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Basketball from a fans perspective

Part A

By the time you read this account the Nuggets will have a 2-0 lead or tied 1-1. Part A is a report on Game 1, the Nuggets ran the Heat off the floor, whether it was Denver’s 5,276-foot altitude or something else.  The final score of 104-93 fails to detail the blowout, truth is I changed channels at a point because the lead was so huge for the Nuggets. Game 1 witnessed the Nuggets running around and through the effort put forth by the Heat. We had two “point guards” Jamal Murray who really is a point guard and The Joker the Nuggets center.

Interesting in the Jokic’ had more assists (14) than Murray (10), it was not only offense because the Nuggets demonstrated they are a competent defensive team. That was Thursday evening, will the Heat return to form are will they succumb once again to the scoring of The Joker and Murray? As for the altitude question, it does become a problem for visiting teams during the regular season. They arrive for a single game and then depart for the next scheduled game. The Heat experienced a 7-game playoff run to reach the finals; they arrived in plenty of time to adjust to the altitude. Were the Heat weary from their match against the Celtics, that could have been the case plus poor shooting? The assessment for Part B or Game 2 will be presented in the Tuesday morning edition.

I’d bet Pat Riley still hates the Celtics!

A portion of what you are about to read is speculation on my part. As I arrive at the point, I will announce this is not fact only my belief. Pat Riley is president of the Miami Heat, he once served as head coach (1995-2003) (2005-2008) but stepped down permanently allowing Erik Spoelstra to run the team. Prior to his tenure with the Heat Riley coached the Knicks during Patrick Ewing years. His Knick teams often faced the Celtics since they too are Eastern Conference teams. Riley wanted to beat the Celtics in the worst way, this probably goes back to his youth. Born in upstate New York, Rome is closed to Syracuse but I’d bet money he was no fan of the Syracuse Nationals who in 1963 would move to Philly and become the Sixers we’ve known for all these years.     

I have no method to prove this next statement however it’s my belief Riley was a Knicks fan growing up that’s why it might have been easy for him to become head coach. During the recent Heat-Celtics series the television camera briefly caught a shot of Riley in the stands, he looked as intense as his coaching days. I’d bet money he cornered Spoelstra giving him coaching advice most of which said, “We can’t lose to these guys.” This mindset goes back to coaching the Showtime Lakers and the many skirmishes the Lakers had with the Celtics over the years. I don’t remember the year but the story is fresh in my mind. The old Boston Garden visitor locker room must have been registered 90+ degrees one year during the playoffs. I bet those Larry Bird Celtics had air conditioning in their locker rooms. Every season in the 80’s it seemed the two teams were fighting one another to determine an NBA Champion. Yes, it’s my belief (unproven) Pat Riley still hates the Celtics after all these years.

Victor Wembanyama News

You might have read reports indicating there is no sure thing the Spurs draft the French youngster. Don’t kid yourself with those stories, Gregg Popovich flew to France days after the Draft Lottery. There are numerous sites in France that attract tourists to see in the nation, however I have serious doubts this was Pop’s intent. Have you continued to read letters indicating the youngster will be an NBA bust? These letters are probably written by guys whose basketball expertise consist of recreational basketball and watching the game on television. They say, “He’s far too thin, NBA opposition players will push him around on the floor.”

No opposing argument from me, his reported weight is between 209-215 pounds. I can agree with the cynics, for someone standing 7 foot 5 in shoes Wemby is quite thin. That fact alone remains the only area of agreement I have with the pessimists, to claim he can’t play at the NBA level is pure speculation on their part. The pessimist could be correct, Wemby might be unable to adapt his game to the NBA but how can they be so sure in June that is the argument against much of the caw-caw they are dispensing. I want to see Wemby in action on a basketball court against NBA players prior to drawing any conclusions. Even at that we can only gain a thumbnail sketch of his ability during a rookie season in the NBA. For Peter Pessimist it’s okay, continue to exist in your world I intend a wait and see approach for me.   

You Don’t Say

If you are an NBA historian you are aware the Bulls are Chicago’s third NBA team. The expansion Bulls began play in the NBA in the 1966-67 season. The games were played in Chicago Stadium built in 1929, in 1994 the Bulls moved to United Center where they remain to date. It’s often been stated Michael Jordan and his sparkling play were contributing factors in building the 23,000 seat United Center. Team number two still exists however Washington D.C. is now home and they are the Wizards. This Chicago team was also of the expansion variety having been founded in 1961, they were nicknamed the Packers. Year two saw a name change as they became the Zephyrs, by year three they were on the way to Baltimore. The problem was twofold, poor play on the court led to poor attendance sealing their fate in Chicago.

The Baltimore Bullets morphed into the Capital Bullets who became the Washington Bullets after moving into the city. In 1997 they underwent another name change, becoming the Wizards their present name. Chicago’s first team was actually a Basketball Association of America team. The Stags were original members of the BAA beginning play in 1946. The team became a member of the NBA in 1949 when the BAA and NBL merged. The Stags went out of business in 1950 and again money was the basis. I uncovered this as to why the Stags ceased operations; the commissioner dissolved the franchise. “Maurice Podoloff commissioner acting on behest of a group of other NBA owners, foreclosed on the Stags due to their inability to repay a $40,000 loan that enabled them to finish the 1949-50 season in first place.” There have been other professional basketball teams in Chicago however they were not connected to the BAA/NBA as the three named.

The Band Aid Man

There are special characters in basketball be they college or the NBA. There might have been more than one character for Mizzou but Derrick Chievous is certainly at the top of the list. The fact he’s from Queens New York is not that unusual, however he might have been among the first to journey across the Hudson River west to Mizzou. In addition to his basketball talent the band aid’s also became a trademark. The story of the why is unconfirmed but this is the story I heard. Chievous had a scrape somewhere on his body requiring a band aid to protect the injury. The very next game he appeared with a band aid in a different but visible location on his body.

From that second game on it became the norm, Chievous would have a band aid placed someone on his body. That was the character part, this Queens guy could play the game. This was the 1980’s, the days when the majority of players remained in school for four years. Although we are in 2023 Chievous continues to hold Mizzou’s individual scoring record with 2,580 points. Chievous was a second team All American in 1987 twice all Big 8 Conference in 1987 and 1988. For unexplained reasons he was never able to play at the same level in the NBA as he did at Mizzou. Chievous was made the number 13 pick in the first round of the 1988 NBA Draft. The 6-foot 7 guard/forward only lasted 3 seasons in the NBA, despite this fact Chievous remains a legend in Columbia. In 1996 the Band Aid man Derrick Chievous was enshrined in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Bits n Pieces 

Remember our discussion regarding recycled coaches, well we can add the name of Monty Williams to the conversation. Late Wednesday evening Adrian Wojnarowski announced the Pistons would sign him to a 6-year contract which Woj claims is the largest $$$ in NBA history. Williams inherits a talented but youthful team, my guess the Pistons (17-65) might be among the youngest teams in the NBA. I would imagine Williams is prepared for the difficult task ahead in teaching and coaching this Piston team to an improvement in play.  

I admit to you I’ve not read the stories, only the headlines. It seems to me every other day a headline pops up on the internet regarding Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan. The headline details for us Pippen’s terrible teammate Michael Jordan. In all this time I’ve never heard MJ defend himself from these attacks. I don’t have Instagram or Twitter so I have no idea if MJ is offering a defense. The question for me and others, why now? I don’t remember all the details of the documentary Last Dance, was it something MJ said that has riled Pippen to this degree?  

We probably didn’t realize the degree of Duke basketball; I’m not talking on the court. This discussion centers in the front office of NBA teams. The players have moved from the court into leadership roles, after all most have Duke degrees. Who are these guys you might ask, after several front office stops holding several positions, Trajan Landon was named GM of the Pelicans in 2019. We also have Elton Brand who serves as GM with the Sixers. Mike Dunleavy Jr. did the same as the others, after his playing days were over, he moved to the front office. Today he is vice-president of basketball operations for the Warriors. Danny Ferry is no longer working in any teams front office but also held a number of positions throughout the NBA, Ferry is in-between jobs as they might say.

Tick-tick-tick, this ain’t the 60 Minutes clock however the time is that of commissioner Adam Silver. He indicates a decision has been reached regarding Ja Morant but a notice as to the punishment is pending. The commissioner indicates an announcement will be made after the NBA Finals. We could have an idea at the very earliest this could be Friday June 9^th, the latest Sunday June 18^th. We can wait, we are not being punished but I might imagine this is weighing heavily on the mind of Morant. All we can do at this point is speculate on his punishment.

The best

There have been hundreds of arguments who was the best Big Man in basketball. Most claim it’s Kareem Abdul Jabbar while others say Wilt Chamberlain based on the amount of records he owns. A number of folks name others besides the two above but what about the smallish player? Basketball has become a game for taller players but it’s not always been played in that manner. Who is the best ever, I submit two names for you to consider is Nate “Tiny” Archibald and Allen Iverson. Although they played in different eras, they might have been the forerunner of the combo guards we see in much of the NBA of today.

Archibald is most associated with the Celtics, however prior to that he was the offense of the Kansas City Kings. In 1972-73 he accomplished a feat which is likely to never occur again. Archibald led the NBA in scoring (34.0 points) and assists (11.4 assists) in the same season, never duplicated since that time. If we look at Archibald’s bio it indicates he is 6 feet tall but don’t believe it. I claim Archibald stood 5 foot 10 and maybe 150 pounds. Despite this outstanding season the Kings still finished below .500 with a 36-46 record. Archibald is enshrined in the College and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The second name for you to consider is Allen Iverson a.k.a. The Answer or A.I. as he was nicknamed. At barely 6 feet in height he was expected to be a point guard when he arrived in the NBA.

A.I. might have been the first combo guard proficient in scoring and assists. How good was he, Larry Brown his coach at the time decided to “move” him to shooting guard. Talking about a fearless competitor, that was his tune, I don’t believe there was any player in the NBA who believed was superior to him on the court. Like Archibald he played for a number of NBA teams but is probably best known for his time with the Sixers. A.I. or The Answer is enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. There might be others, however these two are the best of the best in my view.     

Southern Cal basketball

I’ve not followed Southern Cal basketball in the past much. The school has produced its share of NBA talent but it seems those of us living outside of Los Angeles only “see” UCLA. After all UCLA has produced great numbers of NBA talent, much more than across town at Southern Cal. Perhaps we have been blinded by this fact, in any event all that might be changing. I have no idea who returns but Southern Cal finished last season with a 22-11 record and it appears they have reloaded, Rivals top prospect in the Class of 2023 point guard Isaiah Collier committed to Southern Cal.

More recently shooting guard Bronny James son of LeBron is also headed to the school. A week or so ago DJ Rodman, the son of Dennis announced he was transferring as well, what do these moves entail you might ask? It’s actually an unknown at this point, allow for an explanation. Although Collier and James are highly touted, they are still freshmen who must learn on the fly to adjust their high school background to the collegiate game. In addition Rodman didn’t set the world on fire in the three years he played at Washington State. We must wait and determine what coach Andy Enfield is able to accomplish with this incoming group of prospects plus those holdovers.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

A new team for him

By now you are aware Nick Nurse late of the Raptors has been hired to replace the fired Doc Rivers. How about that fact a nurse replaces the doctor who was in charge, just a bad joke on my part but let’s explore the hire a little further. Nurse played his college ball at Northern Iowa, from 1989-2013 he served as assistant or head coach at a large number of stops throughout the basketball world. In 2013 Nurse was hired as an assistant coach by the NBA Raptors and in 2018 he became head coach.

In 2019 his Raptors were NBA Champions and from that point on his team traveled a somewhat uneven road. The Raptors finished the 2023 season with a .500 (41-41) record which resulted in Nurse being fired. Nurse certainly is a proven NBA coach but can he succeed were Doc Rivers fell short with these Sixers? That is an unanswered question which will remain until the end of the 2023-24 NBA season. Nurse joins Mike Budenholzer formerly of the Bucks, both men with recent NBA Championships on their resume yet they were terminated.

Not wanted

This evening two NBA teams, Heat and Nuggets will begin the series to determine the 2023 NBA Championship. Despite the fact both defeated higher seeded teams this is not what the ABC Network wanted. Now to someone unfamiliar with my writing the first thought “This guy is nuts.” This is no slam at either of these teams but the network wanted a different matchup. Who did the network want, my guess is a Laker-Celtics series, Warriors-Celtics or Bucks-Warriors.

From a market or viewership standpoint neither team is close to the above-named teams previously mentioned and would command a much smaller television audience. Despite what I just wrote, the 2023 NBA Finals tonight the best team will win it all. In this instance I will attempt once again to provide you with an answer in advance. The winner will be the Nuggets, it will probably be 4 games to 2 or 4 games to 1. The Heat could win after all they have turned out to be a worthy competitor however, I don’t believe that will occur.

Transfer portal

I have a friend who loves the transfer portal, it’s his belief a coach is recruiting a player accustomed to playing the college game. They don’t often make the same mistakes as a fuzzy faced freshman walking onto the floor for the first time. That freshman is often playing before 10-15,000 rabid fans after playing in front of perhaps as many as 1,500 in a high school gym. All that is true but what about the downside, we have a portal guy who knows how to play the game at this level but…you only have him for one maybe two years.

That high school player (unless he is outstanding) is liable to be enrolled for up to 3 years, maybe 4. One other factor to consider is that incoming freshman is pledged to the coach from the beginning. This is unlike a portal player, as an example I read of an athlete who will begin play this fall for his 3^rd coach in 4 years of college play. So you decide which prospect is better for a program, I happen to believe both can be valuable depending on the coach and the basketball. Mizzou’s Dennis Gates and staff are out currently scouting 2024 high school prospects. The best college basketball roster could contain a mixture of transfer portal and high school talent, on the other hand I could be wrong.

Is that the mark of a champion?

The Suns eliminated in the Western Conference playoff cost Monty Williams his job. The Suns roster contains Kevin Durant who’s won an NBA Championship and Chris Paul who’s failed thus far. So once again Paul failed to be measured for a ring? At age 39 (May) the clock has speeded up, 2023 might have be his last opportunity for a ring. A number of All-Time greats have left the game over the years minus a championship. In some instances there are outstanding players who were on bad teams, teams with bad coaches or something else denying Paul and others from a championship.

Is it fair, is a championship the only barometer of measurement to determine a players success or lack thereof? We could run a list of players, some in the Naismith and College Hall of Fame without a championship to their name. Most visible might be TNT analyst Charles Barkley, Barkley was an outstanding player in his time who failed to win it all. The great Elgin Baylor of the Lakers might be at the top of our list along with Allen Iverson, John Stockton, Patrick Ewing and others. So the question is posed once again, is winning an NBA Championship the mark of true success in the NBA?

Looking ahead

I have mentioned a friend who believes in the transfer portal. He claims its better than high school kids because portal players are acquainted with college basketball, they arrive ready to contribute immediately. On the other hand freshman must adjust to college play. My friend is correct, however recruiting high school talent is still a priority. After checking a number of pre-season polls and seeing Mizzou missing, I thought I’d check a few recruiting sites.

Because these sites are not associated with the school, I believed it was paramount to discover what they supposed Mizzou’s 2023 recruiting compared to other programs across the nation. With that, here goes, rivals.com claims Mizzou has the 33^rd best recruiting class in the nation. Another site, 247Sports.com, places them at number 25 while On3.com also has Mizzou at 33. What does this exercise divulge to us, I can say absolutely nothing. For the first time in quite a while it appears Mizzou is actively attempting to recruit talent.

Future NBA prospects?

Matas Buzelis is a 6-foot 9-inch small forward, he’s from New Hampshire but plays at Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas. Buzelis was a highly thought of prospect in the Class of 2024. His name was on the prospective list of several college programs across the nation. For Buzelis it wouldn’t be college rather it would be a pro career, he’s signing with G-Team Elite and will begin play in the fall. He plans on his next stop being an NBA team, here I offer the disclaimer. Buzelis is one of those prospects we become familiar with all due to the hype surrounding them, that is the case here. If that appears negative that is not the intent, I’m just unsure of his possible impact with G-League Team Elite or perhaps an NBA team.

Ron Holland is a 6-foot 8-inch power forward from the elite Duncanville (TX) team. This 5-star Class of 2023 prospect was committed to Texas but changed his mind apparently with the firing of Chris Beard.  Holland de-committed intending to play elsewhere. That elsewhere was reported to be Arkansas, a Duncanville teammate is enrolled at the school. Holland might have thought Arkansas at a point but that’s not where he is headed. On Wednesday came news he intends to play for the NBA G-League Team Elite. There is no assurance this story is the final outcome although that is believed to be the case

I’m going to close this out with an introduction to some, his name is Thierry Serge Darlan. Darlan is a 6-foot 7-inch point guard, not that unusual. He’s also not American, that remains not uncommon. What distinguishes him from others he’s a guard from the Central African Republic? Consider this fact, we’ve witnessed a wealth of NBA talent emerge from the African continent but up to this point its been strictly Big Men. You know the names, Hakeem Olajuwon, Joel Embiid, Dikembe Mutombo and so forth and so on. Darlan hopes to become the first guard from the continent to earn a position in the NBA. Darlan is an alumnus of NBA Africa and he too is headed for NBA G-League Elite.

Published Monday thru Friday    

Basketball from a fans perspective

I’m back

This morning we begin anew…. I have returned to continue publishing on all things related to basketball.  Although I was out of town, I managed to see Games 6 & 7 of the Heat-Celtics playoff series. I saw along with you the Heat unable to box out at the end give the Celtics life, this would only last a bit as the Heat did a beatdown on the Celtics. I’ve read reports claiming the issue was Jason Tatum turning his ankle at the beginning of Game 7, I say baloney next man up. The Celtics needed someone to step up if Tatum was hurting. What bothers me is reading reports prior to this series conclusion Joe Mazzulla was on the hot seat. NBA teams are firing coaches left and right even those with NBA Championships on their resume. Hopefully the powers to be give Mazzulla time.

A further look

Chris read last Thursday’s edition about the portion on recycled NBA coaches. He posed a question which requires a further look. I’m paraphrasing his comment, “Don’t you think some of the organizations might have been dysfunctional and that new coach although fired might bring a different perspective.” I responded in this manner, “You could be correct, off the top of my head the name Mike Malone.” The Sacramento Kings could certainly be termed dysfunctional, they failed to make the playoffs for the last 16 seasons. Bad players, bad coaches or bad front office being the cause. How about a mix of all three, especially the front office?

The Kings went through head coaches like some of us change underwear. One of those coaches hired and fired was Mike Malone who’s record with the Nuggets has been outstanding. It might include an NBA championship this season we don’t know yet. Less the injuries I believe that was part of the Lakers problem i.e. and inept front office. Jeanie Buss was forced to “fire” brother Jimmy because his leadership left something to be desired. I’m going to stop at this point but a large basis for the Knicks being so terrible was an inept James Dolan office. In conclusion I believe my friend Chris is on to something with his statement regarding dysfunctional front offices. One consideration, if the team is underperforming its far easier to make the coach the scapegoat.

No to Kyrie

A number of stories have circulated about the Lakers next season, the chief one whether LeBron James will retire or not. Second to that is the possible acquisition of Kyrie Irving. I am registering an emphatic NO on acquiring Irving for a single chief reason…money. I have speculated on who stays and who goes on next season’s team. In order to acquire Irving the Lakers would be required to dump a tremendous amount of salary. Practically every player I figured would go or stay must leave to acquire Irving.

It would be great to have Irving partnered with a year older LeBron and AD but would it work? Yes, that part would work but we’ve already dealt with a less than stellar roster adding Russell Westbrook. I’m sure the majority members of Laker Nation want a championship; my hope is for a winning team which wasn’t evident much until March. If the Lakers must sacrifice a roster to win a championship I wonder if it’s worth the effort. I guess we must face the fact this is the age NBA teams are assembled through free agency or clever trades.

The NAIA too

We’ve covered the reduced amount of NBA talent found at HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) in recent years. We could make the same statement regarding basketball from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics or NAIA schools too. A couple of things have occurred in both instances which changed the basketball landscape regarding the talent issue. A number of these highly competitive programs moved from the NAIA level to Division I, II or III basketball.

Louisville is the first school that comes to mind but we could include San Diego State in the count too. As for some of the NBA greats we begin with Scottie Pippen who developed his game at Central Arkansas. At the time Lloyd Free (World B.) of the Sixers played at Guilford, the school competed at the NAIA level, they are now a Division III program. When Luke Jackson played at Pan American University it was also an NAIA school, today it’s now the University of Texas-Pan American and they too are a Division I program. Finally we close with Terry Porter, at the time he was enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point it was also an NAIA school it’s now Division III. You can gather by just the few schools named basketball talent remains it just the programs been upgraded.

Welcome bandwagon fans

I find this quite interesting; the Spurs have gained a vocal fan on television. Skip Bayless has made it known he loves the Spurs despite their poor record the past 3-4 years. Could there be something we can’t see or maybe it’s right in front of our face. As you are aware the Spurs secured the top pick in the 2023 NBA Lottery, most likely on June 22 the commissioner will announce Victor Wembanyama as the first pick. Wembanyama many have termed a generational athlete will begin play in the fall for the Spurs and Coach Pop.

Bayless has been proclaiming his love for the Spurs since the lottery. How much love, he claims to be the mayor of San Antonio. That last declaration caused the real mayor of San Antonio Mayor Nirenberd to issue his own statement, naturally it contradicted the Bayless comment. Rest assured the mayor might have been poking fun of Bayless. We read Bayless has often worn a Kawhi Leonard Clipper jersey (hmmmmm), he’s also been critical of Coach Pop in the past. Gregg Popovich is not beyond criticism, however for Bayless it is quite interesting. It’s okay I’m sure there will be others jumping on the Spurs bandwagon strictly because of Wembanyama. 

Published Monday thru Friday    

Basketball from a fans perspective

 

Announcement 

There will be no Friday, Monday or Tuesday edition of Off the Dribble. Look for the Wednesday edition May 31 for continued coverage of all aspects of basketball. Enjoy your weekend and for those in the U.S. an extra day as you celebrate Memorial Day. 

Carmelo

After a brilliant NBA career Carmelo Anthony announced his retirement the other day. Despite playing for a number of NBA teams he will always be remembered for leading Syracuse basketball to an NCAA Championship. I have a Carmelo Anthony connection; my wife and I were riding a people mover in Denver’s airport. At that time he was still a member of the Nuggets. As we were travelling to the next terminal, I spotted Anthony in a corner of the car.

I told my wife, “That’s Carmelo Anthony”, her response, “Why don’t you get his autograph?” I informed my wife and for you I don’t bother athletes for autographs unless it’s another setting. 28,289 points, a career 22.5 point per game average, an Olympic Gold and Bronze medal along with a NCAA Championship mentioned earlier. Those are just a few of his accomplishments over the course of a brilliant basketball career. We know the next stop for Carmelo Anthony, he will be enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Time for some magic again

ESPN Tournament guru Joe Lunardi picked his field of 68 for next season, Mizzou is no place in sight. Gary Parrish CBS Sports college basketball writer publishes a Top 25 plus 1 poll, the team’s he sees in May 2023 none have Mizzou on the front of their jersey. I’m not intending to be negative toward either of these guys even though I’m not sure about the outcome for this team. To be recognized in the off season you must A. be a veteran coach (such as John Calipari) or B. have a winning history.

Although he’s been head coach previously the 2022-23 season was Dennis Gates first season at the helm for Mizzou. We can state his B. was solid producing a 25-10 won-loss record along with an NCAA Tournament invite. We must return to the 2011-12 season to find a Mizzou team with this number of wins. In closing I am not mad at the duo, they use history as evidence of a team’s projected performance. Perhaps the 2023-24 season Mizzou will turn some heads with its record. On the surface the only issue I could foresee for Mizzou is lack of a Big Man.

How about someone different

The Wednesday edition of ESPN.com points Doc Rivers and Nick Nurse in the lead to replace Monty Williams, former Suns coach. Also another name has been circulating, Steve Nash late of the Nets. What’s wrong with this picture (at least in my view). All these coaches have been fired during the 2022-23 NBA season, Rivers with the Sixers, Nurse with the Raptors and Nash as mentioned with the Nets. Don’t become confused by what I’m attempting to voice.

Being fired is certainly not the end of the world for any coach, however shouldn’t there be a waiting period? Fired coaches have taken on new jobs but after a year or so on the sidelines. If neither of these guys could do it in the winter of 2023, how are they able to pull it off in the fall of 2023? Laker coach Darvin Ham received his share of criticism especially in the manner the Lakers ended the season. Despite this fact he was a breath of fresh air, a longtime assistant coach who was hired to head a franchise. I would hope NBA management would cease recycling coaches, after all a brand-new guy surely can’t do any worst.

Looking ahead

The Lakers season is now complete having been eliminated by the Nuggets. I’m looking toward the 2023 NBA Draft and find the two mock drafts have some interesting names for my Lakers. If we check nbadraftroom.com in the first round they have Jett Howard, a 6-foot 7 220-pound wing, Howard played at the University of Michigan. The scouting report indicates he’s a shooter but is not a great defender. His defense might be a drawback in some circles however he can be taught “team defense.” In the second round they provide us Mojave King a 6-foot 5 194-pound guard playing for G-League Team Elite.

King was born in New Zealand but grew up in Australia, he holds dual citizenship since his father is American. The other mock nbadraft.net provides us with the name of Leonard Miller, a 6-foot 10 210 pound small forward as the 17^th pick, he also plays for the NBA G-League. In the second round they gave us 6-foot 8 215-pound Nikola Djuricic, he plays the guard position. Djurisic was born in Belgium because his father was a Montenegrin professional footballer but is Serbian. I have no preference regarding a name or position, I’m going to trust Rod Pelinka, Darvin Ham and the staff to choose the players they believe are the best fit for my Lakers.

Published Monday thru Friday    

Basketball from a fans perspective

It’s over (at least for the Lakers)

Monday even a little after 10:00 p.m. Central Time the game was over. The Nuggets beat my Lakers 113-11, I have no intention to critique the game in its entirety I will just say the best team won. The Lakers have not won every playoff series but this one stings more than any in recent memory. In 2008 the Lakers lost in the Finals to the Celtics 4 games to 2, in the 2004 Finals this time it was a loss to the Pistons 4 games to 1. The last time it was this bad we’d have to return all the way back to 1989, the Lakers were swept in the Finals 4-0 by the Pistons. This Western Conference Semi-Finals loss certainly stings and it will require time for me to adjust. The Finals will be on television in my household but it will be different for me.

I can just relax and watch the game since I have no favorite (sorry Nuggets & Heat Nation) to root for. Congratulations are due to the Nuggets; they will play for an NBA Championship for the first time in the history of the franchise. Tuesday morning I read at least two stories asking if LeBron James will retire now. At 38 years of age he will be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame three years from whatever date. My question, did this loss leave a bitter taste in LeBron’s mouth? This is LeBron’s decision alone, this member of Laker Nation is good either way, if he retires, I could see Rui Hachimura moving into his slot. If LeBron decides in favor of returning, he will provide veteran leadership to the team. My take on the remaining Lakers roster will be provided soon, there will be a few surprises I promise you.

New York City basketball

High school basketball is still produced in great numbers in the 5 boroughs and the surrounding New York City metro, it would appear the numbers of talent have grown smaller and smaller over the years. That is not the case, just as much talent maybe more but why is this subject so difficult to understand in 2023? One of the cities high school greats, Kenny Smith offered us an explanation. The TNT analyst points to the change, kids are no longer playing for a city championship.

The days of Dr. J., Tiny Archibald, Lew Alcindor and Bernard King are long gone for high school basketball. These talented athletes and others unnamed honed their skills playing basketball at local high schools. The boroughs still produced scores of basketball talent however rather than remain in the city they leave for prep schools all over the nation. Check the rosters of Findley Prep (NV), Oak Hill Academy (VA), IMG (FL), Sunrise Christian Academy (KS) or Link Academy (MO). There are numerous others, however those named are probably more familiar to a number of basketball fans.

Barkley and I agree

I realize a number of you are going to find this difficult to believe. Charles Barkley said something and I am in agreement. Barkley was critical of those (JJ Redick being one) who is defending Ja Morant. Before I go any further allow me to state this, those individuals defending Morant have every right it’s a fact Barkley and I fail to see the basis for defending his behavior. Someone needs to point out to him Gilbert Arenas. The very talented Arenas left the NBA far too soon however his behavior was the basis. He’s not the only player just the first that comes to mind. Don’t think NBA owners couldn’t pull a “Kaepernick” on one if they desired.

In the instance of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick management decided he was a detriment to the league no matter what the public believed. Morant can be gone easily if he doesn’t get his act together. Former NBA player Reggie Miller had an interesting take on Dan Patrick’s program. Miller said it’s a good thing (for Morant) David Stern is no longer the commissioner. If you remember hearing or reading of the Malice in the Palace stiff penalties were the result. Ron Artest a.k.a. Metta World Peace received an 86-game suspension. Other parties received lesser suspensions but all were punished. If it sounds as if I’m anti Ja Morant that is not the case. I truly hope this youngster gets his life together, I would hate to see his career crash and burn.

Who stays and who goes?  

Despite the sweep by the Nuggets the Lakers are not in as bad a shape as some might believe, there are needed changes. The Lakers must make a decision on D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves. Of that trio they should allow Russell to walk, without a great deal of detail he failed to play at the expected level. As for the other two, the Lakers should match whatever is out there. Mo Bamba is gone too, not because he can’t play, they simply cannot afford to pay him what his salary demands might be.

Also missing next season are Tristan Thompson, Lonnie Walker IV, Jarred Vanderbilt and Shaq Harrison. In the middle of this we are listening to words expressed by LeBron James about retiring. This is my belief, he’s 38-years old…the next stop (other than Crypto.com Arena) is the Naismith Hall of Fame. In addition what might appear to be double talk I’m okay should LeBron return for season 21. I’d like to see Scotty Pippen Jr., Max Christie and others be moved into the lineup. In conclusion there are areas I cannot comment on, it is rumored the Lakers are attempting a trade for Trae Young of the Hawks. In addition they could acquire Kyrie Irving, if these should occur the dynamics might change completely.

It's become less and less 

Once upon a time we used the term journeyman in reference to an athlete playing for multiple teams. Today we have a large number of NBA All Stars who we might apply the term journeyman, over the course of their career they have worn the jersey of several teams. My Lakers have LeBron James on the roster, they become his third NBA (Cavs & Heat) team. Chris Paul of the Suns has played for even more teams, his present team is number five. Paul’s played for the Hornets, Clippers, Rockets and Thunder during his outstanding NBA career. 

How about Kevin Durant, KD has worn a Thunder, Warriors, Nets and Suns jersey. We must also include Kawhi Leonard among the number since he’s played for the Spurs, Raptors and Clippers. How about Jimmy Butler, he’s presently a member of the Heat previously he played for the Bulls, Wolves, and Sixers. All of the moves have not been of the free agency variety a number include trades. Journeyman meant the player had skills however they were limited, he was hired to fill a need on the team’s roster. That was the old term for a journeyman which certainly doesn’t apply to the NBA of today.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

JJ is correct and wrong at the same time

I’m unsure if you saw this, on one of the plethora of ESPN programs JJ Redick made this statement regarding Ja Morant. I am paraphrasing his comment, it’s not intended to be word for word, Redick was addressing the second gun incident. He said, “There is nothing against the law in owning a handgun.” Redick is correct, in the majority of 50 States there is no provision preventing someone from owning or in some instances carrying a weapon concealed.   

Redick is correct with his comment, wanna know where he’s wrong? The following statement I located on line and you can research too if you desire. “The NBA has a strict anti-gun policy; players are required to notify teams if they own a gun, and they are forbidden from possessing guns in various circumstances.” Should we guess “various circumstances” riding in an automobile might be okay. We suppose strip clubs might be a NO-NO, now I cannot be for sure.

Will his name be called?

Has Emoni Bates “played” his way into the 2023 draft? We actually will have no idea until June 22, 2023, the date of the draft. I was pleased reading one of those assessing Bates indicated his game was impacted playing on a poor Eastern Michigan team. When you are the only offense for a team it certainly places a great deal more pressure on you to score. One of the reports indicate Bate’s impressed some in the recently held NBA Draft Combine.

Those attending the Draft Combine in addition to drills and team play measurements are also taken. It should be of note, Bates is not as tall as indicated, he stands 6 foot 8 inches barefooted and 179 pounds. Kevin Durant managed to play small forward in the NBA but weighed more than Bates. With him being slight in weight it says to me shooting guard over play small forward in the NBA. The indication is Bates will be a mid-second round choice, if not drafted expect to see him in somebody’s training camp signed as a free agent.

What he said

Scoot Henderson G-League Team Elite believes he should be the top draft pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. No argument from me he appears to be a super talented combo guard, there are potential issues which might present problems. Henderson stands 6 foot 2, scouts consider that a conceivable problem for him defending taller guards and on switches. So what occurs in June for the talented Scoot, he probably slides down a bit through no fault of his own. The Hornets with the second pick have LaMelo Ball as their point, they could draft Scott and give the ball to him.

Melo moves over and becomes a shooting guard with point guard skills. On the other hand with Melo in the backcourt they might choose to go bigger and draft Brandon Miller late of Alabama. That would make Henderson available to the Blazers, would they make that move with Dame Lillard in the backcourt. Next up the Rockets and Pistons, let’s take a look at their prospective guards at present. Kevin Porter and Killian Hayes are established at the point with the Rockets and Pistons although it certainly neither is set in stone at the position. As you can see through no fault of his own, we cannot determine where Henderson might eventually land.  

Bits n Pieces 

This is titled The saga of Seth Towns, don’t worry if the name is unfamiliar to you, it was for me as well. Towns announced he will entered Howard University in the fall for his 8^th season. Yes, your eyes are not playing tricks on you the 2023-24 season will be number 8 as a player. Apparently, Towns is a good player he was Ivy League Player of the Year at one point, besides that how is he in college that length of time? Are there not eligibility rules preventing this type of sports enrollment? Injuries, that is the issue that’s managed to keep the 26-year-old in college. He’s not played since the 2020-21 season due to injury, so this is how he is able to maintain his eligibility.      

Did you read or hear Bryce James, youngest son of LeBron is transferring from Sierra Canyon HS. This past season he was a teammate with older brother Bronny, as you are aware Bronny is now headed for Southern Cal University. Bryce is on the move as well; he’s headed for Campbell Hall HS in the fall. I’ve read reports and I’m sure you have also indicated Bryce might be a better basketball prospect than his brother. If nothing else Bryce certainly has an advantage in height, Bronny is close to 6 foot 3 while Bryce is almost as tall as dad standing 6 foot 6.

This is a correction to an earlier story regarding the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s arena. Swinney Gym, the present home of Kansas City basketball was built in 1941 as reported in the prior account. Games were “farmed” out to several arenas around the metro while a portion of refurbishing was occurring for Swinney. This even includes the Kansas City games being played in the downtown Municipal Auditorium about 5 miles or so north of the midtown campus. A 5,000 seat arena for basketball is the correct size unless you are a Kentucky or Carolina. Memphis University plays its games in FedEx Forum with its 19,000 capacity far too large in my opinion for the majority of colleges.

Technically speaking the 1949-50 season is the first year of the National Basketball Association, others look at 1946 as the beginning. Perhaps the earlier date is used by some because three original teams are still operating today. They are the Knicks, Celtics and Warriors although the latter was then in Philadelphia. The teams named were in the Basketball Association of America, teams in the National Basketball League merged with the BAA to form the NBA we recognize today. In that time two adversaries the Celtics and Lakers are tied for most championships in the history with 16 wins apiece. Neither team will break the tie in 2023 as both are 0-3 in the semi-finals as this is written.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Gigantic disappointment

There are thousands of Nugget fans who are loving it, their team is about to close my Lakers out. Tonight it may or may not be over, however there is no way the Lakers comeback from an 0-3 deficit. This is certainly no intent on my part to disparage the Nuggets, they have done what they needed to do. Game 2 could have resulted in a Laker victory however they managed to lose 108-103. I believed home cooking would aid the Laker cause but even that didn’t work, Game 3 went to the Nuggets 119-108. It’s The Joker, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and others who led the way. No excuses offered from this corner of Laker Nation.

I have no desire to hear from Stephen A. Smith or Charles Barkley, the reason the Lakers are losing is easy to see. I can state this being the truth, at least one of these critics has played the game at a high skill level. As for the other one he just talks and talks and talks…. most of the time somewhat loudly. I’m reading this morning some Laker fans are already tossing barbs at D Lo but that doesn’t include me. Should LeBron desire to continue play I’d like to see him dial it back a bit and allow the youngsters to take over even with the possibility of fewer wins next season. When this series ends, I will continue to follow whichever teams remain. In addition I will continue to research the NBA Draft pertaining to MY Lakers seeking to help them.

Nothing like playoff basketball

We held a discussion of playoff basketball and a former New Yorker now living in Kansas City reminded me of this game. He said, “I’m sitting in a bar watching the game and the end broke my heart.” Former Pacer guard Reggie Miller scored 8 points in 9 seconds; you claim that’s impossible. Not so fast there, it was May 7, 1995, and it was Game one against the Knicks in Madison Square Garden of all places. This game has gone down in NBA Playoff history, check it out.

I do not own the rights to this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoCpMguR4cQ

The new Big XII

UCF, Cincinnati, Houston and BYU will be added to the schedule for the 2023-24 basketball season. I’m not sure as I write this if one or more of the conference additions could have Texas and Oklahoma on their schedule. They will play either team and then never again as conference members, as most of you are aware this is the last season for Texas and Oklahoma as conference members. Both schools depart the Big XII for the SEC. There are rumored plans to add additional schools beyond UCF, Cincinnati, Houston and BYU, for now minus Texas and Oklahoma below is the manner the conference will appear in the 2024-25 basketball season.

Oklahoma State

Houston

Cincinnati

UCF

BYU

Kansas

Kansas State

Baylor

Texas Tech

West Virginia

Iowa State

TCU

Prior to completion of this account an unconfirmed story surfaced. There have been reports of the conference continuing to expand, however this one, if true, was certainly a surprise. This is unconfirmed and might never occur, however UConn has been mentioned as one of those schools joining the Big XII Conference. This one will require us to keep our eyes and ears vigilant for further developments.

We have an addition

Over time I’ve written a bunch of stuff I admit might be speculation on my part. Face it we take a thing remotely connected to the subject fit bits and pieces together and just like Penn and Teller or David Blaine its magic. In most instances a disclaimer is added to mine (at least I hope). Where am I going with this account, glad you ask me? Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas has been quite talkative in the last few years and this might be one more example. Arenas has also concluded the draft lottery was “fixed” allowing the Spurs to potentially draft Victor Wembanyama.

Arenas says Popovich is great when developing international players (true), he also claims this. “Nobody paid attention to San Antonio tanking all year. The last time the Spurs had 20 wins was the year before they got Tim Duncan (partially true)? Sometimes Arenas and company cause me to laugh out loud when alone. Surely Arenas and company are not serious enough to believe some of what they are reporting. As you can see from the brief report here, one true statement and one partially correct and “presto change oh” we have a brand-new conspiracy story. Sorry Gilbert, as people might say, provide me with solid proof to back up your statement. After all “I’m from Missouri, you’ve got to Show Me.”

This is the part of the story I’ve never been able to understand with these conspiracy theorists. We never hear these accounts applied to the NFL draft or to a lesser degree baseball. I guess this is just something that will continue to exist as long as the NBA conducts its draft in the same manner. If we look at a “fix” it would truly be suspect if the Lakers, Knicks or Bulls were awarded the top pick. San Antonio contains a metro population of 2.4 million people, that’s a miniscule population base compared to the larger cities of Los Angeles, New York City or Chicago. In my view its better the pick belongs to the Alamo City than the others. The 2023 Draft Lottery should prove to all (except skeptics) there is no fix.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

1985 all over again

It begins again, what are you asking…conspiracy theorists have surfaced once again. As for the headline in 1985 the Knicks were terrible, Patrick Ewing at Georgetown was the best college prospect available. Even more interesting Ewing had been in Madison Square Garden numerous times playing St. John’s. Back then the draft lottery was conducted somewhat differently than what was witnessed on Tuesday. The shorten version Knicks general manager Dave DeBusschere pulled out the envelope that turned out to be Patrick Ewing. It didn’t end there despite a Hall of Fame career by Ewing however the Knicks never were able to win a championship. As for the conspiracy since the hopper incident two stories have swirled around that draft. The first account says this, the card DeBusschere pulled out had been placed in a refrigerator/freezer therefore it was colder than the others allowing DeBusschere to “separate it”. 

The second story indicates a corner of the card was bent slightly making it different from the others, that was then this is now. We are hearing stories the NBA directed Victor Wembanyama to the Spurs, as evidence they produced a photo of the wall painting with him in a Spurs jersey a couple of months ago. Tony Parker who once played for the Spurs has been "scouting" this youngster since he was a pre-teen, he's done nothing but sing his praises. On Thursday after the draft lottery this same Parker circulates a photo of a pre-teen Wemby in a Spurs jersey. There are probably more stories circulating about the 2023 lottery these are but the first three of note. Back to the Ewing draft a moment, do you realize the conspiracy story is still circulating 38 years later, I would suppose in 2061 there will likely be continued conspiracy discussions and arguments regarding the 2023 Draft Lottery.  

Wanna be gangster

This is written strictly from a point of speculation; Ja Morant is not a gangster. Despite my statement Morant appears to believe that he is. I heard someone say, “This time it’s different his partner released the Instagram video.” That is true, however one should be careful who they hang out with. It’s my belief the entourage surrounding Allen Iverson influenced him in a negative manner but that’s another story. I continue to read and hear stories on Morant’s intelligence, evidently that might not be quite true.

If for example you repeat the same action we might consider the first time an accident, the second time no matter if it was a friend involved, it was intentional. All this after meeting with the commissioner less than two months ago and undergoing therapy. Everyone is offering their belief in the pending suspension so I intend to weigh in too. Considering this is a second offense coming after meeting with the commissioner and undergoing therapy. The suspension will not be yearlong as some have suggested, it won’t be as little as 8 games. Morant will be sidelined a minimum of 12 games and a maximum of 30. There is one other issue to consider, the endorsement deals Morant has in place could possibly "go away" depending on the commissioner's decision...we shall see what prevails. 

I wonder

This is speculation based on news reports, it cannot be documented. James Harden of the Sixers will become a free agent this summer. There are reports indicating he intends to opt out of his $30.6 million contract. The question for you to decide, you are general manager of XYZ NBA team do you sign Harden for the remainder of his career? Harden will turn 34-years old (August) by the time the 2023-24 NBA season begins. If we check his regular season numbers, they appear steady and in line with those of the past.

As for the playoffs we saw a different James Hardin in action except in a few instances. In 11 games Harden shot 39% from the floor and 37% from three, his rebounds and assists were good as his 20.3 points per game average. At Harden’s age do you offer a reward signing him to what amounts to a lifetime contract? My concern would be his Game 7 performance against the Celtics where he all but disappeared, Hardin played one of the poorest games of his NBA career. In 41 minutes of action he was 3 for 11 from the floor, scoring a total of 9 points along with 5 TO’s.

Something to consider

This might be a reach on my part, the only reason I’m posing the question is because I read an account recently. A sports website claimed there might be underlying reasons for the Warriors early season conclusion. Before it’s discussed it allow me to say I thought about it but certainly made no comment until now. The Warriors Jordan Poole had an up and down regular season and all but disappeared in the playoffs. What occurred with this apparently talented shooter?

Was it the Draymond Green factor that caused the downturn in Poole’s play? You remember what occurred early in the season, Poole was “sucker punched” by Green. Could A single incident especially early in the season have that kind of effect. How about the personal issues Andrew Wiggins dealt with for an extended portion of the season, did that upset the Warrior season too? There is much debate since the Lakers beat the Warriors, several are claiming Dub dynasty might be over and done with. These are probably two of the keys which resulted in the early conclusion of the season.

It’s ain’t over till it’s over

Mackenzie Mgbako was rated the number 9 prospect in the Class of 2023 by Rivals. This 5-star small forward is 6 foot 8 and 185 pounds and much earlier committed to Duke. Mgbako would change his mind on Duke and considered another school to attend. Opening his commitment, a host of schools began actively recruiting Mgbako again. Finally the news indicated he’d reduced the count to a small number of schools, he would decide between Indiana and Kansas as his choice. Several of the Kansas faithful believed this highly touted prospect was headed to Lawrence Kansas to play for Bill Self.

If you check the Rivals site their FutureCast projected it was a 63% probability he would choose Kansas. Fans even weighed in claiming a lower percentage (45%) but also believed Mgbako would be playing for Self. On May 12, he made it official, his school of choice would be the University of Indiana and play for coach Mike Woodson. This certainly wasn’t a case of picking the nearest school, Mgbako is from Roselle New Jersey part of the New York City metro. I guess technically speaking Bloomington Indiana is nearer home than Lawrence Kansas. In any event as for the recruiting thing, it ain’t over till it’s over. Keep in mind no one associated with the program promised Mgbako would chose Kansas over Indiana.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

They fooled me

The final score read Nuggets 132 Lakers 126; this certainly was not the outcome I expected. In a perfect world the Lakers win a narrow victory over the Nuggets the score would be 90-85, after all the Nuggets and Lakers were tied for first place in playoff team defense. Did I base my pre-thought view on the numbers rather than the human aspects? If we check out the score, we had an ole skool 1980’s playoff shootout certainly something rare in the 21^st Century. Was it the altitude (Denver 5,276 feet), the Jokic’ factor or something else?

If you remember the other day, I wrote my belief this would be a tight series, I said my preference would be a Laker win. At the same time…let me explain it in this manner. A co-worker asked me prior to the game what I believed would occur and this was my answer. I compared the playoff series to a ladder, every rung climbing the “ladder” would be more and more difficult. It was the Wolves, then the Grizzlies and now the Nuggets. This I know for sure; the Lakers must figure out a method to slow, notice I didn’t say STOP The Joker if they expect to win the series. We shall see what prevails this evening whether it’s a Laker or Nuggets win.

Bits n Pieces 

Nostalgic arenas exist all over the nation, Butler University’s Hinkle Fieldhouse is the first one that comes to mind. The Palestra in Philadelphia could also be included in the count. How about Swinney Gym in Kansas City, not familiar with the building? Swinney was built in 1941 and seats 1,500 for basketball which makes it the smallest in the Summit League. Municipal Auditorium (opened in 1935) in downtown Kansas City has also served as home alone with other arenas throughout the metro. Evidently the administration for the University of MO-Kansas City has a desire to return all basketball games alone with other events onto the campus. It was announced on Monday a plan while just in the talking stage a 5,000-seat arena for basketball is planned for the near future.

What’s your definition of a Big Man, I pose the question based on an account I read? The article indicated Mizzou was looking for a post player to add to its roster. Among several names listed is one who measured 6 foot 9 in height. Consider this fact, I’m nowhere close to 6 feet in height so you could say I have height envy, that is not the case. For me a Big Man must stand at the very least 6 foot 11, the weight is not critical because a trainer could aid them in carbon consumption. So that’s my view, if yours is different that’s okay, this is not a debatable issue.

From France comes this statement…” I’m trying to win a ring ASAP, so be ready.” Those are the words of 19-year-old Victor Wembanyama interviewed immediately after the draft lottery. Of course we might expect that type of talk from a teen, it’s not just bravado though Wembanyama has been a professional player for at least a couple of years. In any event there certainly must be excitement in San Antonio based on the lottery results. A television news report indicated the Spurs had to close down their season ticket line for a period due to being overwhelmed with fans wanting to purchase season tickets. 

Former WNBA player and NBA assistant coach Becky Hammon made her point clear the other day. If she was a man the hiring process would be quite different than what exists at present. It’s Hammons contention NBA teams are unwilling to announce her name as the next head coach (You name the team as head coach). Guess what, she is correct. For those who say there are male coaches for woman’s college basketball. There have been in the past and up to the present-day male coaches in the WNBA. 

If I owned a team, I would not hesitate to hire Hammon in the role, she’s got all the credentials required except one…she’s a girl. It’s going to be a time before a female is hired as a head coach in the NBA, it’s the cultural. We still think of the game in a masculine manner although a number of outstanding female coaches have come before us in the past and present day. The mythical she will be hired one day, I’m just unsure of the team or the time.

I could be the dinosaur

From my childhood up to the present day I’ve never laughed at an injury. If there was a key player missing due to injury, I simply said to myself too bad. I never remember being happy when a team was absent a key player. This short diatribe is based on comments made by Stephen A. Smith and the apparent happy time of Shaq and Charles Barkley. The main reason I question my status is based on the number of fan letters I read. In the case of the TNT crew most of the writers defended the duo and claimed the blow Anthony Davis received to the head was not that bad.

I would like some of those folks who believe the injury was not “that bad” to volunteer allowing someone (like me) to whack them upside the head. It’s not occurred often, however there have been times in my life I was unsteady, this was due to experiencing dizziness. I would guess the Laker medical staff believe it was important to provide AD with a wheelchair over allowing him to walk to the locker room. If you’ve read this blog any length of time you are aware I’ve had issues with SAS and Barkley over time. It would appear I am forced to add Shaquille O’Neal to my list.

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“Were number one, were number one”

I cannot be sure for sure, however there must be a great celebration going on in Alamo City. The Spurs are the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery winners, unless something bizarre occurs June 22 this will occur. The wording might be somewhat different but Commissioner Adam Silver will step to the podium and announce over the mic, “With the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft the San Antonio Spurs select Victor Wembanyama from Metropolitan92 and France.”

What does this draft pick entail for the NBA is not fully known at this time, however if Wembanyama is as good as Jay Bilas, Adrian Wojnarowski and others claim the Spurs will be a resurrected franchise in a few years. Notice I didn’t say immediately, it will take Wembanyama some time to adjust to NBA play. Gregg Popovich might have been ready to ride off into the sunset, however he might remain in place for a bit. The Spurs are not very good, however Wembanyama will have an opportunity to learn the NBA game from one of the best coaches in the game.  

NBA Draft Combine

There are rites of spring every season and one of them is the NBA Draft Combine and the second is the NBA Draft. The combine begin on Monday and will run through Thursday May 18. The NBA will conduct its evaluation of potential talent in Chicago’s Wintrust Arena. The NBA announced 78 players have been invited to exhibit their talent before a host of coaches, scouts and front office personnel. The potential top pick Victor Wembanyama will not be in attendance, he’s got basketball duties to attend in France.

As for his no-show in the combine, that’s become common place in recent years, those assured of becoming lottery picks are looking at two factors. Sliding downward in the eyes of coaches, scouts and front offices and the injury risk factor. It’s not only Wembanyama but there are other potential lottery picks who will probably also not be in attendance for workouts and scrimmage games. One of those invited to the combine is Kobe Brown Mizzou’s combo forward, in this case if he’s drafted its likely to be in the second round. 

A new arena in Philly…not so fast

It seems whenever a new stadium or arena is planned there is opposition. We have one in Kansas City; John Sherman, owner of the Royals wants a downtown stadium. The only problem he’s never been able to fully explain is who pays. For your information Jackson County taxpayers are on the hook for renovations done at GEHA Arrowhead and Kauffman Stadiums. In Philadelphia the Sixers planned move from Wells Fargo Center has run into early opposition similar to Kansas City. In this instance the problem appears to be the planned location in Philadelphia more than anything else.

The area for the planned 76 Place is in the Chinatown portion of the city and that is an issue. How serious is the pushback by citizens, those in opposition presented 15,000 signatures to the Philadelphia City Council. As for the NBA from memory we saw similar community issues exist prior to Barclays Center which opened in 2012 or Chase Center opened in 2019. The Intuit Dome planned home of the Clippers went through its resident issues too prior to the start of construction, it will open in the fall of 2024. In both instances the concerns were addressed and construction was begun on the arenas and the rest is history. This impasse will be resolved, how it’s resolved I have no idea but citizens and business will resolve concerns.

I know…it’s early

Dennis Gates and staff have identified a number in the Class of 2024 to recruit. One of the number is profiled here, his name, Peyton Marshall. Marshall attends Kell High School in Marietta Georgia in the Atlanta metro and is rated the number 59^th prospect in Rivals.com. Marshall is a 7-foot 305-pound post player, even more interesting is his history. Marshall committed to Auburn but once the assistant coach recruited him, he changed his mind.

What is unclear at this point is family relationship, it’s written Marshall has family in St. Louis which should bode well for Mizzou. In addition the youngster has already made an unofficial visit to Mizzou. Does Mizzou win the recruiting battle, there are others attempting to attract them to their school? My chief concern in the video I saw Marshall appears somewhat pudgy, he’s got no defined muscle tone. My surface impression he needs to lose about 25-30 pounds and build his arms and legs for the future battles he faces.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Who is the lottery winner?

The Pistons finished the regular season winning 17 games and losing 65. Next up were the Rockets and Spurs (22-60) followed by the Hornets 27-55 record and the Blazers at 33-49. Those names are the list of NBA teams with the worst one loss record for the season. There are other teams who will be part of the lottery tonight, however their chances of being awarded the number one pick are miniscule compared to the teams mentioned.  For those unsure how the process works it’s quite simple, ping-pong balls are placed in a hopper and one by one a ball is pulled with the teams name.

Using this as an example the hopper will contain more Piston ping-pong balls than Mavs despite the fact in theory the Mavs could be the winner. The prize winner in the Victor Wembanyama 2023 Draft is probably going to be one of the first five teams named. In addition to drafting a generational (their words not mine) player the French youngster has already indicated he will play for whoever drafts him. In the past we’ve had players warn teams “Don’t draft me.” I believe the last time this occurred was 1999, Steve Francis made his view known to the Grizzlies then located in Vancouver Canada. Besides Wembanyama this appears to be a deep draft. The best opportunity to secure the top pick at 14% are the Pistons, Rockets and Spurs. 

Who wins (the West)

By now you are aware which team I would prefer to win. Despite my personal feelings the numbers I discovered certainly don’t help my outlook. Most of us are aware NBA fans love offense, they have a fondness for slam dunks and 3-point baskets, however we know defense is the true winner. I decided to check nba.com for help specifically with how the league’s defensive ratings might affect the Western Conference series.

Would you believe there are four teams tied for first place in team defense since the playoffs have begun? The defensive numbers compiled are based on 13 games played by the Celtics, 11 by the Heat and Nuggets followed by the 12 games the Lakers played. As for the Western Conference, I believe the numbers point to a draw. As all are aware a game or a playoff series cannot end in a tie, who wins the Western Conference? The team that wins four games, at this point, could be the Nuggets but it also could be the Lakers as well.

What’s going on?

By now you’ve read or heard the Grizzlies have suspended Ja Morant…again. You might remember back in March he was suspended for 8 games for what was termed “Conduct detrimental to the league.” In this instance video circulated showing Morant brandishing a handgun. After his return and apology we believed his behavior was a thing of the past, that was the thought then. On Saturday, a video surfaced once again on social media detailing Morant once again with a handgun. For the second time the Grizzlies were forced to suspend him. Morant has so much basketball talent, it’s amazing at times some of the stuff he is able to accomplish.

That’s the basketball part, the brain part we cannot figure out. He totally misses the opportunity in front of him all due to his ability to play the game at a high skill level. I happen to believe he’s at a crossroads in his NBA career, one more incident of this level and it might be over. The NBA certainly has no desire to put on hold one of the leagues bright stars but don’t think it won’t be done. The league has enacted yearlong suspensions for drug offenses in the past. I hope no one believes the NBA cannot implement stern punishment. A number in the media have given us the number they believe and I am inclined to believe them. This could be a 25-30 game suspension at the beginning of the season. Morant so valuable to the Grizzlies losing that amount of time would place the team in a precarious position.

Kansas basketball

Some of you reading this acquainted with me are probably surprised. I have friends who either attended Kansas University or associated with the school or fans. The reason why I wrote this is because of what you are about to read. I don’t resent the success of Kansas basketball over the years. I don’t resent the Kansas players; I actually don’t resent a portion of the fan base. This is what I do resent, those over-the-top fans who are constantly reminding me and others the “greatness of the program.”

I also must include most of the Kansas City metro media who are complicit with this belief. It appears difficult for the local media to focus on any college basketball unrelated to Kansas. I believe the only reason Kansas State received so much coverage is due to their deep NCAA run. Since the college basketball season ended there’s been little mention of Kansas State or Mizzou basketball yet we have been apprised of every move made by Kansas basketball. I’m not mad I’m just confused; I can remember a time this in-balance in coverage didn’t exist. For unknown reasons Kansas basketball’s moved in front and in the media’s view will remain there.