Basketball from a fans perspective

He is headed to Tennessee

As a reminder, in March 2022 LSU fired Will Wade and the incoming crop of freshman departed soon after learning the coach was no longer in place. One of those leaving from an outstanding Class of 2022 prospects was Rivals 5-star Julian Phillips; the 6-foot 8 small forward committed to LSU last October. We are unsure if Phillips is the first but, in any event, he’s declared his college of choice. On May 12 Phillips announced he will head for the University of Tennessee to play for Rick Barnes. Incidentally, he's from Branson Missouri about 200 road miles from Columbia home of Mizzou, oh well.

I can revise my position

Unlike those in television who are paid huge sums of money to be incorrect that’s not me. First of all, I’m not paid, this blog is strictly a labor of love, second to that updates and corrections are never going to be buried. I want them placed up front where you read them as in this case. Some might remember on Friday an attempt was made to point out the best all-time high school basketball player in the State of Missouri. Our focus was the St. Louis metro, on reading my account Frank said, “What about Bradley Beal?”

What about Beal you might say who plays for the Wizards, well I am going to say perhaps there is a tie between Jayson Tatum and Beal. The problem for Beal unlike that of Tatum the Wizards have not been particularly good during the time he’s played for them, in addition an injury limited him to but 40 games in the recently completed season.  If we look strictly at the numbers Beal has a slight advantage over Tatum although both are equally talented. I will close this by thanking Frank for pointing out the contributions of Beal who played at Chaminade College Prep in the St. Louis metro and the University of Florida prior to being drafted by the Wizards.

They are already at home  

The Sixers lost on Thursday evening 99-90 to the Heat, because they were at home the Sixers likely had little travel. What happened, the Sixers were losers in the series 4-2. As we often state this is a team sport, despite that fact there are teammates i.e., players who are expected to lead, and guess what Harden isn’t one of them. This loss can be laid at the feet of the “Invisible Man” a.k.a. James Harden. Joel Embiid was battling at least two injuries; can we make the same statement regarding Harden. In truth we cannot state this but the players seeking a max contract sure appeared disconnected, his head appeared to not be in the game. As proof the box score, in 43 minutes on the court he managed but 11 points along with an admirable 9 assists.

This is the killer, leading the Heat to victory was Jimmy Butler once a member of the Sixers, his 32 points were certainly a key. We are not going to report why he’s in Miami instead of Philly, but it certainly is interesting Butler was so crucial in this series. We reported earlier Harden wants a max contract but at age 32 and based on his playoff performance we question if this might be worthwhile. If you are a fan of Harden, I believe all of us expected more after he demanded the Nets move him. Once again if we look at his combined numbers (Nets & Sixers) they look good, but Harden’s become a real mystery to many. According to Basketball Network Harden didn’t attempt a shot in the 4^th quarter, apparently the last Sixer to do that in a playoff series…Ben Simmons.

Bits n Pieces   

Earl Manigault died in 1998 at the age of 53, for those unfamiliar with the name he was a New York City street player. A portion of his fame was earned on the basketball courts in the city, especially Rucker Park. Many of the attributes he accomplished are the stuff of fiction we can’t prove they occurred. One story claims a quarter was placed on the rim of the basketball goal, Manigault was reported to have snatched the quarter off the top. The goal is 10 feet from the floor or concrete, and the top of the backboard is another 3 feet for a total of 13 feet.

We don’t know that’s been the story all these years. How he acquired the nickname “Goat” is also in debate, so we’ll skip that for now. The Goat once reversed dunked 36 times in a row to win a $60.00 bet, that account can be confirmed. He played against some of the best of the era Earl Monroe, Connie Hawkins and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. To this day Kareem claims the 6 foot 1 Manigault was the best he ever played against. Drugs would be his downfall preventing him from play in college and the NBA.

A reader in Keokuk Iowa or Stockton California might say, “Why is he always mentioning mileage in many of the accounts.” It’s done for more than one reason; many Americans have no idea of geography in the United States. Want an example, Mark Emmert outgoing president of the NCAA presented the championship trophy to the “Kansas City Jayhawks.” Lawrence is close by but some miles from Kansas City Kansas or Kansas City Missouri. Numerous times we hear celebrities on visiting say “I’m so glad to be in Kansas when they are actually on the Missouri side of State Line Road. In addition to providing, you the lay of the land I’m an admitted travel nerd. I must also know where I am in relation to _________. So, there’s your short answer why in addition to basketball there is often a geography reference in Off the Dribble.

Basketball from a fans perspective

In Laker news 

This is interesting, SI.com claims the Lakers have a trade offer from the Rockets for Russell Westbrook. That would work for me except with this related story. At the time Phil Jackson coached the Lakers he and owner Jeanie Buss became a dating couple. We cannot provide the timeframe however at some point they were no longer an item. Fast forward to 2022 and it’s being reported PJ is offering Jeanie input on coaching and personnel moves. 

This one is interesting. It’s said, “PJ wants to trade LeBron James and keep Westbrook.” In connection with that comes yet another story, LeBron is due a max contract this off season. How many $$$, that is an unknown number. Jeanie has gone on record indicating “She has no desire to trade LeBron even though he might not sign a max contract. Stay tuned for further develops in the Soap Opera that’s become the Lakers. We continue to hear a variety of names mentioned as coaching candidates, the latest former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson now on the staff of Steve Kerr at Golden State.

Coach of the Year    

Who says you cannot recover from being fired? We are unsure however Suns coach Monty Williams was named Coach of the Year in the association, when was Williams fired? Williams was coaching the Pelicans and in 2015 he was terminated after 5 seasons at the helm. In 2019 he was hired as head coach of the Suns, under his leadership the first year saw the team finish with a 34-39 record and missed the playoffs. Last season the Suns finished 51-21 but lost the NBA championship to the Bucks. The 2022 Suns eclipsed the prior season record finishing 64-18. We have no idea at this point if the Suns win the championship, this we do know, Monty Williams has proven he can coach basketball. Congratulations coach Williams on being named NBA Coach of the Year.

I was reminded

A NY Times account mentioned the fact unlike today's NBA the late Bob Lanier played against some of the the best of the best. Night after night Lanier was matched against Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Willis Reed, Nate Thurmond, Wes Unseld and even Wilt Chamberlain. Back then there was no load management, unless you were injured you played. All the post players mentioned are in the Naismith Hall of Fame including Lanier. 

Signing on the dotted line  

In Mizzou basketball news we’ve mentioned the fast start coach Dennis Gates had recruiting talent. The first two players added to the roster have signed on the dotted line. DeAndre Gholston 6-foot 5 shooting guard who arrives via the transfer portal from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Also signing his letter of intent is 6-foot 10 Mohamed Diarra who arrives from Garden City (KS) Community College. Diarra is penciled in at the center position however at 215 pounds he might be more suited as a power forward.

New awards

With this being the 75^th Anniversary of the NBA the league announced new awards. The Eastern Conference Finals MVP will now receive the Larry Bird MVP award. On the west coast the league will now award the Earvin “Magic” Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP. The Eastern Conference Trophy will now be named after Celtic great Bob Cousy, the Western Conference Trophy will be named after Oscar Robertson. The NBA announced the four players named were keys to the growth of the league.  

A question remains

The metro side of the state with St. Louis including Illinois is about 46,000 folks larger than metro Kansas City Missouri. At one time we might have held the belief boys basketball on the east and west side was somewhat evenly matched. That appears to no longer be the case if we check the numbers playing college basketball and in the NBA. If we look at active players Jayson Tatum 3X an NBA All Star and the best basketball player in the state, he’s a St. Louis product. On the Kansas City side, we have Landry Shamet, Alec Burks and perhaps a player or two we might have overlooked. Has the Kansas City metro produced a talent close to that of Tatum or even the late Hall of Fame athlete Jo Jo White? Someone unfamiliar with the geography might toss out Wilt Chamberlain’s name, although KU and Lawrence is nearby the school, nor the city is counted in the metro population. Wyandotte High School’s Larry Drew had a good NBA career so did Anthony Peeler of Paseo just a few past names. The Kansas City metro has produced a number of pro’s we must venture back to the ‘60’s to find the best of the best on this side of the state.

I’m sure this will cause loud screams however based on his impact at the pro level the late Warren Armstrong (Jabali) may have been the best on this side of the state. After play at Central High School, he went on to Wichita State. In 1968 he was drafted by the NBA Knicks and the ABA Oakland Oaks. In the American Basketball Association, he was named Rookie of the Year in 1969 scoring 21.5 points along with 9.7 rebounds a game. Imagine a 6-foot 2 guard averaging nearly 10 rebounds a game, it just details for us his leaping ability. Unfortunately, Jabali’s career was cut short due to injury however he remains likely the best talent produced in the Kansas City metro. If we look at the numbers in 7 years of ABA competition Jabali averaged 17.1 points 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists a game. If not just me, the words of HOF player Rick Barry on Jabali, “He was one of the best I ever played with.” I hope someone reading this can find a comparable player besides Jabali to Tatum on the Missouri side of the state. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

HOF center Bob Lanier

Early Wednesday morning the NBA world was sadden with the news of a death; 73-year-old Bob Lanier had died of an unspecified illness. Lanier spent the greater portion of his NBA career with the Pistons, in 1980 he was traded to the Bucks where he remained for the balance of his 14-year run. The 6-foot 10 250-pound Lanier played in an era center play was key and he often found himself matched against players of that era. In 1970 he was made the number one pick in that year’s draft by the Pistons, at St. Bonaventure Lanier was an All American.

It was reported over 100 colleges offered Lanier a scholarship, but he preferred to remain close to home choosing to attend St. Bonaventure. His number 31 was retired by the school along with his number 16 by the Pistons and Bucks. In addition to a brief period coaching Lanier took on the role of NBA Ambassador. Similar to a number of youngsters Lanier struggled with the game early, its reported his grammar school coach told him “Your feet are too large for you to be a successful athlete.” The coach was referring to Lanier’s size 11 shoe he wore at age 11, wonder if that coach ever remembered the statement he’d made? After receiving numerous awards from his college and NBA days in 2006 Lanier was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. Bob Lanier a giant on and off the court, R.I.P. big guy.

I was the one

Remember me, I was the guy who claimed the Sixers got the best in the Simmons-Harden trade. We know Simmons never made an appearance on court for the Nets. As for Harden it’s been a “Jekyll and Hyde” performance, at least that’s been the playoff Harden. After tying the series, we figured they were on the way, this is Tuesday for me. With no opportunity to see the game by the time I turned it on in the middle of the first quarter I felt it was over. Evidently that must have been the case.

Joel Embiid appeared to have done his best however the score 120-85 gives us an indication how this game must have been played. As for Mr. Harden he reverted back to the passive scorer and passer that’s much been evident in this series. If it appears I’m not giving the Heat any credit far from it. Jimmy Butler and crew appeared to be determined to prove they are the better team. Headed back to Philly and down 3 games to 2 I have no idea what direction this series is headed. I believed the Sixers were the better team prior to the start, now they must prove it to me (and maybe you).

How about the guy who stayed?

Most card-carrying members of Mizzou Nation were first disappointed with the hire of Dennis Gates. Although there was reluctance (and its yet to be proven on the court) Gates is a winner the coach moved quickly in assembling “his” team. The excitement was so great we almost forgot the guys who could have left but chose to remain. That would be small forward Ronnie DeGray, guard Kaleb Brown and his older brother. The older brother would be Kobe Brown, the 6-foot 8 255-pound power forward who often found himself running the offense.

Rest assured it wasn’t a job Brown wanted, it appeared the point guards on the roster were found deficient and the departed Cuonzo Martin decided to utilize the talented Brown. Mizzou’s offense suffered to a degree; Brown did the best he could in this new position. Despite the new role he still found time to lead the Tigers in scoring at nearly 13 points a game, he also had 7.6 rebounds a game. As for the assists…pressed into the role of point-forward he managed 2.5 assists per game certainly not great, but this was noteworthy. Brown had only 2.3 TO’s per game providing us proof he wasn’t so bad in the new role. Despite the coaching change Brown appears excited to remain at Mizzou claiming “I’m not going anywhere” or similar words.

Best scoring Lakers in history

Plenty of surprises from the Lakers Top 10 list of scorers and their averages:

Elgin Baylor 27.4  

Shaquille O’Neal*

Jerry West*                *27.0  

LeBron James*                                                                            

Kobe Bryant 25  

Anthony Davis 24.1

George Mikan 23.1

Kareem Abdul Jabbar 22.1

Cedric Ceballos 20.9

Magic Johnson 19.5 

Which Lakers surprised you, I’ll share mine. It’s Kareem, considering he’s the all-time leading scorer I thought his scoring average would have been higher. Second to him might be Cedric Ceballos, you say “Cedric Who?” Ceballos a small forward played for several NBA teams and the Lakers were his second stop having come over from the Suns. His scoring average is compiled from 1994-1997. Shaq, West and LeBron were all at 27 points but percentage points apart.

Pay me now or pay me later

Target Center home of the NBA Wolves and WNBA Lynx is in need of an update according to reports. The Target Center is the second oldest NBA arena in operation exceeded by Madison Square Garden. As usual money is always a factor anytime, we are looking at millions and millions of dollars. Target Center is owned by the City of Minneapolis and any improvements would have Wolves/Lynx management involvement. It was reported the basketball team was uncomfortable with the projected dollar figure of $129-155 million.

Although the projected cost is quite huge it’s a far smaller amount than constructing a new arena. The only problem we hope ever how it’s paid citizens are not funding the bulk of the cost. In Kansas City there was talk of replacing Kemper Arena where the Kings once played. The administration said no to a new arena with the NBA no longer calling Kansas City home. Instead of building a new arena it was decided to install additional seats boosting the capacity to 19,500. The administration that followed determined in favor of a new arena in conjunction with a revitalization of downtown. The Power & Light entertainment district was built along with Sprint (T-Mobile) Center, Kansas City would have an NBA/NHL ready arena but no occupant only a promise.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Stadiums & Arenas

In September 2019, the 18,000 seat Chase Center was opened for the Warriors and other entertainment venues. Again, in September this time 2021 a groundbreaking ceremony was held in Inglewood California. The Intuit Dome will be completed in time for the Clippers to begin the 2024-25 NBA season. What is the significance of these two arenas besides both being located in California? It’s the financing, it is our understanding neither facility is utilizing public funds, all costs are absorbed by the owners. In Kansas City we have the Jackson County Sports Complex, Geha Field at Arrowhead and Kaufman Stadium sit across the parking lot from one another.

Arrowhead home of the Chiefs and Kaufman of the Royals are not new stadiums however both have been refurbished over the years. There is talk of the Chiefs moving across State Line to Kansas and the Royals moving to downtown Kansas City (MO). In both instances ownership is looking at additional revenue which is certainly not a terrible thing. The issue this writer has is one raised at the beginning; ownership directed projects at taxpayer expense. Despite my apparent love of sports, I’ve grown tired of taxpayers paying for multi-million-dollar sports developments for billionaire owners. If the Chiefs want to move to Kansas City Kansas and the Royals to downtown Kansas City so, be it, these moves should not be made at the expense of taxpayers.

Larry Legend

All these years later we continue to read stories about Larry Bird, this is one more. Shawn Kemp was a talent when he first arrived in the NBA, Kemp from Indiana too was almost a high school legend. I broke a lot of Larry Bird’s Indiana records. “I’m a rookie (NBA)…It’s only Larry Bird, He puts his shorts on the same way I do. He let me know what he was gonna do. He said, “You’re the one who broke all my records?” I said “yes.” He said, “I have something to show you tonight.” He had 40 points, 10 reb, 10 ast (and called every shot). There are some reading this unfamiliar with Kemp’s name, with the Sonics he was a force early in his NBA career.

How did we arrive here?

If not for the Buffalo Braves today’s Clippers wouldn’t exist, confused so you telling me a west coast team owes its being to one that existed on the east coast at one time? NBA expansion in 1970 saw the NBA move into Buffalo New York. The Braves were terrible on the court although they managed to draft a number of outstanding players. Adrian Dantley would play for several NBA teams before his retirement and induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2008.

From their inception until their departure in 1978 the Braves had 7 head coaches, 3 owners and 3 playoff appearances. That would become the last season the team would spend in cold, cold Buffalo, warm San Diego would become home in the fall of that year. The move called for a name change too as they became the Clippers, they remained in the city until 1984 when then owner Donald Sterling moved the Clippers to Los Angeles without NBA approval. This would become the only time in history a franchise relocated without first being sanctioned. Thus ends the short story how the Buffalo Braves became the San Diego Clippers and later Los Angeles Clippers.

“No layups”

The headline above represented the NBA of the Pistons Bad Boy teams and others in and around that era of basketball. Playoff basketball meant you shoot the ball in the basket that’s one thing however “No layups.” If you were on the receiving end expect to be fouled and fouled hard in an effort to prevent the ball from going through the hoop. It appears at least in the Warriors-Grizzlies series that looks to be the case as the teams are battling one another to advance.

In the first game it was the Warriors Draymond Green who was the culprit, in game two it was Dillion Brooks of the Grizzlies. Both players were ejected from the game, on Friday came news the NBA laid down the law. As for Green he was fined $25,000 for middle finger gestures toward the Memphis crowd. As for Brooks his outcome was different, his flagrant foul will cost him $84,000. That figure represents his loss revenue from his suspension for Game Three. A feud now exists between these teams, conceivably good basketball will return without the flagrant fouls and suspensions.

The NBA on television

Television was the key contributor to the growth of the NBA game. Today there are 30 teams spread throughout the nation and one in Canada. The game started in smaller markets, but television allowed the game to grow, it created larger audiences unable to attend in person. The league signed its first contract with the defunct Dumont Television Network in 1953-54. Due to this networks lack of stations across the nation saw the league games moved to the NBC television network; this relationship lasted until April 1962. As an additional note the Dumont Network ceased operations in August 1956.

This next portion is a little confusing, the history indicates Sports Network Incorporated held the coverage during the 1962-63 and 1963-64 seasons. This network would later become the Hughes Television Network. In 1964 the ABC Network began its broadcast run; this would last until 1972-73 when the CBS Network took over. We skip ahead to 1990 and NBC, thanks to Magic and Larry the league moved out of the “tape delay” era for its championship games. The games were briefly aired on the USA Cable Network but that was short lived. The 2007-08 season saw coverage divided between 3 carriers (ABC, TNT & ESPN), in 2010-11 NBA TV began broadcasting games too. Some might not believe this, but its clear television has been the driving force in many becoming fans of the NBA.

Basketball from a fans perspective

He remains close to home

Jamarion Sharp decided in favor of returning to Western Kentucky University rather than Columbia Missouri. Many in Mizzou Nation thought the 7 foot 5 shot blocker might be headed to Mizzou at least for one reason. His coach at John A. Logan Community College was added to the Dennis Gates staff but alas it was not to be. I hope Sharp has an outstanding season at WKU and all I can say is boy, it would have been great to see you in Black and Gold…oh well that’s the way it turns out at times. So in the end the Hopkinsville Kentucky decides to remain close to home. 

Winning

I thought I’d written the last piece on “Winning time: The rise of the Lakers dynasty.” It’s a slow day so a revisit was in order. First of all, I don’t have HBO/Max, so I had to visit relatives to see a morsel of the series. I hope it was clear there are no issues with the actors, for the most part there are veteran actors most of us are familiar with. John C. Reilly as Dr. Buss, Sally Field as Jessie Buss and Adrien Brody playing Pat Riley are well-known faces to us. This might have been mentioned previously, any production of this type must be fictional to a degree. Rest assured Patton, MacArthur, Lincoln and Malcolm X probably skirted portions as they attempted to tell the story.

The key difference these movies were filmed long after the individuals died, we have Laker participates along with some management stating loudly “It didn’t occur that way” or similar words. This book and screenplay was made for entertainment purposes alone even the folks at HBO admit that. The question for me and others I wonder about the viewership through all the reported controversy. Has viewership increased or has it lessen since the beginning of this series? We hear less and less about the firestorm Winning time created. Perhaps in the end it will simply go away, I certainly claim no expertise in this area. I have serious doubts if it is nominated for an Emmy or Golden Globe despite the experienced cast members.

John C. Reilly has certainly demonstrated his acting chops in a number of projects over the years. Added to his list of accomplishments are the four episodes of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. He performed admirably in the role of Laker owner Dr. Jerry Buss however the complements end there. The controversy voiced by some Lakers caused Reilly to issue his own statement defending the project. It’s okay if he wishes to stand up for the series, that would be expected by me, did it change my mind…not one bit I will listen to Kareem, Jerry and Magic. Accurate or not they lived the Showtime era, Reilly only witnessed it in the same manner as most of us. Reilly has a prepared script in which a performance was required.

Bits n Pieces

As I sat down to begin writing today this announcement came across my television. “For the second year in a row Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is the NBA’s MVP.” Not exactly shocking news however I have a different outcome. If I’d had a vote Joel Embiid would have beaten The Joker by the slimmest of margins, rest assured Embiid is certainly disappointed without hearing the words drop from his lips. Perhaps if the Sixers continue to play as they have recently Embiid can win the finals MVP and then he will have bested Jokic in that area.

NBA mock draft sites perform an effective task, they allow us to project the players chosen in somewhat of an order. Over the years I’ve noticed up through perhaps pick 7 or 8 most are close to being accurate. What they cannot do is project which player goes where, there is a reason for this, the draft lottery is yet to be held. Most have either the Rockets or Wolves being awarded the top pick, on May 18 we’ll have an idea who picks where, the lottery will be held that evening and order will be established.

Why do they continue to occur, another ugly incident? A Dallas fan had to be escorted out of the arena after an incident with Chris Paul’s family. They were harassed and physically contacted according to reports. Most of us boo and hiss opposing players and maybe even their families but there is a line. We cannot point it out for you let’s just say some of us have one too many adult beverages or a few are genuine %$&**+, We separate them by doing exactly what Mavs security did, eject them.

This is quite interesting, sometimes maybe it might not be such a rush to head for the NBA Ochai Abajai is our example. The Kansas guard is going to earn a great deal more money in 2022 than he would have last year. Similar to a number of prospects Abajai announced he was headed to the NBA but decided later to return to school. We know what occurred he was one of the keys to the school’s NCAA championship. According to ESPN.com if he’d remain declared last year, he likely would have been a second-round choice and pick 59. It’s conceivable Abaji could have been bypassed in the draft all together. By returning to Kansas and playing another year he’s improved his draft stock significantly, he is now projected as a first-round lottery pick anywhere from 9 through 14.

Basketball from a fans perspective

You knew the job was dangerous when you took it Fred Mike

Mike Brown has been hired by the Kings to replace interim coach Alvin Gentry. You thought taking the Lakers head coaching job was difficult, coaching this team might be the most challenging job in basketball. Bet you didn’t realize in the last 13 years the Kings have been led by 8 different head coaches and their staff.  The last time the Kings earned a playoff berth was the 2006 season, that’s 16 years since fans have witnessed a playoff game…that is the longest streak in NBA history. It breaks the record set by the Clippers at 15 seasons missed, I happen to like Brown; I believe he’s a good coach however he must be allowed time to revitalize this Kings franchise. In the meantime, Brown will remain with the Warriors as an assistant coach until the end of their playoff run.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiZZ0IJL2_w

Now we understand

Hopefully, Jamarion Sharp is headed to Columbia (MO) and Mizzou basketball, the hesitancy on my part is due to the fact he is yet to announce his intentions. As we made note last week, Sharp informed Western Kentucky University he was entering the transfer portal. Exactly why is he headed for Mizzou might be the question, for one thing the coaching staff. Sharp’s coach at John A. Logan Community College is one of the newly hired coaches on Dennis Gates staff.

Sharp is the tallest collegiate player in the nation standing 7 foot 5 and weighing 235 pounds, have you like me wondered about his parents? According to information I uncovered his father is 6 foot 9; his mom is a remarkable 6 foot 5 so now we have a clue as to his growth…it’s his genes. One more tidbit of key information regarding this prospect, last season Sharp recorded 148 blocked shots…Mizzou totaled 134 as a TEAM. This past season Sharp was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and a semi-finalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.

They came back to life

This account could just as easily be the Sixers with Embiid returned from injury. We are actually discussing the Mavs who managed to beat the Suns 103-94 on Friday evening. If you failed to see the game, you might believe based on the score it was close…not so. The Mavs returning home from Phoenix came prepared to dominate which is what they accomplished. In a stunner of a surprise Luka Doncic was not the Mavs high scorer for the game it was another guy.

Luka’s all-around game of 26 points 9 assists and 13 rebounds was one of the keys. Most of all it might have been his improved defensive effort. High scorer on the Mavs side of the court was point guard Jalen Brunson. Truth is Brunson’s 28 points exceeded the total he scored in the first two games of the series. Brunson played 36 minutes mostly at the point and registered only one turnover. Just because the Mavs won this game fails to take into consideration they remain in a deficit. We’ll await the outcome of Game Four to decide which direction this series may be headed.

The Series is now tied 2-2 with the Mavs 111-101 win over the Suns on Sunday.  

My favorite…that’s a tricky question

My desktop is located in my Man Cave, there was an update required for my system and this is what occurred. The companion of the repair person looked around the room and said, “I guess you must be a Laker fan”, she then laughed. Then came the question, “Do you have a favorite Laker player?” I thought for a minute and then said, “I will give you three Kobe, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Magic.” Being a lifelong Laker fan it’s difficult to name just one. Did you notice who is missing from my list of favorites, it’s interesting because each one has a jersey in my Man Cave. The first name is Jerry West, The Logo’s 44 is proudly displayed in a white 1960’s Laker edition, the jersey was actually a holdover rendition from the Minneapolis days. On the opposite wall is Shaquille O’Neal’s number 34, one of the most dominate Big Men to play the game.

On the opposite wall is a number 13 jersey that Wilt Chamberlain wore as a Laker in the ‘70’s. Next to it a white Minneapolis Laker number 22 the one worn by Elgin Baylor his rookie year in that upper Midwest city. As you can see there are other former Lakers whose jerseys hang on my wall. Jerseys yet to be acquired, James Worthy and Pau Gasol. Big Game James Worthy with probably the quickest first step in Laker history and maybe the NBA. Worthy was given the nickname because he always played well with the game on the line. Power forward Pau Gasol certainly deserves to be honored; he was a vital contributor to two championships won by the Lakers. Yet to be determined do, Anthony Davis and LeBron James deserve recognition in my Man Cave. With the exception of Jerry West and Kobe Bryant all those on my wall of honor played for other franchises, all were acquired through free agency or trade. There you have it, included in the inventory are plaques and photos, but the jerseys are the most obvious to all.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Bits n Pieces

It’s mentioned previously, there are many who claim Luka Doncic “is not very athletic.” I say so what, if you’ve got 10-15 moves around the basket and can shoot like number 77…well. Doncic needs help, the Mavs are not going to win this series against the Suns or any future playoff series, but it’s been fun watching Doncic at least from my standpoint.

My Lakers are M.I.A. so who wins is not that important to me. Hold on a moment, I would like to see Chris Paul win. Throughout his Hall of Fame career either he’s suffered a playoff injury, or a valued teammate, he’s been denied a championship numerous times. At the same time if Paul should retire without a championship he’d still be in good company. Just a few Naismith Hall of Fame honorees without rings, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Pete Maravich and Patrick Ewing. I will stop here, a ring is nice, but it fails to define a career.

Marvin Menzies is 60 years old; Menzies was recently hired as head coach at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. This coach is a winner based on his stops at UNLV and New Mexico State. Don’t misunderstand the focus on his age but Kansas City is likely his last stop before he retires. Who knows, we have surprises, the first Billy Donlon leaving after producing a winning season. I must state Menzies is the second surprise and my statement is partially age related. We might believe a college program hires a coach hoping he’s intended to be on location for an extended period of time, based on Menzies age he might only be on the job a minimum of time, In any event welcome to Kansas City basketball.

Thunder basketball was not very good this past season however there was one bright spot…Josh Giddey. The 6-foot 8 combo guard from Australia moved into the starting lineup almost immediately. He would become the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double eclipsing the record of LaMelo Ball. Giddey would go on to record three consecutive triple-doubles. The numbers Giddey generated exceeded those registered in his last season in the Australian Basketball League. The NBA future for Giddey appears quite brilliant now and into the future.

Money is not a solve all

Ben Simmons has been attacked on all sides even by me. That ends with this account, not only was there an issue of mental health he was dealing with a bad back as well. Why do we believe just because someone has wheelbarrows of money, they shouldn’t have the same issues as others in the society? A few might remember one of the first NBA players mentioning mental health was Ron Artest a.k.a. Metta World Peace. More recently Kevin Love of the Cavs made public his mental health struggle. 99% of us have little if any idea the pressure facing athletes to perform at their peak, this encompasses athletes in all sports. Gymnast Simone Biles went on record dealing with her issues she referred to as the “twisties.”

Biles indicated in a routine the gymnasts can lose track of the number count which could prove disastrous during a performance. Tennis champion Naomi Osaka has taken a break indicating she needed to deal with mental health issues. There are other athletes who likely failed to admit there was a mental health issue. The great running back Gayle Sayers was told when returning from a serious knee injury, “You are running timid” or similar words were expressed by a coach. Not only was Sayers dealing with the potential for pain but the possibility of injury which weighed heavily on his mind. In conclusion allow this brief statement, I have no working knowledge of the mental health field, nor do I know anyone personally. These are the words of someone who is willing to see there is more than the physical side of any sport.

Who was first?

We realize the NBA ranks behind the NFL and maybe baseball in popularity among sports fans, but it causes an issue. Groundbreaking events are always applauded but sometimes in these particular sports they have been a “dollar short and a day late.” Do you want an example, recently a female coach came onto the field in a major league game to occupy third base? This made the news as a first, what is this 2022? Becky Hammon was hired as an assistant coach by the NBA Spurs in 2014. There are 6 female coaches as this is written serving currently in the NBA.

As for the NFL today, there are 2 female coaches as this is written. This has been mentioned previously, the NFL was bragging about the female who officiated the Super Bowl. How long has the NBA had female officials, I’m glad you ask the question. Can I say long enough that Violet Palmer is now retired after service for 18 seasons as a game official. She only retired after suffering knee problems, as for the others there are 6 female officials in the NBA. I hope this doesn’t appear to downgrade the strides made by females in the NFL and baseball it’s just appears the NBA has done a much more exemplary task than other sports.

I don’t remember the number

When’s the last time you heard someone say, “Nobody watches the NBA anymore” or this one for older folks. “I quit watching the NBA once Michael Jordan retired”, do you realize that’s been quite a few years ago, MJ will turn 60 years of age next February. The point, I don’t remember the number, one of the local sports radio hosts claim the games on Sunday May 1 set an all-time record. A brief pause, with cable plus streaming services I don’t have a clue how the decision makers calculate who is watching what.

I believe all of us understand your opinion you don’t follow or like NBA basketball and that’s okay. I have more issues with those who subscribe to the first statement “Nobody watches the NBA” over the other one. Perhaps you have a superior method of counting viewership than any of us. On the other hand, maybe you’ve decided, “My opinion should reflect everyone around me.” That’s an interesting perspective however I have serious doubts if it holds much validity. On the other hand, consider this, I don’t follow soccer (football in much of the world), I trust no one else does either because I don’t. Quit trying to force your view of a subject on others, that’s not your place. 5-4-3-2-1 the rant is now officially over.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Who is next?

For the second game in a row in the Warriors-Grizzlies playoff series a player was ejected from the game. In the first game it was the Warriors Draymond Green removed from the game, this time it was Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks. This is a debate on the outcome, Gary Payton II went down hard on his elbow on hitting the floor. X-Rays would reveal Payton sustained a broken elbow; we can say in truth the Warriors endured the worst of this ejection.

With an injury of this type unlike with Brandon Clarke it’s likely Payton II will miss major time. Warriors coach Steve Kerr claims Brooks broke the unwritten code, you don’t intentionally attempt to hurt or injury an opposing player. Can we say in truth Brooks was attempting to hurt Payton II, there is no method to prove this? Despite the words expressed by Kerr he must wait for an NBA ruling if a suspension is warranted. The most interesting to me is intent, I like Kerr, but he goes out of his way to offer remarks about his player but managed to say nothing about Green, you cannot have it both ways Steve.

This brief explanation

For those unfamiliar with Jamarion Sharp a few words about the 7-foot 5-inch giant. He was the tallest collegiate player in the nation last season, he’s likely to hold that title in the 2022-23 season. Sharp is no offensive threat despite shooting nearly a 77% shooter from the floor, why am I so excited if he decides to play at Mizzou? It’s the other things he does particularly well, in fact Sharp might have been the second-best defensive center in college basketball this past season. He excels at shot blocking, Sharp had one game he totaled 10 blocked shots. Sharp averaged nearly 5 blocks a game for the season there were 8 games Sharp registered double-digit rebounds. There is no telling how many shots he caused to go off target due to his presence.

Sharp might have adopted the mantra of the great Bill Russell who once said, “I can’t block every shot, the idea is for them to think I can.” Sharp despite his height at 235 pounds he is able to move swiftly up and down the court. Although not the primary offensive threat this skill has allowed Sharp to be in the mix for lobs and dunks. Your question might be can Sharp make the adjustment from mid-major Western Kentucky to SEC Mizzou? At this point we can only make an informed guess and say we believe he can. Whichever college Sharp decides to attend they will receive a player with a degree of offensive skill but high energy for blocking shots and rebounding the basketball and running the floor. The future beyond college could prove fruitful for this Hopkinsville Kentucky native. We are not declaring an NBA career for Sharp however there could be a bright future for him in a professional league somewhere in the world.

A bit extreme

Jeanie Buss sell the Lakers, that might be a tad bit extreme. Allow me to explain, the cynics come out of the woodworks anytime you don’t succeed and that is the case here. A writer pointed to the Showtime Lakers and later the success under Phil Jackson. This media person then explored the playoff black hole (excepting 2019) the Lakers have experienced since the death of Dr. Buss in 2013. A portion of the information is not the fault of present management. Notice the word management, Jim Buss assumed control of the team after the death of their father. Jeanie took a back seat only involved in managing her portion of the Laker franchise, hers had little to do with the day-to-day operation.

Jim, Mitch Kupchak and others were responsible for the draft, free agent acquisition and trades. Jim Buss indicated if the Lakers did not improve by a certain date he would resign, well the date came and went yet Buss remained in place. He might still be running things if he’d not attempted to sell the team without sister Jeanie being apprised of his plans. The condensed version Jeanie “fired” her brother filing suit in court, the ruling was concluded in Jeanie’s favor. The time is roughly 2018 when Jeanie assumed control of the Lakers. We have a 4–5-year timeframe where fingers could legitimately be pointed in Jeanie’s direction. Keep in mind this is the public version of events, Jeanie could have been running everything all along since the death of her father.

It might have come sooner

One of the social media sight I’m affiliated with contains specialist groups. One contains fans of the late Pete Maravich. Maravich was one of those once in a lifetime players especially in his college days at LSU. Unlike today he played four years, in 1970 the American Basketball Association was in its third year still attempting to gain traction against the established NBA. A bidding was existed between the leagues as each tried to secure the services of college talent. We are unable to locate a figure, but it must have been significant for Maravich to choose the Hawks over however drafted him in the NBA. In 1969 the New York Nets of the ABA chose Lew Alcindor number one while the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA won a coin flip with the Suns and made the pick. We guess the lure of playing at home in New York City would have been a draw over Milwaukee, no money amount is mentioned. There were other athletes with a choice as to which league, they desired to play. Among the other Hall of Fame players who chose the NBA:

1967

Earl Monroe

Walt Frazier

1968

Elvin Hayes

Wes Unseld

1969

JoJo White

1970

Bob Lanier

1974

Bill Walton

The basketball landscape would have changed significantly if any of the athletes above had chosen the ABA over the NBA. Keep in mind there were a number of talented players who chose the ABA first, we count we Julius Irving, Artis Gilmore, George McGinnis and several others.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Choose a sport

We’ve discussed athletes good enough to have their choice of a sport, they were skilled enough to be sound in them all. Here in Kansas City, we have an All-Star caliber quarterback Patrick Mahomes. In high school he played basketball and the 6-foot 3 230-pound Mahomes was good. Look up this guy, like Mahomes Dave Winfield was accomplished enough to play them all. How good was Winfield, he was drafted by MLB, the NBA, ABA in existence at the time and the NFL. Winfield played basketball at the University of Minnesota but never played football although he was drafted by the Vikings. It’s clear he chose the correct path; he’s now enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Another name to mull over is Terrell Owens who spent a career in the NFL as a wide receiver for more than one team, he came into prominence playing basketball at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga first. The late Chuck Connors career was spent in front of the camera as an actor, but it was sports where it began. Connors played basketball briefly for the Celtics, in 1946 the 6 foot 5 Connors broke a backboard causing an hour delay in a game. Back to the NFL a moment, the late Otto Graham was all NFL as a quarterback. Graham played one season for the Rochester Royals of the NBL predecessor of today’s NBA in 1946-47. There are other athletes omitted in this brief account who probably could have chosen another sport. In some instances, there may have been a choice of more than two.

The specialist

We are told Wilt Chamberlain was a proud man, this certainly sounds reasonable based on many of the accounts we’ve read over the years. His chief adversary on the basketball court Bill Russell went on record recently with a new story. Russell claimed Chamberlain would become highly agitated anytime the media mentioned what a great rebounder Dennis Rodman was. No disagreement here, for a guy 6 foot 7- and 228-pounds Rodman made a career in this area. He did have an advantage; the Pistons, Bulls and other teams allowed him this role of the specialist.

These teams didn’t demand Rodman score, they were only interested in him excelling in the area of rebounds. Chamberlain would say to Russell, “I had more rebounds in a quarter than he (Rodman) did in a game.” The statement was true, NBA records indicate the record is held by Chamberlain with 19 rebounds in a single quarter. Chamberlain also holds the single game record with 55 recorded in one game. For those who might consider this a slam at Rodman that is not the case. Rodman with all his off the court antics was quite a basketball player. He excelled at rebounding the ball however the advantage of not being required to score certainly aided Rodman. Sorry Rodman fans it’s my belief Wilt Chamberlain was more the complete basketball player; Chamberlain could do everything Rodman a specific thing.

It was win now…tomorrow is another day

Who are the names, we could begin with Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Kyle Kuzma and Julius Randle? Those are just a few of the names the Lakers had on their roster at a point. Trading those players and others allowed the Lakers to win the 2019 NBA Championship. Management had a win now mentality which is okay to a degree. It is conceivable they may have never won with the assembly of names mentioned, it would have allowed them to escape the lack of draft picks they have for the immediate future.

Infusing rookies into a lineup is painful depending on that players skill and basketball IQ. This is the future from sources, the team has no picks in the 2022 draft. The problem is compounded by the fact they have little to offer another team in a trade. In 2023 their draft status is complicated, the Pelicans may or may not exercise swap options. We guess that simply states the Pelicans are in control of any movement regarding the first-round pick, the second-round pick belongs to the Wizards. 2024 appears just as complicated, no need of detailing it, so this is the story. Unless something unforeseen occurs, the Lakers will not have their own picks until the 2025 NBA draft. In hindsight was a championship worth gambling away the future?

Talk me down please

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote earlier, “The hire of Dennis Gates didn’t move the needle much.” That certainly might have been the belief held by many with the hire of the Cleveland State coach. Despite the early assessment the coach has certainly moved the needle in the recruiting sector. What remains is for Gates to prove he can coach at the SEC level. We are unsure if this list is complete however below reflects the recruits headed to Columbia Missouri in August:   

Mohamed Diarra 6-foot 10 forward Garden City Community College

Tre Gomillion 6-foot 4 guard Cleveland State

DeAndre Gholston 6-foot 4 guard Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Noah Carter 6-foot 6 forward Northern Iowa

Sean East 6-foot 3-point guard John A. Logan

D’Moi Hodge 6-foot 4 wing Cleveland State

Nick Honor 5-foot 10-point guard Clemson

Cuonzo Martin recruits

Aiden Shaw 6-foot 8 forward Blue Valley HS

Christian Jones 6-foot 4-point guard East St. Louis decommitted April 18

Remaining on the roster are three players coach Cuonzo Martin recruited, with these holdovers plus incoming talent we have a total of 11 roster members. The departure of Amari Davis leaves one scholarship for the upcoming season. A few in Mizzou Nation are not particularly pleased, despite the negative this member of Mizzou Nation feels good. Help talk me down, it’s quite a ways between now and August when school begins. I have no idea if this team will be competitive or not. The assembly of talent can’t help but make me believe the coming days and years will be better for Mizzou basketball and it’s fans. The true test is not the upcoming season but 2023-2024 which will be the true test for coach Gates.

Basketball from a fans perspective

He’s got a new job

Joe Dumars has performed management roles in the same manner he did as a player. This former Pistons guard moved into the front office immediately after he retired. The NBA announced today Dumars has been hired as vice-president of operations for the NBA. “Dumars will oversee all Basketball Operation matters for the NBA, including the development of playing rules and interpretations, conduct and discipline, policies and procedures relating to the operation of games.” Dumars first position after retirement as a player was president of basketball operations for the Pistons. He takes this new job with the NBA after holding several posts with the Kings.

The reputation preceded them 

You might have seen the play live or maybe later on replay. The Warriors Draymond Green being ejected in Sunday’s game versus the Grizzlies. The ejection occurred in the second quarter as Green grabbed Brandon Clarke’s jersey as Clarke was tumbling toward the floor. As for the ejection does Green’s reputation get in front of him? There is a reason the question is posed, Jay Williams and Tim Legler two former NBA players and now analyst on ESPN have opposing views. Allow us to briefly check the history prior to Green there was Rasheed Wallace and preceding him, Dennis Rodman.

Despite the 212 technical fouls Rodman received he was only ejected 5 times, bet that’s a surprise for many. Although he wasn’t ejected an official once gave Wallace a technical foul for “looking at him.” As for the past Wallace holds a record that will probably never be eclipsed, during his NBA career he was ejected 29 times. The second most belong to an active player, DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins has 14 on his resume. A surprise for some, former Pacer Reggie Miller compiled 12 ejections, as for Green, is he a dirty player…define dirty for us? I happen to be one of the those who believe he is a high impact player, he is not a dirty player.

I’d like that

I try and avoid discussing players or getting too excited about those yet to commit, that is the case as this is written. By the time you read this the deed will have been done one way or another. This is transcribed Friday afternoon; Jamarion Sharp has until Sunday night to provide Western Kentucky notification he will enter the transfer portal. Late Friday evening Sharp did indeed enter the portal. Hopefully, he commits to Mizzou which has two more scholarship remaining.

Who is Sharp and why is he so valuable to you a column was required? His bio, Sharp is 7 feet 5 and weighs 235 pounds, if you were thinking the second coming of Kareem, Shaq or Wilt forget it. Sharp is quite limited offensively however it’s the other thing. He is quite adapt at clogging the lane and blocking shots, Sharp is so skilled in blocking shots he led the nation this past season with 148 and averaged nearly 5 blocks a game. It might be good to keep the other team from scoring if your offense is unsettled at least at the beginning of the season. Oh, one more thing, did I mention his former head coach is now an assistant at Mizzou?

In a perfect world

Illinois Big Man Kofi Cockburn announced on IG he will forgo his senior year. He’s declared for the NBA draft and will hire an agent; this part entails Cockburn to close the door to a return to school. In a perfect world this is what occurs, he will become a second round to an undrafted prospect. He should pull an “Austin Reaves”, you might remember in 2021 the Laker guard announced, “don’t draft me I prefer to choose where I would like to play.” The location Reaves chose was the Lakers, this same scenario might occur for Cockburn if he so chooses. This is the plan as I become general manager of the team.

The Lakers sign Dwight Howard through the 2022-23 season, in the interim Cockburn is dividing his time between the G-League South Bay Lakers and the parent club. Kareem Abdul Jabbar is hired to coach Cockburn to improve his skill level in various areas of post play. The following season the 7-foot 300-pound behemoth is inserted in the Lakers lineup where he performs admirably. Could this process work…of course it could however this account was titled “In a perfect world.” If you’ve read this blog for any length of time you realize I am enamored with Big Men and how they impact the game, we all love. In addition, despite small ball mentality there remains a place for the Big Man in today’s game.

Do It 

Ja Morant has come to the forefront; his high wire act has gone to a different level this season. The proof, he was voted the NBA’s Most Improved Player for 2022. With that we read a few comments from cynics indicating, “One day he won’t be able to fly so high.” That statement is true “Father Time remains undefeated” however we can borrow lyrics from the ‘70’s R&B group BT Express. The title of a 1974 hit was Do It, below are the lyrics of the first stanza:

Ooh

Go on and do it

Do it, do it ‘til you’re satisfied

(Whatever it is)

Do it, do it ‘til you’re satisfied

Go on and do it

Do it, do it ‘til you’re satisfied

Go and do it

Do it, do it ‘til you’re satisfied

(Whatever it is)

Do it, do it ‘til you’re satisfied 

That is certainly not intended for Morant to slow his play, his game might be best at 160 km’s an hour versus the other guy. Just in case, check the link below for further clarification.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAmpaV6WzGo

Basketball from a fans perspective

I suppose

Who do the Lakers hire as the next head coach? At this point we’ve heard a substantial number of names tossed about. Who do I want doesn’t really matter, the Lakers hired Frank Vogel although he wasn’t my first choice and I adjusted? With that said I have three candidates I would be okay if they hired. I’m not going to provide the where’s and the why’s just the names.

Darvin Hamm

Mark Jackson

David Fizdale

Phil Jackson?

Okay that’s actually four names including Phil Jackson, his inclusion requires an explanation, immediately after Vogel was fired and names were circulated Jackson was one of the first, we heard. I stated there should be no return to the past or similar words, PJ might be just the change as head coach the team needs. PJ is old school, but he was back then and probably will always remain a player’s coach. In conclusion who they choose doesn’t really matter, my recommendation will not be taken into consideration.

Really?

I have a number of problems, chief among them is commenting on statements made by Stephen A. Smith. I almost fell out of my chair with laughter after reading the ESPN.com NBA page headline on Saturday morning. It read “Stephen A. puts the pressure on Harden after Embiid’s injury”. Pressure from who or we might ask, him yelling LOUDLY into his mic? I have concluded there are two camps regarding Smith, those who love him and those who hate him.

There is no middle ground, question? Have you ever heard anyone make the comment “He’s okay” meaning they can take him or leave him? Who do I blame for this, the network…Entertainment & Sports Programing Network? Despite the fact the network places a conservative face in front of us on certain issues they allow Smith to run rampant in other areas. We have reached a point I no longer can tolerate him screaming into his mic (and over my television), truth is anytime he appears on screen the remote is instantly muted.

No fear

A minister friend who still plays the game reminded me of the story. I’ve written the Lakers were a “stacked” team when Kobe Bryant arrived on the scene. Unlike a number of Hall of Fame players, he was firmly planted on the bench by Del Harris then Laker coach. Arriving from high school to the NBA perhaps the coach didn’t believe he was ready to assume the role of an NBA player and perhaps he wasn’t. His rookie season would see Kobe start only 6 games; his point total a mere 7.6 points per game. It would be the 1997 playoffs that might bolster the NO FEAR he exhibited throughout his career. How did this come about, Kobe was placed in the starting lineup due to injury?

The Lakers that year were facing the Utah Jazz in that playoff. The team would be losers 98-93 in OT and Kobe managed to shoot not 1 not 2 but a total of 4 AIR BALLS in the game. His teammate Shaquille O’Neal remarked, “He (Kobe) was the only guy who had the guts at the time to take shots like that.” Not only did he miss the shots, but the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs partially due to Kobe’s mediocre performance. Was there fear in the 19-year-old Kobe…of course there was. He proved to all; we must meet face to face with bedlam even though we might prefer to flee. Kobe Bean Bryant echoed the words attributed to former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. “We have nothing to fear but fear itself” as we cope with this life.

Who would have figured?

Basketball remains a team sport, you don’t win without teammates. Despite the statement there are always teammates who stand out in victory and that was the case Sunday afternoon. The Warriors Jordan Poole when inserted into the lineup was key to the 117-116 victory over the Grizzlies. Someone once said, “It’s not important who starts it’s more important who finishes the game.” Poole was the game’s high scorer with 31 points, included in that was a 5 for 10 from the 3-line.

Also, it was 8 rebounds and 9 assists along with 2 blocked shots for the 6-foot 4 guard which provides proof of his all-around game. Many of us believed the Warriors were in trouble when Draymon Green was tagged with a flagrant and ejected from the game. While handing out awards one should go to Steve Kerr, he makes the moves which allow his team to win. Someone ask a week or so ago “Who do you have coming out of the West?” I informed him I wasn’t sure yet, as for this series I picked the Warriors. I informed him the veteran Warriors team should be able to beat the young Grizzlies in a playoff series.

He was perfect

Suns point guard Chris Paul was determined the Pelicans would not succeed on Thursday, he made sure of this based on the game he exhibited. Paul made every shot he took from the floor 14 times and sinking all of them. He was 4-4 from the free throw line which gave him a total of 33 points. Paul wasn’t finished he also managed to dish out 8 assists to teammates.

His game led the way as the Pelicans were eliminated 4 games to 2 with the 115-109 victory. We don’t know if Paul wins a championship before he retires, we do have this certainty. He’s headed to the Naismith Hall of Fame once it’s retirement time, Paul likely desires an NBA Championship ring as well. At this point I’m unsure who emerges from this tight Western Conference race, is it the Suns or the Warriors. I could be proven wrong and that’s okay however I believe the _________ will be the winner.