The Golden State Warriors recent success when lots of talking heads were questioning the Dubs chances, is a perfect example of how essential a healthy team is in today's fast paced league. Curry out hurt was like losing the hub of a wheel, but also some missing spokes, like Draymond and at times Livingston, Igudala, McKinnie. Now the Dubs have lost Damian Jones. Sorry to hear of his injury, but the Warriors are fine playing small ball, so I'm not as worried.
The loss of key players is Houston's fault for not recognizing how key Ariza and Mbah a Moute were to the defenisive integrity of the team, be it ever so humble. The two missing players traded away kept defense together after the initial two passes, after which Harden, Paul, and Gordon get lost or confused. It was even worse last season when Anderson was on the court. Couldn't guard my grandmother. Now Anderson is defenseless in Phoenix.
Does the Sun's coach have a clue? This team sucks on Defense. And, I'm not sure what they're trying to accomplish on offense, do you? I really believed Ayton was going to be much more NBA ready than he is. He needs a summer and work.
A team can't possibly be as bad as the Wizards are with their personnel. Can John Wall be anything better than a bolt of lightning? This is all mental and coaching.
I take back anything I said about Doc being an overrated coach. His Clippers are tough and are making noise in the West. As early as it is, Tobias Harries is having an All-Star season. Harrell is a load. They defend aggressively. I didn't consider the Clips in the mix in my start-of-season NBA evaluation. The team chemistry has made me change my mind.
Butler has turned the 76ers into a championship caliber team. But I really question Butler's attitude and whether he might turn on his team like he did against the Twolves and the coach he owed his career to. I have a thing about loyalty, and Butler, in my mind, doesn't seem to seem to consider it important.
I didn't believe the Lakers could be competitive this year, even with Lebron, but I was mistaken. I do believe that Javale is one key, making a big difference for the Lakers, and good for him. Shaq has stopped dissing the man. Warriors could use the big fellow. But probably couldn't have paid him after last season. Sometimes these financial things are bad news.
The Bucks' Antetetokounmpo really, really, really must develop a jump shot beyond five feet. Didn't any coach on the team tell him that's what he needed to work on during the summer. I would have had a shooting coach baby-sit the young man all summer. I would have done it. I love Greek food.
The Celtics are still my favorite to win the East. They just seem a little tougher mentally than the 76ers, Bucks, and Toronto. Hayward off the bench is working, but I'm betting in crunch-time Hayward will contribute to a essential wins.
OKC is playing extremely well, but I have never trusted Westbrook when it comes to decision making. The addition of the young German,Shroeder has added significant depth at the point. He and Westbrook actually play well together. How many teams would kill to have Adams?
The Jazz added depth they desperately needed with the addition of Korvar. The Jazz are well coached. They execute. They are solid in all areas, but their level of physicality is one rung down from the top.
Minnesota continues to be soft. Who would have thunk it with Coach Tibs at the helm. Has Wiggins improved? I don't think so. Twolves need a smart point guard desperately.
Indiana is similar to the Jazz. Lots of solid players but only one great one in Oladipo. To win a championship in the NBA these days, a team has to have at least two superior players at two different positions. Three would be even better.
Doncic is everything he was cracked up to be. His presence makes the Mavs a contender. However, I'm not a big Smith fan, but he'll suffice for the time being. Rim protector, rebounder and dunker in the paint with D'Andre Jordan. Harrison Barnes, Westly Matthews, JJ, Powell - more than enough offense now.
Did the Kings make a mistake not taking Doncic? Yes, they did, but with reservations. Bagley has a high upside, a long, fast lefty who, unlike Doncic, needs some time. Will he ever make the impact of a Doncic? I doubt it. However, if Bagley works hard, he will be an All-Star, in my opinion, so the Kings can't beat themselves up over the loss of the Slovenian, Larry Bird
The King's Fox is also the real deal. I love how he improved his three pt shooting over summer. I love players who improve themselves, work on their game. The Kings have to stay patient. Keep those young guys going and growing. One more solid draft choice. Look for the Kings to make plenty of noise next season. In the meantime, enjoy the speed as Fox races you down the court. How about this for a website title: Fear the Speed. More evocative than Fear the Beard or Fear the Deer. Who the hell fears a deer, anyway, perhaps a stag or a moose. And a beard, how do you fear a scraggly bunch of hair. My wife says she sees critters living in Harden's Half of America's males are looking like the Wright Brothers cough drop guys. Looks like they're all living rough and doing the signs.
The Kings might consider firing the exec (alleged exec) who started talking about Coach Joeger and GM Divac having differences. Loyalty issues for me again. And upfront issues too. If you've got something to say, say it and own it.
Denver is definitely in the hunt. Big talented guy Jocic in the post. Some sharp shooting wings and backcourt. Millsap out but will be back after first of the year. Good coaching. Spoilers, but not winners, at least not yet in my opinion.
Portland at 14 and 11 for the moment. But only for the moment. Nurcic is not consistent. If he could be, that might change my opinion of team prospects. Aminu is not consistent. The Blazers are still lacking a dependable stretch three. Defense needs a tuneup as well.
Looking at the leader boards, I guess I shouldn't leave out Memphis, Charlotte, and Orlando, all playing well, but does anyone believe they'll be there at the top in April?
Etc:
Here's my idea for Kareem Hunt and guys like him who think it's okay to beat up women. Put abuser and abused in a vacant room. Tie both hands behind the abusive guy's back and give the woman a baseball bat. Then lock the door.
I've always believed a team wins championships with defense. Finally, the American people have put a good defense in place by voting in a Democratic House. Whatever trump's offense is, it will have to compete against a fired up Big D. What's going on in our country is totally crazy. Has the United States of America ever been in such a mess? Perhaps during the McCarthy period in the Fifties, but in that case we were anti-Communist and looking for American traitors at the expense of civil liberties. Now civil liberties in general are being manipulated out of existence.Were McCarthy alive today, he'd only have to look to the White House to find a Communist stooge. Yes, a Communist, Putin-loving stooge. When trump gets impeached, I suggest he go to Russia to live out his miserable life. Let's get our country back!
Amen to that, my wife says.
The Advantages of Being a World Class Athlete by Anthony Lacavaro
In the end when the doctors circle around
Like doctors, they can find nothing wrong.
A perfect body they murmur over
And over like a prehistoric discovery,
Nothing wrong, nothing wrong except it's dead.
There will be no reason for this tragedy
Which catapults your death into the world
Of public myth: were you too good
For us, did they take you, or were you not
Of the earth to begin with and just returned.
The results of the test say nothing about it.
Though one of the doctors speaking
Out of turn, will say softly,
"One foot appears to be larger than the other."
