This and that

Looking at rookie of the year candidates, Doncic is the clear favorite but I have been pleasantly surprised by how well Tre Young has been playing

For the year Donci putting up great numbers with 21.2 PPG, 5.9 assists and 7.7 rebounds

Tre Young with 19 PPG, 8.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds.

Neither player has distinguished themselves shooting the 3 pointer as both are at 32%

Doncic will win ROY honors but Young has proven to be a very good player with positive upside.

It will be interesting to see where they are 5-10 years down the road.

And ATL gets the Mavs pick from the Luka trade.

worcester wrote:And ATL gets the Mavs pick from the Luka trade.

Atlanta has 2 potential top 6 picks and a ton of cap space. If they can address the defensive end of the court they could become very competitive next year.

Not sure if anyone watched the Bucks / Sixers game last night, but Embiid did it again.  Started an altercation, that resulted in nothing for him and the ejection of another player.

Just because Bledsoe throws harder than Embiid - he gets the boot?  Just horrible officiating

The Sixers’ big man has been involved in a series of confrontations on the court this season, most recently when he was shoved to the floor by Marcus Smart two weeks ago. The Boston Celtics guard was also ejected and Embiid conceded he was developing a reputation for getting opponents off the court.

"I was just thinking that I'm pretty good at what I do," he said in the post-game press conference, as per ESPN. "This is the second time that I got one of the key guys on the other team thrown out, so I was pretty excited."

I am not fan of Bledsoe, but Embiid is a punk.

https://www.newsweek.com/joel-embiid-eric-bledsoe-bucks-vs-76ers-1386934

Man we need Dave Cowens to run over this punk...!!!

Or run under him...

Embiid might have gotten Bledsoe ejected but the Bucks won without him.

He who laughs last, laughs best, and the fact that Embiid is focusing on how great he is at getting someone ejected in a game that he lost is the real problem.


bob


.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/le-bron-james-ramps-up-pressure-on-lakers-to-land-star-critical-to-me-and-my-future-225237071.html



LeBron James ramps up pressure on Lakers to land star: 'Critical to me and my future'


Jason Owens, Yahoo Sports
19 hours ago



This upcoming summer is it for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Following a season that can be summed up on almost every front as an abject disaster, the Lakers are facing an offseason that will likely make or break the LeBron James era in L.A. and determine the fate of franchise icon Magic Johnson as a team executive.

Land at least one of the summer’s free-agent whales or suffer the consequences.

This is no secret. Coming off a lottery-bound season notable for high-profile failure (Anthony Davis), internal turmoil (Anthony Davis fallout) and external noise (Big Baller Brand), there is no choice for the Lakers power players other than to get things right this summer.


LeBron: ‘I want to compete now’

But just in case that wasn’t 100 percent transparent, James hammered the point home in an interview with Bleacher Report.

"It's a critical summer for myself," James told Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck. "Obviously, the franchise is going to live forever. But for me personally, it's very critical, because I want to compete, and I want to compete now."


LeBron James knows his time in a Lakers uniform will impact his legacy and is reminding Magic Johnson of the stakes this summer. (AP)


Yes, LeBron’s Lakers stint will impact his legacy

James knows the score, of course. As much as he’s accomplished and rightfully secured his place in basketball lore, a career capped with failure with the Lakers would be a stain on his legacy.

Lakers history is littered with individual greatness that has translated to championships.

From Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to Magic Johnson and James Worthy, to Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, Hall of Famers have starred for the Lakers. And they’ve won titles.

If the Lakers can’t even sniff contention with James still in his prime, where will he end up standing in Lakers lore?

Not anywhere near those names is where.


Lot of work to do in L.A.

And the Lakers as currently constructed can’t even compete for a playoff spot, much less think about the NBA Finals.

The window on this experiment is narrow. James will turn 35 early next season. There’s no time to waste.

The decline of James’ game has been an overplayed narrative during this disastrous season. His averages of 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists are still astounding and actually a tick higher than his career numbers.

This isn’t Michael Jordan in a Washington Wizards uniform.

But concerns about James’ durability at his age are valid. His 17 consecutive inactives with a groin strain this season are not the norm for his career. James’ durability has been one of the best of his many remarkable traits.

So yeah. James, like everyone else paying attention, knows the time is now.


LeBron calls out Magic, Pelinka

"So it's very critical to me and my future," James told Bleacher Report of landing another star. "And I'm positive and very optimistic that Magic and Rob and the franchise will be great."



Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka can't afford a repeat if this season's trade deadline. (AP)


Notice that’s the third time James chose to use the word “critical” while speaking with Beck. Also notice how he called out Johnson and Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka by name there.

The Lakers front office whiffed mightily in failing to secure Anthony Davis at the trade deadline, a misstep that helped catalyze the team’s downfall from playoff contenders to lottery tankers.


Upcoming free-agent bonanza

Opportunity will be ripe this summer to make up for that miscalculation. Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving and Jimmy Butler are among the several difference-makers available to hit the open market.

And, conceivably, the Lakers can hold out hope of another shot at a Davis deal. Though given the animosity lingering from both sides of the in-season talks, it’s probably best for Lakers fans to not hold their breath on that front.

The minimum requirement will be for Johnson and Pelinka to land one of those big names. Two is the ideal as the Lakers face immense pressure to make the most of the LeBron era in L.A.

Doing so is not a sure thing. Several of those names are attached to rumors landing elsewhere, including the two biggest fish, Durant and Leonard.

James is culpable too. A major influence on the construction of his successful runs with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers, James is putting his reputation as a talent lure on the line.


Magic’s pledge

Last summer, Johnson promised to land multiple superstars over the course of two offseasons or step down. Shortly after that statement, the Lakers signed James.

Soon it will be time for Johnson to uphold the remainder of that pledge. With the summer approaching, James is laying down a not-so-subtle reminders of what needs to be done.



bob



.

mrkleen09 wrote:Not sure if anyone watched the Bucks / Sixers game last night, but Embiid did it again.  Started an altercation, that resulted in nothing for him and the ejection of another player.

Just because Bledsoe throws harder than Embiid - he gets the boot?  Just horrible officiating

The Sixers’ big man has been involved in a series of confrontations on the court this season, most recently when he was shoved to the floor by Marcus Smart two weeks ago. The Boston Celtics guard was also ejected and Embiid conceded he was developing a reputation for getting opponents off the court.

"I was just thinking that I'm pretty good at what I do," he said in the post-game press conference, as per ESPN. "This is the second time that I got one of the key guys on the other team thrown out, so I was pretty excited."

I am not fan of Bledsoe, but Embiid is a punk.

https://www.newsweek.com/joel-embiid-eric-bledsoe-bucks-vs-76ers-1386934

Kleen

I watched the game and once again Embid was the center of the altercation.  

The Bucks still managed to win although the outcome came into focus in the last 2 minutes of the game.

In general the Sixers are missing something.  They do not have the IT factor.

"(Paul) George never gave the Lakers an opportunity to shoot their shot," McMenamin recalls. "But he had a wealth of information available to him about the inner workings of the Lakers without ever hearing a word from Magic Johnson. For example, George played in Oklahoma City with Corey Brewer in the second half of the 2017-18 season, after Brewer was waived by L.A. in February. Brewer divulged his Lakers experience to George, sources said."
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/nba-rumors-paul-george-spurned-025109858.html

Virginia with an absolute stunning last second victory over Auburn! I don’t follow college hoop at all until the Elite Eight each year, but it seems every year there is a game that is incredible and emotionally devastating to the losing team. Dude went to the free throw line after getting fouled on a three and calmly nails all three with 0.06 left in the game for a one point win. He looked calm though in his post game interview he said he was terrified!

Hats off to Virginia.

bobc33 wrote:Virginia with an absolute stunning last second victory over Auburn!  I don’t follow college hoop at all until the Elite Eight each year, but it seems every year there is a game that is incredible and emotionally devastating to the losing team.  Dude went to the free throw line after getting fouled on a three and calmly nails all three with 0.06 left in the game for a one point win.  He looked calm though in his post game interview he said he was terrified!

Hats off to Virginia.

He is Kyle Guy and he also hit the three to bring the game to 1 point (after a foul Auburn hit one and it was a 2 point lead until those three fritos). Guy is from Indiana...he'd look good in green even if undersized for a 2; he's got brass ones.

Celts clinch 4th seed as Indy lost again.

Terrible call against Auburn at the end. Should have been Auburn's game. Virginia should have never been at the line to win the game.

Ranks up there with the defensive non-call against the Rams that cost the Saints in this past season's playoffs.

I seldom complain about officiating, but that call was about as bad as I've seen. Blown call of Titanic proportions gives Virginia the game.

I agree that was terrible terrible call that should have never been made, but the Saints call was worse.

I thought it was a foul.  Too much contact to ignore.  But I get to see it in slow motion in the comfort of my living room.

We don't watch college basketball too much around here, so is it because there was less than one second left in a sudden death March Madness game that the foul shouldn't have been called?

Asking for a friend.

Good call - bad call ? - it probaly depends on who you were rooting for.

 swish

gyso wrote:I thought it was a foul.  Too much contact to ignore.  But I get to see it in slow motion in the comfort of my living room.

We don't watch college basketball too much around here, so is it because there was less than one second left in a sudden death March Madness game that the foul shouldn't have been called?

Asking for a friend.

Great question gyso - But because some calls are split hair decissions getting it right all the time is probably not possible because of human visual interpetations that vary enough to foster different conclusions, I would hope that the call would not also be subject to the relative importance of the moment - adding yet another dimension to the degree of difficulty that officials are must face.

swish

The Virginia player dribbled off his own foot, picked the ball up with both hands and then dribbled again.
Easy double dribble call they missed, should have been Auburn ball.

But once we got to that last play, the 3 point attempt was 100% a foul on Auburn. You cannot undercut a shooter when he is in the air. Very easy call.

mrkleen09 wrote:The Virginia player dribbled off his own foot, picked the ball up with both hands and then dribbled again.
Easy double dribble call they missed, should have been Auburn ball.

But once we got to that last play, the 3 point attempt was 100% a foul on Auburn.  You cannot undercut a shooter when he is in the air.  Very easy call.

You are 100% correct.
That double dribble should not have been missed. The referee was right there watching the play.
The 3 point attempt was definitely a foul.
He got fouled on the body/legs when he went up for the shot and the defender was right under his landing space when the shooter came down.
That was an easy call for the referees.

dbrown4 wrote:The dribbling off the foot call is very obscure and rare.  But since defense gets penalized for "kicking" the ball from an offensive pass, it makes some sense that their should be a reciprocal offensive call and/or conditions if you are dumb enough to dribble the ball off your own foot.  

But one is way more common than the other.  I am trying to recall if I have ever seen that happen or knew their was a rule just for that.  Nada.

I think the refs missed it because of its complete rareness and obscurity.  I wouldn't expect ANY ref to remember that one.  

Clearly, though, as MrKleen states, the last 3-point shot was a foul.  Have to call it no matter what time of the game it is. I'm sure that kid is beating himself up to no end.  

Let's face it, though.  The Virginia Story is the best one and will sell the most copies if they win tonight which they will.  (Keep in mind the Final 4 was not a sellout and they had to use local college kids to fill the arena for these games.)  

After suffering the most humiliating defeat any tournament team in history could experience and will probably never be repeated, they come back the next season and win it all...redemption.  Just like Carolina did a couple of years ago with their last second thriller loss.  Next season?  NCAA Champs.  Complete failure to complete success stories make the best print.    

db

P.S.  I did not realize he picked up his dribble.  What would have happened if he dribbled off his foot but continued to dribble?  

I dont think dribbling off your foot is the violation - if you bounce it off your own foot and the ball keep bouncing and you pick up the dribble and continue, no violation IMO. If (as in this case), you dribble off your foot and it causes the ball to lay on the floor - you can pick it up and pass, but you cannot start a new dribble, THAT is where the violation occurs.

dbrown4 wrote:Got it.  

What if the ball was dead/rolling on the floor and he smacked at it/punched it to get the dribble restarted.  Would that have been a double dribble violation?  Just curious.

db

I am not a referee, but once you discontinue your dribble, you cannot restart it without someone on the other team touching the ball.  Your only other options are to shoot or pass.