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Basketball from a fans perspective

Another change at the top

Since the beginning of time coaches at the college and professional level have been fired. Generally the firing occurs when that coach is unable to turn his program around and make it productive. How about when the opposite occurs, two NBA coaches have been fired who won during the regular season and were able to lead their teams into the playoffs. We could add the name of Steve Nash, the former Nets coach was fired too however at the time the Nets had a losing record unlike the others. After they exited the playoffs Mike Budenholzer with the Bucks was fired after five seasons. This past weekend the Suns decided to make a change, they terminated the contract of Monty Williams after four seasons.

In both instances these coaches were regular season winners, the problem advancement. In the case of Budenholzer he does have a 2021 NBA Championship on his resume. As for Williams injuries appeared to have impacted the team despite the presence of Kevin Durant. In both instances Budenholzer and Williams were unable to lead their teams to the success management would like or perhaps projected based on a veteran roster. I expect to see both on the sidelines with another team someday. We can add another name to the coaching change although this one is not yet official. After the Sixers were eliminated on Sunday by the Celtics 112-88, Doc Rivers to be terminated. Rivers too will be hired again as a head coach someday.

Lakers overcome 2-10 start

They ain’t won anything yet, despite this fact on Tuesday the Lakers will play the Nuggets for the Western Conference Championship. Last October I thought they were prepared to compete, a new coach and a few new players, they had it all, at least that was my belief. I can only speak for myself, imagine my surprise with such a terrible beginning to the season. Without checking I don’t remember how the Lakers played in December and January but it wasn’t very good with injuries impacting them as well.

After the trade deadline in February they swapped 5 players for another 5, play improved slightly. I remember after Rui, D’Lo and others were added a co-worker asked me, “What are your Lakers going to do?” My response was classic, “Their play has improved however I don’t think they make the playoffs…I’m looking at next season.” This has certainly been one time I’m happy I was wrong, the Lakers improved play saw them finish above .500 by the time the season ended. They won a play in series against the Wolves, beat the Grizzlies and would face the Warriors in the semi-finals. Although the Warriors won Game 5 at home it was my belief the Lakers would prevail in Game 6.

Boy did they prevail in beating the NBA Champion Warriors 122-101 in Game 6. I am not going to go into detail you are well acquainted with Laker individuals you are familiar with; this truly was a team win as all were vital to the win and the series. This requires a special shout out to coach Darvin Ham; he’s been the key guiding this team to a winning record. My hope is a victory over the number one seed Nuggets and an NBA Championship win over an Eastern Conference opponent.

The Suns are eliminated

On Thursday evening the number one seeded Suns lost to the Nuggets 125-100, how did they manage to lose this series? It’s my contention we can point fingers at two of the best players in the NBA, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul. It was March 3, 2023, the Suns acquired Durant from the Nets in exchange for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, veteran Jae Crowder and four first round picks and a 2028 draft swap. The draft choices are in the future but the Suns managed to trade valued parts of what has been a successful team.

As for Paul…he’s destined for the hall of fame but at 38 years of age will likely retire without a championship ring. An NBA Championship is certainly not a barometer of success, however, let’s face it, some of us do. What does the future hold for the Suns might be your question? Those four first round picks are going to impact future player development, as for trade prospects who do they trade? At this point I would claim DeAndre Ayton might be the one tradeable commodity but even he might not be held in as high esteem as the Suns. At this time the Suns appear a competitive team next season, a championship might just be another story.

He’s an owner (in another sport)

No one can claim Magic Johnson isn’t busy, there are several holdings in his Magic Johnson Enterprises not involving sports teams. They include 31 Burger King Restaurants along with 13 24-Hour Fitness Centers and there are a few Magic Johnson movie theatres remaining in operation. As for sports according to information I could uncover Magic owns 2.3% shares of the Dodgers, there is no indication of the dollar value.

In addition his sports portfolio includes a stake in the MLS Los Angeles FC and the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks. Magic is now wearing the cap of another sports team, this time it’s as an owner of the NFL Commanders. He’s part of the ownership group which purchased the team from Dan Snyder. It appears in all instances Magic is a minority holder of stock but no matter. Magic Johnson’s net worth far exceeds the amount he possessed at the time he retired from the NBA Lakers. It is noteworthy he sold his stake in the Lakers in order to become an owner of the Dodgers.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Draft bust

I watched two YouTube videos containing a list of players the moderators considered draft bust. Many times players, no matter how they are scouted, analyzed and whatever is used wind up unable to play at the NBA level. What I find disappointing is including names that suffered injuries that affected their NBA careers and even that might be suspect. The examples might be Sam Bowie, Bowie was drafted at a time (1984) Big Man play prevailed in the NBA.

The Blazers could have drafted Michael Jordan however they had Clyde Drexler and believed they needed a Big Man. All these years later we discover former Indiana coach Bobby Knight told Blazer management to draft MJ. In any event you know the history, Hakeem Olajuwon was the top pick by the Rockets next up were the Blazers choosing Bowie, the third pick by the Bulls was MJ. Bowie, 7 foot 1 and 235 pounds would suffer a series of injuries that severely affected his NBA career. Despite an injury history Bowie managed to last 11 years in the association.  He never reached the level projected, however he lasted long enough to qualify for an NBA pension. Next up is another Big Man listed as a bust who was also impacted by injury. His name was Greg Oden, Oden was an All American at Indiana and he too was liable a “can’t miss” prospect.

Prior to the 2007 NBA Draft, one NBA scout claimed “He was the second coming of Bill Russell” which failed to materialize. It failed to occur because Oden’s career was also impacted by injury. Missing parts of seasons, Oden managed a 7-year career finishing with the Heat. Just in case you happen to see any of these videos allow me to say this. There is a vast difference between a player who just can’t play at this level and one impacted by injury, we have two players listed as busts which I fail to see.

Is he generational?

There are all kinds of adjectives allocated to Victor Wembanyama, one we probably have heard the most is “A Generational talent.” Several have made outstanding statements, “If LeBron James was in this draft, I would draft Wembanyama.” With that declaration and others what should NBA fans expect once Wembanyama begins to play in the fall? This account is going to be different; I intend to report on several negatives you and I have read regarding the French teen.

The first is his weight, Wembanyama’s reported weight ranges from a low of 209 pounds to as much as 230. From games we’ve seen he is able to hold his own against power forwards in France but that’s not the NBA. He will be playing in the NBA in short, No Boys Allowed. Wembanyama has a huge height advantage against Draymond Green but can he battle the Warriors forward and other power forwards adequately? Back to the weight issue, cynics claim his 7-foot 4 (or 5) height versus his weight is a capital T which stands for trouble. Skeptics including Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal have expressed negatives regarding his height and weight. What I find unusual remember the talk about Zion Williamson being too hefty, this is the reverse account Wembanyma’s thin frame will betray him.

Truth is none of us can analyze the youngster until he begins play in the NBA but this is what I see. I’ve attempted to separate the hype from the athlete but believe this to be the truth barring injury. Victor Wembanyama is the real deal; I believe whichever team drafts him that team will earn a playoff berth. The only question is his thin frame, provided Wembanyama can remain healthy he’s got NBA star stamped on his forehead.

Stay in school

It seems in today’s NBA there is so little need for Big Men we saw a unique situation occur. Hunter Dickinson left Michigan for Kansas, Oscar Tshiebwe as this writing is remaining at Kentucky. These are just two Big Men Name, Image and Likeness has affected the college basketball landscape. Dickinson has gone on record indicating he didn’t earn as much income as he believed possible. Will he receive more NIL money at Kansas, more than likely that might be the case. Money is clearly the driving force, both these Big Men can possibly earn more income remaining in college than as second round NBA Draft choices.

You don’t like the NBA, I get it

It’s clear I must love to be punished, continuing to listen to local sports talk radio. I could find something else to do on my 30-minute drive to and from work weekly. As mentioned in the past the Chiefs dominate the airways and I really have no issue with that, there is no concern with discussions surrounding the Royals either. What I do take issue with is the snide remarks and some of the commentary made by a few of the members on 610 A.M. and 810 A.M. Sports radio regarding the NBA.

It’s clear there is no NBA basketball within a 400-mile radius of Kansas City, no need for the sport to rule the airways here. I do a slow burn whenever I hear one of these remarks or statements, allow me to give you an example. Some might not be aware but TNT’s Kevin Harlin lives in the Kansas City metro, Harlin is a frequent guest on local sports talk radio which should not be surprising. I’m okay when the subject matter is the NFL because Harlin does broadcast those games as well. I turned this recent interview on in the middle however I caught the radio host discussing the number of jersey combinations worn by NBA teams. Tell me friends when did a jersey become so important to NBA action?

Turn it Off

LeBron James is correct; players need to turn off social media or any connection with sports commentary. I can provide you a couple of quick examples, the Lakers won Game 4 over the Warriors 104-101. Immediately after the game on TNT’s Inside the NBA Charles Barkley provided viewers with an assessment of AD’s game. Barkley (and I paraphrase) “Anthony Davis got off to a good start but only scored 4 points in the second half of the game. The manner he was dominating I would have continued to demand the ball.” That is Barkley’s view of a game the Lakers won, it wasn’t the fact AD took a bunch of shots and missed he just took too few in the analyst view.

It wasn’t just Barkley with strange commentary I could include Mike Greenberg of ESPN in this account too. The day before Wednesday’s game Greenberg suggested “LeBron doesn’t need to play, he should remain home resting for Game 6.” Consider this fact, these guys are giving us their view of a situation but fails to take into consideration its correct. I found this on UPROXX.com, “When you spend hours and hours talking on television (or radio) every day, you are inevitably going to say things that are wrong or dumb or both. It’s just part of the job and why I usually just try to shrug off wild takes as part of the game, because I know that if I were asked to talk for “an unspecified” time I would do the same.” As for the original statement LeBron is correct, we cannot help but be influenced by what someone in social media radio or television might say.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

The return of Coach K.

He’s not returning to Duke nor the NBA as a head coach. He is coming out of retirement; he will take on the role of special advisor to basketball operations for the NBA. Exactly what his duties entail are unknown at this time, this was part of the announcement. Coach K. will be visible on Tuesday at the NBA Draft Lottery. I wondered how long he would remain retired, as we can see just a little more than a year. In any event good luck in your new job as special advisor Coach K.

Another legend gone

On Tuesday we received word legendary coach Denny Crum died at the age of 86. He is so closely associated with Louisville basketball that I had to check his bio. Crum served as head coach for freshman at UCLA and at Los Angeles Pierce Junior College. Those jobs were held long before he was hired at Louisville in 1971, he won 2 NCAA Championships (1980, 1986) while head man at the school. There were numerous other regular and post-season games won by Crum’s teams. His record at Louisville 675 wins versus 295 losses. Crum was enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. It should also be of note during his time at Louisville a number of NBA players would emerge from the school. Denny Crum, another basketball legend gone, R.I.P.

A decision made

By now you are aware of the homophobic slur uttered by longtime West Virginia coach Bob Huggins, he used the term twice during a recent radio interview. We don’t know if this was a “hot mike” or something else might have ensued but there is no doubt the voice heard was that of Huggins. The university was backed into a corner, what should their response be? Huggins made it simple for the school, he would accept whatever punishment was rendered.

Wednesday morning the university announced Huggins would be suspended for the first three games of the season and his salary reduced by $1 million, in addition he will be required to attend sensitivity training. Do I believe Huggins should have been fired, that’s an emphatic no. Do I believe the suspension and salary reduction was enough punishment, again a no. The suspension should have been much longer, 10-15 games. The final question I’d like to pose, how much sensitivity training can be gained by a 69-year old man?

Sweetwater

April 2023 a biopic of Nathaniel “Sweetwater” Clifton was made available on Prime Video and Tubi TV. Clifton was born October 13, 1922, in England Arkansas, his family would later move to Chicago where he tasted success in basketball and baseball. Graduating high school in 1942 he served three years in the Army before returning at the conclusion of World War II. Professionally Clifton would play for the New York Rens and later the Harlem Globetrotters. In May 1950 he would become the second African American player in the NBA when he signed a contract with the Knicks,

Clifton would play for the Knicks until 1957, he would be traded to the Pistons and concluded his career at the end of the 1958 season. If you check Clifton’s numbers are rather average however he is featured in a film due to him being an NBA groundbreaker. As for the nickname Sweetwater, it dates back to his childhood. Clifton drank a great deal of soda pop while growing up hence he was given the name Sweetwater. His legacy continued after retirement in a number of civic areas not necessarily associated with sports. In 1990 Clifton died at the age of 67, in 2014 he was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame as a contributor. I haven’t seen his story portrayed on film yet but believe based on the history worth your time to view that’s why its mentioned here.

He’s got to prove himself…again

The college basketball world was celebrating the success of several first-year coaches, Mizzou’s Dennis Gates was among that number. Mizzou, after years without an NCAA appearance, managed to receive an invitation to post-season play. An early look toward the 2023-24 season indicates there is work to do, especially in the SEC. The usual suspects are in place Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee and Alabama and missing in pre-season assessments are the Mizzou Tigers. What did Mizzou accomplish this Gates first season, they managed to win 25 games and finished tied for 4^th in the SEC?  The wins led to them receiving an NCAA invite the first in like…I’m not counting it.

Mizzou beat Utah State to advance in the tournament before succumbing to Princeton 78-63. Once the season was over Gates and staff hit the recruiting/transfer portal. With a large portion of the offense (and defense) gone I have the same belief as this time last season. I have no idea what Mizzou basketball will be in the upcoming season, this part I do know. Dennis Gates can coach and he is able to secure talent allowing his teams to be competitive. The national guys are just that, in the SEC all they see is Kentucky, Arkansas and Alabama. Mizzou Nation expects a repeat of last season…no I believe they expect a better than last season finish. A first-place finish in the SEC regular season, a deep-deep run in the NCAA Tournament, I don’t believe we are asking for too much.

For (some) Laker fans

I read your letters on a daily basis, some of you are hatin’ on LeBron as if he did something to offend you. He is not, allow me to repeat that…he is not KOBE BRYANT. They are two very different individuals who happen to be great basketball players. Number 24 had ice water in his veins, he was never afraid to take the decisive shot. You criticize LeBron because he often defers his game to teammates. This small address is not going to help but the reason I’m writing this is because I’m late for the party.

I always acknowledged LeBron’s talent while he was a member of the Cavs and Heat but didn’t fully appreciate him until he became a Laker. Despite what you might believe LeBron is a winner, he might approach the game in a different manner from number 24 but he wants to win just as badly. Some of you even question whether number 6 should ever hang in the rafters at Crypto.com Arena. I say you are being shallow in your thought process; LeBron James is a generational talent despite the fact some of you don’t appreciate him.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Be ready

The Lakers signed Lonnie Walker IV during the free agent period last summer from the Spurs. Once the season began, he was the only reliable shooter off the bench for the Lakers and then it occurred. The Lakers “cleaned house” around the trade deadline removing 5 players while acquiring 5 others. Walker IV got lost in the move, after being part of the rotation the Laker box score behind his name begin to read DNP-Coach’s Decision. Despite not playing it appears he was always ready to play, he proved that fact in two consecutive playoff games.

The Lakers won Game 4 (104-101) primarily due to Walker IV’s play, particularly in the 4^th quarter. I didn’t say it LeBron James said something to that effect. Some critics claim AD has and every other game event I don’t agree at least on Monday. It was 23 points 15 rebounds 3 steals and 2 assists while shooting 62.5% from the floor. AD’s defense on Steph Curry in the 4^th quarter was quite telling on two occasions. He forced Curry to miss both shots as he extended his 6 foot 10 inch frame forcing the Warriors guard to shoot over him.   

Canada, or the Western Hemisphere

If you live in the U.S. you might agree with my take if you don’t that’s okay too. I told my wife about the account I wrote on international players; I took it a step further by saying “I don’t include Canadian players in my count her comment was “why not?” For me it’s a distance issue, as an example I can gas up my vehicle and drive to Windsor Ontario Canada from Kansas City in roughly 11 hours. If I decided to drive from here to Los Angeles, it would take me 24 hours. In truth besides our northern neighbor there are a smaller number of athletes in college or the NBA from this hemisphere I just don’t see as being international.

In the past we had Klay Thompson’s dad Mychal, he’s from the island nation of The Bahamas, also Tim Duncan from the U.S. Virgin Islands. With the Pacers is guard Buddy Hield from the University of Oklahoma by way of The Bahamas. On Mizzou’s roster this past season was guard D’Moi Hodge, from the Caribbean British Virgin Islands. The islands are only a 4-hour flight time from Miami. The same could be said regarding Mexico, same time zone…same hemisphere. Although none are currently active there have been four NBA players from Mexico, one Eduardo Najera played his college basketball at the University of Oklahoma.

Who pays?

John Sherman, owner of the Royals wants a downtown stadium, nothing wrong with that. Kaufmann Stadium is 50+ years old, there are areas in the bowels that are reported to be in extremely poor condition. At the same time all over the nation more and more baseball stadiums are being built in downtown entertainment districts. Mr. Sherman’s reasons are all valid except one…who pays? I continue to have issues with billionaire owners wanting subsidized stadiums and arenas. This is certainly not the case nationwide but it seems these edifices are built with taxpayers underwriting a substantial portion.

Now let’s not kid one another a basketball arenas cost would be substantially lower than a 40,000-70,000-seat baseball-football stadium but check this out. Chase Center 18,000 seat home of the Warriors was privately financed when this $1 billion arena opened in 2019. How about down the California coast in SoCal, the City of Inglewood, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is having Intuit Dome built. This 18,000-seat arena is scheduled to open in 2024, owner Ballmer is paying for all construction cost. In Philadelphia, the Sixers have 76Place in the planning stage, guess what? 76Place is privately funded, do we see a common theme here? Billionaire owners should, as Sherman, clarify their position anytime a proposal of this magnitude is under consideration.

Big Man

I heard this from someone much younger than me, I was almost shocked to hear it. A brief conversation on the NBA and I heard this, “I don’t like to watch games anymore, no inside play.” Somewhat unsure what he meant I said, “Big Man play” and he said yes? Steph Curry and the Warriors championship success plus the 3-point line are the reason for the change in NBA play. I’ve mentioned this time and time again, we expect Big Men to shoot from three as if they were 5-11 guards.

It’s okay for a Big Man to take those type shots if you are a career 3-point shooter like Nikola Jokic (34.8%) Brook Lopez (34.6%) or Joel Embiid (33.7%). The three mentioned are the exception because most Big Men need to avoid taking the shot for several reasons. The chief one being your height, when you stand 7 feet tall or more why are you taking 35-foot shots? You are 3 inches short of the basket, an easy dunk and you score. 3 is certainly more than 2 but a dunk is a guaranteed 2, a 3 taken from distance not so much.  

A look back 

I came across an account on Basketball Network which was interesting and I thought should be shared. In the late ‘90’s Big Man basketball was still very much in vogue. The University of the Pacific is known more for academics than basketball except in 1998 Michael Olowokandi the best there was. Standing 7 feet tall and 270 pounds he appeared to be the real deal, the fact is Olowokandi was made the top pick in that year’s draft by the Clippers. Imagine the Clippers excitement at the prospect, they hired Kareem Abdul Jabbar to coach and mentor Olowokandi only it didn’t work. We have two versions of why Olowokandi became a journeyman player, his version and that of Abdul Jabbar.

The Kandi Man as he was nicknamed claimed tendonitis in his left knee was the issue. He says if not for the injury he could have been an All Star, surgery did cause him to miss half a season early in his career. Abdul Jabbar indicates he constantly pointed out faults he witnessed in practice. “He (Olowokandi) told me point-blank that he would not be criticized in front of the team. He stuck to his word and, as a result, had very few successful moments on the court playing the way he wanted to play.” This is a shortened version of The Kandi Man’s NBA career, Abdul Jabbar claims he might not have become a great player but could have been much better. Which of the two should we believe in this story; my money is on Abdul Jabbar?

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Basketball from a fans perspective

What’s in a legacy?

One of the local talking heads applauded Joel Embiid for winning the NBA MVP award. He made special mention of this because Embiid had played his college basketball at Kansas. His co-host questioned if Embiid had established a legacy at Kansas, this is his statement. “He (Embiid) was only at Kansas for his freshman year, because he wasn’t a regular starter maybe half the KU faithful might not have seen him play. Embiid was injured and by the time the Big XII post season tournament occurred had been out of the lineup for several games. Paul Pierce played at Kansas for 3 seasons we could say he identifies more with Kansas basketball; the Warriors Andrew Wiggins only played his freshman season and doesn’t identify with the school.”

I thought for a moment talking head number 2 might be onto something. If a basketball player spends little time at a school how can any type of legacy be established? Across State Line Road Michael Porter Jr. (in my view) has become an outstanding player for the Nuggets. I can say he attended Mizzou but playing only 3 games it might be easy for some to ignore where he attended college. This is not intended as a knock on any of the athletes’ names, it’s purely an esthetics thing. I believe all acknowledge the college a particular athlete played but is it really that important? Important in the sense that athlete might have only been there one year? We can take this one step further with a brief look at the legendary Wilt Chamberlain. Chamberlain left Kansas after his junior year of school and never acknowledged he played there until shortly before his death.

Teammates

As an international prospect in the 2023 NBA Draft why do you need a second rundown? If you are a teammate of Victor Wembanyama, it almost demands you receive a slight bit more coverage than perhaps other international prospects. Some of you were first introduced to Bilal Colibaly from Mali by way of France, he’s been acquainted with Wembanyama since he was a 12-year-old teammate. Although Colibaly stands 6 foot 7 and 194 pounds he’s got a 7-foot 2-inch wingspan which should aid him defensively. Colibaly is ranked the number 26 prospect in ESPN’s draft projections.

As for other mock sites, nbadraft.net projects him as an early second round pick at 34. One other, nbadraftroom.com lists Colibaly as the number 19 pick in the first round. I’m no assessor of NBA talent, however you can do as I did, check out video of him in action. Colibaly moves smoothly on the court offensively and defensively, of course it’s him in action for Metropolitans 92 against other French teams and not the NBA. Colibaly has two things going for him…his athletic ability and youth. At 18-years of age a team has ample time for him to adjust to the rough and tumble world of NBA play. It would appear the NBA is in his future even if he’s drafted and remains in France for “grooming.”

The NBA is headed to Vegas

How can I be so sure the NBA is headed to Las Vegas; just check the news and what exists currently? The recent past has seen the expansion NHL Golden Knights birth and later the NFL Raiders departed Oakland for the city. The latest news reports the Athletics have purchased land in Las Vegas with the expressed intent to build a baseball stadium. The baseball situation could change; however it appears the Athletics have been unable to procure a new baseball stadium in the Oakland metro. With two professional sports teams already at play and a third on the way can the NBA be far behind?

Las Vegas had a basketball and NBA connection long before the other professional sports. Not as prevalent now but UNLV basketball under Jerry Tarkanian might have ranked second to gambling in notoriety. The city has a relationship with the NBA through Summer League play and the Lakers have scheduled exhibition games in the city for years. In addition NBA G-League Team Elite moved to Henderson a 30-minute drive from the Vegas strip. The city also serves as host for one (maybe more) national AAU Tournaments. With that data you can see why this is the proof Las Vegas is right behind Seattle once the NBA undertakes expansion.

What to do

The NBA Draft Lottery occurs on Thursday (May 16), the top slot will be confirmed. You know that’s which team with the number one pick drafts Victor Wembanyma. The balance of the draft, who is chosen and in what position. In addition there are always surprises, especially in the second round, however there is one more question I’d like to pose. This question has been asked in the past, does an NBA team draft for needs or the best talent available? Other than Wembanyma the question is a valid one, allow me to cite a few examples.

It’s my belief NBA teams at or near the top of the heap will draft differently from the Rockets, Spurs or Hornets. No rookie, I repeat that no rookie unless it’s the second coming of LeBron or Kareem is going to be inserted in the starting lineup for the Warriors, Suns, Lakers or Sixers it just ain’t gonna happen. Now that I’ve made that bold statement allow me to further explain Wembanyama will become a starter immediately. The huge difference between one of the four teams with the opportunity to draft him is very good; I have serious doubts if his draft rights are traded to a contender. So there you have it, other than the French teen most mock sites believe they know the order…maybe.

This is an old story

You can stop reading ahead of time, once again I am questioning Doc Rivers coaching record. What is it with Doc Rivers, why in the world is he considered such a good coach? I will give him credit if you check out his regular season won-loss record with the Celtics, Clippers and Sixers they look good. As for the playoff record that’s another story, is it the teams he’s coached or is it the coach? Rivers has won over 1700 games in his coaching career during the regular season, as for the playoffs his record is barely over .500 (104-100). In 2008 we can claim everything came together as his Celtic team won the NBA Championship beating my Lakers 4 games to 2.

For me it’s more than simply winning championships, it’s the other things. I intend to personalize this rant a bit, this back to the time Rivers coached the Clippers. The two L.A. teams share (for now) the same arena, the Lakers have been hanging retired jerseys since the Forum days. This pattern was carried over once the team moved to Staples (Crypto.com) Arena. Vinny Del Negro then Clippers coach had no issue with the jerseys being displayed during Clipper games. This pattern didn’t set well with Rivers once he took over the team. For Clipper games Rivers had maintenance people cover the jerseys. I’m unsure if this pattern is still in place with current Clipper coach Tyronn Lue.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

It’s now official

It's now official, Regents of the University of Texas and Oklahoma have approved the move to the SEC. Both will become members of the SEC on July 1, 2024. I believe Houston, Cincy, UCF and Brigham Young will move from their respective conferences to the Big XII on that same date. Because this is a basketball blog, I prefer to look at these moves on that basis. It’s my belief the SEC is quite competitive in the sport of roundball, both schools probably won’t raise the level of play much. As for the teams moving into the Big XII, I could see the basketball change improve conference play.

Houston has been quite competitive in the past and especially during the Kelvin Sampson years at the school. The University of Cincinnati has a rich history of competitive basketball even winning two NCAA Championships in the early 1960’s. UCF is the new kid on the block and has seen an improving record under Johnny Dawkins, former Duke player. Brigham Young is the last school to assess, they are last because I’m unsure what they will bring to the Big XII. The Cougars basketball history has been a mix of good and bad play over the years. The landscape of college basketball play continues to evolve as we are witness to these changes.

Exchanging blow outs

Game 2 saw the Warriors beat the Lakers badly on Thursday, the final score Warriors 127 Lakers 100. The action moved south to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday, Lakers 127 Warriors 97, as you can see both games a blowout. AD on his every other game breakout led the way for the Lakers scoring 25 points along with 13 rebounds, he continued to clog the lane with 4 blocked shots. LeBron James and D’Lo both scored 21 points apiece as the Lakers shot 52.4% from the floor and much better from three with 48.4%.

Lonnie Walker IV, who’s seen little playing time was inserted into the game; Walker IV scored 12 points on a variety of shots. As for the Warriors Steph Curry led the way for the Warriors, scoring 23 points but shot only 9 for 21 from the floor. He was followed by Andrew Wiggins with 16 points and Klay Thompson’s 15. The Laker defense managed to hold the Warriors to 39.6% shooting from the floor and 29.5% from three. What occurs in Game 4 on Monday is anyone’s guess, naturally I hope for a Laker victory however nothing is guaranteed as we have seen to date.

He’s a Trojan

We had no idea where Bronny James was headed after high school graduation. There were several directions the talented combo guard could have chosen. Many believed it might be the G-League while others speculated, he could follow the path laid out by LaMelo Ball. Bronny could decide to head to Australia to lay out a path to the NBA. On the other hand it could be the college route and he would choose Ohio State. We believed dad LeBron might be a factor in that decision. Bronny made his choice known over the weekend, he’s headed to Southern Cal to become a Trojan. I have no illusions regarding his basketball future, this I do believe he’s better than some have given him credit.

Fired

This move caught the majority of us off guard, on Thursday the Bucks announced the firing of head coach Mike Budenholzer. Since taking over as the team’s coach in 2018 the team has registered five winning seasons in a row. The Bucks have won 60, 56, 46, 51 and 58 wins in that period. Despite 1^st place in the Central Division all 5 seasons and twice being named Coach of the Year Budenholzer now finds himself unemployed, what happened? The Bucks won the championship in 2021 but have been unable to repeat since then. Elimination by the Heat in the first-round of the playoffs was certainly unexpected.

The playoff loss might have been the final piece that sealed the fate of Budenholzer. Bucks management decided to move in a different direction despite the excellent regular season record of Budenholzer. There are a number of potential coaches to replace Budenholzer although at this point there are no names revealed in this account. This is one of those rare instances where a coach is fired despite having an exemplary coaching record. In closing it must be mentioned Budenholzer’s brother died during the playoffs. Did this event play a role in the demise of the Bucks playoff run; it certainly could have in my view?

The Kansas City Lakers?

Wikipedia is the source for my discovery, I realize a number of you are skeptical of my source but this information sounds likely. Keep in mind the Lakers are playing in Minnesota at this point in time. After the retirement of George Mikan the fortunes of the team dwindled substantially. The team was losing on the court and at the gate, at this point two potential owners stepped in attempting to buy the Lakers and move them to Kansas City. This move was circumvented by Bob Short along with investors who stepped in and purchased the team. A few years later Short would assume 80% ownership of the team but despite this fact they continued to suffer in both areas. The NBA informed Short the league intended to take over operations of the team if revenue failed to improve.

The NBA intended to relocate the Lakers for a second time and it was unclear if the NBA would attempt a move to Kansas City once again. In 1960 Short and the Lakers departed Minneapolis for Los Angeles, the new issue. This change was made without league approval and the owners voted 7-1 against the move. Short threatened to move his Lakers to a rival startup league and the vote this time was 8-0, the balance of this story is known. Let’s check out a couple of interesting facts, Short moved the Lakers without league approval, prior to this I believed former Clippers owner Donald Sterling was the only owner to accomplish this feat. As for Short’s threat to jump leagues it wasn’t made clear but our guess this would have been the American Basketball League. So there is the history uncovered I didn’t know and maybe you didn’t either. 

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Basketball from a fans perspective

You can’t go home…or can you?

I don’t have the answer to this one, I can ask the question however, has Trae Young worn out his welcome in Atlanta? It seems every other week I’m reading a negative comment about the speedy point guard. He was made the 5^th pick in the first round of the 2018 draft by the Mavs. The Hawks drafted Luka Doncic and a trade was made whereby Young went to Atlanta and Doncic landed in Dallas. The rest is NBA history, as for this recently completed season the Hawks managed to earn a playoff spot.

There have been a considerable number of rumors circulating around Young involving trades so what occurs? It’s been said the reason Nate McMillan is no longer coaching is partially due to Young. If he is traded it would seem the Thunder would be a good fit for him. Home for Young is Norman, a few miles down the road from Oklahoma City. Young played at the University of Oklahoma also located in Norman. Should this move occur it might be good for all parties involved. Young returns to the area where he first began his basketball journey and Oklahoma fans are able to see their native son in Thunder colors.

Fixing the Clippers

By now you’ve read or seen reports on “how to fix the Clippers.” Despite his injury history Kawhi Leonard remains, for all practical purposes he becomes the keeper. The same statement cannot be made regarding Paul George, in his defense it’s got nothing to do with his talent it’s a whole other thing. Although the belief at one time he would be Robin to Kawhi’s Batman it’s just not worked out. It’s not worked for the same reason; PG is injury prone as well. At age 32 he’s on the downhill side of his NBA career, that’s not to say he can’t play but consider this fact.

We can’t use 38-year-old LeBron James as an example, by the age of 35 or 36 most NBA players are ready to walk away from the game. It’s possible at age 32 PG’s game has ebbed a bit, he might not run as fast or leap as high as he did at age 22. He should be traded and the Clippers should receive in return whatever management believes will aid the roster, that could be a qualified starter or a multitude of quality reserve players. I hope this doesn’t appear to be a “hate PG account” because that is not the intent. The principal reason for the trade is that it’s likely Kawhi Leonard is out for a major portion of the upcoming season. With PG’s injury history the Clippers must find player(s) to fill the void.

Finally let’s check the guy who reinvented himself…Russell Westbrook. I never believed his NBA career was over however others might have. With Paul George and Kawhi Leonard sidelined it was Westbrook alone who drove the bus. I don’t believe there was anyone who believed the Clippers would advance with Westbrook being the offense. Now for the question, he is a free agent this summer and the Clippers must make a decision. Can the Clippers really afford to sign him rather do they want him? The other issue is his age, Westbrook will turn 35-years old in November not really old but it is by NBA standards. It’s my contention that possibly signing Westbrook might be as critical as a Paul George decision.

The international

For a time we have witnessed an increasing number of international players arrive in the NBA. Generally draft night those of us in the U.S. have little knowledge of the athlete or his potential. We are certainly familiar by now with Victor Wembanyama but it’s likely he’s the only international name we might be acquainted with. Currently a number of international players are attending colleges in the U.S., they are not included in this look.

There is another French man, he played in Australia his name is Ryan Rupert. Rupert is a 6-foot 7-inch shooting guard with a 7-foot 3 wingspan. Next up is Bilal Colibaly also from France, his physical numbers are similar to that of fellow countryman Rupert, more on him below. Serbian Nikola Djurisic is our next prospect, he’s a 6-foot 8-inch shooting guard. We also have 6-foot 11 center Tristan Vukcevic from Serbia. Nigeria will send 6 foot 10 James Nnaji, Nnaji plays the post position. From Turkey comes 6-foot 9 power forward Berke Buyuktuncel. Each draft night there are surprises, don’t expect this to be the completed list. Some of these players names might not be called while others unmentioned will.

Bits n Pieces

I didn’t double check but believe them to be correct. Basketball Network claims Zion Williamson has missed 60% of his games since he has been in the NBA. I don’t believe anyone questions the talent Williamson presents, at the same time if you are never on the floor your value becomes questionable. We’ve been reading since the 2019 draft that the 6-foot 6-inch 284-pound Williamson is too hefty. His height plus weight places a tremendous strain on his feet and legs. His size brought comparisons to Charles Barkley but that might not be quite correct, Barkley stood 6 foot 6 (he was actually 6-5) but weighed far less than Williamson. Barkley checked in at 252 pounds, he probably gained weight through his NBA career but he probably never came close to Williamson’s 284 pounds.

Taking care of Familia, you don’t need to have this information and neither do I for that matter. Clipper coach Tyronn Lue reveals he’s sent a monthly check to his mom and grandma for the last 25 years. This goes back to 1998 and the time Lue was drafted and traded to the Lakers. Lue says he owes it all to his family, in addition to molding and providing guidance to him there was another area that led him to his career. Mom and grandma were concerned with negative influences surrounding young Tyronn. They decided to move him from Mexico Missouri to the Kansas City suburb of Raytown. Lue would stay with an uncle and attend Raytown High School where his game grew and here Lue was awarded a scholarship to Nebraska, Tyronn Lue taking care of family.

I’ve stated quite often “I don’t see defense played”. Allow a further explanation, in the NFL unless an opposing lineman is forcing Patrick Mahomes to run for his life my guess the offensive line is performing its job adequately. The same picture exists in basketball, doesn’t matter if we are discussing college basketball or the NBA. It’s far easier for us to attach ourselves to the offensive numbers, they are much easier to distinguish. Even in person we often miss key plays by the defense, we see the intercepted pass or the blocked shot but often not before.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Everyone has a plan…

I’m unsure if former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson originated the statement however, he’s been given credit. He once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” The Lakers didn’t actually punch the Warriors in the mouth however they managed to take Game 1 of the series 117-112. This highly contested game saw the Warriors jump off to a lead and the game had all the ingredients of a classic match. As expected, the Warriors strong suit (3-point shooting) was evident as Steph Curry and two others managed to sink 6 3-point baskets each.

Kevon Looney outplayed the Kings Domantas Sabonis in their recent series, in this game Looney was matched rebound for rebound against AD. In fact AD succeeded in filling up the box score with an outstanding game of 30 points, 23 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocked shots. The total for AD is now 18 blocked shots in 7 playoff games, talk about guarding the paint. In 44 minutes of action he registered but one TO for the game but he wasn’t playing alone there was help by teammates. LeBron didn’t shoot the ball particularly well but managed 22 points and 11 rebounds. D’Lo scored 19 points in addition to several key baskets, Dennis Schroeder emerged from the Laker bench contributing 19 points including 2 key free throws which led to the final score. Jordan Poole had taken a desperation 3-point attempt which could have tied the game, with the shot missing the Dubs were forced to foul Schroeder.

Since I’m a numbers guy look at these numbers, the Lakers shot better from the floor (46.7% to 40.6%) however the Warriors were better from three (39.6% to 24%). As for tonight it’s anyone’s guess; however I expect the Dubs to come out breathing fire. They lost their home court advantage something most of them probably didn’t expect. Steph Curry and the company remain quite threatened so expect full scale warfare this evening. The Warriors remain a very dangerous team, the win was a good one for the Lakers however it fails to resolve a series. The Lakers are the number one defensive team after the NBA trade deadline, don’t allow anyone to convince you there is no defense played in the NBA.

MVP…MVP

We couldn’t be upset with a Philly crowd if they began chanting MVP…MVP. After all, they do have the NBA MVP for the 2022-23 NBA season. I’m unsure if this was Joel Embiid's best NBA season however it was the season, he managed to win the coveted prize. I’ve told the story previously; Embiid was not the starter at five when he first arrived on the campus in Kansas. He was raw but when he was on the floor the budding talent was quite evident. After becoming the starter and showing improvement Embiid wasn’t able to finish his freshman season, he would suffer a stress fracture in March. 

This injury would become the first of several Embiid would suffer over the next few years with the Sixers. Because Embiid was so inexperienced, I believed he required additional coaching. I hoped he would return for his sophomore year but that would not occur. Embiid declared for the NBA Draft and the rest of the story is NBA history, he was made the third pick in the first round of the 2014 draft. Last September Embiid originally from Cameroon became an American citizen. Embiid becomes the 5th Sixer in the team's history. The others are Wilt Chamberlain, Moses Malone, Julius "Dr. J" Erving along with Allen Iverson. 

I hope his NBA career is not over

I’m not a hater here…at least, I hope I’m not. The Grizzlies Dillon Brooks had in my estimation a terrible playoff series. I’m not sure which was the most ineffective…his mouth or his play on the court. In any event it appears the Grizzlies are not anxious to re-sign him, there are reports he might no longer have a job period. Friends I’ve said on more than one occasion Brooks ran his mouth far too much aimed in the direction of LeBron James. James is 38-years old so I’m sure he’s heard commentary nearly as bad from other opposition players over his career. I said it before and will repeat it, Brooks is one of those guys who loves to run his mouth. It’s okay until you are unable to deliver which clearly occurred in the Grizzlies series against the Lakers. Hopefully some NBA team can utilize his services for next season and maybe the year after that.

Ice water in his veins

Warriors guard Jordan Poole is being criticized in some circles for taking the shot. Admit it, if we’ve watched Warrior games any length of time, we've seen Poole make similar shots from distance before. Besides the fact I remember reading this from the late Bill Russell. When I read his autobiography in a portion, he was discussing the Celtic playoffs. He said all season long players would be griping about playing time and their lack of opportunities to shoot.

Russell claimed once the Celtics got into the playoffs all that changed, it was a different matter. Due to the substantial nature of the game Russell said, "The guys who did the greatest amount of complaining about shots passed on opportunities, they were afraid to shoot the ball for fear of missing." We know that is not the case for Jordan Poole, he certainly has ice-water in his veins. If Poole had made the shot and tied the game, he’d be hailed as a hero, because his shot missed, we find several who became faultfinders.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

No Embiid…No Problem!

Sixer guard James Hardin came to play on Monday night. He was aware ahead of time the NBA’s MVP Joel Embiid would be unable to play due to injury. It’s possible (although certainly unproven) the Celtics clearly believed No Embiid…No Problem. Hardin repeated the theme but in a different manner, he might have thought it was up to him to take over the leadership role for the Sixers. Takeover he did leading the way to a 119-115 victory over the Celtics by scoring 45 points along with 6 assists.

It wasn’t just Hardin alone help came in the manner of 26 points from Tyrese Maxey and 18 from Tobias Harris. I would be remiss if I failed to mention the 13 rebounds Paul Reed contributed to the win, the Celtics did make an effort. The 39 points by Jayson Tatum and 23 by Jaylen Brown proved to not be enough to allow the Celtics to emerge as winners in Game 1. We can now look toward Game 2; this is written prior to me reading the injury status of Embiid. At this point I’ve got to believe if there is no Embiid the Celtics should win Game 2 however there remains a question, could the Sixers repeat Monday night?

Golfing buddies

I know this is a basketball blog and not golf but that’s where it starts. D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves, in addition to golfing together they are Laker teammates but a friendship has developed between the two. What you read below is from D’Lo who is known for being frank in his assessment of stuff.  

“In the NBA you see a white guy, he’s usually the shooter but can’t guard anybody, or he’s tough and can’t do anything else. For him (Reaves) to have a little bit of everything, I think it…helps the situation. And…he’s a killer. When you recognize a killer that (has the mentality of), I’ll score 40 on you…and then I’ll try to score 50 on you. He’s that guy. Like if he’s going, he’s going to go and there’s no holding back. I think that’s what people recognize. He can really take the game over.”

Now for the real problem, Reaves is a pending free agent this summer. The question can the Lakers or will they be able to sign this super talented combo guard? His game has continued to grow after the coach inserted him into the starting lineup. This move has caused NBA teams to wake up and take notice of Reaves and his impact on the Lakers, I sure hope they are able to keep him. Laker Nation remembers Alex Caruso who they managed to lose to the Bulls in free agency. Please don’t allow history to repeat itself.

He almost missed the draft

If you are aware of this information good for you, a few others probably don’t remember. The two-time NBA MVP almost missed the draft. In the 2014 NBA Draft Nikola Jokic’ was made a second-round pick by the Nuggets, no big deal plenty of outstanding players have been drafted in the second round. I seriously doubt if we could find a league MVP who was the 41^st pick, he was in 19^th place from the last player chosen that year. Whether it was injury or something else, a number of 1^st round draft picks that year are no longer active players in the NBA. As for Jokic looking at him fails to give us the impression he’s a world class athlete, his body of work says otherwise.

He looks slow and plodding on the court, what we see is not what we get. There is no disagreement in any circles at 6 foot 11 Jokic’ we cannot miss his skillful passing. We think of point guards distributing the basketball, he’s right there with them in fact some he actually exceeds. On the boards his game reminds old timers of Wes Unseld, snatching a rebound he whips the ball to a streaking Nugget teammate for a fast break basket. Distance shooting there is always a question who is best from three…is it Jokic’ or Joel Embiid? I believe Jokic’ beats out Embiid by percentage points. Jokic’ is only 28-years old, his NBA future with the Nuggets continues to look quite bright.

Bits n Pieces 

I read of ticket prices for the Lakers-Warriors playoff series and my first question, “That can’t be right…can it?” I checked only one source Seat Geek and this is what I discovered. Games 1 and 2 are in Chase Center, $293 each and Game 2 would be $336. Games 3 and 4 in Crypto.com Arena are more expensive. Game 3 tickets are priced at $357 each while Game 4 are $368. My question, who can afford to pay for ticket prices that gigantic? Even more interesting a friend of mine acquainted with Knick fans provided me this update. Eric indicates playoff tickets for the Knicks are even more expensive.

Has Dillon Brooks become the fall guy for the Grizzlies playoff exit. Grizzlies management announced the power forward would not be resigned for the 2023-24 NBA season. This is not to say his NBA career is over although it just might be. I asked the question at the beginning was his toxic bravado especially aimed at LeBron James was the basis? Although I admit there are issues with Brooks I understand why, use whatever method possible to stoke yourself but you’ve got to be able to deliver. Failure to deliver by Brooks causes one to be perceived as an enormous amount of hot air.

If the plan is finalized the Big XII is headed south of the border. The proposal is a football/basketball package however I intend to focus on the basketball. It’s being reported basketball games would be played in Mexico City, the University of Kansas and new member University of Houston are the prime focus of this proposal. If finalized play would begin as soon as 2024, as additional details come to light you will be updated.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

What a shooting display

Steph Curry has displayed his shooting prowess for years now. On Sunday he demonstrated once again his talent securing a Game 7 win (120-100) for his Warriors. A 50-point total for the game but it wasn’t just jacking up shots, Curry was 53% from the floor and 39% from three. He also found time to pull down 8 rebounds and dish out 6 assists. Curry’s point total is the most in a Game 7, eclipsing the 48 points set by Kevin Durant.

I would be remiss if I failed to mention Kevin Looney’s game as well, 21 rebounds, 10 of them of the offensive variety. Those offensive rebounds allowed the Warriors second and sometimes third shots. Although the Warriors didn’t look toward Looney for scoring, he managed 11 points in the win. I’m sure the Kings will deny this next portion I’m about to relay. It appeared as the game began flowing in the direction of the Warriors desperation appeared to sit in for the Kings. There were numerous questionable shots in my view…all taken in an effort to “get back in the game.”

He talks!

We discover Dillon Brooks can talk after a loss, in this instance I only read the headline not the content. On Monday morning after the Grizzly loss I read this, “Grizz’s Brooks doesn’t regret verbal jab at LeBron.” Guess what neither do I, this is a repeat from my earlier statement, it’s okay to talk the talk, you must walk the walk. It’s clear Brooks had a dreadful playoff against the Lakers, however it was Brooks who placed the bullseye on himself with inflammatory comments. Check out these numbers and see if you don’t see what I uncovered.

Brooks regular season average was 14.3 points a game versus 10.5 points he scored against the Lakers. What I find interesting his high scoring game was the 15 points he recorded in Game 1 which also saw him shooting 38.5% from the floor his highest field goal percentage in the series. Overall Brooks managed to shoot poorly (31.2%) for the 6-game series. This is the portion I find most interesting of the two Grizzly victories they managed to win in spite of Brooks not because of him. Check out the other numbers if you care, finally there is nothing wrong if he decides in favor of bravado to pump him up. The final word, you better be able to back it up if that’s what you intend to do, Brooks failed at least this time.

This is different

You might remember I wrote that Jamarion Sharp decided to transfer to Ole Miss rather than Mizzou. The 7-foot 5 Sharp led the nation in blocked shots this past season, based on that fact alone I thought he would be a good fit for Mizzou. It turns out that was not to be the case, despite my hope it seems the coaching staff at Mizzou was not as enamored with Sharp as me. The story might end there but wait that was part A, this is part B of the same story.

On Sunday Mizzou announced Jesus Carralero committed to Mizzou, this is interesting in several ways. It was revealed he was injured and played but few games for Campbell University this past season. The other interesting fact is Carralero is listed as a 6-foot 8 220-pound post player, not the 7-footer I hoped for. As for Carralero although he played at Campbell, he’s an international player; his home is located in southern Spain in the city of Malaga. With a return to full health Mizzou’s coaching staff believes Carralero fits the role they perceive.  

Headed to Australia

A loss for the University of Texas was a win for the Illawarra Hawks. AJ Johnson 5-star guard from Castaic California in the Greater Los Angeles metro decided in favor of starting a pro career rather than college. Johnson was one of the top prospects in the Class of 2024, his move continues the change for high school talent now and into the future. This is today, college continues to exist although it might be just one year.

There is also the possibility of signing a G-League contract or in the instance of Johnson heading to the NBL in Australia. The other option is Overtime Elite, unlike the others OTE allows for play without a high school diploma. They allow an athlete to finish high school while playing for OTE. The last piece is Name, Image and Likeness, of course not every athlete will benefit from NIL but a considerable number will. Colleges and universities now have an individual in place to steer the player through the process. As you can see school always remains available, however now there are considerable options for an athlete.

He’s the man

There is nothing you can do about it, save your nasty remarks. Ime Udoka has been hired as the Rockets coach for the 2023-24 season and beyond. This I know for sure the guy can coach basketball, of course it helps to have a talented team in Boston which he did. As for the opening sentence I mentioned the other day how many negative letters came pouring in once the Udoka hire was announced. I’m not sure if this occurred in recent memory but here goes, generally we hear from the front office on the hire of a head coach, it is rare to hear the owner.

“Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta trumpeted the hiring of Ime Udoka as the first step in “phase two” of the franchise’s rebuilding process, in which immediately returning to the playoffs after a three-year absence is the plan.” Does that quote give you the impression there is a worry by the owner in hiring Udoka? I happen to believe in Udoka as well and keep this in mind. Whatever might have occurred in your past fails to reflect your future unless you choose it to be. We are all human beings subject to mistakes and that includes Udoka. The difference, Udoka’s story played out before us. What about yours, I’m quite sure you’d be okay in having portions of your private life played out in a similar manner. 

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Basketball from a fans perspective

“Don’t poke the bear”    

I attempt to look at competition whatever the sport as just that. Naturally the desire is for my team to win, despite that might not occur all the time I’m still okay. There are few teams especially in the NBA I can claim a dislike…the Grizzlies have become that team. Why you might ask, well it’s the media thing for me. As this is written in this series the Lakers have won 3 games and the Grizzlies 2. The Grizzlies, especially Dillon Brooks did a great deal of talk prior to the series, Ja Morant later joined him. Now we hear from the Grizzlies Desmon Banes, by the way this is written before Game 6 on Friday. Banes has said the series is going back to Memphis for a Game 7, that might indeed be the case I’d like to say the Lakers close it out but I don’t know.

The issue why these Grizzlies have become so unlikable to me is TALK, they seem to have no problem talking to the media when they win a game. In this series at least it appears whenever they lose the media must place an all-points bulletin for them, they cannot locate any of them willing to discuss the loss. Defenders will claim it’s their youth which has impacted them, I can agree with that statement to a point. The Grizzlies are the youngest or second in average age team in the NBA. I am anxious to discover who talks to the media on Saturday morning. As for the game with 3 or 4 minutes remaining in the second quarter the outcome was clear, the only question was the point differential.     

The final Lakers 125 Grizzlies 85; can we refer to it as a beat down? It was a team effort as the Lakers held the Grizzlies to 30.2% shooting while blocking 15 of their shots and intimidating countless others. AD took a low number of shots (9) but scored 16 points and pulled down 14 rebounds and blocked 5 shots.  D’Lo broke out of his shooting slump leading the way with 31 points on 12-17 shooting. Dillon Brooks evidently can “talk the talk but fails to walk the walk”, he scored but 11 points on 4-7 shooting. The 11 points represent his max total in the 6-game series against the Lakers. Brooks forgot about the 3 B’s, there is always someone Bigger, Bolder & Better than you. This was the first game Jack Nicholson attended in over a year, hopefully he is available for more Laker victories through this playoff season. LeBron left the court with 14 seconds remaining and will likely be criticized for not shaking hands with Grizzlies players.

Will there be others?

I’m not sure when the story first broke, however Bally Sports filed bankruptcy late last season. With the multitude of sports how is this business downturn going to affect telecasting going forward? In Kansas City there was some concern about the baseball Royals. Bally Sports Midwest has a contract with the Kansas City Royals and so far, games are still being telecast. As for the NBA it appears change is in the air at the conclusion of the regular season for the Suns and Mercury. The new ownership group for the Suns/Mercury has struck a deal beginning next season which just might change the NBA landscape.

The Bally contract has expired and will not be renewed according to reports. I’m guessing they still intend to operate despite the bankruptcy. Next season Suns and Mercury games will be available on local broadcast stations and a new streaming service. The report indicates ownership believes they will lose millions of dollars on this change, however there is an upside to the new venture. There were about 800,000 viewers under the Bally contract, this change will see the number of potential viewers expand to 2.8 million. This move is certainly earth shattering however it appears Suns/Mercury ownership is willing to take a bold step forward, with Bally’s issues is the landscape changing once again?

Mizzou’s backcourt

I reported recently Mizzou added Caleb Grill from Iowa State to an already crowded backcourt. Also arriving in the off-season due to transfer is guard Tamar Bates from Indiana along with John Tonje inward bound from Colorado State.  Curt Lewis, John A. Logan College and freshman Anthony Robinson are included in the count along with preferred walk on JV Brown. Five Mizzou players have expired eligibility but this next part is an unknown.  Sean East and Nick Honor using their covid exception return to Mizzou’s backcourt. The two guards saw plenty of action for Mizzou last season. Even with the question marks Mizzou’s backcourt could be the teams strongest position.

We should see how this development plays out over the course of the summer. I have no confirmation of my next statement; I believe with these moves Isiah Mosley probably is looking elsewhere. This sharpshooter from Missouri State was expected to provide firepower to Mizzou’s backcourt, unfortunately he was rarely on the court. Why was he absent is the great mystery here? NOTE: Prior to publishing this story Mizzou announced guard Kaleb Brown was entering the transfer portal. The younger brother of Kobe didn’t receive a great deal of playing time so it’s not exactly surprising. On second thought the backcourt for the upcoming season might not be as crowded as I first believed.

Walk a mile in my shoes

Sometimes it takes but a few words to get your point across. There is no requirement for a great number of words, just a minimal number will accomplish the task at hand. As an example recently ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith made this statement on First Take “Kawhi Leonard should retire.” Smith came to this conclusion based on Kawhi Leonard’s history of injuries. Former NBA player turned analyst JJ Redick had an interesting yet insightful response to the Smith statement. 

“It’s very obvious you (Smith) have played zero high-level basketball.” It’s okay for anybody including Smith to have an opinion however sometimes if you haven’t been there, you have no clue what “it” involves. You can view the game; you can study it but until you play it at the level of Kawhi Leonard what do you really know? There were defenders of Smith regarding his statement so everyone is not on my side and that’s okay.