Jack’s Blog

So LeBron James is going to be the MVP of the NBA.  A probability nearly as certain is that he will lead the Miami Heat to their second consecutive championship.  A year of debilitating injuries to guys who could influence games’ outcomes, e.g. Rose, Rondo, Westbrook, Nash, Bryant, Griffin, Gallinari and Lee seemed to align the stars perfectly for a Miami repeat.  Not that they weren’t poised for a repeat anyway, but if ever was there a year they could get by without Dwyane Wade at 100%, this one’s it.

Tomorrow’s MVP award will be his fourth, as many as Wilt, one shy of MJ and Bill Russell, two fewer than Kareem.  It will also be his fourth in five years, the string split by Derrick Rose, who, after taking the entire year off in order to be 100% when he returns, could pose a threat to both accomplishments (MVP and NBA champion) in the future.

Michael and Russ accomplished the duel feat a record 4 times, Larry and Kareem twice, and eight others once.  So, assuming the Heat live up to expectations, the championship would be theirs and LBJ would move into the company of Bird and Jabbar.  Certainly elite company but, as anyone who knows LeBron, or has talked to him, or has read about him, or has heard about him, . . . understands is that elite company is not his goal.  Unique is the level to which he aspires.

He turned 28 a little more than four months ago.  He’s in better shape than 98% of the guys he plays against and has enough resources to keep up with any new advances in science and technology, be they in nutrition, strength training, flexibility, cardiovascular or psychological.  How much longer can he play barring serious injury, at a championship/ MVP level?  Eight more years puts him at 36.  That’s a lot of hardware he could haul.

The obvious question then is: Is he the best player of all-time?  Maybe it’s my age or when I was involved with basketball at a level just below the NBA but my answer could lie in an old joke:

“George Washington was first in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen.  First president of the United States.  But he married a widow - which just goes to show, that no matter how hard you try, you can’t be first in everything.”

In the April 28, 2008 addition of Sports Illustrated - yeah, five years ago - there was an article about the NFL draft.  Not surprising, since it was the same time of year as the one held a few days ago.  The article was about the 1998 draft, the one with Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf, and with the #5 pick (Curtis Enis, who retired from the league two years later) and the #92 pick (Hines Ward, who became the Super Bowl XL MVP).  A couple of the people quoted in the piece were New Orleans coach Sean Payton and former Green Bay Packers general manager, and current San Diego Chargers consultant, Ron Wolf.

Their discussion was, naturally, about the “science” of drafting football players.  Their comments, however, rang just as true as if they were discussing the NBA draft.  Payton’s comment was, “You get excited about a guy because of his tools and projecting his ability, but so much of this is looking beneath the surface.”  As the NBA playoffs continue, it’s impossible not to look at the “nobodies” who slipped through the draft cracks and the high profile picks which have yet to live up to pre-draft hype.  Everybody knows the Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan gigantic  mistake and Greg Oden before Kevin Durant humongous error.  Another interesting example would be the 2009 draft in which the Minnesota Timberwolves were in the market for a guard (several as it turned out).  They took Ricky Rubio, Spain’s version of “Pistol” Pete Maravich, with the fifth pick.  They also had the sixth pick and, because most thought Rubio would be difficult to sign, they decided to go with an additional point guard.  Their choice was Syracuse’s Jonny Flynn - whose career mostly has been in the NBA, although last season he played for the Melbourne Tigers in Australia.

What Payton meant can clearly be seen in that selection.  Not only did Minnesota select Flynn over the next pick, Stephen Curry, whom the T-Wolves are constantly being reminded went to Golden State but they also passed on #10 Brandon Jennings, #17 Jrue Holiday, #18 Ty Lawson (they actually did draft Lawson but it was only to trade him to Denver for a future first round pick) and #19 Jeff Teague.  It’s more than a stretch to say that guys picked in the first round “slipped through the cracks” but it does show how the draft is such a crap shoot for a team when its name comes to make its draft selection.

Other classics?  How about the Clippers, a year after they wisely (OK, that year, a three-year-old would have) picked Blake Griffin at #1, they felt they needed to get a small forward with the ability to get his own shot.  They chose Al-Farouq Aminu with the eighth pick.  The Jazz took Gordon Hayward next, just before the Pacers who grabbed (and has never let go of) Paul George.  Why would the Clippers pass on Paul George for Al-Farouq Aminu?

For the answer, listen to the eerie crossover similarity between football and basketball, as told by Ron Wolf:

The fascinating thing about pro football is, no matter how long you’re in it, you can’t predict how guys are going to handle the pressure, the limelight, the money.”

There are two constants that viewers of NBA playoff games - or is it any game? - can count on.  One of them is players complaining to referees following fouls called on them.  Or fouls not called on guys guarding them.  Dwight Howard, Pau, Russell Westbrook, KD, Melo, Boozer, KG, Blake Griffin, Tim Duncan, Zach Randolph, LeBron, Bosh, and for all intents and purposes, every other player in the league.  Possibly, it’s because they’re embarrassed they missed a shot.  Or maybe they really got fouled and the ref missed the call.  Or it should have been a charge instead of a block - or a block instead of a charge.

Whatever the case, the following scenario is guaranteed.  The offended player gives the referee the stank eye, then mumbles (or louder and clearer) his displeasure.  Something like “It was a clean block”/”Didn’t you see him hit me?”  Occasionally, additional adjectives an adverbs find their way into the conversation.  In some cases, he will soon be donating money to the league.

The second constant is the refs don’t change their minds.  Larry Sanders of the Milwaukee Bucks put it best in the 4/15/13 edition of Sports Illustrated when he discussed his new found philosophy toward officials:

“What’s going on here?  I’m arguing with the ref, but he’s not the enemy.  Sometimes he makes good calls, sometimes he makes bad calls, but he never overturns his calls.  So what am I doing?”

Heading to Michael Jordan’s Flight School basketball camp.  This blog will return August 8 - undoubtedly, with some interesting camp stories.  

Read on Wednesday’s Yardbarker site, a comedic interview between The Office’s Rainn Wilson and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin.  Although most of the conversation was in a humorous vein, there were a few insightful moments.  One, in particular, was about “playing on instinct.”  When Wilson asked the Clips’ human highlight film if he ever thought about some of the moves he made, Griffin mentioned how he liked to play on instinct, about how commentators would make comments regarding guys “thinking too much.”  He continued expounding on his ideas, mentioning how veteran guys who might have gotten slower can still be effective because their instincts are better.

The first thought that entered my mind was a quote from my friend and former boss, Jerry Tarkanian.  It was a philosophy he used that worked quite well for decades in a incredibly successful career (which ought to have had him already inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame):

“The more players think, the slower their feet get.”

Our Olympic basketball team should be considered no less dominant after Blake Griffin was replaced by Anthony Davis.  In fact, the team might just have gotten better because although Davis is younger, he is a much better shot blocker than the NBA’s newest version of the “Human Highlight Film.”

While it may not hurt the USA’s chances for gold, the two players involved have had their lives seriously impacted.  Davis is the lucky winner (for now, remember, he sprained his ankle and missed the “tryouts”).  While only one year out of college (which he stayed only one year), the former Wildcat star will receive an accelerated course in professionalism - from the group as a whole, not particular individuals.  The veterans - to Davis, every teammate is a veteran - will hold him accountable for his assignments, especially at the defensive end.  Mike Krzyzewski is blessed with more depth than any team his group will face (that statement could be said if all the other teams combined to make a twelve-man all-star squad) and, judging from last night’s exhibition against the Dominican Republic, Coach K plans to trap - especially in the half court.  This style is a gamble if the opponent can beat that first trap.  That’s why it’s mandatory every guy on the floor understand his rotation assignment.  In general, the players expect every person on the club to work at 100% - physically and mentally.  What a benefit for such a young, potential superstar like Davis.

Griffin, on the other hand, might not publicly say he’d like everybody’s sympathy, but he sure deserves some.  Here’s a guy coming off a sensational year.  Both the basketball and marketing worlds have become his oyster and now this.  Keep in mind, he’s the same guy who lost his entire first season to an injury.  Then, after an all-star season, he got injured in the playoffs.

Also, don’t think the positive influence of the veteran players on the team wouldn’t have helped Griffin’s career.  Lost in the posterizing dunks are the flaws in his game, namely, lack of shot blocking for a guy who can jump so high (as pointed out so expertly by Hubie Brown, a coach was known for criticizing players so they’d reach their potentials) and defense.  Hubie also noted in a broadcast or two that Blake enjoyed leaking out for the breath taking dunk when, truth be told, he should have stayed in and rebounded.  Try that a time or two and don’t think Kobe and LeBron wouldn’t bring it to his attention.  Not to mention his Clips’ teammate, Chris Paul.

So the Dream Team, or Redeem Team, or Redeem Dream Team marches on and Anthony Davis and Blake Griffin need to adopt the same theory:

“Things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out.”

When you turn 80 years of age, you become a lot more open about decisions you made when you were younger that, at that time, you’re glad weren’t made public.  Last night on The Jerry Tarkanian Show (1430 ESPN, Fresno), our guest was Los Angeles Clippers’ assistant coach for player development, Dave Severns.

Dave is a Fresno guy (actually Dos Palos - don’t want to get in trouble with the good people there) who climbed the coaching ropes rapidly - over a period of several decades (for an explanation, please read my lengthy blog from 11/4/08).  He gave us an NBA insider’s view on everything from working with talented guys - with incredible work ethics - like Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose (he was with the Bulls prior to taking the job with the Clippers) and Blake Griffin, to Jerry Reinsdorf’s private interviews with potential number one draft picks.

When he mentioned the latter, Tark interjected with a story I’d never heard - and I have worked with him for the past 16 years (first at Fresno State, then as host of his radio show) and have known him since 1974!  I swore I’d heard every fantastic tale (all true too) that he experienced.  Not this one.

“I was in discussions about being offered the Lakers’ job and I was at (then-owner) Jack Kent Cooke’s house.  All their executives were there and they were talking about how they had the number one pick.  They planned on taking Magic Johnson.

“It came up that they could trade it and get Reggie Theus” (who Tark coached at UNLV and was coming off a year in which he averaged over 16 ppg for the Bulls and came in second for Rookie of the Year) “and” (super swingman from Arkansas) “Junior Bridgeman.  Everybody thought the best idea was to take Magic - except me.

“I said they should make the trade.”

To say the fortunes of the Los Angeles Lakers would have been drastically impacted might qualify as the understatement of all-time.  In this case, the wise move would have been to follow this advice:

“Just because you have an opinion doesn’t necessarily mean you need to express it.”

Take an eccentric, billionaire owner who has a history of not shelling big money for players (not to mention not paying fired coaches), then finally opens the purse strings (for a huge ego point guard who’s more an aspiring director than hoops junkie) and reacts to his superstar’s poor play by sitting courtside taunting him and you have a recipe for a team with the worst record in the NBA.

Donald Sterling, owner of the Clippers is not short on ego himself.  Earlier in the year, he took a quarter page ad in the Los Angeles Times to announce an “all-white” party he was throwing at his Malibu mansion, only to end the ad with the disclaimer that, unless you had an invitation, you weren’t welcome.  That’s spending big money (how much does a 1/4 page in the Times go for?) simply to let people know he’s richer than the readers are and even if there were people out there who had more than he did, they couldn’t go to his party.  That’s one world-class schmuck!

He decided to go all-in for Baron Davis whose nickname is “CK” which stands for Coach Killer, a moniker that B Diddy is most deserving.  After being wooed by his best old ex-friend Elton Brand to join him in the City of Angels (naturally after Davis put up career numbers in his contract year - surprise!), Davis saw Brand hightail it out of town to sign with the 76ers.  That should have been a hint-and-a-half about the Clips’ organization and Baron.  Davis attended Crossroads High School and UCLA (neither exactly situated in the hood, both better known for the actors they produce), yet wants people to think he has street cred.

At the outset of this year, his life must have been at a “crossroads.”  He’s billing himself as a budding director (he’s probably upset with the word “budding”), yet was viewed as the leader of a talented, but young, bunch of basketball players.  As is the case with most point guards, he was the natural leader of this heretofore group of losers.  He could cement his legacy as the guy who brought together the young gifted players (Blake Griffin and the Erics - Gordon & Bledsoe to name three) and got the Clippers into the playoffs.  Not an easy task considering they reside in the West, but along with All-Star center Chris Kaman, a do-able goal.

What was The Baron’s opening act?  Report out of shape and catch the wrath of guys in the know, e.g. Kenny Smith and Greg Anthony, both lead guards who understand the importance of the PG’s role.  Both blasted Davis for coming to camp as he did.  Baron’s take on it?  The problem wasn’t a weight issue but a severe hamstring injury.

In reality, Sterling and Davis are made for each other - two rich guys (one with billions, the other a mere pauper who signed for only $65 million) who accumulated much of their wealth by “stealing” it, The Donald by, reportedly, being one of the world’s most famous slumlords and Baron getting his through fraudulent play.  At this point, their legacies would be as follows: Davis would fall into the category of Eddie Curry and Jerome James, while Sterling would be the second coming of Ted Stepien.

I wonder what Vince Lombardi would think of the Clippers’ situation.  It was the late, great coach who once said:

“Build for your team a feeling of oneness, of dependence on one another and of strength to be derived by unity.”

When I speak with people connected to the NBA, to a man they tell me a lockout at the conclusion of this season is inevitable. I’m not so sure that a lockout wouldn’t be beneficial to owners, coaches, players and fans alike.

Subsequent to the infamous “The Decision” by ESPN, Jim Gray and, of course, LeBron James, the NBA has seemingly changed, as has the fans’ attitude toward it.  First of all, the better players (the word “superstar” is bantered about a little too loosely) talk more than ever about enlisting their “boys” and deciding to join forces to create a “power” team - like LeBron and Chris Bosh did with their friend, Dwyane Wade.  That move hasn’t been a riveting success - to date.  Side note: I wonder how Eric Spoelstra’s feelings have changed from the day of The Decision until now.

Secondly, while teams of ultra-talented guys blending on one team seems like an interesting concept - maybe even “must see TV” - the question remains, as I’ve blogged in the past, what about (the majority of) the teams that get shut out?

A couple cases in point: I watched a game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Sacramento Kings a few days ago and, as far as pure basketball entertainment, it wouldn’t qualify as time well spent - although the game that preceded it (between the Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards) was much worse.  The two were part of a TNT doubleheader.  Studio analyst Kenny Smith referred to the first fray as “el gar-bage.”  He got no argument from either of his partners, Charles Barkley and Ernie Johnson.

The Clippers-Kings battle was a contest between one team that has the current front-runner for rookie-of-the-year, Blake Griffin, a player worth watching in Eric Gordon and a solid rookie, albeit one who ought to be coming off the bench so his skills can be developed, rather than throwing him in before he’s ready, in Eric Bledsoe.  The remaining Clippers, mostly, are not much more than upper level D-League players.  And that team was the attraction!  Side note 2: Griffin is remarkably skilled as in terms of running, jumping and dunking, but what makes him stand out is that he tries harder than the other guys.
Sacramento, however, played as though they didn’t care who won or who lost - or who did much of anything else for that matter.  Because NBA players are obscenely compensated individuals (in comparison to the rest of society), they ought to have the decency, if not the pride, to give the people who in essence pay their absurd salaries, a legitimate effort.  Perhaps a sense of entitlement has invaded the professional ranks?
Another game between the Wiz and the Golden State Warriors was similar to the Clippers-Kings fiasco, a game played between two clubs in which the outcome is of little to no consequence.  Which is exactly what it was.  These players know which teams have a chance to make the playoffs.  I wonder if the uninspired play of NBA players on teams going nowhere isn’t due to this new “let’s take our talents to ______” attitude.  The conclusion I’ve come to is that a lockout might be the just the remedy the NBA needs to shake up its members.
All this may sound like jealousy from someone who wishes he were part of such a lucrative business.  Not true in the slightest.  As someone who’s about to retire in a couple of years and whose entire adult life has been associated with basketball in one way or another, I’d love to be able to spend being entertained by the best athletes in the world.

As for those who say that the NBA is at the height of its popularity, I remind them of the late President John F. Kennedy’s quote (which had nothing to do with hoops):

“The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.”

It’s always interesting (for those of us to do this sort of thing) thinking about who, after all the draft hype, will eventually be the Rookie of the Year.  Sometimes, it’s a certainty, e.g. Lew Alcindor (remember him?), Patrick Ewing, Shaq and LeBron.  Barring injuries, no one really knows because, although the number one pick usually goes to a bad team and, thus, gets mega-minutes, other first rounders are put into positions which showcase their abilities and allow them to have big years.

Naturally, the overwhelming favorite this season will be John Wall.  Based on his first two summer league games, the ROY award’s going to be hard for anyone to take away from him.  But there are other candidates.  One, in particular, is the number two pick, Evan Turner.  Having played in college for a greater period of time must have helped with his maturity, as did playing on the Big Ten stage and having to be a leader for the Buckeyes - which he did magnificently.  Another factor in his favor is he will be coached by Doug Collins who, aside from being a terrific motivator and possessing an extremely keen basketball mind, was the number one pick coming out of Illinois State.  He will be a calming mentor to Turner.

Picks three and four, Derrick Favors of the Nets and Wesley Johnson of the Timberwolves, respectively, each were selected by bad teams desperately in need of immediate help at their positions so opportunity will be no problem and while their teams were lousy last year, each has complementary pieces who should allow the two newcomers to flourish in their extensive roles.

DeMarcus Cousins’ maturity has come under scrutiny - for which he has only himself to blame - but if his mental makeup can catch his physical stature, he also will be given a role in which he’ll get all he needs to prove himself - and will have a great point guard and guy who understands what it takes to win the award.

Gordon Hayward and Cole Aldrich may have hit the jackpot with the teams who drafted them but, while they’ll be happy to be in the situations that present themselves, they won’t be ROY candidates - which is as good as any rookie could hope - to be drafted by a good team which needs them but, more importantly, is just what they need.  As if the guaranteed money wasn’t enough of a bonus.

So, armed with all this knowledge, who will the 2011 NBA Rookie of the Year be?  My pick is . . . the Clippers’ Blake Griffin.  For all the reasons above - opportunity, need, big minutes, will be playing for Vinny Del Negro, under whose guidance Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson became NBA fixtures (defined - by me - as guys who will have minimum 10-year careers) and, add to that list, a hunger to make up two years in one.  

Those in the Clippers’ organization claim Griffin’s work ethic is unsurpassed.  And he has several others traits that ought to insure NBA longevity and stardom, e.g. skill set, strength, quickness, intelligence and high character.  After missing his first year in the league due to injury (the reason he’s eligible for the ROY award), Griffin is finally healthy.  This is a guy who was MVP of last year’s summer league.

If ever Napoleon Hill’s quote applied to anyone, it applies to Blake Griffin:

“Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.”

All the talk of the number of “elite” teams in the NBA and how exciting a (playoff) season it’s going to be (as long as you don’t happen to live near a city that houses a “dog” team - of which there are several) might be right on the mark.  But (granted, we’re only three games into the 2009-10 campaign), the Boston Celtics seem determined to let the rest of the league know it does not, by any means, feel they had a chance to rightfully defend their title from ‘07-’08.

Make no mistake about it, the Los Angeles Lakers won it all last year and did so in very convincing and impressive fashion, but the Men In Green didn’t have their leader, KG, and are playing like they want to (in their minds) three-peat.  Jumping to conclusions not even 1/27th into a looooong season?  Probably.

But consider what’s transpired to date.  The three main contenders (Boston, LA and Cleveland - I think San Antonio and Orlando are a notch, if not a notch-and-a-half below those three) came into the fray with guns blazing - player, fan and media expectation-wise.  Cleveland dropped their first two.  Not to worry; there was talk of the team just needing to get used to having such a force as Shaq and exactly where he was going to fit into the general scheme and . . .

Then, after pasting the hapless Clippers (especially without Blake Griffin who, by all accounts could be a great one), the Lakers got thrashed - at home - by Dallas, a team that always is in the talk for the championship, yet somehow finds a way to bow out.  Could it be that all the complaining and “conspiracy” talk that Mavs’ owner, Mark Cuban, espouses every year turns their season into a self-fulfilling prophecy? 

Meanwhile, Boston has started 3-0, but more impressively, has cruised to their victories.  They opened on the road against the sexy pick for this year, the Cavs, who, in the off-season, picked up Shaquille O’Neal, a once dominant player who is still a load inside, but no longer commands a double team, struggles to get up and down the floor (never a strength of his to begin with, but most of the other clubs he played on used to wait for the big fella and these guys don’t) and is a major liability when having to guard in a pick & roll (or pop) situation (as I blogged on 10/27 regarding a “repeat champion” this year - meaning the Lakers or the Celtics). 

While the score was 95-89, there were many lessons learned.  One was LeBron can’t be stopped (he hung 38 on Boston), but no matter his numbers, they still don’t guarantee a Cavs’ win.  Another is Boston morphs from a really good team into a nearly impossible one to beat when Kevin Garnett is healthy.  And, lastly, while Shaq was a key acquisition for Cleveland, the summer’s best move may have been the Celtics signing Rasheed Wallace, who people outside the game think is a problem child, but NBA insiders realize is not only a good player, but a great teammate. 

The Celtics followed the road win by unmercifully pounding the Charlotte Bobcats, 92-59.  In case the reader had any doubt about what a “dog” team was, Charlotte qualifies.  Next, the Shamrocks manhandled the Chicago Bulls, a team coming off a victory the preceding night against one of the other “elite” teams, the San Antonio Spurs.  The Celts might have been sending a message for last year’s first round playoff scare the Bulls gave them by taking the series to the seven game limit.  The game was 50-35 at the half and got worse from there, culminating in a bench-clearing 118-90 victory.

While it’s too early to declare the Celtics the champions, barring injuries (and if anyone’s figured out how to do that, they’re not divulging it), I’d make the same wager that’s become popular in a golf tournament involving Tiger Woods: the Boston Celtics vs. the field.  And you can have the field.  As American cartoonist Scott Adams said:

“There are many methods for predicting the future.  For example, you can read horoscopes, tea leaves, tarot cards or crystal balls.  Collectively, these methods are known as ‘nutty methods.’  Or you can put well-researched facts into sophisticated computer models, more commonly referred to as ‘a complete waste of time.’ “

I guess that’s why they play the games.