Basketball from a fans perspective

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“He only shot 66.7% from the line”

If your teammate shot at the rate above you’d probably say it was a little above average. That figure represents Victor Wembanyama’s FT shooting Wednesday evening against the Wizards. As for the balance of his box score he was en Fuego from the floor. It was 50 points scored, Wemby wasn’t just jacking up shots in 32 minutes it was 62.1% from the floor with 50% shooting from the 3P line. There were 8 3P baskets scored by the tall one.

Wemby’s scoring outburst led to the 139-130 victory over the Wizards. With this game total at 20 years of age he becomes the 4th youngest player in NBA history to score 50 or more points. Despite his wealth of talent scoring the basketball there are a few critics of his game. ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins has been one of those voices, after this game he backed off a bit. Perkins indicated his belief Wemby should develop his game in the paint. I’ve never seen a player with Wemby’s height (7 foot 4) handle the ball in the manner he does. It’s not just offensively the blocked shot he scored on Domantas Sabonis was a thing of beauty. Rather than attempting to describe it video evidence is far more conclusive, check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFqTa4_I5oA

The difference

A portion of this is from Basketball Network.com, you must be over age 50 or a student of the game to agree. Hall of Fame player Rick Barry was discussing the difference between The Big O, Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook. This is the Barry statement, “Westbrook is trying to get triple-doubles.” This is my take on the Barry statement, Robertson’s triple-doubles were accomplished within the framework of the game. On the other hand Westbrook’s game was tailored toward the goal of a triple double, I intend to cite one example of the past I saw firsthand.

This incident occurred during a period Westbrook and Steven Adams were teammates on the Thunder. I’m unsure what stage the game was in however I saw this with my own two eyes. The opposing team took a shot which bounced off the goal, 6 foot 11 365 pound Adams moved from his position which allowed the 6 foot 4 200 pound Westbrook to snag the rebound. A defender claimed, “Adams did this in order for Westbrook to initiate the Thunder offense.” I cannot offer a counter argument, however, that certainly didn’t appear to be the case. Several of you reading this might be accusing me of hating Westbrook but that is not the case.

A Blue Blood Classic

Tuesday night in the State Farm Classic in Atlanta it was two blue blood programs Duke versus Kentucky. This would become my second opportunity to see Cooper Flagg in action. Earlier I caught a brief portion of Duke against Maine however most of the game was almost over by the time I realized it was on television. Last week against Army doesn’t really count because Flagg spent much of the second half on the bench with leg cramps. I had November 12 circled, to detail the seriousness of this game I skipped an NBA game to view this one.

By now I’m sure Flagg is accustomed to having the media spotlight on him. In addition he’s got a target on him from opposing players, they want to beat the reported top draft pick in the 2025 NBA draft. What I’ve read and briefly witnessed the 17-year old Flagg plays an all-around game, based on this fact I was looking for his defense, assist totals and interaction with his teammates. The first half saw Duke hold a 46 to 37 lead, Flagg scored 12 points along with 4 rebounds due primarily to foul trouble with two being called on him. The second half of the game Kentucky came roaring back, Flagg made his best effort although the final score would read Kentucky 77 Duke 72. The box score for Flagg read like this, 26 points along with 12 rebounds and two blocked shots. That was the upside to his game, he committed two turnovers at crunch time.

Flagg wasn’t responsible alone for the loss however the TO’s did impact the final score of the game as time expired. Perhaps it was a case of Flagg trying to do too much, he said afterwards he appreciated his coach having trust in him at the end. In closing this note by the ESPN broadcast team indicated there were 70 NBA GM’s and scouts in attendance at this game. I certainly make no claim regarding my ability to project play at the next level, however 6 foot 9 205 pound Cooper Flagg looks as though he might be the real deal.

The Joker

I’ve watched Nikola Jokic a.k.a. “The Joker” a number of times over the course of his NBA career. I marvel at the fact he manages to impact the game despite the fact at times he appears to be rather mechanical in his moves around the basket. Despite what might appear to be a complaint, on my part it is actually a compliment. He’s been an NBA champion and champion MVP…but wait there’s more. The Joker has been named MVP of the NBA three times (2021, 2022, 2024). On Sunday evening his Nuggets faced a tough Mavs team at home, the match was won by the Nuggets 122-120.

They might not have won the game if The Joker hadn’t filled up the box score with some amazing numbers. 37 points along with 18 rebounds and 15 assists, the assist total really stands out for me for several reasons. A number of point/combo guards don’t have numbers anywhere near what this 6 foot 11 284 pound Big Man registered. Understand this, the NBA season is less than two weeks old however he’s clearly a leader. The Joker leads the league in rebounds (13.7) and assists (11.7), the latter is clearly in the realm of a point/combo guard. We can laugh at The Joker’s mechanics but he manages to lead his team to victory, in addition he probably wants to prove last season’s playoff loss was an anomaly.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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How hot you ask

The daytime temp on our nearest neighbor the planet Venus is 462 degrees Celsius (864 degrees Fahrenheit). Guess what I just read, there is little difference between the daytime and nighttime temperature. The Cleveland Cavs are not that hot only slightly below, on Monday evening they won game number 12, they have not lost a game since the season has begun. How its done, “teamwork makes the dream work,” of course it’s much more involved than simply rolling the ball on the court. This start is the most in the NBA since the 2015-16 Warriors who streak out to a 24-0 record, they finished the season 73-9 setting a record. This Cavs team is led by guard Donovan Mitchell and his 23.7 ppg average but leading the way from the bench is coach Kenny Atkinson who’s had a couple of stops in the NBA. Is this regular season Cavs or playoff Cavs, that is yet to be determined.

No, he’s not there yet

A .com site named The Bounce posed the question in this manner, “Is Anthony Edwards the next Steph Curry?” The account detailed how Ant Man is shooting three’s at an increasing number, at the same time he’s not just jacking up shots. His shot from distance is at an outstanding percentage, the question is that enough? For me it’s a No, he’s not there…yet. Before I began a comparison I wish to look at the detail of an athletes complete game. Over the course of his career Curry has been such a prolific shooter as it tends to blind us to other aspects of his game, I certainly plead guilty. An early season game would see Curry not shooting effectively at the beginning of the game so what did he do?

He began to skillfully pass the ball to teammates aiding their scoring thus leading to a win for his Dubs. What did I do, consult the latest stats to help prove my point. Leaving the scoring out of the equation we discover in 7 games Curry is dishing out 6.3 assists a game, that’s good if we add in his scoring. There is no disagreement Ant Man is an amazing talent what about the other stuff? In 10 games he’s played thus far his assist number is 3.8 a game, certainly a respectable number. I know what you are saying I’m comparing a point guard (Curry) to a shooting guard which is true however I didn’t begin this comparison The Bounce did.

Playing the point

I wrote of the Spurs game recently that Chris Paul was in action, he is the last. No, it’s got nothing to do with his age although just like LeBron he’s also 39. We’ve discussed the change in basketball over the years and there are a number we could point toward. The decline of post play, the emphasis on 3 point shooting and the disappearance of the true point guard. All NBA rosters today contain point guards however do they fit the role of Bob Cousy, Lenny Wilkens plus many others of the past? The Dubs have Steph Curry, in Indiana there is Tyrese Haliburton…Thunder fans love the play of Shai-Gilgeous Alexander.

SGA as he's nicknamed is the best combo guard in the NBA today. Is Jamal Murray or D’Lo point guards in the traditional sense…I’ll answer with an emphatic NO. The key difference as I see it is the combo guard looking for his shot as much as passing the basketball. In the days of Cousy and Wilkens the responsibility of a point guard was to sit up a team’s offense. Don’t misunderstand or believe this is a complaint, rather it’s a compliment on the change. A number of point guards in the 1950’s couldn’t throw the ball in the ocean. This was not their fault it was the manner the game was played in those days. I’d rather have 5 on 5 play rather than 4 on 4 strictly due to the offensive capability.

Why now…not then 

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are in the Naismith Hall of Fame, Pierce is also in the College Basketball HOF as well, that offers proof of their ability. What about prior to the NBA you might ask, well Pierce attended classes at Kansas for three years and decided to head for the NBA. As for Garnett he was one of the few that headed for the NBA immediately after high school. The route utilized by Garnett is no longer available, we have the 1 year rule after high school to adhere to. Where am I going with this rant, back to Garnett and Pierce, especially Garnett.

*“Some of these kids I’m watching now, I’m like, ‘They don’t need to go to college.’ He (Cooper Flagg) didn’t. AJ Dybantsa…he’s another problem right now. Why we waiting’?” For those unfamiliar with his name the 6 foot 9 200 pound Dybantsa is the top prospect for 2025 on everyone’s prospect website. Although I agree with both Garnett and Pierce there are elements that state it ain’t gonna occur. The first and most formidable is the NBAPA i.e., players association. Every time the issue of allowing high school players in the draft the union has expressed opposition to a change in the present policy. There is no disagreement with them on the matter, if they believe these youngsters are NBA ready then it is possible they are.

*nbaonclutchpoints.com

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Great game but…..

Wemby’s Spurs came up short against the Jazz 111-110 on Saturday afternoon. Despite that fact the youngster had a monster game but indirectly he might have been a contributing factor in the loss. The positives, 24 points (53.3%) and 66.7% from three (6 threes sunk) shooting along with 16 rebounds 100% from the line and 7 blocked shots. The blocks provide us proof that Wemby’s game is not all offense, he competes effectively on both ends of the court.

As for the bad, the 6 turnovers Wemby registered and the issue is simple. Viewing the game from my family room it appeared some of the turnovers Wemby had might have been avoided if he'd only been a bit more careful with the ball. I don’t wish to sound too critical of Wemby because I’m solidly in his corner, in addition he’s still adjusting to NBA play. I love the fact that Wemby arrived on these shores from France determined to succeed at the highest level of basketball…the NBA. As an armchair coach I’d like to see him utilize his height and skill on the block more, he might not have a weight advantage but after all he is 7 feet 4 inches tall.

This was my first opportunity to see this new version of the Spurs in action. Despite his age Chris Paul remains proficient enough to play the facilitator role effectively for the Spurs despite the fact he didn’t shoot well in this game. Harrison Barnes late of the Kings should aid the cause but most of all missing is the coach. Gregg Popovich can’t play for them however his absence due to illness impacts Wemby’s development, he is sure his coach will return soon although there’s been nothing official.

Abbreviation 

I have no intention to speak for the world, I have no working knowledge of any foreign language. For me it’s American only, it’s not English folks. There was a term once used which I’m going to borrow, We don’t speak the king’s English in America. I have knowledge of a few words and phrases in Spanish, French and German that’s about it. As for abbreviations I believe America might lead the world, especially in the sports world. I’m going to provide just a few examples why one might become confused reading the score of a basketball game. If I wrote ASU topped its rival on the basketball court would it be Arizona State University or is it Abilene State University?

In this portion of the country if I used KSU folks around here believe I would be referring to Kansas State University, those in Georgia might think the acronym stands for Kennesaw State University. MSU could reference Michigan State University or Montana State University, you see what I’m describing? Finally I’m going to close with this OU, am I referring to Oklahoma University or Ohio University, both could be used and are correct. Of course this is strictly an exercise, depending on which portion of the country you live in sports fans understand the abbreviations sometimes. For years I would read UMBC and had no clue where the school was located, it’s the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. My curiosity finally caused me to Google the name. I leave you with this, Americans love acronym’s for the word?

Bits n Pieces of information

A term from the past might be journeyman, that’s the mantra of an athlete whose played for several teams. We might use the term to describe Andre Drummond now with the Sixers, they become the number 7 or 8 team he’s played for one of them twice. He is in the starting lineup now due to Joel Embiid’s absence however did you know? Drummond at 6 foot 11 and 279 pounds is one of the most prolific rebounders in NBA history. Among active players only LeBron James eclipses him in career rebounds that’s it. His 10,757 rebounds and counting places him ahead of several past NBA greats. At age 31 he should have a number of quality years remaining whether it’s as a starter or in a reserve role.

Hey, all reading this Kansas City has officially made the big time, no its not the Chiefs, Royals, Sporting KC or Current I speak of? In this instance I am addressing the University of MO-Kansas City now officially the Kansas City Roos. The Roos have played major D-I schools in the past however tonight’s game is a first I believe. They will play the Cyclones of Iowa State and the game will be a national telecast available on ESPN+. Iowa State is ranked the number 25 team in the nation so it certainly has major overtones. In any event it appears veteran coach Marvin Menzies has Kansas City on the move.

Don’t try this at home, it could prove far too difficult for several of you. This past Friday I watched a portion of the Duke-Army game, then I switched channels to take in the KU-Carolina game for a time. The Duke game began at 5:00 and KU was at 6:00 Central time so you can see they overlapped. Near the midway portion of the KU game I changed the channel once again this time to check on the Thunder-Rockets and stayed with that game until close to 9:00. At that point I change channels once again this time to see my Lakers in action against the Sixers. I almost forgot, Mizzou and Howard played on ESPN+, I had to track that score on my iPhone. I admit, it would be impossible for most people to watch basketball with me. In case you wondered this routine doesn’t exist all the time during the season.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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We just don’t know

Even NBA draft experts don’t always have a clue, they have no idea if it’s a good or bad draft until 4-5 years later. Last June the 2024 version was considered “weak” in some circles…as I said we just don’t know right away. The most interesting aspect to date and it’s still early is rookie Zach Edey. I’ve mentioned on more than one occasion after declaring for the 2023 draft scouts advised him to return to Purdue. The 7-4 300 pound Edey probably had elements of his game that needed work, so he went back to school and labored on them.

This time last year mock draft sites had him chosen in the middle of the second round, some excluded his name all together. Seeing him play even during his junior year no one would mistake him for the second coming of Kareem or Shaq but he possessed potential. Edey was chosen early in the first round by the Grizzlies with the number 9 pick. His 11.1 ppg and 7 assists a game are not going to wow anyone however he’s clearly demonstrated his potential. Edey’s already had a career 25 point 12 rebound game since his NBA debut. It would be quite interesting if in May Edey is named Rookie of the Year over several higher touted players.

All American

Once upon a time it didn’t matter if it was football or basketball the term All-American carried a large degree of prestige with it. In the past we used it as a guideline to an athletes potential success as a professional. Nowadays it fails to hold the glory of years past. Despite this fact All American remains important to some and one is Jay Bilas. Bilas longtime college basketball analyst for ESPN released his All American list and one name might be a surprise. Bilas included Cooper Flagg on his first team, interesting since Flagg is yet to officially play his first game. As for the others Bilas added the names:

Center Hunter Dickinson-Kansas

Center Ryan Kalkbrenner-Creighton

Guard/Forward Cooper Flagg-Duke

Guard Mark Sears-Alabama

Guard RJ Davis-UNC

Some other notes of interest, Bilas places senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster of Grand Canyon on his second team. Grand Canyon competed on the NAIA level however they began Division I play in the 2013-14 season. They have appeared in the NCAA Tournament three times most recently in 2024. As for Gren-Foster I believe he might be the first athlete from this school accorded All-America honors by anyone. Also included on Bilas’s fourth team is Ace Bailey at Rutgers who similar to Flagg and is also a freshman. Check out his other selections but I will close with this, Jay Bilas is one of those basketball voices of logic and a member of the media I value for college basketball judgement.     

Where to begin

You are about to become the owner of an NBA franchise. You have the opportunity to choose any present day player, who do you choose? Well if we look at NBA GM’s their choice was overwhelmingly in favor of one athlete. 77% of them chose Victor Wembanyama, Shai-Gilgeous Alexander and Nikola Jokic were tied for second with 10% of the vote while Luka Doncic was at 3%. This report is enlightening if we remember back to the spring of 2023 shortly before the draft.

Although Wemby was listed as the top pick on multiple draft sites the skeptics informed us they weren’t quite sure. That’s understandable, for every Anthony Bennett (2013 NBA draft, 1 pick) there’s been a Nikola Jokic (2014 NBA draft 2nd round 41st pick). The Spurs last NBA championship occurred in 2014, provided the help is added it just might be possible Wemby leads the Spurs to their next championship. In closing I pose this question, who wins a championship first Wemby or SGA? Based on age alone I would have voted as the GM’s SGA would have been my second choice, he is an ever rising NBA star. 

Hmmmmm!

If you reside within a 100 mile radius of Lawrence Kansas please avoid reading this. According to a bevy of CBS panelist Bill Self at Kansas is no longer the top coach in college basketball. Who is that you might ask, it’s UConn’s Dan Hurley. As they often say don’t throw rocks at me I’m just the messenger, who are these heretics who dare issue such a proclamation moving Self from his perch? Better yet why not read David Cobb’s October 24 column?

“College basketball coach rankings: UConn’s Dan Hurley bumps Kansas’ Bill Self for No 1 in Top 25 And 1 poll.” I will save a number of you, the main reason these panelists have come to the conclusion is outcome. Hurley’s UConn team has won two consecutive NCAA championships, as for Self’s Jayhawks they have lost in the second round of the tournament twice after winning it all in 2022. There are other considerations, as mentioned earlier those in and around Lawrence Kansas will not appreciate this panel of 7.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Big Game

James Worthy is one of the Lakers’ greatest players, he was one of the keys to the Showtime Lakers of the ‘80’s. After his retirement Big Game James as he was nicknamed would be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. Worthy was given the tag because it seemed whenever the Lakers had an important or Big Game he almost always performed well. The history how the Lakers acquired the 6 foot 9 Worthy is a story in itself, after all they were already a good team when he was acquired.

Truth is in 1982 (the Worthy draft) the Lakers had won 57 games during the regular season they concluded by winning the NBA championship. Yesterday you read a portion of the history why Ted Stepien of the Cavs was the worst owner in NBA history, sorrier than Donald Sterling. In 1979 the Lakers acquired the Cavs number one pick in a trade that resulted in the Lakers choosing Big Game James Worthy. Although this exchange was made prior to the later imposed “Stepien Rule” it provides evidence of how miss-managed the Cavs organization had become under this owner. It’s unclear how scouting was conducted at the time however Worthy must have been at the top of everyone’s list of talent in 1982. Can you imagine this series of events, one of the best college players in the nation being selected by a team that already contained Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Bob McAdoo to name just a few on the roster. 

You cannot make this stuff up, it occurred. This is but one more example why NBA owners were assured someone other than Stepien should be the owner of the Cleveland franchise. Fans don’t support losing teams and attendance began to suffer, with that Stepien threatened (his prerogative) to move the team several times. He said publicly “the NBA had too many black players and not enough white ones, the league should be more balanced.” It was not as much what he said it was the manner he said it.

NIL

The headline has become familiar to those of us who follow college basketball. It’s Name, Image & Likeness…simply stated college and now high school players can earn income. The days of most college athletes lacking finances no longer exists provided they have a NIL contract in hand. For a number of old timers this is the dawn of a new day, the line between amateur and professional athletes has become very much blurred in the 21st Century. This is only an observation but NIL and the transfer portal have impacted college coaching.

Several high profile basketball coaches have retired over the last 2-3 years due to these twin reasons. The latest beneficiary of NIL is the top rated college prospect for 2025 AJ Dybantsa, he’s a 6 foot 9 200 pound forward. Dybantsa at Utah Prep recently signed a $4 million deal with the Nike brand. I’m going to raise an issue and this is the example. Kansas is an Adidas school, if Dybantsa played for the Jayhawks would he be able to wear his Nike apparel. The latter portion is speculation, the Nike contract is for real and to my understanding Dybantsa is the first high school talent to secure such an agreement.

He’s activated

If you are a member of Laker Nation you realize a fact. The Lakers need a Big Man (besides AD), as this is written I’m unsure if there is a trade involved, a free agent signing (Dwight Howard) or someone else. Although he appears raw and untested could that Big Man be Christan Koloko? Tuesday evening came the announcement Koloko had been activated, this is certainly much sooner than this member of Laker Nation expected.

What does he bring to the table, I’m happy you asked the question. As a reminder Koloko from Cameroon stands 7 feet in height and weighs 230 pounds but it’s the other thing he possesses. Koloko has a 7 foot 5.25 inch wingspan which places him near the top of current NBA players. Of course the Spurs Victor Wembanyama’s 8 foot wingspan is number one. I’ve never witnessed Koloko in action so he becomes a work in progress. Expect to see him in the Laker lineup over the next few weeks as JJ Redick moves him into the ensemble of the team. (He played last night against the Sixers briefly). 

Revisionist history

Some of you reading this might remember the late Tex Winter, this longtime head coach served as an assistant to Phil Jackson with the Bulls and Lakers. You might remember the triangle offense employed by both teams, Winter didn’t invent it but was responsible for incorporating it into the NBA. Now that’s out of the way the subject at hand Patrick Ewing. I am unsure why this 1998 interview in Slam Magazine is being highlighted in 2024, nothing changes except the thought.

It’s Winter’s view the Knicks utilized Ewing in not the most effective manner to help the team. Winter claims the center became the focal point for the offense when it should have been in another area. *“They utilized him on the post as a scorer more than anything else, and he could have been more effective if they had concentrated on him being more of a feeder and a rebounder. The team has not been as effective as it should be with a dominant center like that, but I don’t know if that’s Patrick’s fault. He’s not the coach.” Some might remember at Georgetown that was primarily the role Ewing played, his offensive game was limited. So all these years later in the words of Tex Winter the Knicks failed to utilize Ewing in an effective manner from his viewpoint. To hear this from a distinct perspective I did this.

I have a friend from New York now living in KC, I contacted him with the Tex Winter account. These are the thoughts and words of David. “Tex is a shmuck. You know, it’s great that he produced the triangle offense, but keep in mind that didn’t go into effect until Phil Jackson instituted it in the 90’s. Pat (Ewing) was the #1 draft pick, completely dominant for 4 years, and when he came to the Knicks, he wasn’t the focal point…Bernard King was and then even after that he and Bill Cartwright were sharing the spot as the twin towers.” As you can see my friend has a completely different view over that expressed by Tex Winter.  

*Slam Magazine

No NBA TV?

Each professional sport has branched out creating its own network. The NFL operates the NFL Network, for baseball it’s MLB Network, even hockey has the NHL Network. The NBA has NBA TV for now, it might not exist at some date in the future. No, the NBA is not going away however the channel that provides game updates, draft information and nostalgia programming might be forced to cease operations. The network is operated by Warner Brothers Discovery, by now you are aware beginning in the 2025-26 season will see new broadcast members.

Among the missing will certainly be TNT and possibly NBA TV. There are factors at work which a few years ago would be unimaginable just a brief time ago. According to reports viewership numbers have been sliding for the past few years with no explanation. NBA TV is a source for me for a select number of games, under the new broadcast agreement a smaller number of games will be available with the leagues new deal with ESPN, NBC and Amazon. This is me talking (or typing), I cannot imagine the NBA not operating NBA TV in some method once the agreement becomes official next season.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Hotter than fish grease

As this is written Cleveland is meteor hot, the 9-0 record is even better than the defending champion Celtics. This is the now, let’s travel back in time even before LeBron. It was the 1981-82 season, that Cavs team was so horrible fans replaced Cavaliers with Cadavers. The blame can be laid at the feet of then owner Ted Stepien, even all these years later he is counted as the worst NBA owner ever. A few younger readers might believe the honor belonged to Donald Sterling at the time he owned the Clippers.

Stepien was light years ahead of Sterling based on his actions while owner of the team. That Cadavers Cavs team had 4 head coaches in one season and all were fired by owner Stepien, one of those coaches fired was Chuck Daley who much later was made a Naismith Hall of Fame honoree. Daley would be hired by the Pistons and eventually lead them to an NBA championship. Just in case you have a question about the won-loss record it was 15 wins and 67 losses. Stepien created so much turmoil the NBA placed a rule in effect due to the owner.

“At one point, the Cavs had traded away five consecutive first-round picks, covering 1982 until 1985. The NBA thereafter instituted the “Stepien Rule,” which states that a team (usually) cannot trade its first-round pick in consecutive years.” I can offer you NO PROOF but in a manner that would later befall Sterling the NBA asked Stepien to sell the team. This is but a brief history of the worst NBA team in the leagues history thanks to its owner the late Ted Stepien.

“Sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you”

My early assessment of the Dubs have proven me wrong, I swung and missed big time thus far. Dubs missed the playoffs last season, beaten by the Kings in the Play-in. The Lakers DID earn a playoff berth but were eliminated by the Nuggets. Understand this, at the beginning of the 2024-25 season I placed the Warriors and Lakers at the same place, middle of the pack teams. After the hot start by the Warriors and the fact they managed to beat the hot defending champion Celtics at home (118-112) I wonder how I could have been so off in my early prediction.

As for the final score the game was no blow out win for the Warriors but certainly not as close as the final score reads. The NBA season has barely begun however the Warriors certainly appear to be a much better team thus far than my Lakers. The issue might be coaching as much as the assembled teams. JJ Redick is new and if he’s the right fit its going to take time. On the other hand the Dubs have steady Steve Kerr at the helm and 36-year old Steph Curry. In the early portion of the game Curry’s shooting was a bit off yet he was able to effectively distribute the rock. At the end he was 27 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals on 47.1% shooting from the floor. The Western Conference standings have the Warriors tied for first with a 7-1 mark.

A strange tale indeed

Headed into Wednesday night’s action the Sixers have totaled 1 win versus 5 losses. Joel Embiid has been sidelined for the 6 games played but wait there is more to this tale indeed. The Sixers have been fined $100,000 after president of basketball operations Daryl Morey announced Paul George and Joel Embiid would be held out of back to back games. The basis for the fine is the Sixers would be in violation of the NBA’s Player Participation Policy.

This rule is aimed at keeping big name players on the court. Later Embiid would have an altercation with a Philly writer in the team’s locker room. The fight was over a story the reporter had written about Embiid’s late brother. For the scuffle Embiid had with the reporter the NBA suspended him for 3 games. You cannot make this stuff up, imagine this scenario. Player Embiid suspended from playing in a game despite the fact he’s been unable to play anyway due to being injured and in recovery.      

Fact plus opinion

Off the Dribble is full of facts and sometimes opinions, on those occasions when opinion is provided I attempt to back it up with fact. That approach works for me not so much for sports radio guy, I’ll provide you an example. As this is written on Wednesday for Friday publication this is the fact. Mizzou played and was defeated by Memphis at FedEx Arena in Memphis, opinions are one thing, facts is facts. This is the speech one local radio host; “Mizzou lost to Memphis last night. This is going to be a repeat of last season (8-24) as they begin 0-2. It’s possible UMKC (Kansas City) makes the NCAA tourney before Mizzou.”

There is so much wrong with radio guys statement, I’m going to take it apart bit by bit. First off the Memphis game was the first game, they will have not played their second game until November 8. The problem for me is him disparaging the program without offering one shred of evidence other than his opinion. If I were a betting person I’d place large sums to money this guy has no clue about anything related to college basketball. Whenever I point these things out the younger members of my place of employment have a simple answer for me. It’s all about click’s i.e., how many subscribers or listeners can you retain. This one is near the top in stuff that’s simply an opinion and not fact. 

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Stuff I don’t understand

A bunch of things exist we have no comprehension or understanding of the purpose, ESPN’s laid one on me. I could simply ignore it but the question is what’s the intention? For years it seems the worldwide leader has included +/- in their NBA box scores. Allow a further explanation, I knew ahead of time the Spurs lost the game against the Clippers. I decided to check Wemby’s numbers and was amazed that he recorded 9 blocked shots in the game and then it occurred.

At the end of his total was -21, what the heck was that about was my first thought, this is the ESPN explanation. “+/- denotes team’s net points while the player is on the court.” What am I missing here, Gary Payton II scored two points in the Warriors victory over the Wizards for the game his +/- was +4. I am going to ask a few co-workers who like me might be confused by ESPN’s method of assessing a players contribution to the game. On the other hand I could check a few other sites or simply ignore that portion of ESPN’s box.  

Too soon?

Duke’s Cooper Flagg is but 17-years old, you remember he reclassified and technically should be in his senior year of high school. As for the game the 6 foot 9 shooting guard/forward played his first official game Monday night against Maine. The Blue Devils beat Maine 96-62 thanks in part to the game Flagg played, he wasn’t his team’s high scorer preferring to defer his game to teammates. Check this out as he filled the box, 18 points on 6-15 shooting which included 7 rebounds 5 assists and 3 steals.

This effort represented the first regular season game for Flagg, in addition with such a lopsided win I’m unsure the strength of Maine. I declared him “ready for the NBA” however Keenan warned me this is far to early to make that type of declaration. Sometimes I witness play by a prospect and tend to believe “he’s on his way to an outstanding career.” Is Flagg ready for the NBA after all he’s only played a single college game but it appears he’s ready for play at the next level. Check ESPN, Fox Sports and the ACC if you desire to see him in action prior to the NBA.

Nobody knew

This is written November 4, 2024, however this bit of news is just now coming to the forefront. Boston Celtic forward Jayson Tatum says, “I was disappointed the Lakers didn’t draft me.” I was so confused for a minute I had to re-check the 2017 NBA draft history because I just didn’t remember. There it was, smacked me right in the face. The Lakers had the second pick in 2017, they chose Lonzo Ball, the next pick belonged to the Celtics who chose Tatum.

Can I say the Lakers swung and missed on this pick, no doubt Ball possessed talent but this news certainly causes me to ponder “What if.” Of course Ball was exchanged in a trade that brought AD to the Lakers. In 2020 the Lakers won it all in the bubble thanks in part to AD, last season the Celtics won the championship but this is the disparity. Tatum has an opportunity to win several more for the Celtics. Ball’s NBA career is on a thread, if he returned to the Lakers a championship might be possible but not likely. Much as this Laker fan hates to admit it the Celtics clearly won in 2017 and just might continue to win into the future for a time.

You know my saying don’t you…

Without checking I’m unsure who first said it, “I’m from Missouri, you’ve got to Show Me.” I just finished reading a Laker fan website article on Christian Wood. As you are aware surgery has prevented him from playing early season games, it appears his time is a late October early November appearance. I certainly don’t wish to appear negative but I was disappointed by what he exhibited on the court last season. The prior season the 6 foot 8 214 pound Wood had been a sparkplug for the Mavs in the playoffs, in his first for the Lakers I was not impressed by what I saw.

This season there is a different mindset, Wood says he intends to play with a vengeance. Was I expecting too much, perhaps the rotation pattern of the departed Ham didn’t allow Wood to play at his peak. In any event it appears JJ Redick is excited with the prospect of Wood returning to the lineup. Reddick indicates Wood’s game adds a different flavor to the mix. In any event I sure hope the coach is correct because the numbers in Dallas led me to believe the Lakers had signed a stud. What I saw this past season stud might have been changed to dud. In closing I would say to Wood, come one guy prove me wrong.

It's okay you can laugh

While researching I came across this jewel, someone produced the First Team All Name team for college basketball 2024-25. I checked the roster of Rhode Island to make sure no one was playing a joke on me. In addition we are months ahead of April 1 so they must be true, with that said here goes:

Always Wright-guard Rhode Island

Po Boigh King-guard NC Central

Gob Gob-guard Kansas City

Supreme Cook-forward Oregon

Kai Yu-center Liberty

Tennessee Rainwater-guard/forward Utah Tech 

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It begins tonight

Are you ready, college basketball begins tonight with a slate of games scheduled throughout the nation. Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, Florida and Alabama are just a few of the schools beginning play. The early portion of the season those above and others generally play a light schedule. Up till now the opposition has been scrimmages against other roster members, now they face real opposition beginning now. Later Kansas will be matched against North Carolina and Duke, Kentucky will also play North Carolina and afterwards it’s Purdue. These games and others will be played before conference play begins business-like in January.

Attention-grabbing 

I’ve mentioned this previously, research has allowed me to stumble onto stories on more than one occasion. What you are about to read is one of those instances. I have no idea how good (or bad) Cal basketball will be for the upcoming season. Despite my statement they likely have a roster containing a few athletes with renown family members. Some reading this might remember Peja Stojakovic, he was a sharpshooting forward for the Kings who spent the bulk of his career during the team’s most successful years to date. Peja has a son on the Cal team, Andrej who is a 6 foot 7 205 pound guard.

I’m sure Cal fans hope Andrej shoots the rock like his dad. Moving on from there also on the roster is Hugh Vandeweghe a 6 foot 7 215 pound forward, his family connection is Uncle Kiki. Kiki first played at UCLA before beginning his NBA career play for several teams. Stephon Marbury II is a 6 foot 1 170 pound point guard, his father Stephon Sr. after playing at Georgia Tech was a member of quite a few NBA teams. The father left the NBA in 2010 and journeyed to China where he became a legendary player in the Chinese Basketball Association. There are likely other basketball programs with similar connections, I thought this story might be noteworthy for some.

He's got goals

During my work career I’ve always been encouraged to set goals. The purpose I believe is to establish a plan which over time will lead to success. In the instance you are about to read it is goal setting however it certainly is a slight bit different. The Warriors Draymond Green has been an integral part of the success of the team over time. Green has long been a source of technical fouls, these have often led to a victory by the opposition.

The NBA doesn’t actually track them however ESPN claims Green has received double-digit techs in each of the last 10 seasons. After your reading check this portion out, “I’m gonna have less than 10 technical fouls this year,” Green said. “I might even make a decision to keep it even less than eight, but I’ve got to make a conscious decision and I don’t even know if I want to keep it at eight. But I’m definitely going to have less than 10."  That's it, his explanation. 

There is no need

You might remember a Top 10 NBA draft pick purchasing a home or a vehicle for his family be it mom or mom and dad. That’s done after signing that first check that says, “welcome you have arrived.” That scenario might play out for a number of 2025 NBA draft picks but not Cooper Flagg. The Duke freshman has been conducting business prior to him being possibly the number one draft choice in 2025. As you are aware Name, Image and Likeness has changed the college landscape significantly.

In late summer you read Flagg signed a shoe and apparel deal with New Balance. Although the company is not on the level of Nike, Air Jordan or Adidas having Cooper endorse their apparel should raise their name in the marketplace. In late October Gatorade made the announcement, they signed Flagg to their brand. In both instances the dollar amount of these agreements is not mentioned, despite the fact we have no idea of the financial arrangement of either they are likely significant. Although he’s certainly not at the level of Patrick Mahomes we could see the number of commercials and guess the amount of money Flagg could potentially earn in the future with a good management team.

JJ Redick’s team

The Lakers opening night roster certainly appears to have JJ Redicks fingerprints all over it. Three roster members will work under 2-way contracts which entails spending time with the South Bay Lakers but could spend up to 50 games with the parent club. Just who are these newbies, first note neither of the three were drafted by the Lakers. A name mentioned much earlier is Christian Koloko who is now cleared to play and is ramping it up with the South Bay Lakers, hopefully at some point in the not too distant future that approval to play should occur. 

Next is French pro player Armel Traore a 6 foot 9 215 pound forward, he went undrafted in 2024. Colin Castleton was waived and a two-way contract was extended to Quincy Olivari a 6 foot 3 point guard. Olivari played at Xavier but like Traore went undrafted in 2024. I can only believe Redick and the coaching staff saw something in these three to believe they had value. This can be affirmed by waiving Castleton despite his 6 foot 10 250 pound size. In spite of my apparent excitement with the beginning of the NBA season I remain in a holding pattern. As I often say, “I’m from Missouri you’ve got to Show Me” which says I expect improved play from the Lakers.

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Are they better

The Lakers had an “uneven” win against the Raptors on the road Friday evening, the score 131-125. As this is written it became victory number 4, what about last season? The Lakers have 4 wins and 2 losses, last season they were 3 wins and 3 losses so are they better? That depends on the opposition, after game 6 last season it was a short losing streak before they were able to win another game. I’m really unsure if this years team is better than last season, the two keys LeBron James and AD are one year older.

The key difference I see thus far the coach has maintained the same lineup. If you remember last season former coach Darvin Ham’s starting lineup was always in change. Jarred Vanderbilt continues to remain on the sidelines, it does the Lakers no great favors if their best defender is unable to play. Vanderbilt continues to remain on the day to day list. Christian Wood is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, he is out until late December or early January. The other Christian (Koloko) is working out for the South Bay Lakers, how soon he will be ready for action is unclear as this is written. As a team the Lakers are shooting the 3 better than last season, so concludes this short report.

Bits n Pieces of Information

Nicholas Randall is a 6 foot 7 inch 225 pound forward, he hails from St. Louis although he's at Compass Prep in Chandler Arizona for school. This Class of 2025 prospect verbally committed to Mizzou on Monday which is quite interesting from this perspective. Mizzou’s former coach Cuonzo Martin grew up in the St. Louis area, one of the basis for his hire was the ability to recruit the St. Louis metro. For unexplained reasons Mizzou has never recruited well in St. Louis, which is ripe with high school talent, maybe a change might be forthcoming with the Randall commitment. 

Did you know Duke freshman Cooper Flagg has a twin brother, Ace is a 6 foot 7 180 pound guard. Although they share DNA Ace is not on the same basketball and skill level of Cooper. Ace journeyed to Montverde Academy with his brother but is unranked by prospect sites. In addition he didn’t reclassify as his brother so he is a Class of 2025 prospect. Ace has decided to commit to a school and in this instance he will be returning home. Home for the Flaggs is Newport Maine and Ace indicates he intends to enroll at the University of Maine located in Orono less than 50 miles from his front door in Newport.

This is different, once the NBA season began I noticed a change in the box score. Two websites, espn.com/nba and cbssports.com/nba have changed their box score. In both instances their box scores reflect “positionless” basketball. The names are in the box score as they normally would be however there is no position listed for the player. As an example the Kings box score from the Tuesday game against the Jazz, I cannot determine whether De’Aaron Fox played center or shooting guard. On the Jazz side did Jordan Clarkson play the point or shooting guard? I realize players sometimes play more than one position during a game however I don’t like this change.

The shot clock 

The 24-second shot clock was formally adopted by the NBA in the spring of 1954. Keep in mind the NBA back then contained a smaller number of teams, the NBA championship was concluded in April 1954. The clock would not It come into use until the 1954-55 NBA season, of course this change drastically affected the game. No longer could teams simply stall or hold the ball as would sometimes occur. The instance that stands out possibly occurred in a November 22, 1950, game.

The Fort Wayne Pistons defeated the Minneapolis Lakers 19-18. Yes, that was the final score, it was said the Pistons fearful of the great George Mikan held the ball for minutes without taking a shot. For the entirety of the game the Pistons had a meager 13 shot attempts. Adoption of the clock speeded up the game and accelerated scoring in the NBA. And now we arrive at the 70 year anniversary of the shot clock, and understand this, a shot clock has been adopted in college and at most high schools although there are some exceptions.  

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He’s headed to BYU

The Utah school long associated with the Mountain West and West Coast Conference is now a Big 12 member. The change appears to have affected football and basketball recruiting. Of course it could be coaching which has brought about a change as well. Most familiar with high school prospects are familiar with the name AJ Dybansta, he is considered by all sites number one for 2025. Dybansta attends Utah Prep in Hurricane some 300 road miles south of Salt Lake City.

It turns out a publication I was unfamiliar with has made an interesting observation. Calvin Barrett in lawlessrepublic.com wrote “AJ Dybansta is 100% projected to commit to BYU.” This 6 foot 9 210 pound forward was born and grew up in Brockton MA, his first stop was Prolific Prep in Napa California prior to enrolling at Utah Prep. There you have it, according to Barrett, Dybansta will announce his commitment to attend BYU. Besides the coaching staff at BYU one Calvin Barrett will have his fingers crossed hoping his prediction comes to fruition.

An early look

Sometimes we fail to realize how difficult a jump it is from college or Euro basketball to the NBA, it’s early but a quick look at the top two draft picks in 2024. Zaccharie Risacher was the top pick chosen by the Hawks and Alex Sarr was the second pick by the Wizards. As you might remember both prospects hail from France, in addition should we guess the success of Victor Wembanyama might have been an influence. In any event both 19-year old’s have begun their NBA careers somewhat slowly, Risacher is scoring at a 9.2 ppg clip while Sarr is 8.0.

Talent certainly exists at a different level and as mentioned the adjustment to the NBA. We could use the teammate of Sarr as the example Bilal Coulibaly, last season the guard scored at a 9.1 ppg clip for the Wizards. This season through four games he’s doubled his scoring output (18.8), there could be factors not evident impacting Coulibaly. A portion has got to be adjustment, will he continue at this pace…check back at the end of the season. As for the two rookies profiled Risacher and Sarr unless there are serious concerns about their development we’ll see how each progresses through the season. Even that might not be a true barometer if we look at Coulibaly rookie’s season versus early year two.

The coach or the school

When it comes to college recruitment there is always a question, whether it is the coach or the school. In the instance of UConn it could be both, Dan Hurley and his team are hot commodities these days. Hurley and UConn are coming off back to back NCAA championships so that certainly aids the cause. The latest pledge comes from Jacob Furphy a 6 foot 6 inch wing from Australia if the country and name sound familiar it should.

He's got an older brother Johnny who played his freshman year at Kansas and is now a rookie on the Pacers. Jacob becomes the 4th commit for UConn for 2025 and now they have the number 2 recruiting class in the nation according to 247Sports. Furphy’s played for the NBA Global Academy and also with the Australian Youth National Team. This from 247Sports, “While he’s not the most physically gifted or athletic, Furphy uses his acumen and skillset to impact the game as a shooter, facilitator, rebounder and initiator on the court.” So it appears the coach is more comfortable at UConn over the Lakers.

“Make it rain”

There have been NBA players in the past and up to the present with the ability to shoot proficiently. It doesn’t matter whether they are starters or reserve players, it’s been said they “make it rain” as shot after shot finds the bottom of the basket. Buddy Hield is one of those players able to rain down shots since his days at the University of Oklahoma. Tuesday night with Steph Curry sidelined due to injury Hield was inserted into the lineup and did what he always does…score buckets. Hield recorded 28 points on 50% shooting from the floor and a sizzling 63.6% from three and 100% from the line.

Hield’s played for a number of NBA teams but in this instance it’s his value as a shooter that’s made him a prized player over his career. During the summer Hield was traded to the Warriors in a six team trade and was expected to perform in the same manner he exhibited on Tuesday. There have been a few players over the NBA’s history with a game similar to Hield. Hield was a starter in this game however generally he comes off the bench and shoots…and shoots…and shoots. Hield is unlikely to gain admittance to the Hall of Fame however anytime a discussion on lights out shooters in the NBA is held, we must include the name Buddy Hield.

He’s in the Hall of Fame

During a discussion at work I told Charley “I bet you didn’t realize the Kansas City Kings had an opportunity to acquire Moses Malone.” Yes, that Moses Malone, the one who led the Sixers to the 1983 NBA championship, that Moses Malone who was later honored by his selection to the Naismith Hall of Fame. Thanks to researching this issue I came across this fact, it was the 1976 ABA-NBA expansion. The best ABA players were placed in a pool and NBA teams had an opportunity to choose the best based on their won-loss record. In that draft the Bulls chose center Artis Gilmore (in the Naismith Hall) with their initial pick

Next up the Blazers would chose power forward Maurice Lucas. The Kansas City Kings, with the third pick chose 29-year guard Ron Boone, the Pistons chose Marvin Barnes. Then it occurred, the Blazers at five would select the 21-year old Malone. I have no method to prove my point but believe capital might have been the deciding factor. Although we are talking 1976 dollars the salary demanded by a young Malone was likely much higher than Boone would have commanded. Malone was only two years into his career which later resulted in an NBA championship, NBA Finals MVP and later Hall of Fame selection. I’m conducting revision history with this take, the Kings might have remained in Kansas City if ownership hadn’t been so stingy.

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The coach or the school

When it comes to college recruiting there is always a question, is it the coach or the school. In the instance of UConn it could be both, Dan Hurley and his team are hot commodities these days. Hurley and UConn are coming off back to back NCAA championships so that certainly aids the cause. The latest pledge comes from Jacob Furphy a 6 foot 6 inch wing from Australia if the country and name sound familiar it should.

Jacob’s got an older brother Johnny who played his freshman year at Kansas and is now a rookie on the Pacers. He becomes the 4th commit for UConn for 2025 and now they have the number 2 recruiting class in the nation according to 247Sports. Furphy’s played for the NBA Global Academy and also with the Australian Youth National Team. This from 247Sports, “While he’s not the most physically gifted or athletic, Furphy uses his acumen and skillset to impact the game as a shooter, facilitator, rebounder and initiator on the court.” So it appears the coach is more comfortable at UConn over the Lakers.

“Make it rain”

There have been NBA players in the past and up to the present with the ability to shoot proficiently. It doesn’t matter whether they are starters or reserve players, it’s been said they “make it rain” as shot after shot finds the bottom of the basket. Buddy Hield is one of those players able to rain down shots since his days at the University of Oklahoma. Tuesday night with Steph Curry sidelined due to injury Hield was inserted into the lineup and did what he always does…score buckets. Hield recorded 28 points on 50% shooting from the floor and a sizzling 63.6% from three and 100% from the line.

Hield’s played for a number of NBA teams but in this instance it’s his value as a shooter that’s made him a prized player over his career. During the summer Hield was traded to the Warriors in a six team trade and was expected to perform in the same manner he exhibited on Tuesday. There have been a few players over the NBA’s history with a game similar to Hield. Hield was a starter in this game however generally he comes off the bench and shoots…and shoots…and shoots. Hield is unlikely to gain admittance to the Hall of Fame however anytime a discussion on lights out shooters in the NBA is held, we must include the name Buddy Hield.

He’s in the Hall of Fame

During a discussion at work I told Charley “I bet you didn’t realize the Kansas City Kings had an opportunity to acquire Moses Malone.” Yes, that Moses Malone, the one who led the Sixers to the 1983 NBA championship, that Moses Malone who was later honored by his selection to the Naismith Hall of Fame. Thanks to researching this issue I came across this fact, it was the 1976 ABA-NBA expansion. The best ABA players were placed in a pool and NBA teams had an opportunity to choose the best based on their won-loss record. In that draft the Bulls chose center Artis Gilmore (in the Naismith Hall) with initial pick

Next up the Blazers would chose power forward Maurice Lucas. The Kansas City Kings, with the third pick chose 29-year guard Ron Boone, the Pistons chose Marvin Barnes. Then it occurred, the Blazers at five would select the 21-year old Malone. I have no method to prove my point but believe capital might have been the deciding factor. Although we are talking 1976 dollars the salary demanded by a young Malone was likely much higher than Boone would have commanded. Malone was only two years into his career which later resulted in an NBA championship, NBA Finals MVP and later Hall of Fame selection. I’m conducting revision history with this take, the Kings might have remained in Kansas City if ownership hadn’t been so stingy.

Bits n Pieces of Information

Nicholas Randall is a 6 foot 7 inch 225 pound forward, he hails from St. Louis although he’s at Compass Prep in Chandler Arizona. This Class of 2025 prospect verbally committed to Mizzou on Monday which is quite interesting from this perspective. Mizzou’s former coach Cuonzo Martin grew up in the St. Louis area, one of the basis for his hire was the ability to recruit the St. Louis metro. For unexplained reasons Mizzou has never recruited well in St. Louis, which is ripe with high school talent, maybe a change might be forthcoming with the Randall commitment. 

On Wednesday you might have read “A medical issue for Big Men.” somewhat connected to that account is this Laker Big Man story. The Lakers received positive news on Tuesday, you remember the story regarding Christian Koloko? The 7 foot 1 235 pound Koloko originally drafted and signed by the Raptors has a 7 and ½ inch wingspan, he’s been medically cleared by the NBA to play. Naturally, his conditioning is not up to par so expect to see him in the South Bay lineup getting his game up to speed. My best guess we’ll see Koloko in the Laker lineup sooner rather than later although Jaxson Hayes has provided a degree of depth at the post giving Anthony Davis relief.

Did you know Duke freshman Cooper Flagg has a twin brother, Ace is a 6 foot 7 180 pound guard. Although they share DNA Ace is not on the same basketball and skill level of Cooper. Ace journeyed to Montverde Academy with his brother but is unranked by prospect sites. In addition he didn’t reclassify as his brother so he is a Class of 2025 prospect. Ace has decided to commit to a school and in this instance he will be returning home. Home for the Flaggs is Newport Maine and Ace indicates he intends to enroll at the University of Maine located in Orono less than 50 miles from his front door in Newport.

This is different, once the NBA season began I noticed a change in the box score. Two websites, espn.com/nba and cbssports.com/nba have changed their box score. In both instances their box scores reflect “positionless” basketball. The names are in the box score as they normally would be however there is no position listed for the player. As an example the Kings box score from the Tuesday game against the Jazz, I cannot determine whether De’Aaron Fox played center or shooting guard. On the Jazz side did Jordan Clarkson play the point or shooting guard? I realize players sometimes play more than one position during a game however I don’t like this change.

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Tigers vs Tigers

The Black & Gold Tigers of Mizzou played the Blue Tigers of nearby Lincoln University. The outcome of the game was never in doubt as the Tigers from Columbia beat the Tigers of Jefferson City a Division II program. This exhibition game kicked off the 2024-25 season for coach Dennis Gates and his “new” team. There’s an influx of freshman one site considered this the 5th or 6th best recruited class in the nation. In addition the coaching staff worked the transfer portal extensively acquiring most of the talent desired.

This was accomplished in an attempt to avoid the disaster the team suffered last season. As for this game the final score read 90-45 as the teams faced each other in Mizzou Arena. Transfer Mark Mitchell, holdover Caleb Grill who played only 9 games due to injury led the way to the victory. Although the minutes were limited practically all the high profile freshman managed to play a few minutes in the game. Hopefully, this helps Mizzou prepare to face Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers on November 4 on the road followed by Howard University on November 8.

On the hot seat

I didn’t realize Doc Rivers has experienced few losing seasons as an NBA coach. Once with the Magic, twice with the Celtics, none with the Clippers and none with the Sixers. There is the losing season when he took over as head coach of the Bucks in January 2024. The Bucks earned a playoff berth due to the win-loss record prior to Rivers hire, they finished with 17 wins and 19 losses. The Bucks were then eliminated in the First Round of the playoffs. If you are a Doc Rivers fan you can cease reading at this point and there is a valid reason. I don’t hate Rivers I don’t even dislike him…this I have long believed, he’s overrated as an NBA head coach.

His coaching resume has seen him in charge of several good teams, the problem with the exception of 2008 they come up short. Of course that Celtic team of Garnett, Allen and Pierce was primed to win an NBA championship. What about the other stops, I don’t remember the Magic it was too long ago. The Magic were middle of the road in wins they earned a playoff berth in 3 of the 5 years he was in Orlando. The bottom dropped out in year 5, after getting off to 1-10 start Rivers was fired in 2003. In any event a sports website devoted a story regarding NBA coaches on the hot seat, naturally JJ Redick of the Lakers was mentioned but so was Rivers. I’m not rooting against Rivers to succeed I’d sure like him to prove me wrong about his coaching ability.

A medical issue for Big Men

Paul Mokeski played in the NBA from 1979 till 1991 for several teams, this account is prompted by a statement he made recently regarding Big Men and their health issues. He tied this in with a comment on the Spurs Victor Wembanyama. The 7 foot Mokeski claims (with no medical backup) said Big Men suffer heart related issues at a greater proportion than smaller athletes. Mokeski claims, “The human body is not made to be so tall” mentioning Wilt Chamberlain, Moses Malone and Darryl Dawkins all who died of heart related issues. At the same time Mokeski mentioned that Wemby is doing yoga and stretching something Mokeski claims he never did.

I have no medical background in order to discuss the issue with a degree of knowledge. This I do know, as a person ages, health issues become more prevalent even for the well-conditioned athlete. From what I’ve read over the years Mokeski is correct the names he mentioned plus others I omitted died from heart issues. The key statement is what he said regarding the human body. Genetics control the issue of height, weight and other stuff. The world has witnessed Big Men (7 feet and taller) since the dawn of time. Have they all suffered heart related issues as they aged…that’s an unknown and certainly there is no method to come to a conclusion?

They had their man

Despite the fast start the Lakers continue to search for a Big Man. It’s quite interesting to me because they had him and decided to go in another direction. It was a different front office regime in place at the time. In any event the Lakers (yes those guys) drafted Ivica Zubac in 2013 in the second round with the 32nd pick. That provides you with evidence that the 7 foot 240 pound center was raw, he’d played in Europe but this was the NBA. In any event the Lakers decided to trade Zubac along with Michael Beasley to the Clippers for Mike Muscala.

I’m including Muscala’s name because the Lakers missed this trade. Fast forward to the present its been mentioned over and over, the key Kawhi Leonard would be missing for a time. Someone believed (and wrote) James Harden wouldn’t be enough to keep the Clippers afloat while waiting on Kawhi’s return. The Clippers don’t appear to run plays for Zubac however he’s always available if needed. Zubac filled the box score against the Warriors supporting the 112-104 victory, 23 points and 18 rebounds along with 6 assists. It’s really too bad the Lakers continue to search for a Big Man when they had him all along…they just were unwilling to wait.

This is the before

Walt “Clyde” Frazier is known to scores of fans for his MSG analyst broadcast role over his brilliant Knicks basketball career. Fans of today might be well acquainted with his garish style of dress over his other life. He’s been enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame and voted to the 50th and 75th anniversary NBA team.  This provides evidence to many reading this Frazier is more than clothing and extensive vocabulary describing play on the court. His journey began in Atlanta Georgia and David Tobias Howard HS (now middle school). Frazier was an all-around athlete playing quarterback for the football team and catcher on the baseball team in addition to basketball.

Frazier says he was offered scholarships in football but turned them down, he says “There were no black quarterbacks, so I played basketball.” The time was 1963 and Frazier would accept a scholarship to play basketball at Southern Illinois University. He was named a Division II All American in 1964 and 1965. In 1966 poor grades sidelined him and that’s when a change occurred, he was given the task of tracking teams defense. Seeing how defense was played would become cemented in his mind and his forte once he reached the NBA. The NIT Tournament fails to hold the prominence today it did in 1967. Southern Illinois had moved up to Division I, in addition they won the NIT that year and Frazier was named MVP of the tournament. Later that year the Knicks made Frazier the 5th pick in the first round, as they say the balance of the story is NBA history.