A TRUE LEGEND NOT JUST IN LAKERS BASKETBALL AND THE NBA.
A TRUE LEGEND NOT JUST IN BASKETBALL IN GENERAL.
A TRUE LEGEND NOT JUST IN SOCAL SPORTS FOR THAT MATTER, BUT…
A TRUE LEGEND IN SPORTS, PERIOD.
I’m not going to go on about the nine NBA championships that he won – one as a player in 1972 and eight as an executive as he basically built the Magic Johnson/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar “Showtime” dynasty in the 1980s.
Or how, along with Elgin Baylor, essentially started pro basketball in Los Angeles as his rookie year in 1960 was also the Laker’s first year in Southern California, having moved to the Sports Arena from Minneapolis that season.
Or any of the other stats and accolades that he attained over the course of his career.
Or how if Yankee Stadium was the House That Babe Ruth built,
Or if Dodger Stadium was the house that Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale built,
Or if Pauley Pavilion at UCLA was the House that John Wooden built,
Then the Forum in Inglewood, which opened in 1967, was the House that West and Baylor built;
I’ll leave that for ESPN, Fox Sports, and other sports channels and news sites to cover.
I’ll just say this…
Without Jerry West, there would have been no Los Angeles Lakers as we know them.
And I’m talking about off the court after his playing career was done as well as on.
That was my prominent thought when I heard about his death this morning.
And along with the surprise of me posting Laker-based stuff on this blog in the middle of baseball season,
That will be my prominent thought going forward.
Of course it goes without saying that this multiple Hall of Famer and a member of the NBA’s All-Time 35th, 50th, and 75th Anniversary Teams, whose impact was so big that he was and remains the model for the NBA’s logo,
Will be missed on an extremely pronounced scale.
REST IN PEACE, MR. WEST.
AND BE SURE TO GIVE BILL WALTON AND ALL THE OTHER HOOPS LEGENDS OUR PERSONAL WARM REGARDS
I can see why the NBA logo (at top right hand corner) was modeled after this man. Photo courtesy of si.com
The soon-to-be head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers? Photo courtesy of latimes.com
MY THOUGHTS REGARDING THE POSSIBLE OF THE LAKERS HIRING THIS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP COLLEGE COACH
It’s been all over the sports news in So Cal the past couple of days;
The Lakers seemingly very much wanting to hire Dan Hurley, the University of Connecticut’s men’s basketball coach whose Huskies won their second straight NCAA championship a couple of months ago.
According to various sources, the Lakers want this guy badly, to the tune of offering him at least $100 million according to the Lakers Nation site.
After reading the feature article and Bill Plaschke’s column in the Los Angeles Times regarding this coach and his personality and approach,
Here’s what I have to say about the whole thing…
It’s not going to work.
Hurley should stay at Connecticut and build a legacy there, like John Wooden did at UCLA.
Here’s why…
Dan Hurley, the son of longtime New Jersey high school hoops coach Bob Hurley and brother of former Duke standout and current Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley, has a personality that can be best describes as intense and in-your-face;
In Plaschke’s column, he quoted Hurley as saying that he can be “an a**hole” in order to get players to perform to their capabilities and win;
He has also had incidents with opposing fans in the form of yelling at them and saying things a coach shouldn’t say.
An intense and in your face style personality and style can work for high school and college kids – Bob Knight, the legendary coach who led Indiana to three national championships and was the leader of college basketball’s last undefeated team in 1976, is the perfect example of that.
But as far as men in the NBA?
One word…
NO.
Can anyone imagine Hurley trying to get in LeBron James’ or Anthony Davis’ faces when he feels they need to do a better job at something?
Not without some confrontations between player and coach that no one needs.
In short, men trying to feed their families in the NBA will tire of Hurley’s personality and approach fairly quickly.
And unless he changes such, which I doubt as one can’t change his personality in the tradition of the leopard not being able to change his spots,
Add to that the fact that successful college coaches rarely succeed in the NBA or even the NFL;
Pete Carroll, who was fired by the New York Jets and the New England Patriots before he came to USC and ignited the Trojans’ glory days in the 2000’s, and Nick Saban, who was fired by the Miami Dolphins before he became about as God-like as Bear Bryant at Alabama with all that dominance, are perfect examples of that.
Well, let’s just put it like this,
Should Dan Hurley be indeed hired as the Lakers’ new head coach,
I would give him two years at the helm.
At the most.
Unless they – at the very least – go far in next season’s playoffs, which I honestly don’t see them doing.
Of course, my opinion means absolutely nothing as the Lakers will probably hire Hurley and give him the keys to the Lake Show kingdom.
But that’s how I see all of this.
I’m looking forward to see how this works out at this time next year.
AN UPDATE:
Hurley did, in my opinion, the right thing and the smart thing in announcing that he turned down the Lakers’ $70 million offer to remain in Storrs, CT as the Connecticut coach and go for a third straight national championship next season;
Something that hasn’t been done in college basketball in nearly fifty years, since John Wooden’s seven NCAA titles in a row from 1967-73 in Westwood.
I wonder if he read this post and took my advice to heart…
YES – LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, I HAVE HEARD THIS SAD NEWS.
In fact, I was in my bathroom when I overheard the TV news person announce Bill Walton’s death;
I didn’t even know he was sick with cancer, which the UCLA and NBA (including a stint with the Clippers) legend apparently didn’t want anyone to know.
Unlike more or less everyone else, I enjoyed his commentary at basketball games, particularly Pac-12 and UCLA contests.
And a personal fun fact:
I had the pleasure of meeting Walton and getting his autograph while a student in Westwood and a member of the UCLA band in February of 1990;
It was after the game where he and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had their numbers retired as Pauley Pavilion was celebrating its 25th anniversary, so it was obviously a big day for Bruin Nation as Bill and Kareem’s numbers, along with Ann Meyers Drysdale and Denise Curry on the women’s side, were the first to be retired by UCLA basketball.
Bill, along with Ann and Denise, signed my game program, which I still have to this day.
I’ll leave listing all his basketball exploits – the 44 points in the 1973 NCAA Championship Game and the 1977 and 1986 NBA titles that he won with the Portland Trailblazers and the Boston Celtics, respectively – to the other news sources,
But I will state this as far as his career…
As far as physical durability and injury issues over the course of a stellar sports career,
Baseball had Mickey Mantle.
Basketball had Bill Walton.
I honestly can’t think of two other sports legends who had bigger problems staying healthy than those two;
As far as Walton, I felt sympathetic over all the issues he had with his feet in particular and his back after his playing days were over as the man was apparently living in agony.
I saw and very much enjoyed his ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, which only reinforced my sympathies.
And with his hippie-like, non-conformist personality and lifestyle in his protesting the Vietnam War, being a big fan of the Grateful Dead, and his clashes with Coach John Wooden during his UCLA days,
Including a famous story of how coming off an undefeated, national championship season in which he was voted National Player of the Year, he arrived at the first Bruin practice of the following season sporting a beard, which was against team rules, and telling Wooden that it was his right to wear a beard with the great coach replying,
“I admire a person who stands up for his beliefs, I really do. And the team will miss you.”
Which sent Bill rushing on his bicycle to the nearest barber in Westwood to get arguably the fastest shave and haircut of all time.
It should obviously go without saying that this man will be VERY MUCH missed on a PRONOUNCED scale, especially in Bruin Nation.
Rest In Peace Bill Walton,
And be sure to give John Wooden our most highest regards.
The big redhead doing battle during his UCLA days…
HOW I SEE THINGS ULTIMATELY UNFOLDING FOR THE THREE SO CAL WINTER SPORTS TEAMS IN THEIR PLAYOFF RUNS
SEASON RECORDS AT A GLANCE…
Los Angeles Clippers: 51-31, Fourth place in the Western Conference
PACIFIC DIVISION CHAMPIONS, finishing two games ahead of the Phoenix Suns
FIRST ROUND OPPONENT: Dallas Mavericks, starting Sunday, April 21st
Los Angeles Lakers: 47-35, Seventh place in the Western Conference
Finished third in the Pacific Division, four games behind the Clippers
Won three of four games over the Clippers in this season’s Hallway Series
Beat the New Orleans Pelicans, 110-106, in the NBA Play-In Tournament on April 16th
FIRST ROUND OPPONENT: Denver Nuggets, starting Saturday, April 20th
Los Angeles Kings: 43-27-11, 97 points, Eighth place in the Western Conference (one more regular season game to go)
Currently in fourth place in the Pacific Division
Clinched spot in the playoffs as a Wild Card (as of now)
REGULAR SEASON FINALE: Chicago Blackhawks at Crypto.com Arena, Thursday, April 18th
FIRST ROUND OPPONENT: Dallas Stars if the regular season ended today, also possibly the Edmonton Oilers – TBD
L.A. Kings players enjoying a moment…
MY PREDICTIONS:
I’ll give the three winter sports teams,
Who happen to share the same arena in downtown L.A. for their home games – though the Clippers will be moving to Inglewood next season, playing at the Intuit Dome next to SoFi Stadium,
Plenty of credit for having solid seasons that ended with winning records and postseason berths.
However…
From what I’ve seen from those Lakers, Clippers and Kings,
They gave me the impression of teams that weren’t consistent enough in their play;
One night they would be outstanding world beaters, the next night they would be so bad, they’d lose to CIF State Champion Studio City Harvard-Westlake (in the Lakers and Clippers’ case) or the University of Denver, who won hockey’s NCAA title in what is called the Frozen Four (in the Kings’ case)
Because of that, and the opponents those three teams will be facing in their first round,
I feel I have no choice but to officially predict…
First round exits for the Clippers, Lakers and Kings.
In either five or six games.
I certainly hope they prove me wrong, as it would be nice to see a Lakers vs Clippers Western Conference Finals,
Or the Kings hoisting what would be their third Stanley Cup.
But I simply don’t see that happening,
Especially with the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard hurting and the Lakers’ Anthony Davis and LeBron James seemingly being so brittle.
So I’ll just go back to enjoying baseball and softball,
And rooting for the Dodgers to get it together as they haven’t been so great as of late.
A Clipper and a Laker going at it during a Hallway Series game…
Three iconic So Cal sports legends who will be forever remembered with awe and reverence: Woody Strode (left), Kenny Washington (right), and especially Jackie Robinson (center).
AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS WINDING DOWN…
I have been racking my head as to what to write and post on this blog regarding this month dedicated to the history of African Americans;
In this particular case, the history of African American athletes in So Cal.
I had already posted the seemingly obligatory listing of great Black athletes that both called So Cal home and played for the many college and pro teams calling So Cal home.
I certainly take satisfaction in writing about the West Coast Negro Baseball League’s Los Angeles White Sox, who played in 1946, as that was a history lesson I enjoyed learning about.
My list of the all-time Negro League team, also featured on this blog, was satisfying to write and post as well.
Milt Davis, a local So Cal legend who had a stellar career with UCLA and the then-Baltimore Colts in the 1950s…
However:
I just can’t help this one particular thought…
When it comes to Black History in the sports universe, pretty much all the information is on athletes past and present who not only starred in their sports and for their teams, but made a significant impact on society in general for what they did on the field (READ: Jackie Robinson and Kenny Washington as far as So Cal Sports).
And rightfully so, of course.
But to be perfectly honest,
I would one day like to read about African Americans who, rather than merely perform on the fields, gridirons, and courts,
OWN the teams that perform on those fields, gridirons, and courts.
In other words, African Americans that are part of the real power structure in the sports universe,
The ones who provide the stadiums, equipment, and transportation to the athletes and sign their paychecks.
The ones who wear the suits and sit in the luxury box suites.
The one who really call the shots and hold the power.
In other words, the bosses.
After all,
While it’s wonderful to be able to play in the NFL, NBA or Major League Baseball,
In my humble view, it would be that much better to OWN an NFL, NBA, or a Major League Baseball team.
While I would (of course) never have the means to be in that exclusive group,
It would be very nice to read about such in the years to come.
Just something to think about…
AN INCREDIBLE PHOTO:Baseball Hall of Famers Ozzie Smith (left) and Eddie Murray (right) as members of Watts’ Locke High School baseball team in 1973…
CHECKING OUT SO CAL’S TWO NBA TEAMS AND HOW THINGS ARE GOING WITH THEM SO FAR
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Season Record: 12-9, seventh place in the Western Conference
Third place in the Pacific Division
Winners of their last two games
Team Leaders:
LeBron James, F – 28.9 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 6.8 apg
Anthony Davis, C – 25.9 ppg, 12.5 rpg
D’Angelo Russell, PG – 17.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 6.1 apg
Last Game: Beat the Houston Rockets, 107-97, on December 2nd
Next Game: vs the Phoenix Suns in the NBA In-Season Tournament Quarterfinal, on December 5th
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Season Record: 9-10, ninth place in the Western Conference
Fourth place in the Pacific Division
Winners of two of their last three games
Team Leaders:
Paul George, F – 23.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg,
Kawhi Leonard, F – 21.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg
James Harden, G – 15.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 6.4 apg
Russell Westbrook, PG – 12.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 5.3 apg
Last Game: Beat the Golden State Warriors, 113-112, on December 2nd
Next Game: vs the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, December 6th
HALLWAY SERIES – Lakers vs Clippers
Lakers beat Clippers, 130-125, on November 1st
FUTURE HALLWAY SERIES GAMES (all games at Crypco.com Arena):
Sunday, January 7th
Tuesday, January 23rd
Wednesday, February 28th
Thoughts:
A couple of honest feelings are prevalent in my head regarding those two NBA teams that have been sharing the same facility in downtown L.A. for nearly 25 years,
And they have been prevalent in my gray matter for a while…
The NBA season begins way, way too early and ends far, far too late; basketball season should NEVER begin in the middle of football season and end in the middle of baseball season; which is why college basketball gets it right with the Final Four being held during the first weekend of April.
and,
To be perfectly honest, except for the Shaquille O’Neal/Kobe Bryant (RIP) championship years at the turn of this century pro basketball in general died for me, at least to some degree, at the end of the Lakers’ “Showtime” dynasty around 1990 – I have always stated that those Kareem Abdul-Jabbar/Magic Johnson-led Lakers in the 1980s would have absolutely slaughtered the Shaq/Kobe Lakers if they met in a best-of-seven series, me lately being generous in giving the 2000s Lake Show one win as opposed to my asserting that they would have been swept in four straight.
I particularly don’t know about this in-season tournament with the crazy decorated courts;
I understand that the NBA’s owners and other higher-ups want to boost interest in the league while college football and the NFL is peaking, and that they feel an in-season tournament will help with TV revenue.
But I guess I’m old school in the sense that it’s all just a bit too much for me.
As for how those Lakers and Clippers are actually doing according to little old me,
Two words sum it up at least at this point in the season…
Underachieving mediocrity.
Those two franchises continue to sport four of the best basketball players on the planet, one of them having broken Kareem’s all-time scoring record last year,
And their combined record as of this writing: 21-19
Which along with a little thing called football season still being in effect, more or less explains my lack of interest in closely following them at this time.
Which will probably change a bit later this month as Christmas Day is always a big day for the NBA with their many games being played on that holiday.
But unless the Clippers and/or the Lakers go on a tear and go deep in the playoffs,
Baseball will take precedence in my heart of a fan this coming April.
Nothing personal, but that’s how I feel.
I certainly hope those two teams finish at the top of the standings,
And if they meet in the playoffs, I will definitely give them full feature coverage in this blog.
You know I can’t do a post like this without including a pic of this man, who happens to be the NBA’s all-time scoring leader…
Looks like it rained on this outdoor basketball court…
THE REASONS FOR NOT HAVING BASKETBALL POSTS ON THIS BLOG AS OF THIS MOMENT ARE FAIRLY SIMPLE ONES, THAT ARE TWOFOLD:
I feel that November is too early to focus on basketball, both the pro and the college kind, right now as I’ve always felt that November – and especially October in the NBA’s case – is too early to start the basketball season
and…
Football season is still going strong, and beginning to peak at the high school and college levels with the CIF Southern Section and Los Angeles City playoffs in full swing and the traditional college rivalry games – including our Crosstown Rivalry – coming very soon
In other words,
I just feel that there’s no time for me to give the proper coverage that the Lakers, the Clippers, and UCLA’s and USC’s men’s and women’s basketball teams deserve at this time.
At least until after Thanksgiving, as my plans are to have articles on So Cal’s pro and college basketball teams in early December, after college football’s regular season ends.
So don’t worry So Cal hoops fans, you’ll see stuff on the Lake Show, Clipper Nation, and the hard court versions of the Bruins and Trojans soon enough,
As well as some of the other colleges in So Cal whose hoops teams are having good starts to their seasons;
By the Christmas holidays to be precise.
In the meantime…
Next week will be a big week for this blog, the biggest week of the year;
Being that it will be Crosstown Rivalry Week as for the tenth year I will be posting articles covering the annual and upcoming clash between UCLA and USC.
Among the posts will be,
The 35th anniversary commemoration of something personally historic – my very first in-person UCLA vs USC game, and…
A 30th anniversary commemoration of what was an epic Bruin-Trojan battle at the Coliseum that I had the pleasure of seeing live
As well as my annual preview of the game, my post game analysis of the game,
And the number one tradition of this So Cal Sports Chronicles blog…
My annual predictions of how I see the Crosstown Rivalry Clash unfolding and my pick of who I see winning the game and the Victory Bell, INCLUDING MY PREDICTION OF THE FINAL SCORE.
Which will appear on this blog exactly two days before the kick off at the Coliseum,
Which in this case will be on Thursday, November 16th.
So as I hope one can understand, although the hoops coverage will eventually appear there’s simply no room for me to do any real focusing on basketball as of right now.
But as has been the case since 2015, I’m planning this year’s Crosstown Rivalry Football coverage to be a good one;
Admittedly, this is not a SoCal sports stadium (It’s Comiskey Park – I refuse to call it Guaranteed Rate Field – in Chicago, home of the White Sox), but these sure look like loyal fans to me…
I WAS CHECKING OUT THIS BLOG TWITTER’S PAGE, GETTING UPDATES AND POSSIBLE BREAKING NEWS AS I USUALLY DO,
When I came upon an interesting question from a page called Baseball History Nut, which asked this question…
DO YOU BELIEVE THERE’S STILL TEAM LOYALTY IN SPORTS?
Here’s how I answered it…
Among the athletes/players: DEFINITELY NO.
Among the fans: DEFINITELY YES, oftentimes a bit too much loyalty what with all the trash talk and fights in the stands, etc.
Let me elaborate…
As far as the people directly involved on the diamond, gridiron, court, ice, floor, and pitch,
I think it is both fair and safe to say that loyalty to a team is pretty much dead.
And it’s not coming back.
On the pro level, loyalty to a team has been dead for nearly fifty years, ever since free agency first came to Major League Baseball at the end of 1975 with the ruling that allowed pitchers Dave McNally and Andy Messersmith to be able to choose who they wanted to play for, and killed the indentured servant-like Reserve Clause, which bounded a player to one team for life and which the players absolutely hated, comparing that clause to slavery.
The days of stars playing for their teams for twenty years, like Hall of Fame legends Willie Mays (New York/San Francisco Giants), Hank Aaron (Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves), El Segundo native George Brett (Kansas City Royals), and the San Fernando Valley’s Robin Yount (Milwaukee Brewers) have been long gone for a while;
Don’t get me wrong – the Reserve Clause was a terrible thing that unnecessarily restricted where a ballplayer could ply his wares, and it had to go.
But it’s the sense of loyalty to a team and its fans that paid the ultimate price for the players’ freedom and right to play where they want.
The Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw, currently in his 16th season in a Dodger uniform, seems to be somewhat of a rare exception to this lack of loyalty;
At least for now.
There’s even less loyalty to a team in the NFL and especially the NBA, as it seems that as soon as players sign multi-year, eight-figure contracts, they’re opting out of such contract after only one season;
The athletes may not think of themselves this way, but I can certainly see why they are called greedy by the fans and the general public.
LAFC’s fanatical fan group, the 3252. I hope their level of fanaticism isn’t anything like their counterparts in the U.K’s English Premier League or other European leagues; hooligans fighting like gang members over sports teams is very much not cool…
With the NIL – Name, Image and Likeness – deals now in place, the college athlete’s sense of loyalty to a school was nuclear bomb-level obliterated as I’ve read about a number of athletes who have entered the Transfer Portal every year, trying to find the program where he can be “The Man”, or where he can win a national championship with relative ease;
Just take a look at the roster for the USC Trojans’ football team last year and this coming season as opposed to in 2020 and 2021 for an illustration.
And keep in mind that Caleb Williams, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, came to Exposition Park and the Coliseum through the transfer portal.
Loyalty to a school among the athletes is gone, and much like their pro counterparts it ain’t coming back.
It is what it is.
As for the fans’ sense of team loyalty…
It’s quite safe to state that it’s the opposite of the players who they fervently cheer for and go nuts over.
Proof of this over loyalty is manifested in a Twitter page called Baseball Fight Club,
Which shows clips of fans fighting in the stands at ball games;
There are several clips of fights at Petco Park and particuarly Dodger Stadium (sad to say), not only between Dodger and San Diego Padre fans, but also between Dodger fans fighting each other.
Embarrassingly sad, don’t you think?
Of course I’ll most unfortunately never forget feeling ashamed to be a Dodger fan when Giant fan Bryan Stow was beaten to within an inch of his life in the Dodger Stadium parking lot on Opening Day in 2011.
I saw a page on YouTube of fan brawls at NFL games, which with all the alcohol imbibing and drunkenness involved happens quite frequently;
I would advise fans to not go to opponent’s stadiums in that league, at least not while sporting their gear or loudly cheering, lest they suffer from the home fans’ wrath.
I confess that I had my moments of fan obnoxiousness and stupidity as a member of UCLA’s Bruin Nation in the 1990s and early 2000s, particularly when USC was the opponent at the Crosstown Rivalry football clashes,
Which I won’t give any details of due to my feeling significant shame and remorse for my sub-par behavior,
Which I repented of and, in a case of having grown up, turned away from.
Because when it comes down to it,
It really is just a game and will not have any real effect on anyone’s life circumstances.
A bit of good-natured smack talk between opposing fans is okay, but in looking at the comments and posts in social media that has gotten too nasty and gone far too far as well.
Unfortunately, I don’t see this fan over-loyalty and nastiness ending anytime soon.
Like I had stated with regards to the athletes’ lack of loyalty,
“It is what it is.”
I like this sea of blue that this UCLA Bruin Nation is showing atthe Rose Bowl…
The Lakers’ LeBron James (left) and the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard (right) facing off during a recent game. Photo courtesy of th.bing.com
CHECKING OUT SOCAL’S TWO PRO BASKETBALL TEAMS AS THEY HAVE BOTH MADE THE NBA POSTSEASON
AND HOW I SEE THEIR PLAYOFF FATES UNFOLDING
Regular Season At A Glance…
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Record: 44-38, tied with the Golden State Warriors for fifth place in the Western Conference
Will be the fifth seed for the conference playoffs
Will play the fourth-seeded Phoenix Suns in the best-of-seven conference quarterfinals starting on Sunday, April 16th in Phoenix
Will face either the top-seeded Denver Nuggets or whoever emerges as the eighth seed from the play-in tournament in the conference semifinals if they beat the Suns
Top Players:
Kawhi Leonard, F: 23.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg
Paul George, G: 23.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg (currently injured, but may be available in the Phoenix series)
Russell Westbrook, PG: 15.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 7.6 apg
Ivica Zubac, C: 10.8 ppg, 9.9 rpg
Marcus Morris, F: 11.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Record: 43-39, seventh place in the Western Conference
Third winning season in the past four years
Will be the seventh seed for the conference playoffs
Will face the eighth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in a play-in tournament game at Crypco.com Arena on Tuesday, April 11th
Will face the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in the conference quarterfinals starting on Sunday, April 16th if they beat the Timberwolves
Top Players:
LeBron James, F: 28.9 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 6.8 apg
Anthony Davis, C: 25.9 ppg, 12.5 rpg
DeAngelo Russell, PG: 17.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 6.1 apg
Dennis Schroder, PG: 12.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 4.5 apg
Austin Reaves, G: 13.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
Kawhi Leonard (left) scoring on the Lakers with Anthony Davis (right) looking on. Photo courtesy of hoopshype.com
Thoughts and Predictions:
It’s nice to see that both of SoCal’s NBA teams who call the arena formerly known as Staples Center home,
Finished with winning records, and
Will play in the postseason
When the Lakers faced the Clippers in the fourth game of their Hallway Series last April 5th, it induced some interest from me due to the fact that the two teams had the exact same record going into that latest showdown.
Of course, that was before the Clippers once again showed who was the better pro hoops team in L.A. with their 125-118 win over the Lakers, their 11th straight and their 36th win in the last 43 meetings between the two clubs;
Not to mention the third straight year that Clipper Nation swept the Lake Show.
Which is why Janet Jackson’s classic “What Have You Done For Me Lately” is the perfect song to play for Laker fans who point at the 17 banners whenever Clipper fans lord their dominance over them.
As for how I see things playing out over the next two months for these two teams…
Having played well of late, and being that this play-in game will be at home,
Though I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they lost,
The Lakers’ chances of beating the Timberwolves and moving on to play Memphis in the official first round are pretty good.
However,
That will most likely be as far as they will go as that Lake Show is too inconsistent to give them a real chance of beating the Grizzlies in a seven-game series.
As has been the case these past few seasons, they need more lock-down defenders.
But kudos to LeBron and company for that winning record, which they certainly earned as they struggled mightily for much of the campaign.
The Clippers had a 1-2 record against Phoenix this season, and they’ll open on the road as the Suns will have the home court advantage in this first round,
But I see them having a decent chance to win and move on to the conference semifinals,
Particularly if Paul George, who suffered a hyperextended knee on March 21st and hasn’t played since, is healthy enough to be available at some point in that series.
If he’s not and doesn’t play, it will be a tough go and it won’t be surprising to see the Clippers’ season end early.
But if George does play, I like their chances.
Even if they will most likely fall to the Denver Nuggets in that second round.
If either the Clippers or the Lakers make it to the NBA Finals, I’ll have a complete preview of that and a prediction of whether that Lake Show will hang a record 18th banner in Crypco.com Arena’s rafters,
Or if Clipper Nation will be at long last celebrating that first title.
Until then…
The Clippers’ Nicholas Batum (#33) trying to guard LeBron James (right) as he brings the ball up the court. Photo courtesy of bonusbettor.com
A THIRTY-NINE YEAR OLD RECORD FALLS AS THE LAKERS’ STAR PASSES AN ALL-TIME LEGENDARY ICON
It happened about an hour or so ago at the arena formerly known as Staples Center (as of this writing, of course).
And it’s being kept in the Lakers’ family, which I’m glad about.
It was a foregone conclusion that LeBron James would break Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s all-time scoring record, which he set when he passed Wilt Chamberlain against the Utah Jazz in Las Vegas in 1984;
I was a junior in high school back then, and now being in my mid-fifties,
Well, that should illustrate how long Kareem held that mark.
It was a fadeaway jumper that sealed the deal, as shown here (courtesy of YouTube, click on the link):
I’ve always liked those white uniforms! Photo courtesy of silverscreenandroll.com
I remember LeBron as a high school super-phenom at St. Vincent – St. Mary High in Akron, Ohio, everyone proclaiming him as the chosen one and the next hoops legend.
After…
Four NBA Championships
Four MVP awards
Four NBA Finals MVP awards
Nineteen NBA All-Star Games
Three NBA All-Star MVP awards
Two Olympic Gold Medals for Team USA
A spot on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team
Four-time AP Athlete of the Year
Three-time Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year, and now…
The NBA’s all-time scoring record
I think it’s kind of safe to say that LeBron has achieved exactly what everyone had predicted for him when he began his career with his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers twenty years ago.
As he has stated that he wants to play into his forties (he’s currently thirty-eight) and possibly alongside his son Bronny, who’s currently a huge star at Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth and as sure as I’m typing this will be a one-and-done player at whatever college he plays for and will be a very high first round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft if not the number one overall pick,
It’s a fairly sure bet that LeBron will pass 40,000 points before he hangs them up.
But for now,
Let me join the sports universe in congratulating this basketball legend,
And officially state that I’m looking forward to his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame,
Which I predict he will be elected by a unanimous vote.
CONGRATULATIONS, LEBRON!
Going up against a San Antonio Spur. Photo courtesy of allindiaroundup.com