Around The League 2022-2023 Season

Here lately, there’s been too many times that I have turned on a radio or TV or even a pod and its (no caps please) lakers this and lakers that. I get that the Networks and the League would love to see them go far but gimme a break. They're below 500 with a little over 15 games to go with no LeHop and still….
So what if they are better than they were 2 months ago. They sucked then and they suck less now but they still suck. Their PA announcer is the best thing they have going for them and even he sounds bored to tears. I’ll be more than overjoyed once they're eliminated and sent apackin’.

dboss wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:

dbrown4 wrote:cowens/oldschool,

Good luck with your last statement!!

db

Considering where they were, Pelinka has done a great job acquiring assets IMHO

I agree.  Their roster looks a lot better and I do not see one great  team in the West.  

Your right, the best team the Nuggets just lost their 4th in a row tonight, their backcourt is not holding up their end.

https://www.sbnation.com/2023/3/16/23643819/lonzo-ball-nba-chicago-bulls-injury-next-season-another-knee-surgery

Lonzo Ball with another surgery on his knee.  He may be out for all of next season, not just this one.  A long road ahead but I hope he makes a full comeback in time.  Dude had made himself into a well above average guard.

bobc33 wrote:https://www.sbnation.com/2023/3/16/23643819/lonzo-ball-nba-chicago-bulls-injury-next-season-another-knee-surgery

Lonzo Ball with another surgery on his knee.  He may be out for all of next season, not just this one.  A long road ahead but I hope he makes a full comeback in time.  Dude had made himself into a well above average guard.

Sad before his injury, he was playing his best ball. Had even developed a reliable 3 point shot.

Sometimes I think they should just ball, and do the old school workouts, alot of these players now over do all the weight/plyometric training and don’t just play ball. All I hear is no one practices anymore on the floor, the oldschool players sure could play more games per season. I don’t think he was lazy, just a hunch, I think he overtrained too much.

They were talking on one talk show and they blame AAU basketball for a lot of these kids getting injured. They never stop playing from the time they are able to dribble. Wear and tear on their bodies, so many young players injured with awful injuries

RosalieTCeltics wrote:They were talking on one talk show and they blame AAU basketball for a lot of these kids getting injured.  They never stop playing from the time they are able to dribble.   Wear and tear on their bodies, so many young players injured with awful injuries

Totally agree, where has the no 1 draft pick been this whole year? Cade Cunningham played how many games? Remember how many years Embid missed when he first got drafted? Ben Simmons is 26, constant back and knee issues now. So many players only play 50 games a year, see how much time Kawhi and Paul George take off? Michael Porter and he got a max contract for how many games and he’s constantly injured…???

I was told by a Coach and some players that they would play 3-4 games a day (8 minute quarters). One player said there were a few times where he played 6 games in one day.

Sitting and watching Dallas Mavs and Memphis Grizzlies.
Right now, Kyrie is being checked by Dillon Brooks.
All I can say is.. Dillon do what you do best. LOL

I know First Take has given some attention to the recent Ja Morant saga.  Basically the argument there is first and foremost they want him well but something seems to be missing accompanied with a rush to get him back on the court before all is perceived to be well.  To have him back on court this week is way too soon, especially since from interviews with the coach and maybe Ja implying there is more that is not being disclosed on Ja's whole condition.  

My wife and I have spoken about this.  My wife who teaches high school math, her BS meter is on high alert with this since a good part of her job is to smoke things out quickly and catch kids/people in lies.  I asked her what and/or who does this whole situation reminds her of or what/who do you think of with this is whole thing is brought up.  Before I could even finish my sentence and say who I was going to say, she said "Len Bias."  And I said "Exactly.  No further questions, Your Honor."  

Two totally different build ups since the Bias situation came out of nowhere, but what we were thinking of was in line as to was how this was/is possibly/probably going to end. Just a hunch that a tragic ending is coming on the magnitude of Len Bias.

Really hope my gut is wrong on this one.  First Take/Stephen A. is right that this all seems like a rush to get him back on the court and so he is "cured".  What no one has said yet, which is obvious why the Grizz seem to have their hand in part of this, is the Grizz's heightened chance to win a championship this year.  They dont' stand a chance without Ja.  If this is part of the story, the Grizzle franchise is going to get a good share of the blame if something very tragic comes from all this.  That will destroy the franchise.  The difference vs. the Boston situation was Boston had no clue.  That was a 2 x 4 assault out of nowhere.

I believe in the Memphis universe, someone in the organization knows what's going on and if they don't come clean and do something to correct this the right way, they will be culpable.  Memphis ain't going to win a championship this year with or without Ja.  But if this organization is indeed blinded by the light and are part of rushing this kid back far too soon, then they deserve all that is coming.  As in Survivor, blood will be on their hands.        

Ja is just a kid.  So was Bias.  Bias made a wrong decision and it cost him his life.  His inner circle was not looking out for him.  Ja's dad, who Stephen A. harps on deservedly so, needs to be his dad and clean house like Jesus did in the temple.  Maybe fire himself.
And soon.  

Initially and clearly, I believe the inner circle is involved.  Or not being involved has resulted in getting things to this point.  Mental illness somewhere, maybe.    

What the Grizz should have done is sit him out for the rest of the year, no if's and's or but's, until there is corroborated evidence that everything is hunky dory all the way through.  You ain't getting that done in 10 days or 8 games.  Come back on Grizz's terms, not a rush to judgment as it were as this all looks like an effort not to damage their chances to win a championship.  But the fox may already be in the hen house.    

I do smell a rat, though, as does Stephen A, Molly and maybe a few others.  Something's up and something's coming IMHBAO.  Please, gut, be wrong this time!  No one needs another tragic story.  No shooting star.      

db

The JA situation is one I did not want to address because I don’t have all the information. As DBrown implied, there are things still up in the air so I cannot address the entire situation. However,
I don’t like the fact that his instagram pics with a stripper were outed.
I don’t like the fact that his Instagram posts from middle school was outed.
This amounts to trash and has very little to do with whats troubling him.

I do disagree, dbrown with the drawing parallels and/or conflating the Len Bias tragedy to Ja’s current situation.
The only thing that the 2 have in common are that they are basketball players and both happen to be African American.
I don’t see the similarities. And since when is Stephen A a reference point or a spokesperson when it comes to fatherhood?
Again, the only similarities there is that he too is African American, thats where it ends and this is where I’ll end.
When there is more info on Ja and his basketball career and relatable personal issues I may come back to it keeping in mind Forum policy.

SO SOON KY? SO SOON?






“Overdue”
-Kyrie Irving

Is this the 4th or 5th franchise Kyrie went to and either he ruined them or they got much worse? Poor fragile entitled delusional arrogant snob, good luck getting that max contract.

cowens/oldschool wrote:Is this the 4th or 5th franchise Kyrie went to and either he ruined them or they got much worse? Poor fragile entitled delusional arrogant snob, good luck getting that max contract.

And yet, he seems to be very highly respected by most NBA players, including Jaylen and Jason. Even after stepping on Lucky and saging the Garden. I just don’t understand.

I am waiting breathlessly for the contract offer the Kyrie will get this off season. I hope the the league gets their marbles together on this one.

bobc33 wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:Is this the 4th or 5th franchise Kyrie went to and either he ruined them or they got much worse? Poor fragile entitled delusional arrogant snob, good luck getting that max contract.

And yet, he seems to be very highly respected by most NBA players, including Jaylen and Jason.  Even after stepping on Lucky and saging the Garden.  I just don’t understand.

These younguns are so different from the ones we’ve been used to watching over the many years.

It does “appear” that way and thats probably what it is more or less. Appearance. These guys have big egos and i think that they put aside some of their feelings before and after a game. Of course they respect his talent and some say he’s a lot different outside of the game. That may be why we are seeing what we are seeing when they hug and kiss. Maybe. How do they really feel about him? As Scal always says, “I could be wrong” but I believe that there’s misgivings, it’s just not apparent.

prakash wrote:I am waiting breathlessly for the contract offer the Kyrie will get this off season.  I hope the the league gets their marbles together on this one.

If some clown decides to give Irving $49 mill a year, that clown should be immediately kicked out of the circus.

Ktron wrote:

bobc33 wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:Is this the 4th or 5th franchise Kyrie went to and either he ruined them or they got much worse? Poor fragile entitled delusional arrogant snob, good luck getting that max contract.

And yet, he seems to be very highly respected by most NBA players, including Jaylen and Jason.  Even after stepping on Lucky and saging the Garden.  I just don’t understand.

These younguns are so different from the ones we’ve been used to watching over the many years.

It does “appear” that way and thats probably what it is more or less. Appearance. These guys have big egos and i think that they put aside some of their feelings before and after a game. Of course they respect his talent and some say he’s a lot different outside of the game. That may be why we are seeing what we are seeing when they hug and kiss. Maybe. How do they really feel about him? As Scal always says, “I could be wrong” but I believe that there’s misgivings, it’s just not apparent.

Ktron your first sentence is so true. I just can’t relate. I think I have become a curmudgeon!

bobc33 wrote:

Ktron wrote:

bobc33 wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:Is this the 4th or 5th franchise Kyrie went to and either he ruined them or they got much worse? Poor fragile entitled delusional arrogant snob, good luck getting that max contract.

And yet, he seems to be very highly respected by most NBA players, including Jaylen and Jason.  Even after stepping on Lucky and saging the Garden.  I just don’t understand.

These younguns are so different from the ones we’ve been used to watching over the many years.

It does “appear” that way and thats probably what it is more or less. Appearance. These guys have big egos and i think that they put aside some of their feelings before and after a game. Of course they respect his talent and some say he’s a lot different outside of the game. That may be why we are seeing what we are seeing when they hug and kiss. Maybe. How do they really feel about him? As Scal always says, “I could be wrong” but I believe that there’s misgivings, it’s just not apparent.

Ktron your first sentence is so true.  I just can’t relate.  I think I have become a curmudgeon!

Me too…

bobc33 wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:Is this the 4th or 5th franchise Kyrie went to and either he ruined them or they got much worse? Poor fragile entitled delusional arrogant snob, good luck getting that max contract.

And yet, he seems to be very highly respected by most NBA players, including Jaylen and Jason.  Even after stepping on Lucky and saging the Garden.  I just don’t understand.

Most of these players have been crossing paths, playing with or against each other for more than half of their lives. Basketball is their lives and other basketball players have more in common with each other than with fans. The young guys look up to the older guys that are leading the league and getting the press.

I imagine that players have little regard for most of the "fans" that loudly express their opinions. Players may consider some of the loudest fans to be poor fragile entitled delusional arrogant snob sons of guns. Or worse.

Truly, it is "us" and "them". We fans are not in their club.

Well it was reported Durant wants nothing to do with Kyrie finally now….they had no contact last time they shared the floor. When it was reported Steven A acknowledged it, made a face and said “So” and went right into the next topic.

Regarding NBA injuries, many high school/AAU players in their teens are getting way too much competitive court time while their various bones are still developing, and then to add an 82-games schedule to 18,19, and 20-year-olds is just asking for trouble. In many cases, especially the leg bones and clavicles, bone growth is not completed until 20 to 24 years of age. Thirty years ago it was rare for players under 22 to get so much playing time as the young men are getting now.

Check out this article which is very specific about when bones are fully developed:

https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Musculoskeletal_System_-_Bone_Development_Timeline

There's not much the NBA can do to protect players from themselves. Still...

worcester wrote:Regarding NBA injuries, many high school/AAU players in their teens are getting way too much competitive court time while their various bones are still developing, and then to add an 82-games schedule to 18,19, and 20-year-olds is just asking for trouble. In many cases, especially the leg bones and clavicles, bone growth is not completed until 20 to 24 years of age. Thirty years ago it was rare for players under 22 to get so much playing time as the young men are getting now.

Check out this article which is very specific about when bones are fully developed:

https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Musculoskeletal_System_-_Bone_Development_Timeline

There's not much the NBA can do to protect players from themselves. Still...

W -

You make a good point. I wonder if that isn't true of organized sports in general, beyond basketball.

When you look at it, you now start playing tackle football in the 3rd grade, and competitive travel baseball with fairly stringent practice and play guidelines starts at the same age.

Coaching youth sports for years, I would try and acknowledge that by planning practices where contact was what I thought would be reasonable, or tournaments that had a schedule allowing for sufficient rest between games. Realistically looking back, however, I was part of pushing teams further, and at a younger age, than my generation ever experienced. And those teams almost always included my own son where I would certainly have added selfish motivation toward safety. I was among the early certified coaching trainees of USAA Football, which advocates for practices with lower and modified contact from youth up through the NFL ranks. I'm not sure any of that has widely taken hold below the NFL, where they do significantly restrict contact in practice.

NYCelt...another BIG factor are the playing surfaces. The NBA hardwood and astroturf on concrete are much less forgiving than grass in baseball and most football fields and grass, clay or hardtru in tennis. I ran 3 miles or more on geass or sand every other day for 40 years and never had any leg or spine problems...but I often see patients who run on asphalt or concrete and hurt themselves. Not too many baseball players get leg injuries and the pros play 162 games. Football is violent and have injuries attendant to that like cte chronic traumatic encephalopathy and many leg and arm injuries, but basketball is on a hard surface and the legs take a beating over and over. Very few bball players have head injuries.Thanks to tge NBA they're calling flagrant fouls to the head. Thanks to baseball on all levels for batting helmets. I was hot be a thrown bat once as a bystander on the sidelines at age 8. That's been my excuse for a lifetime.