coach K. is about winning but what coach who hopes to maintain a job isn't.
No return
The one change some college basketball fans wanted in the new NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement is not there. They must wait at the very least another seven years before the next agreement is voted. The One and Done or age 19 rule continues to impact the college and NBA Game. I must admit over the years I’ve been on both sides of this issue and cannot say a thumbs up or thumbs down. Perhaps that’s been the dilemma by the decision makers for the players association and NBA owners. Face facts we’ll see no more UCLA or Indiana undefeated NCAA Champion teams.
Kids will continue to head for the NBA after their freshmen year but there is a slight difference. For the most part kids are not leaving school unprepared. They receive more accurate information on their draft status than in earlier times. There remain a number who leave early and we say why? Get use to it college fans we might not like it but it’s become the law of the land. In the next several years a high school talent will be headed directly to the NBA after one year of college. It’s likely he could be a high school freshman currently or he might even be in middle school but he’s on the way to the NBA.
The legend of Air Jordan
I held a discussion with a friend regarding Michael Jordan, with no intention I believe on his part Jordan influenced basketball style and fashion for a generation. My friend mentioned his shaved head; I informed her early in his NBA career he decided to shave his head due to early male pattern baldness. Actors Yul Brynner and Telly Savalas preceded Jordan in the bald look but they didn’t play in the NBA.
NBA players wore basketball shorts that were only slightly larger than underwear briefs for years until Jordan. Jordan was the first to wear baggy shorts which almost reached the knees. This style would influence future players and a change in basketball fashion began. Check photos and video of players up through Jordan’s arrival. Finally the shoes, did you realize the first Air Jordan shoes were not permitted in the NBA?
At one time NBA teams wore conventionally colored shoes, Bird‘s green Converse or Magic‘s Gold converse. The first Air Jordans were white and red with a black swoosh. The NBA wouldn’t approve the shoe, the rules at the time read; ‘A player must wear shoes that not only matched their uniforms, but matched the shoes worn by their teammates.’ That’s all changed now as you see teammates wearing different color shoes nowadays. Trend setter, innovator you decide the NBA was changed forever once Jordan arrived on the scene.
Error
I made an error of monumental proportions. In an earlier discussion regarding triple-double I stated Russell Westbrook didn’t compare to Oscar Robertson. I provided the years I believed The Big O had multiple triple-double seasons and the information was incorrect. In the 1961 62 season Robertson's numbers were 12 rebounds 11.4 assists and 30.8 ppg. If I make an error I want to ensure you have the corrected information upfront not buried somewhere in small print. Opinions are a far different from fact, my desire for Words is to be as factual as possible.
It’s his decision
The coach decided in favor of lifting the suspension of his player, I’m referring to Coach K. and Grayson Allen at Duke. We know by now the youngster has anger issues, hopefully the one game suspension will cause him to reflect on his actions in the future. In addition I hope the coach has demanded Allen attend some sort of anger management counseling.
The NBA was seriously looking at him as a draft choice last season; many teams might change their minds in June if he’s not changed his on-court behavior. I’ve read several sources condemning the coach for returning Allen to the roster after only one game. This call is the coach’s he’s closer to the issue than any of us, his track record as a mentor of young men speaks volumes. Yes Coach K. is about winning but what coach who hopes to maintain a job isn't.
No return
The one change some college basketball fans wanted in the new NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement is not there. They must wait at the very least another seven years before the next agreement is voted. The One and Done or age 19 rule continues to impact the college and NBA Game. I must admit over the years I’ve been on both sides of this issue and cannot say a thumbs up or thumbs down. Perhaps that’s been the dilemma by the decision makers for the players association and NBA owners. Face facts we’ll see no more UCLA or Indiana undefeated NCAA Champion teams.
Kids will continue to head for the NBA after their freshmen year but there is a slight difference. For the most part kids are not leaving school unprepared. They receive more accurate information on their draft status than in earlier times. There remain a number who leave early and we say why? Get use to it college fans we might not like it but it’s become the law of the land. In the next several years a high school talent will be headed directly to the NBA after one year of college. It’s likely he could be a high school freshman currently or he might even be in middle school but he’s on the way to the NBA.
The legend of Air Jordan
I held a discussion with a friend regarding Michael Jordan, with no intention I believe on his part Jordan influenced basketball style and fashion for a generation. My friend mentioned his shaved head; I informed her early in his NBA career he decided to shave his head due to early male pattern baldness. Actors Yul Brynner and Telly Savalas preceded Jordan in the bald look but they didn’t play in the NBA.
NBA players wore basketball shorts that were only slightly larger than underwear briefs for years until Jordan. Jordan was the first to wear baggy shorts which almost reached the knees. This style would influence future players and a change in basketball fashion began. Check photos and video of players up through Jordan’s arrival. Finally the shoes, did you realize the first Air Jordan shoes were not permitted in the NBA?
At one time NBA teams wore conventionally colored shoes, Bird‘s green Converse or Magic‘s Gold converse. The first Air Jordans were white and red with a black swoosh. The NBA wouldn’t approve the shoe, the rules at the time read; ‘A player must wear shoes that not only matched their uniforms, but matched the shoes worn by their teammates.’ That’s all changed now as you see teammates wearing different color shoes nowadays. Trend setter, innovator you decide the NBA was changed forever once Jordan arrived on the scene.
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
Asian or is it African?
Although Manu Ginobili is from Argentina I believe he might be the first, the term “Euro” step came into usage applied primarily to the Spurs Ginobili. During Tuesday nights Kansas Kansas State game Svi Mykhaliuk of Kansas passed the ball inbounds and then took the return pass. He began racing down the court toward his basket and sank what turned out to be the winning basket, Kansas 90-Kansas State 88. Not apparent to the crowd or the announcers Mykhaliuk took four steps without dribbling the ball clearly a travel.
Not only did those in attendance at Allen Fieldhouse miss the obvious travel so did the television audience. In addition the three officials on the court also missed blowing the whistle on the play. After the fact it was announced the travel could not be reviewed only the clock. Mykhaliuk has now coined a new term his step was no Euro step it was an Asian or African step. If you check you can see both continents are much larger in landmass than Europe about the size of the large step Mykhaliuk took.
The future!!
Laker fans see the PO-TEN-TIAL of this puerile team; it was certainly evident last night as they beat the Grizzlies 116-102. It was more than Julius Randle’s 19 point 14 rebound 11 assist game. It was more than D’Angelo Russell and Swaggy P. highly accurate 3-point shooting. Timofey Mozgov wasn’t bad either tossing in 14 points or clogging the lane playing defense effectively.
Jordan Clarkson and Lou Williams combined for 30 points off the bench but I believe you get the idea it was a team effort that earned the victory. For me the most encouraging part with a “matador” defense for much of December the Lakers actually stopped the Grizzlies from scoring. Another difference the “young” Lakers didn’t surrender a lead they held which has often been the case resulting in a loss.
It’sover well almost
The Pacers faced the Pistons on Tuesday evening in the Palace at Auburn Hills. We are a long day’s journey from November 19, 2004, that was the evening of the “Malice in the Palace.” A fight broke out on the court between the Pacers and Pistons, eventually several fans would be involved.
It was a huge black-eye for NBA basketball at the time numerous suspensions of players and criminal charges filed against some of the fans involved. The only “fight” on Monday was on the court and it involved no fists as the Pacers won the game 121-116. The next time the Pacers face the Pistons in a home game the location will be different. The teams will meet next season at the 21,000 seat Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit.
Bits n Pieces
Class of 2017 prospects is the focus currently however there is a noteworthy junior prospect. Zion Williamson is a 6-6 230 pound forward from Spartanburg (SC). This Rivals 5-star prospect has numerous schools with offers on the table for him to attend. He’s the number two prospect in the Class of 2018 so it’s likely no decision will be made at least until the fall of 2017; keep an eye out for this youngster.
I’ve mentioned on several occasions location greatly aids a player when he first arrives in the NBA. Kay Fielder is in the wrong location, it says he ain’t gonna get much playing time. See the 5-9 rookie guard from Oakland (MI) is on the Cavs bench where it’s likely he will remain. His place on the bench has nothing to do with his talent its just too many larger bodies in front of him. Isaiah Thomas clearly demonstrated his talent early on however it took a trade to the Celtics to convince the NBA Thomas had star quality. Interesting both players are the same height.
The question is posed for a number of reasons. The chief one we have a number of ‘journalists‘ who seem to believe the more controversy I can stir up the more readers or viewers I gain. David Aldridge is not like that guy; he never played the game but is passionate about his work without being flamboyant. Over the years Aldridge has worked for a number of media outlets covering the NBA. Turner Sports, ESPN and NBA TV he’s worked for all, his low-key reporting is always appreciated by this writer versus those over the top guys. You know who they are they are. They want to be the story rather than the story itself.
I’m surprised; the Hawks announced they would retire jersey number 44 worn by Pete Maravich although the date has not be finalized. You would think this might have been accomplished earlier after all he’s been enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame, selected as one of the Top 50 All-Time NBA players. The number 7 he wore in New Orleans has been retired by the Jazz and the Pelicans, his college team LSU retired number 23.
Asian or is it African?
Although Manu Ginobili is from Argentina I believe he might be the first, the term “Euro” step came into usage applied primarily to the Spurs Ginobili. During Tuesday nights Kansas Kansas State game Svi Mykhaliuk of Kansas passed the ball inbounds and then took the return pass. He began racing down the court toward his basket and sank what turned out to be the winning basket, Kansas 90-Kansas State 88. Not apparent to the crowd or the announcers Mykhaliuk took four steps without dribbling the ball clearly a travel.
Not only did those in attendance at Allen Fieldhouse miss the obvious travel so did the television audience. In addition the three officials on the court also missed blowing the whistle on the play. After the fact it was announced the travel could not be reviewed only the clock. Mykhaliuk has now coined a new term his step was no Euro step it was an Asian or African step. If you check you can see both continents are much larger in landmass than Europe about the size of the large step Mykhaliuk took.
The future!!
Laker fans see the PO-TEN-TIAL of this puerile team; it was certainly evident last night as they beat the Grizzlies 116-102. It was more than Julius Randle’s 19 point 14 rebound 11 assist game. It was more than D’Angelo Russell and Swaggy P. highly accurate 3-point shooting. Timofey Mozgov wasn’t bad either tossing in 14 points or clogging the lane playing defense effectively.
Jordan Clarkson and Lou Williams combined for 30 points off the bench but I believe you get the idea it was a team effort that earned the victory. For me the most encouraging part with a “matador” defense for much of December the Lakers actually stopped the Grizzlies from scoring. Another difference the “young” Lakers didn’t surrender a lead they held which has often been the case resulting in a loss.
It’s
The Pacers faced the Pistons on Tuesday evening in the Palace at Auburn Hills. We are a long day’s journey from November 19, 2004, that was the evening of the “Malice in the Palace.” A fight broke out on the court between the Pacers and Pistons, eventually several fans would be involved.
It was a huge black-eye for NBA basketball at the time numerous suspensions of players and criminal charges filed against some of the fans involved. The only “fight” on Monday was on the court and it involved no fists as the Pacers won the game 121-116. The next time the Pacers face the Pistons in a home game the location will be different. The teams will meet next season at the 21,000 seat Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit.
Bits n Pieces
Class of 2017 prospects is the focus currently however there is a noteworthy junior prospect. Zion Williamson is a 6-6 230 pound forward from Spartanburg (SC). This Rivals 5-star prospect has numerous schools with offers on the table for him to attend. He’s the number two prospect in the Class of 2018 so it’s likely no decision will be made at least until the fall of 2017; keep an eye out for this youngster.
I’ve mentioned on several occasions location greatly aids a player when he first arrives in the NBA. Kay Fielder is in the wrong location, it says he ain’t gonna get much playing time. See the 5-9 rookie guard from Oakland (MI) is on the Cavs bench where it’s likely he will remain. His place on the bench has nothing to do with his talent its just too many larger bodies in front of him. Isaiah Thomas clearly demonstrated his talent early on however it took a trade to the Celtics to convince the NBA Thomas had star quality. Interesting both players are the same height.
The question is posed for a number of reasons. The chief one we have a number of ‘journalists‘ who seem to believe the more controversy I can stir up the more readers or viewers I gain. David Aldridge is not like that guy; he never played the game but is passionate about his work without being flamboyant. Over the years Aldridge has worked for a number of media outlets covering the NBA. Turner Sports, ESPN and NBA TV he’s worked for all, his low-key reporting is always appreciated by this writer versus those over the top guys. You know who they are they are. They want to be the story rather than the story itself.
I’m surprised; the Hawks announced they would retire jersey number 44 worn by Pete Maravich although the date has not be finalized. You would think this might have been accomplished earlier after all he’s been enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame, selected as one of the Top 50 All-Time NBA players. The number 7 he wore in New Orleans has been retired by the Jazz and the Pelicans, his college team LSU retired number 23.
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
Bits n Pieces
Despite what Duke fans might believe ‘The Sky is not falling’. Expected to compete for an NCAA Championship early season injuries, then Grayson Allen and now Coach K. The coach will have back surgery which will cause him to miss the next four weeks. Duke currently is 12-2 which certainly ain’t bad, losing to Kansas and Virginia Tech two very good teams.
Speaking of the ACC they have seven (7) teams in the USA Today Coaches poll. Polls are just that opinions however it would be a great accomplishment if the Kansas City sports media would pay attention to teams outside the Big 12. I realize we are less than 50 miles from Lawrence (KS) but it would be nice, just sayin.‘
At least to this point of the season the Bulls have not played at the level many expected. Problems with the point guard plus injuries but don’t tell that to small forward Jimmy Butler. Butler scored 52 points in leading to a Bulls win over the Hornets on Monday. He added 12 rebounds and 6 assists as he shot .625 from the floor.
The Hawks are shopping Paul Milsap due to pending free-agency at the end of the season. I thought maybe he could help the Lakers until I reflected on Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith’s observation. ‘Unless you make a trade for a player that commands a double-team the trade is useless.’ Milsap would provide a veteran presence who can score but fails to provide the key element ‘The Jet’ says is
It's my fault, I tuned into the East Carolina-UCF game hoping to gain additional insight into 7-6 Tacko Fall's game. All I can say is I'll have to wait for another game this one was a throw-away. Neither team decided to show up, well really they did it was just an ugly, ugly game. As for Tacko he was 0-6 from the field 0 blocked shots and 7 rebounds. Despite his play UCF managed to win the game 48-45 shooting 26% from the floor, yes I said 26%. East Carolina wasn't much better shooting 27.1%
Three times since the 1952-1953 NBA season (the first year) the league has selected co-Rookies of the Year. Most recently the 1999-2000 season Steve Francis of the Rockets and the Bulls Elton Brand were selected. As for the 2016-17 season as we move into January Sixer Joel Embiid is clearly the leader (although drafted in 2014). Ben Simmons remains sidelined and Brandon Ingram is struggling at times with his offense. Dragan Bender, Jaylen Brown and others are playing limited minutes.
Your choice
If you are a certain age you remember Saturdays where you had a choice of two games. In this area it was a CBS Network and Big 8 college game that was it, rarely was there a late afternoon game and none scheduled on Saturday evening. Today the landscape has changed much of it due to cable; as an example the games below were broadcast at near the same time or would overlap. This television picture represents games at 11:00 a.m. Central Time and does not include afternoon and the evening schedule.
Louisville-Indiana CBS Network
Duke-Virginia Tech ESPN2
Tennessee State-Murray St CBS Sports Network
Indiana State-Missouri State Fox Sports Midwest
Houston-South Florida ESPNU
Xavier-Georgetown Fox Sports1
It’s pronounced…..
I believe it was The Starters a featured program on NBA TV. The host had fun with videos of Shaq and President Obama attempting to pronounce his name. I’m referring to the Bucks do everything forward Giannis Antetkounmpo. It’s pronounced; YAHN-iss ah-deh-toh-KOON-boh there is no more mispronouncing his name.
Bits n Pieces
Despite what Duke fans might believe ‘The Sky is not falling’. Expected to compete for an NCAA Championship early season injuries, then Grayson Allen and now Coach K. The coach will have back surgery which will cause him to miss the next four weeks. Duke currently is 12-2 which certainly ain’t bad, losing to Kansas and Virginia Tech two very good teams.
Speaking of the ACC they have seven (7) teams in the USA Today Coaches poll. Polls are just that opinions however it would be a great accomplishment if the Kansas City sports media would pay attention to teams outside the Big 12. I realize we are less than 50 miles from Lawrence (KS) but it would be nice, just sayin.‘
At least to this point of the season the Bulls have not played at the level many expected. Problems with the point guard plus injuries but don’t tell that to small forward Jimmy Butler. Butler scored 52 points in leading to a Bulls win over the Hornets on Monday. He added 12 rebounds and 6 assists as he shot .625 from the floor.
The Hawks are shopping Paul Milsap due to pending free-agency at the end of the season. I thought maybe he could help the Lakers until I reflected on Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith’s observation. ‘Unless you make a trade for a player that commands a double-team the trade is useless.’ Milsap would provide a veteran presence who can score but fails to provide the key element ‘The Jet’ says is
It's my fault, I tuned into the East Carolina-UCF game hoping to gain additional insight into 7-6 Tacko Fall's game. All I can say is I'll have to wait for another game this one was a throw-away. Neither team decided to show up, well really they did it was just an ugly, ugly game. As for Tacko he was 0-6 from the field 0 blocked shots and 7 rebounds. Despite his play UCF managed to win the game 48-45 shooting 26% from the floor, yes I said 26%. East Carolina wasn't much better shooting 27.1%
Three times since the 1952-1953 NBA season (the first year) the league has selected co-Rookies of the Year. Most recently the 1999-2000 season Steve Francis of the Rockets and the Bulls Elton Brand were selected. As for the 2016-17 season as we move into January Sixer Joel Embiid is clearly the leader (although drafted in 2014). Ben Simmons remains sidelined and Brandon Ingram is struggling at times with his offense. Dragan Bender, Jaylen Brown and others are playing limited minutes.
Your choice
If you are a certain age you remember Saturdays where you had a choice of two games. In this area it was a CBS Network and Big 8 college game that was it, rarely was there a late afternoon game and none scheduled on Saturday evening. Today the landscape has changed much of it due to cable; as an example the games below were broadcast at near the same time or would overlap. This television picture represents games at 11:00 a.m. Central Time and does not include afternoon and the evening schedule.
Louisville-Indiana CBS Network
Duke-Virginia Tech ESPN2
Tennessee State-Murray St CBS Sports Network
Indiana State-Missouri State Fox Sports Midwest
Houston-South Florida ESPNU
Xavier-Georgetown Fox Sports1
It’s pronounced…..
I believe it was The Starters a featured program on NBA TV. The host had fun with videos of Shaq and President Obama attempting to pronounce his name. I’m referring to the Bucks do everything forward Giannis Antetkounmpo. It’s pronounced; YAHN-iss ah-deh-toh-KOON-boh there is no more mispronouncing his name.
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
What do you think?
I’m unsure what to think about Rajon Rondo anymore. There is no doubting his talent (short of being an effective shooter) his attitude appears to be an issue once again. The Bulls now become his 4th NBA team and now he’s been benched, reports are he’s said; ‘He will seek a trade if I remain on the bench.’ Rondo helped win the most recent championship for the Celtics but has moved from the Celtics to the Mavs to the Kings and now the Bulls.
I once read an assessment where it was claimed ‘Rondo was a stat stuffer’, someone who plays the game for themselves rather than teammates. Another said; ‘Rondo is a throw-back to the days when point guards were not shooters.‘ Although Rondo had ‘baggage’ from years past the Bulls were willing to sign him to a two-year contract. We can only wonder if Bulls management is questioning their decision.
This is too funny----maybe only to me
Callie went on twitter rant last week complaining about NBA officiating. Not that unusual, fans and members of the media often use tweets to voice their concerns about officiating however Callie is different. Callie’s last name is Rivers and her father is Doc her brother Austin. The sister was complaining about her dad and brother being ejected in the Clippers Rockets game. We are yet to hear from Doc's wife Kristen and the balance of the clan, Jeremiah and Spencer, stand by.
My likes and dislikes
I like the improved play over last season by the Lakers; I dislike the lack of team defense at times. I like the instant offense Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson are able to offer as reserves. I dislike the Larry Nance Jr. injury every few weeks it seems. Despite the apparent talent of Nance Jr. the injury bug seems to be a regular in convenience to the continuity of the team. I like the ability of the 6-9 Brandon Ingram as the point forward; I dislike the poor shooting start thus far although he proved to be good shooter in college.
I like the new and improved Swaggy P.; I dislike the up and down performance of veteran Luol Deng to this point.
Deng was to bring a veteran presence and it‘s likely he has its his up and down offense that concerns me. I like the drafting of Ivica Zubac; I dislike he’s getting no playing time maybe he should be assigned to the D-League Defenders for the season. After no job at the beginning of the season I like Thomas Robinson has secured a role with the team. I dislike all the injuries which have impacted maturity of a young team. I like GM Mitch Kupchak and co-owner Jeannie Buss, I dislike co-owner Jim Buss, Jimmy is still quietly in the background as the puppet master.
Basketball in Canada
This could be my imagination I have no documentation to prove my point. Hoopshype Canada indicates the overwhelming majority of Top 40 Class of 2016 high school athletes are currently in the U.S. As for the Top 40 Class of 2017 Canadian youth they are here currently. They play at Oak Hill, Findley Prep and Montverde to name a few schools. I’m sure hockey reigns supreme in Canada but I’m unsure about basketball.
Its likely basketball ranks above baseball but how about Canadian football? Count the number of Canadian NBA players, the numbers playing high school ball either at home or the U.S. Add the National Basketball League of Canada plus those playing in Europe and the totals are likely far beyond those of Canadian football. Just speculation as I indicated early I have no numbers to validate my belief. We discuss NBA expansion everywhere in the U.S. except Canada; the NBA needs to look north.
What do you think?
I’m unsure what to think about Rajon Rondo anymore. There is no doubting his talent (short of being an effective shooter) his attitude appears to be an issue once again. The Bulls now become his 4th NBA team and now he’s been benched, reports are he’s said; ‘He will seek a trade if I remain on the bench.’ Rondo helped win the most recent championship for the Celtics but has moved from the Celtics to the Mavs to the Kings and now the Bulls.
I once read an assessment where it was claimed ‘Rondo was a stat stuffer’, someone who plays the game for themselves rather than teammates. Another said; ‘Rondo is a throw-back to the days when point guards were not shooters.‘ Although Rondo had ‘baggage’ from years past the Bulls were willing to sign him to a two-year contract. We can only wonder if Bulls management is questioning their decision.
This is too funny----maybe only to me
Callie went on twitter rant last week complaining about NBA officiating. Not that unusual, fans and members of the media often use tweets to voice their concerns about officiating however Callie is different. Callie’s last name is Rivers and her father is Doc her brother Austin. The sister was complaining about her dad and brother being ejected in the Clippers Rockets game. We are yet to hear from Doc's wife Kristen and the balance of the clan, Jeremiah and Spencer, stand by.
My likes and dislikes
I like the improved play over last season by the Lakers; I dislike the lack of team defense at times. I like the instant offense Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson are able to offer as reserves. I dislike the Larry Nance Jr. injury every few weeks it seems. Despite the apparent talent of Nance Jr. the injury bug seems to be a regular in convenience to the continuity of the team. I like the ability of the 6-9 Brandon Ingram as the point forward; I dislike the poor shooting start thus far although he proved to be good shooter in college.
I like the new and improved Swaggy P.; I dislike the up and down performance of veteran Luol Deng to this point.
Deng was to bring a veteran presence and it‘s likely he has its his up and down offense that concerns me. I like the drafting of Ivica Zubac; I dislike he’s getting no playing time maybe he should be assigned to the D-League Defenders for the season. After no job at the beginning of the season I like Thomas Robinson has secured a role with the team. I dislike all the injuries which have impacted maturity of a young team. I like GM Mitch Kupchak and co-owner Jeannie Buss, I dislike co-owner Jim Buss, Jimmy is still quietly in the background as the puppet master.
Basketball in Canada
This could be my imagination I have no documentation to prove my point. Hoopshype Canada indicates the overwhelming majority of Top 40 Class of 2016 high school athletes are currently in the U.S. As for the Top 40 Class of 2017 Canadian youth they are here currently. They play at Oak Hill, Findley Prep and Montverde to name a few schools. I’m sure hockey reigns supreme in Canada but I’m unsure about basketball.
Its likely basketball ranks above baseball but how about Canadian football? Count the number of Canadian NBA players, the numbers playing high school ball either at home or the U.S. Add the National Basketball League of Canada plus those playing in Europe and the totals are likely far beyond those of Canadian football. Just speculation as I indicated early I have no numbers to validate my belief. We discuss NBA expansion everywhere in the U.S. except Canada; the NBA needs to look north.
Monday, January 2, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
‘Fear the Beard’ or ……….'
I know fans have used the phrase; ‘Fear the Beard’ I have another name for James Harden its Captain Obvious. The captain in this instance is the guy from those Hotels. COM commercials, Harden doesn‘t look anything like him Captain Obvious has a beard too although no where close to Harden‘s. In any event The Beard or Capt Obvious had a game for the ages Saturday night.
In 46 minutes Harden led the way for the Rockets in a 129-122 victory over the Knicks. The 6-5 Harden had 53 points 16 rebounds and 17 assists, he was 14-26 from the floor a sizzling .538 from the floor. The ESPN.com NBA page claims Harden’s points and assist total 95 points the most scored by a single player other than Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game in NBA history.
Good interview versus bad
I try to be a man of my word; for the most part I’ve avoided local sports talk radio, ESPN, CBS and Fox Network talk programs. I did stop recently when the substitute hosts Jon “Stugotz” Weiner and Mike Golic Jr. for Mike & Mike indicated they had George Karl on the program to discuss his upcoming book. Since this was my first opportunity to hear the words directly from Karl’s mouth I stopped channel surfing. Karl said he intended to ‘Write a book guys would sit around the bar drinking beer and eating chicken wings. There was no intent to be controversial.’
The co-hosts admitted after Karl hung up they liked him. They spoke of Karl’s honesty and how he’s not going to dodge answering any question. They concluded an interview accomplishes nothing by essentially placing a guest on the hot seat. What do you think is the best type of interview? If you like the party you are intending to interview can you perform the job effectively?
Another account
Writer Bill Simmons wrote a stylish account on the emergence of the new NBA Big Men. He included three players I omitted however I’ll stick up for myself by stating my focus was on centers. As for the three I agree with Simmons they are rising stars to the Big Men Club. Simmons profiled 6-10 (or 6-11) Anthony Davis of the Pelicans, 6-11 Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks and 7-3 Kristaps Porzingis of the Knicks. The three are power forwards for their respective teams. So we can add them to the Big Man team of Boogie Cousins, Hassan Whiteside, Karl-Anthony Towns. Honorable mention goes to Andre Drummond, Rudy Gobert and DeAndre Jordan.
No diggity, no doubt
Debate raged among fans who were the first Euro in the NBA, who was the first Asian in the NBA. No doubt we know the first player from the African continent. His name is Hakeem ‘The Dream‘ Olajuwon, born in Lagos Nigeria he came to the U.S. in 1980 to play for the University of Houston Cougars. Hakeem did not grow up playing basketball it was soccer (football for many), he did not begin playing basketball until he was 17-years old.
Raw might not provide you a clear picture of how little Hakeem knew about the game that would become his life work. Lacking basketball savvy Hakeem had one advantage his soccer training provided him, he developed keen footwork. The “Dream Shake” he developed around the basket was a direct result of his soccer training. His basketball accomplishments especially in the NBA are far too numerous to mention for fear of an oversight on this writers part. He spent 17 years of his sterling NBA career as a member of the Houston Rockets; he’s enshrined in the FIBA and Naismith Hall of Fame.
‘Fear the Beard’ or ……….'
I know fans have used the phrase; ‘Fear the Beard’ I have another name for James Harden its Captain Obvious. The captain in this instance is the guy from those Hotels. COM commercials, Harden doesn‘t look anything like him Captain Obvious has a beard too although no where close to Harden‘s. In any event The Beard or Capt Obvious had a game for the ages Saturday night.
In 46 minutes Harden led the way for the Rockets in a 129-122 victory over the Knicks. The 6-5 Harden had 53 points 16 rebounds and 17 assists, he was 14-26 from the floor a sizzling .538 from the floor. The ESPN.com NBA page claims Harden’s points and assist total 95 points the most scored by a single player other than Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game in NBA history.
Good interview versus bad
I try to be a man of my word; for the most part I’ve avoided local sports talk radio, ESPN, CBS and Fox Network talk programs. I did stop recently when the substitute hosts Jon “Stugotz” Weiner and Mike Golic Jr. for Mike & Mike indicated they had George Karl on the program to discuss his upcoming book. Since this was my first opportunity to hear the words directly from Karl’s mouth I stopped channel surfing. Karl said he intended to ‘Write a book guys would sit around the bar drinking beer and eating chicken wings. There was no intent to be controversial.’
The co-hosts admitted after Karl hung up they liked him. They spoke of Karl’s honesty and how he’s not going to dodge answering any question. They concluded an interview accomplishes nothing by essentially placing a guest on the hot seat. What do you think is the best type of interview? If you like the party you are intending to interview can you perform the job effectively?
Another account
Writer Bill Simmons wrote a stylish account on the emergence of the new NBA Big Men. He included three players I omitted however I’ll stick up for myself by stating my focus was on centers. As for the three I agree with Simmons they are rising stars to the Big Men Club. Simmons profiled 6-10 (or 6-11) Anthony Davis of the Pelicans, 6-11 Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks and 7-3 Kristaps Porzingis of the Knicks. The three are power forwards for their respective teams. So we can add them to the Big Man team of Boogie Cousins, Hassan Whiteside, Karl-Anthony Towns. Honorable mention goes to Andre Drummond, Rudy Gobert and DeAndre Jordan.
No diggity, no doubt
Debate raged among fans who were the first Euro in the NBA, who was the first Asian in the NBA. No doubt we know the first player from the African continent. His name is Hakeem ‘The Dream‘ Olajuwon, born in Lagos Nigeria he came to the U.S. in 1980 to play for the University of Houston Cougars. Hakeem did not grow up playing basketball it was soccer (football for many), he did not begin playing basketball until he was 17-years old.
Raw might not provide you a clear picture of how little Hakeem knew about the game that would become his life work. Lacking basketball savvy Hakeem had one advantage his soccer training provided him, he developed keen footwork. The “Dream Shake” he developed around the basket was a direct result of his soccer training. His basketball accomplishments especially in the NBA are far too numerous to mention for fear of an oversight on this writers part. He spent 17 years of his sterling NBA career as a member of the Houston Rockets; he’s enshrined in the FIBA and Naismith Hall of Fame.
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Basketball from a fans perspective
Tacko
I know Tacko Saturday doesn't rhyme but that's all I had. On Saturday afternoon I witnessed Tacko Fall in action for the first time. The 7-6 UCF center’s team was in action against Temple University. Tacko managed 17 points on 6 for 7 shooting from the floor along with 7 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. Although Tacko weighs 300 pounds he appears (on television) to lack upper body strength. Slightly smaller players in stature and weight appeared to out muscle him at times for rebounds. He moves up and down the floor smoothly for a player his height and weight.
My notes indicate Tacko tossed in one hook shot the other scoring consisted of dunks. The report of Tacko being a poor foul shooting was not evident as he sank 5 of his 8 free throws. His stamina appeared good however UCF had such a huge lead it allowed Coach Dawkins to rest Tacko periodically as they overwhelmed Temple 77-53. UCF has another game next week which I hope to check out. Tacko Fall is light years ahead of his freshman year, it’s my view he needs to play through his junior season before he’s ready for the rigors of the NBA.
The box score
I must depend on the box score and highlights of the 52-point game by the Celtics Isaiah Thomas. I had the opportunity to view the game because it was on NBA TV. I chose a college game instead---BIG MISTAKE on my part. Every time this 5-9 dynamo does something outstanding it reminds me of the confusion in the Kings front office. The Kings traded Thomas to the Suns for Alex Oriakhi Jr. in July 2014. You ask where is Oriakhi, he’s In Turkey playing basketball for Socar Petkim. This is not to say Oriakhi can’t play, in September 2014 Oriakhi signed a contract to play for a team in Lithuania.
The Kings traded a player on their roster for a player who was only signed to play NBA Summer League, figure that one out if you can. I could be just as critical of the Suns for trading Thomas to the Celtics but they get a pass this time. Back to the outstanding game on Friday evening, if we checked the field goal percentage (.577) of Thomas it points out he was not just chucking up shots. I’m sure Thomas’s height might be a determent at times defensively however I believe his offense overshadows any shortcomings. Congratulations Isaiah Thomas.
I may have missed him
Rudy Gobert is a blossoming NBA star; I may have overlooked him at the time I wrote of NBA centers. Gobert was drafted in 2013 as an international player from France. Gobert is having a career year in the 2016-17 season raising his scoring to 12 points a game while grabbing nearly the same amount of rebounds.
No one dimensional player the 7-1 Gobert is second in the NBA in blocked shots with 2.58 per game. At this point we have no idea of his potential, it’s always been stated it takes Big Men longer to adjust to the NBA and that is the case with Gobert. He was a reserve player his first two years in the NBA, at a point last season he moved into the starting lineup permanently. His scoring and rebounding numbers are bound to increase.
Technical fouls
It was well known Celtic Coach Red Auerbach would bait referees into calling technical fouls on him, this effort sometimes even led to Auerbach being ejected. Auerbach would often use the technical to fire up his team and at times it worked. During the 2015 season the Clippers lead the NBA with a total of 84 technical fouls. This season the Clippers are slightly better, through the end of December they are third in the NBA with 31. The Knicks in second place with 35 and the Suns lead with 37 represents totals December 31. Russell Westbrook has 10 technical’s as of December 31, 6 to go until an automatic one game suspension.
Injuries
By the time this is read the players mentioned will have returned to the Laker lineup. D’Angelo Russell had been out of the lineup for weeks; Julius Randle has missed time also. Reserve Tarik Black was day to day with a sprained ankle, Jose Calderon also reserve had a pulled hamstring and was out for several weeks. Then Larry Nance Jr. goes down, will the injuries ever cease. Just when Laker fans believed the team was improving injuries crop up impacting further development.
Were the Lakers prone to injury because they are not a very good team? Strange question but consider several facts, the champion Cavs had few injuries last season. Two years ago the same scenario existed for the Warriors few if any sustaining injuries. My memory says the 2009 and 2010 Lakers had few injuries too which aided them in successive back to back championships. We can make that same statement about the Spurs who suffered few injuries in their championship seasons. It’s probably just me but it sure seems champion teams suffer few injuries what do you think?
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