Basketball from a fans perspective

You don’t say
This is one of those discussions you must read, I have no method of documenting any of it.  If you’ve read Words a period, you might be aware of my desire for NBA basketball here again.  I’ve given up crying the blues because there are a few factors working against my desire principally finance.  The financial question of owning an NBA team is not as critical as I believed.  

I held a conversation recently with two friends and they provided me the same response, they claim there are plenty of “fat-cat” millionaires in the metro who could afford to own a team or partner with someone else.  Despite my belief the metro area of 2.5 million folks is too small one friend offered this tidbit.  Soccer team Sporting Kansas City has blown up in popularity and attendance in recent years, they are a new franchise.  The baseball Royals and NFL Chiefs might not lead their leagues in attendance but are not at the bottom.  If my friends are correct I wonder, why Mr. X has remained hidden?

I’m always amazed
There are always “red flags’ regarding an NBA prospect, manner of behavior, mature and other issues I may have omitted.  I’m always amazed at the number who decide player A. is not NBA material.  This is beyond casual fans, it extends to sports talk radio and television.  A local radio guy was discussing Oklahoma’s Trae Young in mid or late March.  In his small mind he decided Young was not NBA ready because his field goal percentage and assists had taken a tumble.  He made this conclusion without discussing the talent surrounding Young.  It will never occur but unless as indicated there are issues ahead of the draft how can you decide in April or May a player might not be ready for NBA play.  It might be more advisable to wait until January or February for a decision and even then, you might miss. 

We don’t know if the Knicks Kevin Knox can play, from draft night we believe he was not the choice of the fans gathered, a chorus of boos were heard when his name was announced.  How many prospects had average to below average rookie years and blossomed   in their second or third year?  The Lakers Brandon Ingram might be a recent example, his sophomore year far exceeded his rookie year, how much you ask?  It was enough for the Lakers to quash any talk of his name being included in a package for Kwahi Leonard.  This short account will fail its intent, a year from now we’ll still hear the same story prior to their NBA debut.  “I don’t know why __________ drafted him, he’s not ready to play at this level.  He needs to _________ and ___________.”  I left the team empty along with the comments, insert what you believe we might hear. 

Way above average
Japanese citizen Rui Hachimura is 6 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 225 pounds.  Statistics indicate the average male in Japan stands 5 feet 7 inches tall.  Who is Hachimura you ask, he’s entering his sophomore year at Gonzaga in August.  We might be unfamiliar with him, but the NBA has taken note of the youngster from Sendai Japan.  Sendai is a city of more than 1 million citizens located in the northern portion of the island nation.  As for the height issue, his Japanese mom is likely average height while his father is from Benin a nation in west Africa.  NBADraft.net identify him on their 2019 NBA mock draft as the number 6 prospect.  Keep an eye on Hachimura and see if he continues progressing toward the NBA.          

He needs a letter (and more)
Fans likely tuned into Friday’s Mavs game to see Luka Doncic in action.  Although we witnessed a good game disappointment abounded.  All we saw of the youngster was several shots of him on the Mavs bench and a half-time interview.  The reason for Doncic being planted on the bench has nothing to do with injury.  He’s yet to secure his buyout from his former Real Madrid team, in addition the Mavs have not received a letter of release from FIBA.  Mavs coach Rick Carlisle indicates Doncic is prohibited from any type of activity related to basketball, at this point it’s unclear if Doncic will be able to play this summer.  Comparable to the Warriors and Cavs Doncic was playing in a championship match up till three weeks ago, he likely needs rest too.     

Wichita
The city is only 200 miles from here so maybe I will be able to track his progress.  Hopefully I’ll get a chance to see N’Faly Dante in action as he plays for a Kansas City based AAU team during the summer.  This soon to be high school junior plays for Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita, he’s only been in the U.S. two years arriving from the west African nation of Mali. 

The account I read indicated Dante is still learning English however we know for the sure the 6-foot 11-inch 230-pound Dante has “picked up a basketball” based on YouTube highlights.  Kansas and several other schools have arrived on his doorsteps with offers.  Despite the evolution of the game of basketball it continues to remain a big man’s game for those able to adapt.  It appears Dante might be one of them, his star is brightly shining and he’s only a high school junior. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

No wonder
I’ve been a fan of the Lakers for more years than I can count.  I live in Kansas City and not Los Angeles, so I have little knowledge of how streets are laid out and distance from point to point without a map reference.  It’s been mentioned Clippers owner Steve Ballmer wants his own arena, in fact he’s even begun a preliminary effort for the building.  Almost immediately controversy was initiated as a possible site was chosen.  Once the location in Inglewood was chosen MSG which owns the Forum filed a lawsuit to prevent the build.  

The chief complaint the location selected by the city of Inglewood is near the Rams stadium under construction and a little over a mile from the Forum.  After checking Google Maps, I discovered the dilemma, the site of Ballmer’s arena is located at South Prairie and West Century.  This is the scenario I’m guessing is MSG's issue, there are no plans for basketball at the Forum however concerts and other events will likely be held.  On dates the Clippers are on the road or it's off-season we can guess concerts and other events could be held in Ballmer’s arena.  Bottom line, MSG probably doesn’t want the competition that near to the Forum.   

Doris Burke
Video back in the day of ESPN NBA analyst and commentator Doris Burke, she was Doris Sable in high school .       

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKti7GL9hwQ

Up next?
My argument remains consistent, the game remains that of the big man.  Small ball is what’s in now and has been for several years.  That fails to take into consideration if you have the potential of a DeAndre Ayton you don’t attempt to develop the talent.  Someone said, “This is a cycle” hinting one day emphasis on the big man will return and become relevant once again.  We have no idea if he will continue to work on his game, but Kai Sotto has already placed the world on notice of his intention to impact the world of basketball. 

This 7-foot 1-inch youngster is only 15-years old, he’s from the Philippines so there are three questions regarding his future.  As an international player does he submit his name to the NBA in three years or attend Gonzaga as hinted by several sources.  That’s 1 and 2, number 3 will his game continue to develop?  Those questions will be answered over the next few years.  As for basketball we shouldn’t be surprised he’s got basketball in his lineage, his father played professional basketball in the Philippines.  Sotto has distinguished himself on the FIBU U-16 team. 

The Spurs future
I don’t really see the future, I certainly have no idea where Kwahi Leonard lands.  This I believe, the Spurs future likely doesn’t include him.  Interesting in that one of the teammates reported to be critical of Leonard sitting out last season has departed too.  Tony Parker is history after 17-years with the Spurs, he signed a free-agent contract with the Hornets.  Leonard doesn’t talk so all we can do is speculate on why the bond was broken.  Leonard is reported to believe the Spurs medical staff mis-diagnosed his injury. 

True or not he might have felt betrayed when after the players meeting Parker was reported to have said “I played with a worst injury than that.”  Whether the statement is true we can’t confirm but if it is Leonard might believe he was betrayed by team members.  We have no reported names the Sixers were prepared to offer, we do with the Lakers.  As names are announced it’s reported the Lakers have indicated they are not giving up ___________.  We'll have to wait and see how this saga plays out, my money says it's likely the Sixers.
         

Basketball from a fans perspective

Update
The lead Wednesday edition of Words contained a story on the Thunder, Carmelo Anthony’s name was part of the story but a day later that changes.  A day after re-signing guard Raymond Felton it appears the Thunder have decided to part ways with Carmelo.  Bottom line they couldn’t afford to pay Russell Westbrook, Paul George along with Carmelo and the balance of the Thunder roster. 

Tanking
The above term came into common usage over the last 5 or so years.  It originated with NBA teams specifically the Sixers.  It was hinted the Sixers and perhaps other teams were losing games on purpose to enhance their draft position.  The term “Tanking” has now crept into major league baseball, it’s likely to not become part of the NFL lexicon.  NFL teams play one on a short week two games a week, losing on purpose with less than 20 games is likely to not affect draft position.

I’ve not read of it in the NHL or soccer.  I’m sure I’m naïve but I cannot imagine a team in any sport losing games on purpose.  The 2017-18 season witnessed the Lakers losing 10 of 11 games played in April, they went on a mini-run winning 5 of their last 6 games.  A few Laker fans complained because it was their belief the draft position would be affected.  If they lose a draft place due to winning so be it, I could never ever consider myself a fan of any team losing on purpose.

It’s knowledge over looks
This subject has been mentioned in the past but continues to be a topic.  The last several years has witnessed an increase of women in the formally all male bastion of sports broadcasting.  This applies to the role of studio host or guest, it includes sideline reporter or game analyst.  There are two females serving in the broadcast role.  Many men appear to be challenged by these changes, their response is to attack the looks of these women. 

I believe I’m a normal heterosexual male, I truly appreciate the beauty of females.  I also appreciate their basketball knowledge as well, I continue to read comments regarding women covering the sport in various roles.  Almost always the first response from a male writer is “She’s not very attractive” or a description even more condescending.  The “window-dressing” days of females in sports media is over.  The male stronghold on sports media has concluded whether many agree with this view or not. 

Just because
I would never brag about my writing style, I do want to share how it’s written.  Several stories you read are weeks old, while others are written shortly before publication.  The reason is simple, publishing 7 days a week and attempting to provide topical stories requires time.  This transcriber is just that along with editor, publisher and a few other jobs not mentioned.  Now and again I must stop and thank many of you for continuing to read Words eye view.  I hope you enjoy this publication as much as I do, thanks again for being a loyal and faithful reader.  

Whose best
For the last several years the won-loss record of the Clippers exceeded that of the Lakers.  In addition, the Clippers were playoff bound every season while the Lakers sat at home and watched the outcome of each series on television.  A coaching change plus a few draft choices and adding a few veterans the Lakers began playing better basketball.  At one point I even wrote my belief the Lakers were on the road to recovery. 

“The Lakers appear to be ascending while the Clippers appear to be descending” is what I wrote in the spring.  Last season the Lakers finished 35-47 the Clippers finished the season 42-40 and missed the playoffs for the first time in several years.  I speculated the Lakers might have a superior record to the Clippers in 2018-19 and now that prediction might come to fruition.  Adding the best basketball player in the NBA to a youthful Laker roster is exciting but also could prove challenging.   

Basketball from a fans perspective

Just finished praising him  
Recently I mentioned ESPN analyst Jalen Rose was one of the voices in my ear, on this subject I’m not exactly sure if I agree with him.  On the Thursday edition of Get Up he, Mike Greenberg and Michelle Beadle were discussing the NBA Western Conference.  Rose said something to the effect, “Don’t sleep on OKC signing Paul George and having Carmelo Anthony.  They get Andre Roberson back he can’t shoot free-throws but is a top defender and they have Russell Westbrook.”  I cannot disagree with any portion of the Rose statement, but I can disagree with intent of the parties.  Westbrook is going to play at his usual 200% or more effort and everyone I mentioned plus the bench will contribute. 

Losing Roberson was not the chief reason for the Thunder elimination in the playoffs it was more than that.  The 200% effort I mentioned earlier by Westbrook can be a blessing and a curse, when he’s on he’s on.  The issue seems to be he’s often worn down late in the third and especially the fourth quarter of games.  If Westbrook can manage to curtail his tempo just a tiny bit this team can advance to the next round.  If the adjustment is not made by Westbrook the 2018-19 season will be a repeat of the prior season.  Westbrook will have another triple-double season and will be highly praised while the Thunder are eliminated in the first or second round.  Check back next May and see if I’m correct.       
No little room
You are recruited by Kansas one of the most prestigious basketball programs in the nation.  It's believed there will be an ample amount of court time and then BAM, everything comes to a screeching halt.  It was announced LaGerald Vick was returning to school, you remember him, don’t you?  Vick played major minutes at the shooting guard scoring 12 points while pulling down nearly 5 rebounds a game. 

Oh, that Vick the one who announced he was leaving school for the NBA.  The Vick who didn’t hire an agent so returning to school was available to him.  The NBA draft witnessed a total of 60 players being chosen in June but not one named LaGerald Vick was chosen.  Returning to Kansas is good for him, it’s bad whoever signed believing a position was open.  The guard position likely remains open it’s just less playing time than might have originally been perceived.           

Change
Most have difficulty with change, I don’t believe I’m any different.  Change most times moves you from Point A. to Point B., bigger and often better.  A change in the NBA playoff format at least the one I’ve heard isn’t feasible.  The proposal is to have the same number of teams participate however you could in theory have all Western Conference teams.  The purpose is to address the issue like this past season, the Raptors finishing in first place were eliminated by the fourth place Cavs. 

NBA fans were deprived of seeing the team with the finest record fail to play for the 2018 NBA championship.  The Raptors lost the series because they allowed the Cavs to beat them it’s that simple.  I’m reminded of the Herm Edwards statement at the time he coached the NFL Jets.  A reporter asked him what might be considered a dumb question, Edwards said, “You play to win the game, hello you play to win the game you don’t play to just play it.”  It’s clear from the outcome of the Raptors-Cavs series the better team won despite what might appear to be a lesser won-loss record. 

New Laker?
Isaac Evolue Etue Bofenda Bonga or rather Isaac Bonga became the 39^th pick in the second round of the 2018 draft.  Chosen by the Sixers his rights will be traded to the Lakers, early reports indicate he’s likely to remain in Europe rather than appear in the Laker training camp this fall.  Bonga stands 6 feet 9 inches but weighs a wiry 203 pounds, he’s projected in the role of a small forward or shooting guard.  Bonga is a German citizen although his parents emigrated to Germany from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the middle section of the African continent.

This is not a fair discussion 
The NHL versus the NBA, that’s often been a topic of discussion in Kansas City.  Recently one of the local sports talk radio host revived the discussion again.  He claimed, “The NHL would be more viable in Kansas City than the NBA”.  We no longer have either professional teams so that’s a portion of my reasoning the discussion isn’t fair.  The second and most relevant this is written by a basketball fan especially one who loves NBA basketball.  Let’s check out the history, the Kansas City Scouts an expansion NHL team came into existence in 1974 and were history by 1976. 

This information I located on Wikipedia, “The Scouts suffered from inflated player costs, undercapitalized ownership, an economic downturn in the Midwest, poor performances on the ice and weak attendance. The Scouts drew an average of just 8,218 fans during their two years in the 17,000-seat Kemper Arena (at a time when the league average was approximately 13,000). The team's group of 37 owners, buried in debt, mounted a season-ticket drive to raise more revenue. When only 2,000 people bought tickets, they concluded that the Scouts were not a viable venture and opted to sell.”

As for the NBA story the Cincinnati Royals moved in 1972 splitting home dates with the City of Omaha.  From 1975-1985 the team belonged exclusively to Kansas City until the move to Sacramento.  The Kings finished above .500 four times and was a playoff team seven times winning the conference semi-finals once.  Local owners weary in losing capital sold the team to a Sacramento businessman, he promised the team would remain in Kansas City, sound familiar Sonics fans?  The Kings due to poor play and competition for the sports dollar (Royals, Chiefs & Scouts) were never leaders in attendance however they exceeded the 8,000 figures of the Scouts for three consecutive seasons (10,000+) when they experienced winning records.  The 1984-85 season witnessed a downturn in attendance averaging 4,000 fans when it was public knowledge the team was moving to Sacramento. 

Wikipedia

Basketball from a fans perspective

Steal the spotlight  
Your sport dominates the conversation and it’s not even being played.  The NBA regular season concluded the middle of April, the NBA champion Warriors were crowned near the end of June.  Here we are early July and the evening news on ABC dealt with the national and world events but also contained a segment on LeBron James announcing he would play for the Lakers.  LeBron is the leading name in the NBA world so naturally he commands attention on all media outlets besides those which only report sports.          

Many of the players not named LeBron are also commanding the news on ESPN, Fox Sports, NBC Sports and CBS Sports Networks.  Several folks looked at Kareem Abdul Jabbar bewilderingly when he made this statement.  He said, “I could see a day in the future when the NBA will surpass the NFL in popularity.”  The reasons for the growth in attractiveness is far too numerous to cover in a short space, just say those under age 45 identify with the NBA over other sports.  

The return  
Jontay Porter’s return for Mizzou could prove interesting in several ways.  They could have one of the taller front lines in the SEC with 6-foot 10-inch 252-pound Jeremiah Tilmon, 6-foot 11-inch 240-pound Porter and 6-foot 7-inch 238-pound Kevin Puryear.  Tilmon spent a great deal of time on the bench during his freshman year, it wasn’t talent rather it was foul trouble.  Hopefully Tilmon adjusts to guarding opposing players without fouling this upcoming season.  Puryear a Kim Anderson recruit adjusted to Coach Martin and was often in the starting lineup in his junior year, as a senior he’s expected to provide leadership and steady play to what remains a young team. 

As for Porter, on the low side we could see him average 15 points, 8 rebounds and 3-4 assists a game.  Mizzou’s big men will have a problem unless the guards are able to get the ball to them.  Jordan Geist although not a traditional point guard returns in the role, backup will be Xavier Pinson freshman and a true point guard.  Stepping into the role of shooter is likely to be a committee of athletes.  Freshmen Torrance Watson or Javon Pickett will battle for the shooting guard position or transfer K.J. Santos a 6-foot 8-inch small forward might see spot duty at the position.  Of course, this all speculation at this point once the season begins we might witness an entirely different lineup.   

Proved us wrong
We knew LeBron James purchased two homes in the L.A. area, we knew of reports at least one of his children had been enrolled in an area school.  We knew of his entertainment and entrepreneurial interest in the L.A. metro.  This is what we knew that proved to be incorrect, ‘LeBron wanted an opportunity to win another championship, he’d only hook up with a team capable of winning.’  WRONG…. other than the Warriors on paper the Raptors, Celtics, Rockets and maybe the Spurs would be favored to win right now. 

The up and coming Lakers are nowhere near championship level.  Will LeBron raise the level of play for these young Lakers, most certainly will they compete for a championship immediately?  No, the more realistic time frame would be 2019-20.  Added immediately after the LeBron announcement Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee and re-signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.  It’s likely more additions will be made but this is not a ready-made to contend team.  So there, you thought you knew everything about LeBron James however you discovered one more thing.

The balance of the story 
Boogie claim’s he had no other offers but that of the Warriors.  We are unsure if that’s the case but will take him at his word.  Even more interesting is the rumors the Lakers were attempting to sign him.  Turns out that might not be correct either, Laker fan websites claim, “they made no offer to Boogie.”  Were they concerned about Achilles being fully healed healing or maybe something else?  We’ll never know the entire story however its apparent my Lakers made no effort to secure the services of Boogie.  As for Paul George he claims he wanted the Lakers last year, it was his desire the trade be consummated last season.          

They could have done this however they might have thought “why not wait until 2018 when he becomes an unrestricted free-agent, he could leave on his own.”  The strange and unusual journey of Dwight Howard continues, he signed a 1-year contract with the Wizards.  Although he never suited up for the Nets the Wizards become team number 7 for Howard.  And in consumer news LeBron James made his announcement about 5:00 p.m. Central Time July 1, about 8:30 or so that same evening sports apparel site Fanatics had a Laker unnumbered jersey with “James” embossed on the back.  At some point Monday morning or after that same jersey was available with number 23.     

Basketball from a fans perspective

Boogie
On Monday it was announced the Warriors and DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins had reached an agreement.  The Warriors lost free-agent JaVale McGee to the Lakers, if we rated the two centers we easily acknowledge the Warriors are clearly the winners.  22 points 11 rebounds and almost 2 block shots a game has been registered by Boogie over the course of his career with the Kings and Pelicans.  He suffered an Achilles ending injury in January 2018 forcing him to miss the balance of the season. 

Coach Alvin Gentry made it known he wanted Boogie to return, after he became a free-agent the Lakers were believed to be one of the other teams bidding for his services.  A healthy Boogie is easily the best center in the NBA, as for his new team.  The Warriors are favored in to win in 2018-19, signing Boogie does this move seal the deal for them?  Sorry you must wait until the season for that answer.  One other note, it’s been reported (unconfirmed) Draymon Green helped recruit Boogie.  Every season Draymon and Boogie are at or near the top in receiving technical fouls, it should prove interesting which one manages to remain on the court.      

July 6
Not sure if this was mentioned previously, the agreements between players and teams are verbal at this point.  On July 6 NBA teams can begin signing contracts with the free-agents.  DeAndre Jordan might be an example to use how this works.  You might remember 3 years or so ago he’d verbally agreed to join the Mavs.  Several Clipper teammates flew to Dallas and did an intervention.  They persuaded him to return which he did remaining a member of the Clippers.  This example will not repeat itself this time Jordan will sign a Mavs contract. 

I Try to ignore him as much as possible
Fox Sports Jason Whitlock has made his share of incendiary headlines since his days as a columnist for the Kansas City Star.  He’s continued this trend while working at ESPN twice, AOL Sports and now Fox Sports.  For the most part I believe I’ve done a decent job of ignoring him, there are those occasions which call for commentary on my part.  ‘Lakers made a mistake trusting the future of the franchise to Magic Johnson’ so says Whitlock. This commentary was written about a week or so ago. 

This is my question, Whitlock is so knowledgeable regarding NBA basketball why didn’t he Whitlock submit his name to head the Lakers?  He’s got all the answers to revitalize this storied franchise.  Thanks Jason I will leave the hiring to Jeannie Buss for the time being.  This is the key problem as I see it, you have no method to prove you could analyze talent.  Secondly Magic’s business interest outside of basketball validate he’s got business savvy.  What company have you served as CEO Jason?  On the other hand Jason you certainly are entitled to your opinion however I chose to ignore it.   

Speculation
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer appears serious about his desire to either be an owner or the primary tenant in an arena.  He’s made it clear his displeasure with the lease arrangements at Staples Center.  Although ground is yet to be broken Ballmer’s began serious negotiations for a planned arena site in Inglewood.  I cannot place myself in the position of spending billionaire Ballmer’s money but I’m certainly going to attempt that very task.  Item 1. Ballmer and family live in Hunts Point Washington which is in metro Seattle.   Item 2. We have in Ballmer a former Microsoft guy who is likely familiar with the Seattle market. 

Item 3.  Key Arena in the city is in the process of a refurbish with the intention to be NHL/NBA ready.  Item 4.  What’s not to like about moving the Clippers north to Seattle and resurrect the Sonics again?  Key Arena rebuild should be finished by 2020 well ahead of the expiring Staples Center expiration date.  Item 5.  Could or rather would Ballmer take this bold step and move his team out of the ‘crowded’ Los Angeles market?  The Clippers will always be ‘step children’, the city is Laker/Dodger country followed by other sports.  I’d bet money if I were a betting person the NBA would likely have no problem approving a return to Seattle.     

Makes sense
Jalen Rose former NBA player and ESPN analyst made this comment and I paraphrase.  ‘This view the NBA is full of big market players with big market teams is untrue.  Look at the Lakers, they have struggled on the court and an effort to attract free-agents for several years.  We could look at the Knicks and Nets, New York City teams unable to attract quality free-agents.’  Oklahoma City was able to retain Paul George a guy who grew up in the Los Angeles area. 

The Spurs may not have signed big ticket free-agents but have over the years been able to attract Pau Gasol or LaMarcus Aldridge players to the roster.  I realize I’m using a football phrase however the late Al Davis Raiders owner coined this.  Davis simply said, ‘win baby win’ which is key to any successful sports franchise.  I’ve reached a point I believe Jalen Rose is one of the most insightful analyst covering the game. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Wow  
We cannot venture too far from the television, IPhone or the net.  While out just a brief period word came the Lakers signed Rajon Rondo to a 1-year deal.  How this will impact Lonzo Ball is yet to be determined.  In other Laker news the team renounced the rights to Julius Randle allowing him to become an unrestricted free-agent.  He did not remain on the market long the Pelicans signed Randle to a two-year contract.  Expect more moves by Magic and the front office before this free agent frenzy is over.     

It’s okay to admit
Kevin Harlan TNT broadcaster lives in the metro Kansas City area.  We have a local radio host who routinely calls him once a week from roughly October through March or April.  Harlan does NFL games on CBS and he might be the primary announcer for other sports.  The point, this local guy never, ever discusses the NBA with Harlan.  Even more amazing he never hardly ever discusses the NBA except when a ‘LeBron Story’ is the news. 

Suddenly and magically he becomes an NBA expert providing the listener with all types of NBA and basketball knowledge.  It’s okay to admit you don’t know the NBA, I’d have a great deal more respect if he admitted this.  Nobody can be an authority on every aspect of a sport.  I believe I have working knowledge of the NFL and college football, as for NHL hockey and soccer my knowledge meter registers between 2 and 5.  I refrain from discussing the sports because I believe I know so little regarding them.  Too bad radio guy believes he’s the voice of authority. 

There’s history between them
What if it becomes Kyrie Irving versus LeBron James?  Irving and LeBron don't play the same position however it becomes Celtics-Lakers a rivalry that dates to the ‘60’s.  A new Celtic-Lakers rivalry might begin next season but remember there is history beyond Irving-LeBron.  In the ’60’s the Bill Russell led Celtics faced the Elgin Baylor/Jerry West on numerous playoff series. 

In the 1980’s with Magic Johnson on one side it became the Showtime Lakers versus the Bird led Celtics.  Years later a renewed series proved much shorter however the Kobe led Lakers would face off twice against Garnett/Pierce/Allen with the teams exchanging wins.  In 2008 the Celtics won the NBA championship 4 games to 2, in 2009 saw the reverse occurred with the Lakers winning 4 games to 1.  The Celtics are more likely to play for a championship in 2019 however what if it’s Celtics-Lakers?

Bevo was omitted
On Sunday I wrote of scoring machines in the NBA, college and high school.  I omitted the late Bevo Francis because I’d covered his scoring exploits in a prior account.  Francis was a scoring sensation back in the 1950’s playing for Rio Grand College now the University of Rio Grand in Rio Grand (OH).  The correct pronunciation is not the same as the river that borders Mexico and the U.S. the school is ‘Ryo-Grand’.  In 1953 he averaged 50.1 points per game that season, but the NCAA refused to recognize several games because they were registered against junior college competition, they settled on 48.3 points per game. 

One of those games was a 116-point total versus Ashland Junior College (Ashland Community and Technical College).  The following season Francis scored 113 points against Hillsdale College.  Francis was eventually expelled from school for missing too many classes.  The NBA at that time was far more rigid than today, they didn’t want this 6-foot 9-inch scoring machine, so he signed with the Boston Whirlwinds (Washington Generals of the day) playing against the Harlem Globetrotters.  Later he was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors but chose to return home being homesick.  It’s reported he never looked back as a missed opportunity he didn’t make it to the NBA.  In June 2015 Bevo Francis died of cancer. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

I wrote it first
The story published below ‘The first domino’ was written prior to the breaking news about to be reported.  LeBron James will sign a 4-year $158 million contract to join the Lakers.  I’m a conflicted soul, I told all within ear shot I didn’t want LeBron on the Lakers.  This had nothing to do with talent, he’s the best there is at whatever age he is.  I said, ‘I’m afraid this young Laker team will stand around watching LeBron’. 

Now that the move is official I hope I’m wrong, I hope this young team will be able to establish it’s on identity while including the talented LeBron.  We cannot access the Los Angeles Lakers on July 1, we need training camp and the season before we can determine this team.  I believe as they are structured currently they will make the playoffs, that’s all I’m prepared to say at this point.  NOTE:  Late Sunday evening the mercurial Lance Stephenson signed a 1-year contract with the Lakers. 

The first domino
Late Saturday night came the first of the large dominos to fall, Paul George it was announced will remain in Oklahoma City.  George will sign a 4-year $137 million contract.  George must believe he, Carmelo and Westbrook can overtake the Warriors.  At this point I’m unsure, until they are beaten in a series my money is still on the Dubs.  Shooting guard Devon Hall from Virginia was the 53^rd draft pick along with power forward Kevin Hervey from Texas-Arlington who became the 57^th pick.   

As for how this move impacts my Lakers I’m okay with it, I’d been reading reports for a couple of weeks George was likely to sign with the Thunder.  Chris Paul remains a member of the Rockets agreeing to 4-years at a reported $160 million.  Kevin Durant maintains the same address with a one and one contract, the first year pays him $30 million and year two $31.5.  There were several other deals struck however the players detailed in this account are those receiving the largest contracts to this point.  

Border War?
I’ve mentioned the Border War that once existed between Kansas and Mizzou.  This 100-year old ‘war’ on the football field and basketball court came to an end in 2012, Mizzou left the Big 12 for the SEC.  I’m unsure if the two schools ever attempted to recruit the same players, all this might have changed now.  Forward Lester Earl was a McDonald’s All American in 1996, he would begin his college career at LSU but would transfer to Kansas in his sophomore year and finish in 2000. 

6-foot 9-inch 235-pound power forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl attends IMG Academy in Bradenton (FL).  In addition to the 5-stars Rivals indicates he’s the 14^th best prospect in the Class of 2019.  With the potential talent of Robinson-Earl there are a considerable number of suitors.  Two of the schools seeking his services are Kansas where his father played and Mizzou.  The Mizzou offer is unusual, as I indicated I’m sure they may have sought the same player, but I question if there was an offer on the table.

They are improved
No one will mistake the Dallas Mavericks for the NBA champion Warriors.  The Mavs finished in 4^th place in 5 team Southwest Division of the NBA.  All that’s changed now, the team improved in the last two weeks thanks to the draft and a free-agent move.  Nothing is set in stone there might be additional moves but here goes.  They drafted Trae Young and then traded his rights for Luka Doncic. 

That was move number one, move two was signing DeAndre Jordan, I know he signed once before with the Mavs and backed out of the agreement.  We must assume it was a verbal one rather than on the dotted line.  In any event it’s believed Jordan is serious this time, doesn’t matter if it’s only a 1-year contract he alone should improve the defense.  Thanks to these off-season moves and likely more they should prove beneficial to the Mavs going forward. 

He’s got a job on his hands
Jay Wright of Villanova is a winner we know that, he works his teams to the max and the results are two NCAA championships in the last three years.  For 2018-19 the coach has his work cut out for him, the NBA raided his roster extensively in the June draft.  Jalen Brunson…. gone, Mikal Bridges…. gone, Donte DiVincenzo…. gone, Omari Spellman…. gone, as you can see most of the offense and defense will be wearing NBA jerseys rather than then white and blue of Villanova.  We shouldn’t expect a repeat of last season losing this volume of talent, he’s got a job on his hands however this is Jay Wright.  Expect the Wildcats to be feisty and contend they just might not be as lethal.    

Basketball from a fans perspective

Stick to the script
Much as I’d like to comment I will refrain from discussing the matter.  Until we hear or read news from reliable sources the free-agent frenzy will not be covered in Words eye view.  Don’t worry basketball fans it won’t be very much longer before the first domino falls.    

NBA Summer League
Play begins on Monday July 2 and concludes on Tuesday July 17.  Games will be televised on NBA TV, ESPNU plus a few regional and local stations in NBA cities.  If you live in Sacramento, Salt Lake City or Las Vegas you can see the games in person.  Check out the schedule for dates and times.

What if?
The ‘What if’ crew is at work again, they took issue with my reference to the trio of James Harden, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook recently.  Several maintain the trio has proven to be winners more recently but likely couldn’t have won if they had remained as members of the Thunder.  They point to the fact Harden was the team’s sixth man and might have never become a starter.  Harden forced the Thunder to trade him to become a starter.  Durant made his move as a free-agent leaving for the Warriors, he is still criticized for this however could he win as a member of the Thunder?  Unless we have a time, machine there is no method to resolve this question.

Their arms must have gotten tired!
In the game of basketball, we discuss several facets of the game, no portion is more noteworthy than scoring baskets.  Players have been nicknamed ‘buckets’, ‘shooter’ or ‘swish’ to indicate their proficiency in scoring the ball.   Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game established the single game record for the NBA.  Immediately behind Chamberlain is the name of Kobe Bean Bryant.  He torched the Raptors for 81 points one January evening in 2006 and a 122-104 win by the Lakers.  I stopped counting, behind Bryant are several scoring records established by the prolific Chamberlain.  At the college level the scoring has been even more prolific. 

Jack Taylor (Who?) scored 138 points for Division III Grinnell College (IA) versus Faith Baptist November 12, 2012.  Taylor’s scoring binge led the way to a 179-104 win for Grinnell.  A year earlier Taylor had scored 109 points against Crossroads College.  There are four other collegiate players who eclipsed the 100-point mark.  Even more interesting the high school game with a smaller amount of time has witnessed 25 players scoring 100-points are more.  Some of the names are familiar to us, Hall of Fame member Cheryl Miller and Lisa Leslie former WNBA players both scored 100 points in a high school game.   Dajuan Wagner played his college ball at Memphis and had a brief NBA career, he recorded 100 points in a January 2001 game for his Camden (NJ) High School team. 

The “New” New York Knicks
Scott Perry was announced as general manager on July 14, 2017, that date also witnessed Steve Mills promoted to president filling the slot held by the departed Phil Jackson.  On May 7, 2018 David Fizdale was hired as head coach replacing the fired Jeff Hornacek.  As you can see the Knicks front office down to the coaching staff is now practically brand new.  What does the future hold for this historically rich NBA franchise that’s fallen on tough times in recent years?   There are pieces in place, whether they are used in trades is yet to be determined.  One of those key pieces and perhaps the only bright spot in recent years is the unicorn Kristaps Porzingis.  He was limited to 48 games in 2017-18 after suffering an injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. 

If we look at his numbers they rose in each of his first three years, a healthy Porzingis is a good piece of the rebuilding foundation.  Enes Kanter has been serviceable and age 25 like most big men he might be growing into his body.  As for the 2018 draft the Knicks have the 9^th pick in the first round and number 32 in the second round.  The jury is still sequestered as to whether Frank Ntilikina is the answer at the point, with the 9^th pick they chose small forward Kevin Knox from Kentucky and the 36^th pick became Mitchell Robinson the 7-foot center who didn’t play last season.  Finally, the assessment of the “New” Knicks cannot be complete without discussing the NBA salary cap.  The figures I uncovered indicate the Knicks are slightly over the salary cap which could inhibit some movement regarding talent.  It appears the trifecta of Mills/Perry/Fizdale has much work in front of them.