The Warriors are like that ubiquitous rabbit the greyhounds are chasing. Sorry, hounds you're not going to catch up the way you're going in this years free agency. Not that you other teams haven't improved yourselves. Let's take a look.
OKC Thunder: Can't go wrong with Paul George, but how is he different or better than KD? The Point Guard is still, by default, Russell Westbrook. He simply is not and never will be a competent distributor, and he should have to be. However, the Thunder can't help be improved offensively with George.
LA Clippers: Kept Griffin, kept their muscle, lost a skilled point guard and added lots of reliable bench strength and moxy defense in Beverly, Harrell, and Dekker. Don't be surprised if Sam Dekker doesn't wind up playing a significant role at stretch three. Going to lose JJ, which will be a mistake. Now it's crucial to find a good point guard to replace Paul.
Timberwolves; Sorry they gave up on Rubio. They might have shot themselves in the foot as he was showing signs of hitting his potential. I've never been a big fan of jeff Teague. He seems like a player who "hangs his head." However, and it's a big HOWEVER, Jimmy Butler is a stud and his scoring, defense, and leadership will put the Wolves into the playoffs.
The Rockets: I've already voiced my opinion about the Chris Paul acquisition. It will not work. If the missiles get JJ Redick, they'll be one of the most awesome 3 point shooting teams in the league, but they won't get out of the second round. OKC will beat them again, or the Warriors, or .... whomever. Can't win with pretend defense.
Utah Jazz: If they keep Hayward, with Rubio at point guard (barring injury), the Utes will be a stronger team. Will be missing a little fire power, with Hill gone. So, lose Hayward too and soynara playoffs. You got to put the ball in the hole.
Indiana Pacers: Got what they could and it wasn't too bad. Oladipo doesn't shoot consistently well, but he can score. Sabonis will develop into a starting NBA power forward. Both young players. Pacers need to be patient, don't give up first round draft choices and stick to a youth building model.
Saw a couple of over 50's joggers and they looked in pain. Here's a poem for senior citizen joggers.
A Jogging Injury By Fleda Brown Jackson
All day I have lain, foot propped,
beating its shadow-heart
in time with the gods who stopped
my run mid-stride. Their art
stings less in my middle age.
At sixteen I would have cried
at my foot's carnage,
its quick turn from the right.
Now I am riddled with breaks.
Those I loved and others I turned from
have softened my bones to vague aches;
my original dreams come
into my thoughts like dried flowers
too tender for touch. today blood
crowds and blooms its flower
under the skin, making a glad
try for total repair. The lame
foot struck a rock, innocent
on the path: its pain
is the rock's gift, a godsend.
2 comments:
Interesting comments regarding Westbrook. At sixty I'm probably biased by the guys I watched growing up as well as the style of play. I'm not sold on the idea of initiating the offense through the player who will take most of the shots. That's not a knock on Westbrook, but it is a criticism of the OKC offense and raises questions about how effectively they will be able to utilize George.
Great blog.
Hi, Tom. This isn't a comment on your blog, but an attempt to contact you. You made my personal sports best memory and highlight when you said, "Good game!" to me after a city league basketball game in Truckee in 1976 after your team kicked my team's butt, but I probably played the best game of my life. I'd like to contact you to see if I can score a autographed photo of you with those words. I don't collect sports memorobilia (other than a Willie Mays autographed ball, hence the 24 in my email address), so this would be more of a personal keepsake and something I can brag to my friends about. Please email me at bobmorris24@att.com. I'm a lifelong Warriors fan (I once saw Al Attles outjump Bill Russell in a jump ball at the Cow Palace around 1965 - do you remember?) and think the last 3 years of the Warriors' run is the greatest and most entertaining in American team sports history (it is statistically harder to go 73-9 than it is 17-0 (Miami Dolphins' great season)). Great article on you in this week's Sports Illustrated. Thanks for your time.
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