A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT

 Paint me completely nonplussed about GM Donlevy and Joe Lacob are doing. Summary: DeRozen coming; Green going; Steph maybe going if he asks for it. Right now, if I were Steph, I'd be pleading to go to a competitive team, because it looks like the Warriors are going for the future. Or, are they? Why DeRozen? And, more importantly, why all the talk earlier about finding players to support Curry's last two years as a Warrior, allowing him to retire as a Dub??? They sign Porzingis who has a illness that requires him to rest more games than he plays??? They sign Al Horford, one of my all time favorite players, but who's 97 years old. They hang in with Jimmy Buckets even though Jimmy is recovering from an ACL tear on the SAME knee he tore with the Heat. That seem logical to you???? All these question marks truly reflect my state of mind.  I love Yaxel Lendeborg, but can Donlevy actually believe he is a player to build a team around? A stretch Four???? He is NOT a KD. I grant that the Warriors have a couple of fine young players , but not one of them is a player that will give them the scoring and leadership they need to go into the future. Podz, Richards, Santos, Leonis? Not to my way of thinking. Last season, I suggested to to a few Warrior fan friends and to one coach who shall remain nameless that if the Warriors were really serious about building for the future, they should have done what the 49ers did with Alex Smith left to Kansas City in an adult manner and had a heck of a season before his injury. If it was proceeded with some controversy about how he lost his job, controversy is to be expected. But not all this wishy washy stuff that's going on with the Warriors. Is there an unknown reason Warrior management is not revealing that make present behavior less head scratching? I concede the possibility. Let me know what you think the Warriors are up to. Right now, I'm totally sad for Steph Curry. He deserves to retire a Warrior. And, by the way, in closing, I think bringing DeRozen on board is an excellent idea. Curry as a first option, DeRozen a second option and Lendeborg as a third option. Green in place and facilitating and harassing. And help from an improved Podz and a solid bench. Why not give it a try?

HAIKU FOR STEP ON HIS DEPARTURE

Number 30 gone

How do you fill such a hole

There are not enough flowers

So, it's Philly for the Ring Chaser and Etc

 Just as I finished writing this morning's blog, LeBron went and signed a two-year vet's minimum 8 million dollar contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, which made my earlier guess he'd chose the Warriors, unhappily, wrong. Wrong to think, LeBron might want to do something more interesting than chasing another NBA ring. Too bad, it would have been fun to see a bunch of NBA Old Timers put their remain skils together and see what happens, perhaps a Gold Medal performance. But, noooooooo, LeBron wants more glitter for his fingers. Forget it Dude, you'll never surpass Bill Russell. For my part, I get to keep Yaxel Longenborg and Jimmy Butler and Santa Clara Podz. Now the Dubs need to get creative and find one more top-notch player to fill out their roster. One guy I like a lot is DeMar DeRozen,, still a solid midranage point producer who is smart and has always been clutch. But, I wouldn't be surprised if the Knicks don't look at DeMar. Remember, Coach Brown coached DeRozen in Sacramento. And the rumor is that DeMar wants to go back to Toronto, where his career began. Are you listening LeBron?

ETC

I'm curious to see what the Sacramento Kings finally do with Domantas Sabonis. They claim they're not going to trade hiem, but I'm not sure he wants to stay in Sacramento. If that is the case, things culd get awkard as they did with DeAron Fox. I'm pretty sure that Sabonis has a high trade value. He could bring the Kings a high caliber young player plus draft choices. After this draft, with the addition of Darius Aykuff Jr and Emmanuael Sharp, the Kings have started on their way to a solid rebuild. Reynoud at Center, and Cardswell, etc. Not perfect, but keep it going rathr than patching a team of vets and youngsters. Let the youngsters grow together the way OKC did. 

In keeping with my recent obsession with Haiku:

Chasing another ring

LeBron offers his hand to be kissed

Who cares

MY TWO CENTS WORTH ABOUT LEBRON & ETC

 My wife's grandson, John Clark, a knowledgeable NBA fan has a theory that the reason LeBron will not divulge the team he'll play for is that he's waiting to see if the Warriors can pull off acquiring Anthony Davis. Davis can earn a max contract from his present team the Washington Wizards. Hard to turn something like that down, right. However, as John states, a possibility if he can get a similar contract with the Warriors and play with his friends and generational stars: LeBron, Dryamond Green, Steph Curry, and Al Horford. How does this happen? I quiz the whiz kid of basketball. With a very large question mark. John, who has lots of ideas about sports, responded with the following: The Warriors are going to trade their first round draft choice, Yaxel Longenborg, Jimmy Butler, and three-year point guard, Brandin Podzienski for AD. I almost fainted. I'm a huge fan of Yaxel, and feel he is a future NBA power-forward superstar. Butler,, when healthy is a glue-guy force and the Podz is finally showing his promise. Gad, I think. John may be right. 

On the other hand. (There always is, isn't there?) My feeling is LeBron will go to the team that will provide him the best chance to win one more championship ring, which means either the Heat or the 76ers, Why not Clevland? Ok, there's the unbroken circle theory, the notion he'd like to end his career where he started. However, I'm reasonably sure LeBRon know his addition to the Cavs will not guarantee an NBA championship. So, I'm guessing the Cavs are out of the running. 

Back to the Warroprs. If the Warriors could make such a trade with the Wiz to get AD, would that be the best chance LeBron has of going out as an NBA Champ? Let's consider the two more obvious choices first, the Heat  and the 76ers. I'm don't believe the Heat, even with the acquistion of Giannis Antetacoupo is a considerationn. The Heat do not have the bench strengh, having given up too much to get Giannis. The 76ers renaubm and with the addition of Jalen Brown they look mighty tough. Yet, how healthy can Joel Embid be? If he goes down, the 76ers can not defeat the Knichs. There goes Lebrons's next ring. There are always IFs, Right? 

Even so, the 76ers are the best choice for LeBron if he's ring chasing. The Warriors come in second. But if, and it's a big, IF AD joins the Dubs, LeBron can go out with his Olympic Gold-Winning friends, and that could be a huge moviivating factor. 

John, you may be right, but, oh, boy, will I hate giving up Yaxel.

ETC: 

Absolutely loved hearing how the crowd at the World Cup Finals booed our evil president. What a total shumck he is and his fatnesss is such an awful model for our youngsters. MacDonalds and fries indeed. He should be ashamed. But he has no shame. 

As for the Cup, Spain dominated. I was pulling for Messi to retire a winner, but not unhappy with the Spanish victory. My daughter Megan and family were in Granada, Spain where they have freinds whenn the game was played. It was tapas until dawn, Megan said of the city that went crazy with the vitory. Ole! 

I'm writing a book of Haiku called Haiku From Rehab about my recovering from Congestive Heart Failure, so Haiku are on my mind. Her's one about the World Cup Finals.

The Argentine goalie

Stretches for his last save

Weep for him 

I'm 

SEASON DONE, KNICKS RULE. NOW THE FUN BEGINS

 i loved the Knicks victory. After 53 years scine Red Holtsman teams sat atop the mountain, Mike Bronn joined him. Jalen Brunson, the fire plug point gurard will join Walt Frazier as one of the Knicks two best guards ever. And, what can I say about the excellent and consistent performance of OG Annoby? It's you and Dave Debushere. The '26 Knicks will still have to wind one more championship to tie the '70d Knicks teams of Willis Reed and Bill Bradly and Earl the Pear, and Dr. Dick Barnett. 

Then came the '26 draft, a favorite TV performance of ming, loving the whole family experience and fan excitingment as the future NBA players are chosen, one, two, three, and in this year's draft, four, As Caleb ____could easily have been in the top three picks. I have no quarell that the Wiz selected AJ Dybansa numero uno, but I would have selected Cam Boozer if it had been up to me. Cam Boozer is instant help, no breakning in period, not much learning curve for the big stretch two way four. Skip to my two teams, Warriors first. Hurrah for their choice of Yaxel Longenberg, another player like Boozer who'll step right in and help from the get go at the stretch four position. Warriors got a break, and this time didn't get suduced by young age upside nonesense. Yaxel, at 23, is a grown man. 

What to say about the Kings, Sacramento's team. It's the city in which I live, so I support, but it's tough to suport them when they've made so many bad decisions. Not since _______teams have the Kings been able to put together much in the way of a sustained competive season. Coach Mike Brown's first season, then they fire Mile Brown. Go figure. It serves owner Vivak Ranadive right that he had to watch Coach Mike lift the O'brian Trophy over his head. At draft choice 6, the Kings selected Akuff, one hell of a shooter, I've heard. But my research of him is that he has real fifficulty playing defense. I mean huge negative stats. So, will this work for the Kings?

Antetocoupo Trade: The Heat and the Buucks worked out a deat that make sense for both teams. Heat get the Greek super star and Bobby Portis, one of my favorite uder the radar plaers. The Bucks get Ware with lots of upside in the middle, Hero and _____ and a bunch of draft choices. I'm not as certain the Antetcoumpo is qutie a game chnnger that Pat Riely believes. First, comes health. He's had injuries these last two years. Second, I think teams have figured out better ways to guard that slash down the paint that makee Antetecoupo so feared. No, he can't really be stopped at full speed, but if can get him to miss a few more shot, you've created an advantage. And I'm not sure about the Abedayo fit. But we'll see. 

Randle goes to the Nets and Claxton goes to the Timberwolves. Shaz Reed goes the the Hornets, Lonzo  Ball goes to the TWolves. Are we having fun yet? I say, super move for the Hornets. Decent shore-up at the post for the TWolves. But, they overpaid Dosumo, a guard, and now must deal with a heafty Ball contract. They'll miss the hell out of Shaz, another one of my favorite sort of under the radar players. The Wolves have lost two of their best stretch 4s. They need to do something there. Meanwhile the Hornets, with the addition of Reed have really helped themselves. 

Isaihh Joe to th Piston for Stewart makes sense for both teams. Joe can shoot threes of the bounce. So now they have Robinson and Joe to spred the court. 

Thinking of Wembanyama, here's a haiku about the young giant.

Think of a giraffe 

How long-egged and long neck it lopes

To the basket

A WRONG PREDICTION LEADS TO AMAZING NBA FINALS

  Prediction; OKC wins at home. But, I hope I'm wrong. I'd love to see Wembanyama playing in the MSG in front of those crazy NYC fans. Nothing like playing in the Madison Square Garden. Such fond memories for me. One story: Warriors playing vs Knicks. Wilt and I are walking from our hotel to the arena. Back then, the Old Garden only a couple of blocks away. As we approached the corner, Wilt says to me, "Tom, watch this." I did. We were passing a tavern, Guys had seen us and were staring out the window. Wilt began limping. Half the guys disappeared from the window. I asked Wilt what that was all about. He told me the minute they saw him limping they were fighting for a telephone to change their bets. MSG and afterward an Italian dinner at Mama Leone's. Those were the days. Got lots more on my mind, but I'm off to listen to the NBC talking heads. 

  Spurs lost two at home and Knicks fans were cooling champagne in their fridges visualizing a four- game sweep, but the Spurs came roaring back in the first game of the garden, and still my Blog remained unattended. Chalk it up to being 87 years old, dare I say, failing memory. Ah, well! So, here I am writing about the 4th game of the NBA Finals and OG Anunoby's tip-in scored off a last second offensive rebound for the, arguably, best comeback victory in NBA History. And the best Knicks story since Willis Reed hobbled onto the court in 1975 to lead his team to victory over Wilt Chamberlain and the Lakers. 

  I'd played in a bunch of games in my ten-year career in the NBA that seemed like a miracle to me. But this one felt like the Knicks victory was right out of an Our Lady of Lourdes storybook. By now, sports writers have analyzed the game ad nauseum, so I'll limit my thoughts to the two coaches: Mitch Johnson of the Spurs and Mike Brown of the Knicks. Johnson's mistake and Brown's smarts had everything to do with the outcome of the fourth game. The Spurs' three point shooting had been the reason they were killing the Knicks in the first half. However, in the second half the young Spurs went cold from the three point line. 

  Even so, they'd fallen in love with the Three and continued shooting from deep. Coach Johnson failed to recognize that, and call a timeout to admonish his team to settle down and attack the rim. If he'd done that in a timely fashion, it's highly possible that the Knicks would not have been able to make the comeback they did. Okay, young Spurs, young head coach, mistakes happen. What bothers me is that in the post-game interviews and in all the subsequent talk shows Coach Johnson didn't take responsibility for that crucial error. This loss was on him. Pure and simple. You own up to mistakes or you "own down." 

  As for Coach Mike Brown: At the beginning of the second half, Brown started Jose Alvarado in the back court with Jalen Brunson a very savvy move to take the pressure off Brunson always having to bring the ball up. The insertion of Alvarado, a natural point guard, also helped the Knicks to spread the court, which allowed for much better spacing, and, in my opinion, helped revitalize Jalen Brunson's game. Brunson went off and the Knicks clawed their way back in. 

  But the MVP of that Knicks victory belongs to OG Anunoby Jr. whose consistent play kept the Knicks from complete annihilation in the first half and his timely baskets throughout the second half joined Brunson's barrage to lead the Knicks to that final split-second heroic tip-in off an offensive rebound to win the game. 

  For those who don't know, OG stands for his full African first name, Ogugua, which is of Igbo origin and means God's Comfort or One Who Brings Peace to his People. The Igbo are the largest tribal group in the West African country of Nigeria and are located mostly in the south-west of that nation. I have met many Igbo during my trips coaching in West Africa, and they are a dignified and handsome people. 

  Did OG bring the Knicks fans peace? Not the way they were rocking on the court after the game. I wonder if there are some still rocking, such was the crazed response to the victory. But OG did bring them comfort. 

Down three to one, the young Spurs go back to San Antonio for game five and a chance to regain homecourt advantage, a tall order. Few NBA teams come back to win after being down 3 to 1. Oh, I do love these young Spurs. And Wemby truly has a skyscraper upside. I believe they'll win the fifth game and force the Knicks to win in NYC at MSG. I predict Knicks the Champs in Six. I think Taylor Swift, a Knicks' fan, would agree with me.

Haiku for OG    

OG flies like a bird.
All the Knicks fans on their feet
Tips the ball into his nest

       by Tom Meschery