Basketball from a fan perspective

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I hate it when I agree

Fingernails run across a blackboard, folks who lie to me for no apparent reason are just two of the things that bother me, another is agreeing with Stephen A. Smith.  The guy who I believe is right about half the time provided evidence on Friday for us to consider.  In 2019 we heard all kinds of wild stories on Kawhi Leonard and his decision to join the Clippers.  17 months later a story first reported by TMZ has caused the NBA to sit up and take notice however that’s not all.  As for the investigation into Jerry West and his part in landing Kawhi I intend to wait on the NBA to complete its report. 

This portion of the story is questionable although Smith and his sources are telling the same version.  It was reported after Kawhi joined the Clippers he was insistent on the team acquiring Paul George from the Thunder.  To accomplish the task, they were forced to part ways with budding talented point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and forward Danilo Gallinari plus 5 first round draft picks.  Do you realize the Clippers will not have a first-round pick until 2025?  Keep in mind there’s been no check to determine if the picks are consecutive, that’s quite a crop of potential talent for the Thunder to harvest over the next few years.  If this portion of the story is true it would appear Kawhi owes the Clippers 2-3 championships or more wouldn’t you agree?

It is different  

The NBA season begins in earnest on December 22, but it is different this time, the different is the location of the exhibition games.  We know the regular season concluded with a championship in Orlando in “The Bubble.”  Although we saw NBA players on our television sets the smaller surroundings gave many of us the belief, we witnessed play in a high school gym.  NBA games played in Golden 1, Staples or Madison Square Garden look quite different with no fans in attendance. 

We don’t know this to be a fact, it appears this will become the norm for the NBA season at least through the 2020-21 year.  Games will be played with no fans in the building which we might become accustomed.  This change might cause the conversation to change a bit, this is what many of us heard after the championship concluded in October.  “It was easy for the Lakers to win they were in the Bubble,” an interesting view of several folks however that statement is far from the facts. 

Keep Kuzma

Easily ¾ of Laker Nation want Kyle Kuzma gone, not in this corner.  If you are wanting him gone you can stop reading at this point because I believe he’s a keeper.  When I first tuned into Laker Summer League play it was specifically to check out Lonzo Ball whom the Lakers had made their top pick.  Along for the ride was Kuzma an athlete I’d never seen play and barely knew his name.  Kuzma would continue to impress all summer and was named 2017 Summer League MVP.  

Kuzma scored at a 16 point a game clip as a part time starter his rookie year, the following season as a starter he bumped his scoring to 18.7.  His year three would witness the arrival of LeBron James and Kuz was back on the bench playing a reserve role again.  His game suffered this past season as he was inconsistent, high scorer one game.  The next game he might be 1-10 from the floor and to top it off his defense suffered.  As I indicated this column would defend Kuz, keep in mind I'm not opposed to a trade, but the Lakers better receive adequate compensation in return.   

Did you know?

Prior to the National Basketball League’s merger with the Basketball Association of America it was the larger league.  The NBL once consisted of 39 teams before most teams went out of business prior to the 1949 merger with the NBA.  Original NBL teams still playing today include the Minneapolis Lakers, Rochester Royals (Sacramento Kings), Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (Detroit Pistons), Buffalo Bisons (Atlanta Hawks) and Syracuse Nationals (Philadelphia Sixers).  The NBL had several teams which are lost to history as the reason for their demise.  World War II witnessed countless players in military service, two teams the Toledo Jim White Chevrolets and Chicago Studebakers signed black players. 

Breaking the color barrier in basketball occurred 5 years prior to Jackie Robinson however professional basketball was major league in name only.  The Nuggets or at least the name associated with the present-day team existed previously, in 1948 they began play in the NBL and later came into the NBA with the merger but lasted but one season.  Chicago had 3 NBL teams over the years the league operated but none of these franchises functioned at the same time.  Detroit also had 3 teams and one of them the Gems would later move to Minneapolis.  Once located in Minnesota they were renamed the Minneapolis Lakers.  A brief look back at the history of professional basketball in America. 

Basketball from a fan perspective

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Bits n Pieces  

On Wednesday, the NBA announced 1 athlete out of 549 tested positive for COVID.  You might remember recently we indicated the NBA sent out guidelines to all 30 teams.  This is no indication of continuing good news on the virus, it is good in that the measures thus far have proven effective.  As you are aware the news at the collegiate level is not as forthcoming.  It’s probably far easier to corral older NBA players to a routine over 18-20-year-old youngsters.  Most college players are likely away from home for the first time plus the maturity factor.    

Fran Fraschilla providing color commentary on the TCU-Oklahoma State game said this, “High school basketball in the Dallas Metro is among the best in the nation.”  Strong words coming from a Brooklyn New York guy.  New York City and other areas continue to provide basketball talent for colleges and the pro ranks.  As for Fraschilla he served as head coach at three colleges prior to becoming an analyst for ESPN. 

Kostas might be history

On Tuesday afternoon came word Giannis Antetokounmpo would remain in Milwaukee, he signed a $228 million 5-year contract which indicates his financial future is assured.  However, for younger brother Kostas the future might not be so bright, at least that might be with the Lakers.  It was never made clear; it would appear the Lakers signed Kostas in the hope this might aid them to sign older brother Giannis once he became a free agent. 

Now with the Giannis signing that possibility is out of the question but what does the future holds for Kostas?  During his brief basketball career, the 6-foot 10 power forward has played 2 games with the Mavs plus 5 for the Lakers after playing one season at the University of Dayton.  Pure speculation on my part however he must not be as talented as his older brother, this might be a fact.  Kostas signed a contract last month so he will remain on the Laker roster through the 2020-21 season after this we remain unsure of his future.

Daddy Ball  

The late heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali was known for predictions, generally he would announce ahead of a fight what round he would knock an opponent out.  For the most part he was accurate although often accused of boastfulness.  Super Bowl III, the Baltimore Colts were heavy favorites leading up to the game.  This irritated Jets quarterback Joe Namath to the point he predicted his Jets would win and they accomplished it.  Nothing wrong with predictions until you are proven wrong which is the case for LaVar Ball. 

When the “thing” doesn’t go in the manner Ball predicts he spins the account to favor him. I hope you remember the comment by him after Lonzo was traded to the Pelicans?  “The Lakers will never win a championship after trading my son.”  In October 2020 that statement morphed into “They (Lakers) in the bubble, they (Lakers) need to send me a thank you card, I gave them incentive to win.”   It’s interesting when one is good enough to always make the correct call.  Now his ire is aimed at the Pistons for releasing middle son LiAngelo.  “The franchise over there is raggedy as Hell…But Hey, they’re gonna learn the hard way.”  I guess it is too much to expect Daddy Ball to tone his pretension down, he is what he is. 

Coaches receive too much credit and too much blame

Have you heard the statement previously?  The adage points a finger toward coaches particularly those in the NBA.  Simply stated often when a team is losing or not playing well the coach is usually blamed over the players.  When that coach juggles his lineup and makes shrewd substitutions the coach often doesn’t receive adequate credit. 

Laker Nation is still in the honeymoon stage with Frank Vogel however he belongs on the other side…not enough credit.  This strange NBA season witnessed most of Vogel’s coaching skills exhibited during the playoffs.  The lineup utilized by the Lakers in winning the NBA Championship at times went with a small lineup and then return to a Big Man line depending which team they faced in the playoffs.  Defensive schemes utilized by the Lakers varied according to which opposition player required limiting the number of shots they might attempt. 

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The one at the end

On Monday it was said in this blog don’t be shocked if Mizzou is listed as a Top 25 team.  Sure, enough that’s what occurred later in the day, what you might find interesting in that several polls including the AP placed Mizzou at 16.  That is probably a correct place in my view, they are yet to be a Top 5 team yet.  Our hope with the team appearing in polls for the first time in a while it will not cause their heads to swell. 

Mizzou players hear what we hear, SEC broadcasters continue to state Coach Cuonzo believes his team can win the conference.  Early it appears Kentucky is less than stellar, but they and several others are a concern, Tennessee, Georgia, and LSU all appear solid.  As a member of Mizzou Nation, I will take the current state of play, hopefully heads won’t swell too much in Columbia.  As for the end, the only poll that really counts is the one at the end, the NCAA Tournament. 

Perhaps he’s why

We cannot count these games, they are only exhibition, Talen Horton-Tucker scored 19 points on Friday against the Clippers on Sunday the number was 33.  The initial statement is repeated this is not real basketball, LeBron James and Anthony Davis played 0 minutes.  Both stars had a slightly better view of Horton-Tucker in action than us, we only had a televised view of him and the action.  James and Davis (sounds like a law firm) witnessed the youngster in action up close.  Consider this fact, until last month he was still a teen, his birthday in November makes him an old grizzly man at the age of 20 years. 

The Lakers returned several players from their championship season except JR Smith and Dion Waiters.  Should we suppose Horton-Tucker might be the basis for Frank Vogel believing he might be able to move into the rotation as a reserve?  We don’t know this for a fact, perhaps Horton-Tucker is the basis for Smith and Waiters no longer being members of the Lakers.  In addition, with Schroeder possibly a starter at the point Horton-Tucker might assume the backup-backup role behind Alex Caruso and Quinn Cook.  On the other hand, his offensive capability might move him in front of one or both veteran guards.  Frank Vogel said, “It’s going to make my job difficult” we believe many other coaches might love to have such a problem. 

They won’t win the championship

What occurs for the 2020-21 Warriors and fans of Dub Nation?  They won’t win the championship, barring major injuries they should be vastly improved even missing Klay Thompson.  The question at this point is aimed at the bench, the starters are solid apart from rookie James Wiseman at center.  Steph Curry returns at the point, talented but questionable Andrew Wiggins moves into Klay’s spot.  Kelly Oubre Jr. is the small forward while Draymond Green is at the power forward. 

Depending on help from the reserves this team can return to playoff type basketball.  Steve Kerr is a capable coach and will make those moves necessary for the Warriors to win and return the franchise to winning competitive basketball.  In a shorten NBA season how many games do they win of 72?  They will likely finish the season with 40+ wins, if reserves are not as productive, we could lower the number.  In either case the Warriors should be able to earn a playoff berth.   

Swapped franchises

The NBA has many historical events occur over its existence but nothing like the decision allowing the Clippers move to California, owners of the Buffalo Braves and Boston Celtics swapped franchises.   The Braves were an NBA expansion team born in 1970, over the course of time certain portions of the events are lost to history.  As best we can uncover Irv Levin then owner of the Celtics wanted to move his team to the west coast, the NBA would never allow an original franchise to move so he arranged with Braves owner John Y. Brown to swap franchises.  It turned out most of Levin’s business was located on the west coast was the basis for the move. 

Once Levin took ownership of the Braves franchise, he petitioned the NBA to move the team to San Diego which occurred in 1978 and the team was rebranded as the San Diego Clippers.  Later the team would be sold to Donald Sterling, in 1984 the team would move again this time to Los Angeles.  The Clippers made the move to Los Angeles without league permission, the NBA fined Sterling $25 million and the owner would countersue.  Eventually the fine was reduced to $6 million and its reported Sterling relented, as for the move to California we are quite sure nothing similar ever occurred in NBA history and likely will never occur again. 

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MIZ-ZOU

The Braggin’ Rights Trophy will belong on the Missouri side of the state line after Saturday’s action, in a foul-plagued game Mizzou prevailed over Illinois 81-78.  Mizzou won their 5th straight game and in doing so defeated their second Top 25 team having beaten Oregon earlier, Illinois was ranked #6 in the nation.  Mizzou had 3 starters and 1 reserve in double-figure scoring.  Although Illinois outshot Mizzou from the field the Tigers managed to shoot 83.9% from the free-throw line and out rebounded the taller Illini players.

A flagrant 1 on Illinois Big Man Kofi Cockburn prove costly however there is a question on my part if the call was valid.  It appeared he was battling Mizzou forward Mitchell Smith for position; Cockburn swung his arm to pivot toward the basket.  Let’s just state although Smith was hit near the face area it certainly wasn’t intentional.  One of the great difficulties is writing about officiating however it was likely key to the game.  In addition to the flagrant foul Mizzou had two players foul out of the game.  For the third consecutive year Mizzou was a winner over Illinois for the Braggin’ Rights Trophy.  As for the immediate future don't be shocked to see Mizzou listed as a Top 25 team today.   

“Help me Obi (-Wan Kenobi), your my only hope”

No, it wasn’t the Obi of Star Wars fame it was the other Obi to the rescue, Obi Topping is now a member of the Knicks.  This Obi came off the Knicks bench recently and scored 11 points and snatched down 7 rebounds, this effort aided his team to a 90-84 exhibition victory over the Pistons.  The Obi part we discover is his nickname, his birth name is Obadiah Richard Topping Jr.  In addition to an unusual first name, Obi shares another rarity. 

Obi was drafted by the Knicks and wants to play in New York City, free agents (and perhaps draft picks) appear to want no part of the Knicks.  The 6-foot 9 forward was born in Brooklyn, New York but played his college basketball at Dayton University in Ohio.  We are unsure if this is fact but we believe Obi might have grown up rooting for the Knicks.  His family might have paid for a ticket to Madison Square Garden, now all that's necessary is to show his pass for entrance.  

Rooting for him

Michael Porter Jr. is demonstrating the potential talent with the Nuggets we missed seeing at Mizzou.  By now it’s been documented this former McDonald’s All-American arriving in Columbia assured a winning season and the school would be placed on the basketball map of the nation.  Well, it didn’t quite turn out as we hoped, a serious lingering injury limited Junior to but 3 games in a Mizzou jersey.  Many in Mizzou Nation hoped he would rehab and then return for his sophomore year, that was not the case as he declared for the NBA draft. 

After being professed to be the top pre-season pick his stock slipped a bit however the Nuggets chose him the 14th pick in the first round of the 2018 draft.  The Nuggets allowed Junior to rehab during the 2018-19 NBA season preparing him for action in the following season.  After working out what would have been his rookie season, Junior came on strong in 2019-21 as a reserve for the Nuggets.  With the departure of Jerami Grant in free agency he now moves into the starting lineup for the Nuggets based on his performance and the fact Grant is no longer in Denver.  The 6 foot 10 forward has proved especially to those at Mizzou he can play the game at a high skill level. 

NBA athletes from the African continent

We can admit we didn’t know much about Hakeem Olajuwon when he first began play in 1980 at the University of Houston.  Truth is at the time he first arrived on these shores that year we even misspelled his first name; he was Akeem Olajuwon back then.  After a training routine and adjusting to the game his athletic skill came to the forefront.  Once he arrived in the NBA, he corrected the spelling of his first name playing for the Rockets.   Hakeem would go on to a stellar NBA career which later would lead to his selection to the Naismith and FIBA Hall of Fame. 

Hakeem alone might have been solely responsible for generations of youth from the African continent to take up the game of basketball.  Practically every nation on the continent 20 degrees north has sent at least one athlete into the NBA, there is a larger number who played college basketball here.  Since Hakeem’s retired, we’ve witnessed great numbers from the continent take up the game at American colleges, others would play and continue the growth of the game on the African continent.  Want proof, the 2020 NBA Draft contained 7 players whose lineage can be traced to the to the African continent.  Precious Achiuwa played at Memphis but was born in Nigeria as was Udoka Azubuike who attended Kansas University. 

Basketball from a fan perspective

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Bits n Pieces 

Words eye view is published daily except for a period between July and October, 2020 and the pandemic have flipped everything upside down.  The NBA Championship was just completed in in October, the NBA draft was held in November and here we are again.  College and high school basketball has begun, the NBA returns December 22.  The break has been shorter than normal, so, it goes, we return to daily publication on that date, continue to enjoy.     

We guess this applies to all broadcast crews in the NBA, I’m watching the Laker exhibition game and Bill McDonald indicated there would be no travel this season.  McDonald went on to state only teams would travel he and broadcast partner Stu Lantz would be remotely broadcasting today’s game.  Empty arenas, empty broadcast booths for visiting teams all likely due to COVID and our continuing effort to curtail the epidemic.

Must see basketball this season, Oklahoma State and Cade Cunningham.  The freshman is being compared to a “smaller Ben Simmons” which is certainly interesting.  Gonzaga basketball, every season come rain or shine Coach Mark Few turns out a winning team.  This season they begin #1 in the nation.  In the NBA it’s the Lakers, Nets and perhaps the Suns.  At the prep level it’s any game involving Chet Holmgren and Emoni Bates. 

They acted

The Braggin’ Rights game is held annually between Mizzou and the University of Illinois.  In years past the game has been held in St. Louis, the pandemic of 2020 prevented that.  As reported earlier the game was cancelled then resurrected, a coin flip was held to decide on the Columbia campus of Mizzou or the Champaign-Urbana campus of Illinois.  Mizzou won the flip, and the game was played last night.  Just as interesting as the game outcome was the broadcast footprint. 

It was announced ESPN’s SEC Alternative Channel would be the telecast sight.  We heard from those in Mizzou Nation complaining about the choice because of its limitation.  Many cable and satellite fans don’t have the SEC Network or SEC Network Alternative Channel.  Early Friday afternoon a change was announced for the Saturday evening match, the game was moved to the channel generally designated for college sports…ESPNU.  The network must have heard the fans complaint and they acted quickly to respond.   

Don’t tell anyone our secret

Dennis Schroder has only been a Laker a short time, despite this fact I have his jersey.  Well not exactly, I have a Laker #17 jersey, the number he wore with the Hawks and Thunder.  The jersey has the name Bynum on the back, remember him?  He was the Big Man the Lakers drafted in 1985 expecting great things from him.  Unfortunately, after a few good promising seasons he drifted off into never, never land. 

Bynum was out of the NBA and basketball and despite being only 33 years old as this is written he is a distant memory.  It should be pointed out injuries were a contributing factor however there are many questions about his heart and head.  The front of the jersey appears to be Schroder’s, no one needs to be made aware it is an old Bynum jersey.  Please don’t tell anyone, it’s our secret.  Now if a player is added to the Laker roster wearing #10, I can hang the old Steve Nash jersey as well.       

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Douse the flames

After a sluggish first half start Mizzou was eventually able to prevail and win their game versus Liberty 69-60.  The Flames proved to be tougher than the Tigers might have first believed, in fact Mizzou found itself behind at the half 32-28.  The second half of the game would be totally different, Coach Cuonzo must have chewed his team out thoroughly at the half.  Team scoring (and defense) by the Tigers missing much in the first half was quite evident in the second half of the contest. 

The Flames of Liberty were outscored 41-28 after intermission by the Mizzou Tigers.  Mizzou has never begun the season 4-0 under Cuonzo, the last time the team had this type of start was the 2013-14 season.  The Tigers won their first 10 games before suffering a loss that season, that team was coached by the departed Frank Haith.  The chore of playing winning basketball continues as Mizzou must face #6 Illinois on Saturday in the Braggin’ Rights Game.  As for the Liberty game the Tigers managed to douse the flames, get it?  Douse the flames, throw water on the fire, oh well never mind. 

Who gets the house?

In a divorce one spouse or the other usually retains possession of the house and other property might be divided among the parties.  Russell Westbrook and James Hardin are scarcely married however a divorce has occurred; the end of this backcourt combo could prove quite interesting for Rockets Nation in the upcoming season.  The mercurial Westbrook orchestrated a trade, he’s been dispatched to the Wizards in exchange for John Wall. 

Problem partially solved however not completely, James Hardin is still making noises indicating he doesn’t intend to retain the property i.e., Rockets.  We are hearing reports which are unconfirmed, Hardin wants the Sixers, Knicks, Bucks, or some other unnamed team.  West-brick can score as evidence his 27 point a game average this past season, the problem his poor 3 point and free-throw shooting.  Losing Hardin and his 34 points a game average in the same off season as Westbrook could prove disastrous for new Coach James Silas. 

The Lakers are not any better!

In 2020 the Lakers won the NBA Championship, gone from that team is Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo, Danny Green, and several other members.  Those mentioned and others played a significant role in the Lakers winning their 17^th championship.  That team is no more, the “new” Lakers of Montrezl Harrell, Marc Gasol, Dennis Schroeder, Marc Gasol, and the remainder are technically a new team.  This might sound strange to Laker Nation; you should be excited about the 2020-21 team however this version ain’t won nothin’ yet. 

We can say on paper this new Laker team is better than the prior year’s team however games are played on the basketball court and not on a blog or SportsCenter.  The new and improved version is expected to be improved but we don’t know that for a fact.  Most of us believe the acquisitions in free agency have made the Lakers much more formidable.  We can make this statement especially how these moves will impact the second unit.  Next time this subject is discussed with a friend or acquaintance remember this; we really don’t know.  We believe the Lakers are vastly improved but are unable to provide anyone actual proof. 

Social & civic unrest

As humans we are not going to all agree about the same thing all the time.  We expect differences but this is the issue as I see it, when social and racial unrest pops up many of us want to bury our heads and pretend it doesn’t exist.  NBA players have been in the forefront of protest but so have many in the NFL.  This protest is bothersome to many in the society because they believe sport should be divorced from life events. 

Here is the key issue as I see it, there are instances over the last few months respondents to news stories have wanted us to realize their feelings about sport.  I’ve read letters, “I hope the NBA goes out of business” or “LeBron and the NBA are racist”.  I can only speak for myself and suggest this for these individuals.  If the “new” attitude is a concern you perhaps you need to consider following another sport, it serves no purpose except to vent informing us how much you dislike NBA basketball.

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Load Management

I don’t remember hearing the headline term used before last season, perhaps I just missed it if it was utilized earlier.  In any event the purpose was to indicate the player in question was not available for play due to injury, he was simply resting.  Last season Clippers Kawhi Leonard and Paul George used load management often, for George it was understandable.  George had undergone surgery in the off season, we now discover Kawhi had also undergone a procedure over the summer although it was unclear at the beginning of the season.  As for load management this writer has no issue with it except when it might affect a team’s performance. 

The effecting issue of play on the court is best addressed by the head coach and his staff.  In the 2020-21 season I hope LeBron James and Anthony Davis utilize load management to their benefit.  Just as sure as this is being written, revised, and thought about LeBron will refuse to sit down.  He is one of a small number of players who believes they belong on the court if the game is being played, we shall see what unfolds.  NOTE:  As this report was completed the NBA announced the league would begin fining teams utilizing Load Management on nationally televised games.  Teams could be fined up to $100,000, the only question for us who determines whether the team violated NBA rules? 

What network?

Don’t consider this a complaint just a discussion on college basketball coverage for my favorite team in the 21^st Century.  The television schedule for your favorite might be different in the portion of the country you live; this is a small slice of Mizzou’s early television schedule.     

Oral Roberts – SEC+ Network

Oregon – Fox Sports 1  

Wichita State – ESPN2  

Liberty – SEC Network

Illinois – Not listed

Bradley – SEC Network

The Braggin Rights Game versus Illinois certainly will be televised, it’s just as this is written it is an unknown.  Gives you an example of my daily search to determine where I can view Mizzou basketball.  Again, if this appears a criticism consider this fact, up until the advent of cable there might have been one Saturday afternoon game and that was it.  The games listed above run Wednesday through Wednesday of the next week.  For me, it’s just the difficulty of locating what network the game is available and the week-to-week search. 

I am good, just not that good

There are members of sport media who are good, they provide us insight and knowledge regarding an individual or subject matter.  I’m unsure when the change came about perhaps it’s always been present.  You know the guys who are primed to entertain us, they toss in a dash of knowledge a pinch of history but mostly it is their performance which becomes key to the production.  They are loud, often profane, and always believe the sports world starts and stops based on their view of the subject at hand.   

Most have never played the sport at any level; we could count on one hand those who played the game at the professional level.  You want names, they are the same one’s we’ve mentioned in the recent past.  Stephen A. Smith, Skip Bayless, Jason Whitlock, Colin Cowherd are at the top of my list perhaps you have your own list of persons.  As proof check out this portion of video, place it on your browser.  You will witness firsthand many of these so-called media members are merely in place to entertain us, the only proof offered in most instances is their opinion. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqvetQsKXEs&fbclid=IwAR2hjaG9eOj1XtMS31dxUmXHVlJkdTlaVB5o1lzbHSm6jfdhvwSVnNHCANg

Bits n Pieces

There was no mention in the photo of his weight however Pelicans forward Zion Williamson looked slim and trim.   He reportedly played at 285 pounds in his rookie season, there are NBA players weighing more however they are taller than 6 foot 7 inches.  There are no minute’s restriction on his play like last season.  Best guess, he is probably at a more manageable 270-275 pounds.  He was explosive at 285 imagine what we’ll see now. 

Now an again I’m quite surprised at something I might read or discover, that is the case in what you are about to read.  I learned there is a streaming sports channel available specializing in televising a variety of youth sports.  As for basketball the channel telecast varsity, junior varsity, freshman and even middle school boys’ and girls’ basketball.  Their footprint covers 8 states across the nation, can you imagine this story.  “Last night I watched junior’s 7^th grade basketball game on my computer”, it’s likely occurred somewhere. 

Did you know the NBA is one of the youngest major professional sports?  Founded in 1946 the league has undergone mergers with the Basketball Association of America in 1948 and later the American Basketball Association in 1976.  In 2020 the NBA is 74 years old, in that period the Celtics and Lakers have won 34 NBA Championships.  Do the math, almost half the championships have been won by these two franchises.    

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1951

Two schools Wichita State in Kansas and the University of Missouri share a border, the schools less than 400 road miles apart.  Despite the little over 4-hour drive the schools have not faced the other one since 1951 almost 70 years ago.  This game was scheduled prior to the Gregg Marshall event but it might not have turned out any different, Wichita State could only suit up 8 players.  During the telecast it was noted 8 players left the Wichita State program prior to Marshall’s exit. 

After a slow start by Wichita State, the Shockers began to play a competitive game, the depth and senior leadership of Mizzou would eventually prevail.  The final score read Mizzou 72 Wichita State 62, the game was not as close as the final score might indicate.  Wichita State’s Isaac Brown has a difficult task ahead, hired as interim coach after Marshall’s departure left with only 8 players.  His hire came less than a month ago, he only has this pandemic season to prove he can coach at the Division I level.  Mizzou begins the season with a 3-0 record, this is a high water mark for Cuonzo Martin now in his 4th season at the helm.   

Compared to him

Although the focus was Paul George yesterday a friend ask the question “Could he be compared to Raiders Coach Jon Gruden?”  That’s a good question however I cannot answer regarding the Gruden comparison.  I don’t know enough about Gruden except for his one Super Bowl win, he’s spent years in the broadcast industry prior to returning to the Raiders.  As for the present now with the Sixers I have long believed Doc is overrated as a coach.  I can acknowledge the coach has more basketball in his little finger than me, I can accept that fact. 

Despite a past as an NBA player and coach and now in his 4^th stop apart from 2008 coaching the Celtics what has he won?  As for the resume Doc’s won 943 games while losing 681 for a .581 winning percentage during the regular season.  In the playoffs the record is slightly different, his teams have registered 91 wins and 89 losses for a .506 percentage.  I will repeat this statement again about yours truly, I don’t hate Doc Rivers I don’t even dislike him.  Winning an NBA Championship is no barometer of success however we must have something to use as a measurement of success.  This I believe he is overrated as a coach, now as the new coach of the Sixers prove me wrong Doc. 

Keep in mind his name

His name is Ibou Dianko Badji, he’s an 18-year-old from Senegal and plays for Barcelona (Spain), Badji stands 7 foot 1 and checks in at 240 pounds.  If you are unfamiliar with his name that’s okay, he is listed on several NBA mock draft sites.  Will Badji be selected in 2021, we have no idea at this stage the draft always contains several surprises.  This you might find interesting, nbadraftroom.com list 14 centers in the draft and Badji is rated number 2. 

One mock site compares Badji to Dikembe Mutombo which is an unfair comparison for an 18-year-old youngster.  It’s difficult to provide ability from video alone but it appears Badji moves around the basket with power, he’s no back to the basket center either.  He’s extremely raw, it is possible Badji might be drafted and then allowed to continue play in Euro basketball further developing his game. 

Another year to play

“NCAA rule-makers previously voted to allow all spring sports athletes and fall sports athletes to maintain a year of eligibility, no matter what portion of their season was impacted by the pandemic.  The same rule will apply for any athlete who participates in a sport in the upcoming winter season.”  It will be interesting to see if there are athletes willing to invest in another year.  We could see this working out for football or basketball players who might believe they might not quite be ready for the NFL or NBA. 

The other L.A. team

Most of us were unsure at the beginning of the 2019-20 NBA season what to make of the Clippers.  On paper they appeared to have assembled the most talented roster in the NBA.  After first appearing to be headed for the Lakers talented Kawhi Leonard did an about face and decided the Clippers would be a better fit.  Not only did he decide in favor of the Clippers he managed to convince Paul George to accompany him to the other L.A. team.  With these two additions plus holdovers the Clippers appeared stacked, we know what occurred in the playoffs but what about 2020-21? 

Patrick Beverly for all his defensive prowess is sorely lacking offensively, he should be the reserve point over the starter.  In addition, Beverly is injury prone that’s the reason we heard whispers of Rajon Rondo (which didn’t occur).  Both Leonard and George (barring injury) must figure out a method to make an appearance on the court more frequently than last season, load management might have led to their ultimate downfall.  Montrezl Harrell wants to be paid, despite being honored as 6^th Man of the Year he turned out to be history with the Clippers which proved true.  Who becomes a starter, who takes on the reserve role and other particulars should be the first order of business for newly hired Coach Tyronn Lue? 

In the office season free agent Serge Ibaka and Luke Kennard were added recently in addition to draft choices.  The Clippers will be competitive once again, will they have enough to win a championship…that question remains open at present.  The Clippers gave up a great deal of talent to acquire Paul George, bunches of draft picks plus Dino Gallinari and budding talent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.  The Clippers are built as a win now team not in 2 or 3 years.  As for Kawhi consider this fact, the Raptors did not miss a beat once he left them.  Although there was no championship the Raptors earned a playoff berth, contrast that with LeBron.  Once LeBron leaves (Cavs, Heat) there is a downturn in play. 

Basketball from a fan perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday

Harbinger of Doom

Russell Westbrook left the Rockets for the Wizards in a trade for John Wall last week, this trade will be explored from the Wizards point.  Westbrook made it known immediately after the season he wanted a trade; he preferred the Knicks however that didn’t work out.  Now the question becomes will the Wizards receive the Russell Westbrook witnessed in his lone Rockets season or the 2016-17 winner of the NBA’s MVP Award.  Many athletes are stubborn, they believe they have all the answers and become set in their approach to the game. 

No athlete fits that statement more than Westbrook, we’ve witnessed his game change and not for the better, teams began to adjust defending him.  They turned the hard driving Westbrook into a jump shooter and that became the problem.  We saw evidence of this in the Rockets playoff loss to the Lakers, it was brick after brick.  The problem became even worst at the 3-point and free-throw line.  Westbrook will be reunited with Scott Brooks his former coach with the Thunder, that should aid his adjustment to the Wizards.  Westbrook must blend his game with Bradley Beal and other Wizard teammates.  This story is unfinished at this point, we must wait for the season to see how this plays out. 

He may be past his prime

Prior to the Rockets hire of Stephen Silas the team was searching for a replacement of the departed Mike D’Antoni.  Among the names we heard mentioned was long-time NBA analyst and former Coach Jeff Van Gundy.  It seemed rather odd at the time since Van Gundy had once been employed by the Rockets but fired.  Different ownership in place back then, perhaps Tilman Fertitta who purchased the team in 2017 believed the hire of Van Gundy might be a good choice. 

We have no way to document this statement however it certainly sounds viable.  Tony Kornheiser on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption made this statement on Friday while discussing the James Hardin situation.  “The owner (Tilman Fertitta) wanted Jeff Van Gundy however the players vetoed that choice.”  Van Gundy certainly knows his basketball however it’s quite possible this generation of athlete is not enamored with the prospect of playing for Van Gundy.  

Check out the mirror

Doc Rivers has never been a favorite of mine, I don’t hate him it’s just my belief he is overrated.  I’ve long believed his reputation as a coach exceeds the results on his resume.  Despite this fact he’s not to blame for every bad thing that occurs in one’s life…hear that Paul George?  For unexplained reasons as the 2020-21 NBA season is about to begin, we hear from the Clippers forward.  Without going into a great bit of detail George points a finger at Rivers for the team losing in the playoffs against the Nuggets. 

As stated earlier the coach certainly must absorb a portion of the blame for his team losing, that coach especially at the NBA level is limited by his players listening to instruction and then attempting to implement it.  The Clippers underwhelmed in the 2020 playoffs but is it all Rivers fault?  Okay George, I will go along for the ride…with 100% being the topmost figure how much responsibility of a playoff series loss rests at the foot of the coach?  At the NBA level let’s say the coach is responsible for up to 40-45%, what about the balance?  Reserve players probably another 10-15%, the balance of % represents the starters including one named Paul George.  The college game is different in the NBA it’s a player’s league, they need to check out the mirror and not justify shortcomings by pointing fingers. 

It’s easy to see why

We cannot always see the future clearly; despite this fact it is somewhat clear for a few.  There are college basketball players who despite being in their freshman year have demonstrated early their ceiling is NOT the college game.  Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Conference was placed on probation and the belief existed for an instance 5-star prospect Cade Cunningham might head elsewhere.  No, no he was in for the long haul or at least through his freshman year at OSU.  By the time you read this his numbers might have dipped slightly.  The 6-foot 8 shooting guard is scoring at 18.7 points and nearly 7 rebounds and 3 assists per game shooting 51.3% from the floor. He’s aided OSU to a solid 3-0 start to its season and is projected a lottery pick. 

In the southwest portion of the nation at Arizona State we’ve witnessed another fireball freshman.  He’s named Josh Christopher and he’s a 6-foot 5 shooting guard is scoring at nearly 19 points and close to 5 rebounds a game.  He’s shooting 60% from the floor and 80% from the 3-point line, as for his draft stock he’s projected to be a lottery pick…surprise, surprise.  Gonzaga is always a winner, this early season they are ranked number one in the nation.  One of the keys to their success is another freshman, point guard Jalen Suggs.  He is a point guard first distributing the ball at a 6.3 assist per game, his scoring 13.3 points along with nearly 5 rebounds and 57% shooting. 

Finally, we close with the name of Evan Mobley who is a Southern Cal forward.  Those profiled previously are guards Mobley is a 7-footer who checks in at a slim 215 pounds.  Despite his rather thin frame he too has begun his freshman year rather smoothly, he is scoring at 16.5 points a game along with 8.5 rebounds a game.  Mobley is shooting 61% from the floor and a whopping 40% from the 3-point line, the only downside is his work at the line, 63.6% requires improvement.  As we progress into the season there are others who will come to the forefront.  This list by no means should be considered complete, this short piece likely omits several outstanding freshmen so be on the lookout for those missing from the account.