Basketball from a fans perspective

Best of the best

I walked into the barber shop and was immediately met with: “Name your all-time top 5 NBA players!”  I began at the center position which caused an argument immediately.  I said Wilt Chamberlain, my barber countered with Bill Russell, we went back and forth attempting to prove our pick was better than the others.  We couldn’t agree so we went to the power forward, I said Karl Malone reluctantly, my barber countered with Tim Duncan.  I conceded, I could very easily see Duncan over Malone.  At the small forward he placed LeBron James, I said okay but could have chosen among the trio of Larry Bird, Dr. J. or James Worthy.  Finally, I agreed with his position LeBron James it is at the small forward. 

It’s funny, point guard was the only position we came to the same conclusion without any argument, we both said Magic Johnson.  We concluded with the shooting guard and he quickly said Michael Jordan although I’m sure you (meaning me) are going to try and sneak Kobe Bryant in that position, surprised him by saying no.  That was the A. portion of the conversation, this was the B. portion.  “UMKC made a mistake moving into the what is it…. Mountain West?  (It’s the Western Athletic Conference) my barber said.     New Mexico State is okay but what does UMKC have in common with Grand Canyon?”  I was in agreement with him I mentioned CSU-Bakersfield and Seattle University.  They should have gone into the Missouri Valley, I responded “I don’t think the Valley wanted them.  He then said: “They should have remained in the Summit League!” 

He was the first  
Maurice King was the first Kansas City area player in the NBA, we must remind you again in the 1950’s the NBA was “minor league” compared to the NFL and major league baseball.  King was selected in the 1957 NBA Draft by the Celtics however he first displayed his skills at R.T. Coles High School in Kansas City graduating in 1953.  King would play his college basketball at Kansas University and one of his teammates was a guy by the name of Wilt Chamberlain.  His NBA debut was delayed until 1959, King was drafted in the military and spent two years in the Army before joining the Celtics. 

The record is not clear King would only play one game for the Celtics prior to joining the Baltimore Bullets (Eastern League).  In 1961 he joined his hometown Kansas City Steers of the American Basketball League, King was one of the leaders of the team prior to the league folding in 1963.  He would close out his pro career joining the Chicago Zephyrs who later moved to Baltimore and then Washington D.C.  King died in 2007 at the age of 72, if you check his stats they don’t appear overwhelming however he was a ground breaker in several aspects.  There is little evidence available on this often-forgotten basketball pioneer even in Kansas City his hometown.  

He wants to coach again

Former Louisville Coach Rick Pitino wants to coach, he informed ESPN of this aspiration.  He said: “It doesn’t matter if it’s college or the NBA.”  At this time there have only been accusations aimed at the long-time coach.  I can say with certainty Pitino is highly unlikely to be hired by a Division I program anywhere, if a Division II or NAIA program offered him a job would he take it?  It’s my belief despite no proof of guilt the NBA might be a far better fit for Pitino. 

The Border War

Remember the name Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, he’s 6 feet 9-inch 220 pound forward at Bishop Miege in metro Kansas City.   Robinson-Earl is number 15 in the Class of 2019 prospect the son of former Kansas player Lester Earl.  Kansas along with a number of schools have made offers to Robinson-Earl.  A new player has arrived on the scene, Cuonzo Martin, Mizzou’s coach.  This is a different recruiting effort for a few reasons.  Bishop Miege is located on the Kansas side but is in metro Kansas City (MO).  Under Kim Anderson, and the prior two Mizzou coaches I don’t remember Kansas and Mizzou competing for the same athlete.     

“Star written on his forehead”       

Joel Embiid was a reserve player for the Kansas Jayhawks, Tarik Black now with the Rockets was the starter at the center position.  I don’t remember the set of circumstances however Embiid displaced Black as the starter.  Embiid soon began demonstrating talent I hadn’t seen by a big man in quite a while.  Then along the way the first injury, Embiid was forced to the sidelines before the end of his freshman season.      

I said at the time; “I hope he returns for his sophomore year, he’s plenty talented but needs work.”  We cannot be sure if there were dollar signs in the eyes of Embiid however he decided to declare for the NBA Draft and the Sixers made him the third pick in the first round of the 2014 draft.  The injury bug would plague Embiid over the next 2 and ½ seasons, finally in 2017 he managed to play 31 games and I could see the “star written on his forehead” once again.   

At the beginning of the 2017-18 season Embiid was brought along slowly not playing back to back games.  Despite being somewhat limited he excelled on the court once again, in January Embiid began playing back to back games.  Playing along side Ben Simmons they have become an exciting dynamic duo.  I’d mentioned earlier basketball historian Sonny Hill (who played and was a friend of the late Wilt Chamberlain) said “He is the closest I’ve seen to a young Wilt Chamberlain. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Is it over?

With Derrick Rose it might be 50% mental and 50% physical why his game has cease to exist.  This week he signed with the Wolves through the end of the season, but this is not long-term.  He’s not going to replace starter Jeff Teague at the point guard although the two are the same age.  Rose is not moving in front of 21-year old Tyus Jones, Jones represents the future for the Wolves at the point.  This is bothersome on so many levels witnessing Rose hanging on, he can no longer play the game at the skill level he once exhibited.  What does the future hold for Rose, only he knows and that might even be a question remaining for him. 

International game 

On more than one occasion I’ve mentioned the NBA has become an international game.  We see evidence every time we attend a game or turn on our television.  If we look at the 2018 NBA Draft Luka Doncic will be a lottery pick, I can make the statement with no hesitation.  One mock draft indicates seven or more international players could be drafted in 2018.  The latest figures I could uncover (2015-16) indicate 28.6% of NBA players are foreign born, contrast this with 1980-81 when the figure was 1.7%. 

The numbers might be somewhat misleading if we consider a Kyrie Irving or Dante Exum.  Both athletes were born in Australia while their families lived in that nation.  If we consider an Emmanuel Mudiay or Semi Ojeleye the figure might even be higher, both were born in the U.S. however their parents emigrated from the African continent.  Can we count Buddy Hield as an international player, after all he was born in the island nation of The Bahamas?  

Nirvana

One of the definitions of Nirvana is: “A state of perfect happiness; an ideal or idyllic place.”  SportsMoney a program on Fox Sports explored the financial detail of the NBA at present and into the future.  The picture painted in the next five years is very bright for the league especially the Asian and European markets.  The two guests who work in the financial field indicated there are more potential buyers for NBA franchises than available.  Where are those trolls who always respond by claiming “Nobody is watching the NBA”, evidently that just ain’t true?  This reminds me of that 1986 pop hit by Timbuck 3, “The Futures So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades.”

Therefore

We near the end of the college basketball season, the NBA will continue through April and conclude in June with its championship.  Much basketball remains to be covered but that’s the story here.  I had a friend say: “Why don’t you write about other sports now since the basketball season is over.”   There are a variety of reasons for the basketball coverage 24/7 and 365.  This morning on SportsCenter they are discussing an NFL cornerback, yesterday on local sports talk radio the Chiefs were a topic of discussion.  The NFL season concluded weeks ago with the Super Bowl, yet the sport continues to be covered, why not the same for basketball?

Scottie Pippen, Sonics

You might not remember this, the Sonics drafted former Bulls great Scottie Pippen in 1987.  He arrived in the NBA with little known about him, this was before the days of YouTube and our ability to see every player highlights while they are still in high school.  Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause knew the name Scottie Pippen having scouted him at little known University of Central Arkansas. 

The Sonics drafted Pippin and then traded his right to the Bulls in exchange for the Bulls rights to Olden Polynice.  The name Polynice is probably only remembered by fans of NBA trivia.  Seattle with a lower pick chose Pippen with the 5^th pick, the Bulls with the 8^th pick chose the late Jerry Krause receives a great deal of criticism from Phil Jackson and even Michael Jordan.  If not for Krause, there might not have been six NBA Championships hanging from the rafters of the United Center.  Pippen would often take on the role of defensive stopper on the opposing teams best player.     

“I’m from Missouri, you’ve got to Show Me”

All most anytime you present me with a possibility I say: “I’m from Missouri, you’ve got to Show Me.”  That is the situation at this time, many are picking the Rockets to win the NBA Championship I say show me.  The Rockets look unbeatable for much of the season on the other hand the Warriors have played up and down most of the season.  Whomever the Warriors face in the playoffs might be like a shark smelling blood in the water.  They could rise and defeat the Dub City crew in a seven-game series.  

On the other hand, the Rockets with two-point guards Chris Paul and James Hardin score and distribute the basketball with ease.  In a seven-game series they could be beaten by an upset minded team.  It’s likely neither scenario plays out and the Rockets face the Warriors for the Western Conference Championship.  Who wins the series, right now March 9 with both teams fully healthy I’m going with the Warriors. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

They must redeem themselves

Mizzou was a loser 62-60 to Georgia in the SEC Tourney, I believe the Tigers are better than the Bulldogs however I have no method to confirm this.  Michael Porter Jr. made his debut played 23 minutes scoring 12 points but shot poorly from the floor.  He was not the cause Mizzou lost it was a collective team effort.  This team must redeem itself in the NCAA Tournament for me to be pleased.  That's about all you get out of me, I'm depressed.   

Will it occur?
Men have served as head coach for a number of successful women’s teams.  One of the most successful women’s team UConn has been coached by Geno Auriemma for a number of years.  Becky Hammons name is one of a number mentioned as a possible MEN’S head basketball coach at Colorado State.  Hammon had a 16-year playing career in the WNBA, when she retired Greg Popovich hired Hammon as an assistant coach for the Spurs in 2014.  In 2015 she served as head coach for the Spurs Summer League team, are we ready for a woman to serve in the role of head coach for a men's team at a Division I school?   

A voice cries out

Wednesday another voice (besides mine) said: “We need an NBA team in Kansas City." That voice belonged to Kansas City Royals pitcher Danny Duffy.  The fact he is a fan of the NBA is not unusual I’d never heard or read this view previously.  It’s unlikely Duffy has enough money to purchase a team solely on his own.       

This is the last time

I’ve written several accounts defending Laker rookie Lonzo Ball, this is the last one.  Since his return from injury Ball has been “ballin”!  His last 5 games have witnessed the two vital numbers for us rooting for him rise significantly.  No complaints regarding his assists and rebounds they were steady it was his lack of aggressiveness, field goal shooting and average.  Ball is shooting .478 over the period mentioned not great but certainly higher than previously, his scoring average has risen to 13.0 points per game.  The only area of concern for this writer is at the line,  he's not a good free-throw shooter but even that can be cured with practice.        

Is he ready for the NBA? 

The question won’t be answered until June 21, Alize Johnson is getting some buzz as a potential NBA draft choice.  He might not be familiar to you he plays at Missouri State in the Missouri Valley Conference.  The school located in Springfield Missouri has a rich basketball history winning the NAIA Championship in 1952 and 1953.  As for Johnson his background is quite interesting.  In high school he was a 5-foot 9-inch point guard, Johnson is now a 6-foot 9-inch power forward and double-double man for the Bears.  As this is written Johnson is averaging 15.6 points and 11.5 rebounds a game, don’t be surprised to hear his name announced in June.   

I believe I’ve figured this out

This Mizzou fan admits he’s a casual football fan, so the talk radio guys don’t affect me in the same manner as basketball.  The last three seasons have been terrible under the departed Kim Anderson, there was little talk and that was okay.  This season is totally different however the media for the most part continues to ignore Mizzou basketball.  I believe I’ve figured out why, the first reason is historical.  Mizzou had been a member of the Big 12 or it’s prior incarnations since the 1928-29 season, the 2012-13 move to the SEC leaves the media with the blaas which a tie in to the second reason. 

The State of Missouri shares a border with Iowa, Oklahoma and Kansas.  Texas is not close but certainly is quicker travel than to SEC Florida.  As for the SEC Missouri has a shared border with Arkansas and Tennessee as for the others that’s a different story.  Auburn, Alabama, Ole Miss and the balance of SEC schools might as well be on the dark side of the moon.  Local media doesn’t identify with these schools, they probably see little if any connection apart from Missouri.  So, there you have it, just a theory and its certainly open to your interpretation. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

He will play

Michael Porter Jr. will play today, the minutes will be limited but he plays.    

Class of 2017

This is not a reference to a high school or college graduation class, it represents NBA rookies drafted in June 2018.  This account is prompted by several websites, they look at past websites and conduct a “do-over” of a draft year.  I seriously doubt anyone will conduct a similar account over the next several years, this might be the best draft class in several years.  The leading rookie Ben Simmons was drafted in 2016 as you are aware, an injury sidelined him until the 2017-18 season. 

Ben Simmons-Sixers

Donovan Mitchell-Jazz

Lonzo Ball-Lakers

Jayson Tatum-Celtics

Josh Jackson-Suns

Lauri Markkanen-Bulls

Dennis Smith Jr.-Mavs

Kyle Kuzma-Lakers

De’Aaron Fox-Kings

Josh Hart-Lakers

You must have an opportunity to play, several rookies might be warming the bench behind veteran players.  Sure, I may have omitted a player or two you might believe should be included on this list.  I believe you can agree this is possibly the best class of rookies in quite a few years. 

The great sage

I almost fell out my chair with laughter about 9:30 p.m. Central Time Tuesday night.  The final score read Rockets 122 Thunder 112, relax Thunder fans my happiness was not aimed at your team it was ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.  Once again Smith ventured onto that precarious limb and fell off.   Don’t just take my word, check out ESPN’s NBA page history.  

Tuesday afternoon Smith was asked who would win the game, he picked the Thunder and provided us his reasoning.  What’s the difference between Smith and me regarding basketball?  ESPN is paying him big-time money and he’s got a world-wide audience, all I’ve got is Words eye view and five or six folks who read my blog.  I purposely turned on First Take Wednesday morning to see the excuse, he discussed the Rockets and Warriors but failed to mention last nights game. 

Injury bug

I’m sure no one questions the talent of Danilo Gallinari, the 6-foot 10 inch small forward has proven to be quite capable. Galo was the number 6 pick in the first round of the 2008 draft, he played 74 games for the Knicks in his second year but that’s been the high-water mark.  Galo was part of the trade package heading west to the Nuggets in exchange for Carmelo Anthony. Through the following years with the Nuggets it seemed he spent more time on the sidelines then playing. 

July 2017 Galo was part of another trade package became a Clipper.  The Clippers must now deal with the same consequence that occurred in Denver and New York, a Galo injured once again.  He’s seen action in 19 of the 61 games the Clippers have played thus far.  If you check his bio you will discover injuries have kept him on the sidelines for extended portions of time during his NBA career.  The guy is just too brittle for the rigors of playing at this level, don’t confuse my statement.  I didn’t say he couldn’t play he’s got a problem remaining healthy.   

Basketball from a fans perspective

R.I.P. (Wesley Johnson’s ankles)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLjC7q6Xlh4

Bits n Pieces  

Monday evening Larry Nance Jr. scored 22 points in the Cavs game versus the Pistons.  He joined a unique and unusual group.  His father Larry Nance Sr. had scored 20 or more points several times while playing for the Cavs.  Interesting there are four other fathers and sons who accomplished this.       

Steve Kerr said: “College players who don’t get drafted should be allowed to return to school.”  Makes sense to me, we desire athletes to remain in college for four years yet won’t allow them to return if they wish.  What about the money, the only possible money exchange is that with an agent and even that might be questionable.  Kinda seems as though the lines are blurred, hmmmm that might be a good title for a pop tune…. what do you think?  

After seeing the Blazers Damian Lillard torch my Lakers for 39 points I wondered how many NBA players are from Weber State University.  What’s your guess, 10 maybe 15 from this Ogden Utah school?  How about 8 including Lillard who I can state without reservation is the best from Weber State.     

He should be in the middle of his senior year of high school instead he’s enrolled as a freshman in college.  Mizzou’s game against Arkansas was supposed to be the return of Michael Porter Jr. to the basketball court.  Instead it was “little brother” Jontay Porter with a second outstanding game.  The 6-foot 11-inch 240-pound Jontay was named SEC Player of the Week for his two outstanding games against Vanderbilt and Arkansas last week.    

I didn’t check

The State of Missouri specifically the cities of St. Louis and Kansas City might serve as host for the most basketball tournaments in the nation.  The Missouri Valley Tournament or Arch Madness has long been played in St. Louis, this year the SEC Tournament was added.  Both tournaments are held at the Scottrade Center.  In Kansas City the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association comprised of NCAA Division II teams plays here as does the NAIA Tournament.  Both are played in the Municipal Auditorium; the Big 12 Tournament will be held in the Sprint Center.  I didn’t check however I’ve concluded if Missouri is not in first the state has got to be at least second in the number of post-season tournaments. 

King of speculation

Shooting guard Mark Smith was selected Mr. Basketball in the State of Illinois for 2017.  The 6-foot 4-inch Smith was expected to add firepower to Brad Underwood’s first team at Illinois.   He indicated his experience at the school did not turn out as he hoped and is transferring. Illinois will release him allowing him to transfer to another school.  It should be of note Smith first committed to Mizzou as a pitcher before hurting his arm and then decommitting.   

Time for a change

LeBron James has joined the conversation I first believed voiced by Pistons Coach Stan Van Gundy.  LeBron interviewed referred to the NCAA as a “Corrupt organization and the NBA should provide an alternative.”  Check and double check, if you’ve read Words eye view any length of time you realize the following.  I have long believed the NCAA continues to administrate college sports like it did in 1950.  The world has turned over four times in the intervening years, the NCAA cannot continue to function in a “business as usual” manner.  Just the other day I heard a radio interview with Ed O’Bannon.  For those unfamiliar O’Bannon was the plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit filed against the NCAA. 

The simple explanation the organization used his image and others for commercial purposes, no one received funds from this venture apart from the NCAA.  In 2014 the court found in favor of O’Bannon, his portion of compensation, $0.  Kids need money even on scholarship, do we pay athletes?  We are there already it’s done in a hidden manner, I remember reading Kansas basketball was placed on probation once.  The story goes Larry Brown then head coach provided one of his players ticket money for a flight home, the player had an emergency at home and didn’t have the financial means to fly home.  College athletics require an administrator however this task must be accomplished in a different manner, there are far too many colleges and universities for the NCAA to continue operating with a 1950 mentality.          

Basketball from a fans perspective

Tournament time

It’s that time of year once again, March Madness, conference tournaments will lead to NCAA invitations.  Did you realize although the Division I tournament dominates television coverage and our brackets it’s not the oldest?   In 1939 Oregon beat Ohio State 46-33, the tournament that year consisted of 8 teams compared to the 68 teams who are invited presently.  The second oldest post-season tournament is the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) first held in 1938. 

The tournament championship game is held at Madison Square Garden..  Temple defeated Colorado 60-36, it too was smaller with 6 teams participating.  The champion is the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics first held in 1937.  That year Central Missouri State (now University of Central Missouri) faced Morningside College (IA).  The game would see Central Missouri crowned champion with a 35-24 win.  With the exception of several years the NAIA Championship is held in Kansas City (MO).   

Change is in the air 

Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott is calling for change, he wants the NBA to do away with it’s one and done rule.  Scott wants to compel athletes to commit to three years in college, it’s my belief this proposed change would be like that in effect for major league baseball.  High school players have a choice they can sign after graduation or head off to college for the previously stated period.   I certainly don’t claim to be an expert regarding the NHL but it’s my understanding play begins at that level for several players.  As for the NFL that’s totally different. 

I’m sure there are a few players who could have made the leap, overall most high school football players are not ready to deal with the physical requirements of play in the NFL.  As for the NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is working on a plan too, it will await release of the college committee, so it could be several months before we see a change.  There are several issues here, the ugly under belly of basketball has been exposed and we don’t like what we see.  Consider this bit of information, did we ever hear of money at the time high school athletes were allowed in the NBA draft.  There were several high school draft choice misses but there were a greater number of successes.   

Kobe, Kobe

He’s allowed the haters to return once again, Kobe indicated he would not be a recruiter for potential Laker free-agents.  The public statement certainly doesn’t prevent him from working behind the scenes effort however that’s caused a concern in some circles.  That’s number one on the Kobe hater list, number two on the list Kobe won an Academy Award for “Dear Basketball” an animated short he served as executive producer.  Kobe shared the award with Disney animator Glen Keane.      

Correction

Technically my statement regarding Mizzou’s finish was incorrect, allow a further explanation.  Mizzou’s conference record was 10 wins and 8 losses but so was Kentucky and Arkansas.  Technically Mizzou finished in a tie for 4^th although they lost the tie-breaker to Arkansas and Kentucky.  That entails a 5th place finish.  In recruiting news, a local sports radio host attended the Saturday game, he indicated Courtney Ramey was at the game.  The 6-foot 3-inch Rivals 4-star point guard was believed to have dropped Mizzou from his list of schools.  Ramey from Webster Groves (MO) a city in St. Louis County might have been completing his list of authorized NCAA college visits.   

Basketball from a fans perspective

Rookie of the Year

The ESPN TV production staff posted a rookie stat comparison of Magic Johnson and Sixer Ben Simmons during the Sunday evening game.  The numbers are so close it’s almost unreal, however consider this bit of NBA history.  Magic Johnson was not Rookie of the Year for the 1979-80 season, that honor belonged to a guy named Larry Joe Bird.    

Shut up Stephen A. Smith 

On Friday the ever-wise sage of ESPN decided to impart us word of wisdom regarding Lonzo Ball.  As usual he missed the target which is somewhat common place for him at times.  As this is written Lonzo Ball of the Lakers is shooting .369 from the floor and scoring at some 10.4 points per game clip.  Contrast those numbers with Jason Kidd in his first year?  He was clearly better than Ball at .385 from the floor and 11.7 points per game, Kidd was 0.016 from the floor and 1.3 ppg better.  I ain’t saying Lonzo is approaching the level of Jason Kidd but give him a break, he’s not as bad as many of you claim especially you Mr. Smith.  You  contend Ball is not aggressive enough that's open for debate. 

Research

Depends on your perspective I guess, this is not going to be complimentary to Kansas basketball.  You can cease reading at this point if you prefer, I made a statement regarding the strength of the Big 12.  I pointed out only one of the nine teams (excluding conference games) was below .500.  A friend posed the question; “If the conference is so strong how Kansas can win 14 consecutive championships?” 

The other day a couple of local radio sports talk host said; “Kansas is a blue-blood program, they are up there with Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina.”  How many seasons have they played basketball you ask?  Kansas has played 119 seasons, Kentucky 114, and North Carolina 107 the remainder have played a shorter number of seasons.  Now for the real difference between the programs, NCAA Championships. The figures below are from 2016-17 season the most recent available date.  You can draw your own conclusions from the information provided. 

Kentucky 2,237 

Kansas 2,217

North Carolina 2,206

Duke 2,115

Temple 1,886

NCAA Championships

UCLA 11

Kentucky 8

North Carolina 6

Duke 5

Kansas 3

Who should we take?

ESPN.com’s NBA page posed the question, “Who do the Sixers take in the draft?”  I didn’t read the account but checked mock draft sites.   The Sixers have the number 10 and number 18 pick in the first round of the 2018 draft, in addition they have four picks in the second round.  I’m going to play general manager here, they are not…. repeat not going to add six players to their existing roster.  It’s likely two or maybe three of the second-round players are drafted but included as part of a trade package.     

Basketball from a fans perspective

8 last season, 20 and counting this season

Mizzou won a hard-fought game over Mike Anderson’s Arkansas Razorbacks 77-67.  Mizzou played a balance game and was led by starters Jordan Barnett with 19 points and surprise Jeremiah Tilmon with 17.  Tilmon managing to avoid foul trouble played the entire game.  In addition, the 6-foot 10 252-pound Tilmon pulled down 8 rebounds, he proves how valuable he is when on the floor.  Finishing off the scoring was Kassius Robertson’s 14, the hero off the bench was Porter, no not that Porter he didn’t play it was Jontay with 19 points. 

Despite the pressing pressure defense Mizzou only had 12 turnovers for the game.  The SEC Tournament starts next week, I’m unsure who they might face however I’m comfortable stating they will come to play.  Then it’s on to the NCAA Tournament, I’m sure after the win over Arkansas they are invited.  As I pointed out earlier there were 5 or 6 games they should have won but didn’t, I’m going to attribute those losses to “growing pains.”  New coach, new system and the team gaining comfort in one another and becoming a real team. 

“March Madness”

As the calendar turns to March we prepare for the NCAA Men’s Division 1 Basketball Tournament. The tournament has not always been known by it’s nickname “March Madness”, I was unable to locate the precise time-frame.  Over the next several weeks 68 teams across the nation will participate in a one and done tournament and a champion will be crowned in early April.  A team, we don’t know which one is likely to exceed expectations, they will upset one maybe two higher seeded teams. 

Only work responsibilities prevent us from viewing ALL the games.   CBS, TNT, TBS and TruTV Networks provide coverage of every game, it’s possible we could witness four games telecast at the same time.  The Final Four will begin on March 30 and a champion crowned on April 2, the site is the Alamodome in San Antonio Texas.  According to Wikipedia seating capacity for the building is 39,000 for basketball, I’d bet money there will be 64,000 or more in the building on that weekend.  

Space Jam

LaVar Ball wants all to know youngest son LaMelo Ball is a coming star.   LaMelo and brother LiAngelo were pulled out of school by father LaVar and the brothers are playing pro basketball in Lithuania.  The only problem for me La Melo seems to love scoring the basketball.  As for playing defense and other facets of the game…..well remember Bill Murray in Space Jam?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIV_9--awCI

Growing up right before our eyes

Parents often make the statement about their children,  I've always been kind of a pacifist. When I was a kid, my father told me, "Never hit anyone in anger, unless you're absolutely sure you can get away with it." I don't know what kind of soldier I'm gonna make, but I want you guys to know that if we ever get into really heavy combat... I'll be right behind you guys. Every step of the way.could make the same statement about the “baby” Sixers, they beat the Cavs in Cleveland no less 108 to 97. 

LeBron James had a great game but couldn’t manage this time to bring along his team.  30 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists for LeBron but none of the other starters managed to score more than 11 points.  As for the Sixers all five starters scored in double figures with J.J. Redick leading the way with 22 points.  Joel Embiid only scored 17 points but pulled down 14 rebounds along with 6 assists.  Rookie of the Year Simmons scored 18 points along with 9 rebounds and 8 assists.

Basketball from a fans perspective

That didn’t take long

Shareef O’Neal didn’t take very long to decide on his destination.  After decommitting from Arizona last week Shaq’s son has decided in favor of “remaining at home.”  O’Neal is verbally committing to UCLA, he will join a highly touted recruiting class in the fall.   

A significant date

March 2^nd is significant, on that date in 1962 Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points against the Knicks.  The Warriors were winners 169-147 thanks in large part to Chamberlain’s scoring binge.  A notoriously poor shooter from the free-throw line throughout his career, this game he sank 28 out of 32 free-throws.  In addition to the scoring binge Chamberlain pulled down 25 rebounds, teammate Guy Rogers had 20 assists in the game.  Willie Naulls and Richie Guerin scored 31 and 39 points respectively for the Knicks. 

The game was not televised which was not unusual for the time-period, even more interesting there are no photos from the game.  The only record other than the box score is a photo of Wilt Chamberlain holding a sheet of paper with 100 hand-written on it.  The NBA would often “farm” out games, this one was played in Hershey (think chocolate) Pennsylvania some 100 miles from Philadelphia.  There were 4,124 fans in attendance at the Hershey Sports Arena although someone once said, “at least 14,000 claimed to have seen the game.”   

It’s me

Coach Cuonzo Martin on Thursday said: “If Michael Porter Jr. has a good practice he'll play on Saturday.  He meant Mizzou’s game versus Arkansas Saturday evening.  After Jr. was injured and surgery was required I believed like many others I’d never see him play in a Mizzou jersey.  Somewhere around mid to late January rumors began circulating he planned on playing this season. 

Then last week the medical staff gave him the okay to practice, we believe play would begin soon after.  At first, I said it was okay that he plays and then I said naw, why take a chance.  To show you how unsure I was I consulted several basketball but not Mizzou fans.  My survey was not scientific by any means, but I could find no one besides yours truly who thought Jr. should remain on the bench.  So, there you have it, it's likely he plays, and I guess I'm okay with it.   

“Best on the floor”

That was the word from the Lakers Luke Walton regarding Lonzo Ball.  The Lakers won a road game 131-113 over the Heat, Ball filled up the stat sheet in his 34 minutes on the court.  

8 points

7 assists

6 rebounds

6 steals

Ball only scored 8 points, without a check of the box you might believe he was chucking up a bunch of shots and missing.  He only took five shots and sank 3 baskets.  I’ve said this previously Ball might never become a “great” player but as for whether he belongs in the NBA that's a different matter, he belongs.   

I’m only as good as the information received

First-hand knowledge of a situation allows a unique perspective, you witness the events first hand rather than repeating what someone else might have said or done.  That’s my dilemma, I read the ESPN account regarding misdeeds by Sean Miller and Arizona basketball.  The coach after being silent for a time claims he is innocent of any of the charges aimed at him while serving as Arizona’s head coach.  That was the point now for the counter-point, the ESPN.com writer who “broke” the story is claiming his sources have the information correct.  With that said Larry Laker is going to sit on the sidelines and wait for completion of the FBI/Justice Department final report.   

Basketball from a fans perspective

Where is Laura Ingraham when you need her?

Remember the comment by Fox News host Laura Ingraham regarding LeBron James?  Ingraham on her television program said: “Shut up and dribble.”  She believed it more important for LeBron and others to play basketball and not discuss or get involved in social issues.  Well she received plenty of push-back on her comment.  Harvard University invited Celtic Jaylan Brown to speak on advocacy for Harvard's Graduate School of Education.  So much for Laura Ingraham, she needs to cross over into the 21st Century.  

Show us your jab step and cross over

I hope you had an opportunity to see video of Rockets guard James Harden in action guard on Wednesday night.  Most of the websites have it available, just in case you haven’t seen it allow me to attempt to describe it in a “words” picture.  Harden with the ball dribbling down the court on the left side Clippers Wesley Johnson guarding him.  Harden gave Johnson a jab step and sent Johnson to the floor his feet tangled and he flopped on the floor.  Harden standing alone at the 3-point line looked at Johnson, looked at the basket for what seemed like an eternity.  Clipper guard Milos Teodosic realizing with Johnson on the floor came rushing toward Harden but was too far to bother the shot.  Harden on fire in the first quarter sank the basket, the action was a thing of beauty see it if you can.   

Is he gonna be a star?

I cannot answer the above question regarding Laker point guard Lonzo Ball, this I can answer he can play in the NBA.  He’s returned from his injury looking improved on the court, his field goal percentage was so low that even though he’s shooting better he’s still only at .356.  Here’s the State of the Lakers as I see it, Ball is scoring at almost 11 points along with 7.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game.  It’s my view there is no requirement for Ball to score the Lakers have several guys that do that.  It’s the other things, the assists his rebounds and defense are the takeaways for me.  The Lakers can score the ball, their problems as a team have been on the defensive end. 

All I’ve seen is video

I have no clue if point guard Trent Williams can play at the Division I level.  Williams who hails from Houston Texas is a sophomore at Gillette Community College in Gillette Wyoming.  Coach Cuonzo Martin is recruiting Williams hoping he will chose Mizzou among the teams seeking his services in the fall.  I’ve seen video of him in action and his numbers are sound however we must keep in mind they represent play at the junior college level.  In 24 games Williams is scoring at nearly 15 points a game while shooting 58% from the floor.  At the free-throw line Williams is a 73% shooter along with 8.2 assist per game.   

Curious 

It would prove quite interesting to determine the roots of the Big 12 break up.  It’s been almost 8 years and I can only remember portions of the story.  This is what I remember reading, several schools (including Mizzou) were upset with the disproportionate amount of revenue Texas was receiving.  Texas having implemented the Longhorn Network and other streams of revenue led to the school receiving more income than the other 11 schools.  It finally resulted in reached athletic directors of four schools deciding to leave the Big 12 Conference. 

All the schools did not leave for the same conference, Colorado in 2011 departed for the Pac-12, Nebraska in 2011 for the Big 10.  In 2012 Mizzou and Texas A&M left for the SEC so as you can see and my argument all along I don’t understand Bill Self.  He continues to hold Mizzou solely responsible for the break-up when there were other schools involved.  The portion of this issue so interesting, despite the sterling reputation of Kansas in basketball the football program is a bottom feeder.  No conference wants to take on a school with a poor football program.  

Basketball from a fans perspective

Laker news

The Lakers bought out the contract of Corey Brewer, they did this allowing the 11-year veteran to sign with a playoff team.  The prevailing thought is he’s likely to sign with his former college coach Billy Donovan now with the Thunder.  All indications point to the fact Brewer was the complete teammate and he offered veteran leadership in the clubhouse.  This move will allow the Lakers to continue the youth movement.  We can never be sure what goes through the mind of LaVar Ball, this story we can refer to as horse caw-caw. 

Remember awhile back he was saying to all in hearing distance: “Luke Walton has lost this team, nobody wants to play for him.”  I cannot say whether the story has any validity this I do know, as this is written the Lakers win total stands at 26 games.  That's not anything outstanding unless you consider have 6-8 weeks remaining in the regular season.  The 2016-17 Lakers won 26 games, what's that you say LaVar, we can't hear you, speak up please.      

Wouda, shouda, couda 

This is a whine and cheese account, the only problem you get no cheese but plenty of whine from yours truly.  As I’ve indicated maybe the idea is to create discussion however the local sports talk guys have been quite brutal at times discussing Mizzou basketball.  Consider this tidbit, if we compare Mizzou’s 2017 record to 2018 they are night and day difference.  Losing two-point guards through transfer impacted the overall record, not having Michael Porter Jr. available stymied the teams won-loss record. 

Although he wasn’t playing major minutes the same could be said for point guard Terrance Phillips dismissed from the team.  I did a quick re-count and believe there are six games Mizzou lost they should have won, there could be more.  Let’s say Mizzou wins half of those games, instead of a 19-11 record as it is currently they would be 21-8 or 22-7.  According to USA Today Mizzou basketball ticket sales has risen to $5 million over last seasons $3 million.  I think that covers just about everything I can whine about related to Mizzou you can return to your regular reading. 

2019 Free-Agency

ESPN writer Ramona Shelburne claims instead of 2018 the Lakers might be looking at 2019 free-agents.  This is written in February several very talented players will be unrestricted free-agents in 2019.  Of course, it’s likely a number might have “Bird Rights” so they can command a larger salary from the home team than the Lakers.  

Paul George

Klay Thompson

Karl-Anthony Towns

Kristaps Porzingis

Hassan Whiteside

Those are just a few of the potential free-agents I believe would fit on my team.  Many other talented players such as Carmelo Anthony and Zach Randolph would also be available however they and others are on the downhill side of their careers. NOTE:  This was written prior to the Porzingis injury.      

Communication rather than basketball
Over the years I’ve had an opportunity to witness several former players and coaches become television and radio analyst for NBA and college games.  A number become very good while others let’s just say they were good basketball players and coaches.  For me its more than just blabbering, you must have the ability to effectively communicate.  For these purposes I excluded sideline reporters.  The list contains studio, color analyst or play by play members.  Rather than profile the bad one’s I will simply salute the individuals who I believe are insightful for the game.

Chris Webber

Kenny Smith

Reggie Miller

Doug Gottlieb

Dick Vitale-former coach

Clark Kellogg

Hubie Brown-former coach

Barry brothers (Brent and Jon)

Grant Hill

Jeff Van Gundy-former coach

As with any list this doesn’t start and stop here there are several others omitted.