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Ode to the Birdman

Monday, December 12th, 2016

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

LB

This past Wednesday was the 60th birthday of Larry Bird.

For those of you too young to have actually watched him play, trust me, he was a bad man. Not a

bad man for a white guy. A bad man, period!

I never agreed with the infamous Dennis Rodman statement.

He was not a basketball version of Adele.

Did he have more fans for being a stand out white guy in a “black man’s game”? Of course. But that

speaks to the popularity of white privilege in America. It is neither an indictment or validation of him

as a basketball player any more than Trump’s election is an indication of what kind of statesmen he

is.

But in spite of being a life-long die-hard Laker fan, unlike a certain group of haters today, I have

enough emotional maturity to give credit where credit was due.

The Celtics win over a clearly superior Lakers team in 84 was among the most painful of my sports

life. It does not happen without Larry Bird.

 

That year would be his first of 3 straight MVP years.  While I’ll go to my grave insisting that Bernard

King should have won the 1985 award, Bird’s place in the game was nevertheless secure.

More than a little can be learned about Bird’s mindset and mental toughness coming up when he

would go to Chicago playgrounds where he learned the “city game.” He always expressed

appreciation for being “allowed” to play with them.

Allowed is the right word.

If you know anything about the culture of inner-city basketball, be it in New York, Philly, DC, or Chicago, you know they do not let just anyone play on a regular basis. It’s a sports version of the Apollo and if you can’t cut it, no one is shy or sensitive about letting you know.

The Birdman could clearly cut it as the NBA would soon find out.

So here is an ode to one of the coldest assassin’s in sports history: Larry Joe Bird.

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

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NBA: Players to Watch in 2016-2017

Monday, October 31st, 2016

by Josh Fletcher

JF

 

 

 

 

 

 

JE

With the NBA season now officially underway, it is time to start looking for the most interesting players to watch this season. Of course, everyone is excited to see how Durant meshes into Golden State’s squad or how LeBron James will perform in defense of Cleveland’s first title. However, it is even more interesting to keep your eyes on the lesser-known players who are due to breakout this year. Here is a look at some of the most interesting players to track this season in the NBA.

 

Clint Capela

Dwight Howard is gone in Houston, and that means that it is Capela’s show now on defense. He has the unenviable task of trying to be the biggest eraser in the league behind Houston’s porous defense. With the up-tempo nature of new coach Mike D’Antoni’s style, Capela will need to play up to his enormous skill level on defense to keep opponents’ scoring down. On offense, Capela will be a perfect pick-and-roll partner for Harden and should score in bunches in his third season in the league.

 

Doug McDermott

Another third-year player who might have a breakout season this year is McDermott. He had a terrible, injury-plagued rookie season where he only shot 31.7 percent from three-point range. Last year, he stepped it up with a 42.5 percent three-point percentage, and he also averaged 9.4 points in 23 minutes per game.

 

Jabari Parker

When Parker came out of Duke two years ago, everyone figured the second overall pick would start right away. Fate cruelly blew out his ACL early in his rookie season, and his development ground to a halt. Coming back from injury last season, Parker averaged 14.1 points per game. He only shot 35 threes all last season, and he only made nine of those. The word is that he has been working on his outside shooting with a passion during the offseason, and adding a three-point stroke to his game this year could turn him into the superstar everyone expected.

 

D’Angelo Russell

Russell had a good rookie season last year under difficult circumstances. Now that Kobe Bryant is finally gone, the Lakers are Russell’s team. Lakers fans accustomed to excellence could be ready to see it finally return now that Bryant is retired. Russell is the kind of electric young talent with a passion for the game that could bring back the excitement of the Showtime era to Los Angeles. In his first game of the season, Russell went four of ten from behind the arc to lead the Lakers to a 120-114 victory over the Rockets. It should be an exciting year to watch Russell lead a storied franchise back to relevance.

 

Joel Embiid

Embiid was selected third overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2014 draft, and everyone thought he was going to make an instant impact on the league. Well, he did make an instant impact in his first game, scoring 20 points in his debut. Unfortunately, that debut just happened in the 76ers opening game of this season. After two surgeries and a long wait, Embiid could become one of the premier big men in the league if he can just stay healthy.

 

Josh Fletcher, for War Room Sports

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NBA Opening Day: Western Conference Preview

Tuesday, October 25th, 2016

by Joel Rodriguez

 

NBA

Western Conference:

This was actually a little easier than the East.

NBA

Golden State Warriors: o/u 66.5 wins

They are going to win the title. I don’t know what else to say about them. I just know this will happen. I can see them losing more games than last year and people saying Durant makes them worse… Whatever. It would be nice if they found a big man who can protect the rim for about 20 minutes a game. Either way, no one in the west is going to beat them or be the 1st seed. We are all waiting for Round 3 against Cleveland.

Over at 67 wins.

NBA

Los Angeles Clippers o/u 53.5 wins

If they can ever get out of their own way, this is the 2nd most talented team in the West. This might also be their last chance to make a big run together, as Blake and CP3 are both free agents. They have every element you would want in a team. Maybe a little more shooting or scoring from the wings, but that is about it.

Over at 58 wins

NBA

San Antonio Spurs o/u 58.5 wins

I wanted to put this team 4th. They are aging, they are slow, they don’t have a lot of spacing, Tony Parker is cooked and probably not a starter in this league anymore. They have a good top 3 though and they don’t lose at home. It should be enough to keep people thinking they are a threat only to be bounced by the 2nd round.

Under at 57

NBA

Houston Rockets o/u 44 wins

This team is tailor made for Mike D’Antoni. They have a player who is all about high usage but still kicks the ball out. They have a stretch four who can knock down 3-4 3’s a game easy, they have bigs who share the ball and don’t need to score to make an impact, they have guys who can knock down that corner 3… Perfect team for him. If they buy into it, they will kill the Vegas predictions. I also would love to see them play GS in the playoffs, just to see a 150-143 playoff game.

Over at 52

NBA

Utah Jazz o/u 49 wins

This is the most fun boring team in the league. Gordon Hayward is probably going to opt out, which is interesting, because he is terrific and entering his prime. Injuries… that is the only thing that kept them out of the playoffs last year. Not going to happen to this team. They have more veteran depth, the young guys should be better, and Rudy Gobert is ready to dominate everything in the post on defense. They do need to move Favors though. Trey Lyles just fits better. I can see them being the team to give Golden State the most trouble in a few years. Not this year though.

PUSH at 49

NBA

Portland Trailblazers o/u 45.5 wins

This is where the Western Conference starts to drop. We used to see 50 win teams be an 8 seed. Not the case anymore. Portland is a solid team with a crazy-high payroll, mainly on guys who still have really good basketball ahead of them. They overachieved and while they are still a postseason team, I do not see much progression here. Utah and Houston are better.

Under at 45

NBA

Oklahoma City Thunder o/u 43.5 wins

There will be very few times I want to be wrong. This is one. I want to see OKC as an 8 seed for one very obvious reason. It can very well be anti-climatic, but I wanna see it anyway. This is guaranteed to happen. Russell Westbrook is going to put up numbers we have never seen from a PG his size. He more than anyone in this league has a set of fans who irrationally fall in love with these stats and forget about EVERYTHING ELSE. OKC is going to give up a lot of points this year. They might be able to make up the scoring from a combination of Oladipo, Adams, and Kanter, but they just lost a top 3 player in this league. That is never good. It will be fun to see if Westbrook can give us a 20-20-20 game. but that is all this team is good for. I still wanna see him attack GS though.

Under at 42 wins

NBA

Minnesota Timberwolves o/u 40.5 wins

I am sipping this Kool-Aid. Tom Thibodeau is back in the league coaching probably the most exciting team outside of Golden State. We are all expecting them to do well and push for a playoff spot. I have them in. I think Ricky Rubio is underrated. He helps Minnesota more than he hurts them. Towns should keep getting better and proving to be the alpha of the team and Wiggins is a problem in his own right. No reason why they shouldn’t at least fight for the 8th seed.

Under at 40 wins

____________________________________________________

NBA

Memphis Grizzlies o/u 42.5 wins

This is a team that always seems to find a way in no matter how hard they get hit with the injury bug. Don’t see it this year. They should have let Conley go and started over. It was a good time to make that move. Instead, they have Conley and Gasol locked in for a few years with nothing to really show for it. They might still get in. The Grizz and the Mavs seem to always make it happen, but I think their run is over.

Under at 39

NBA

Dallas Mavericks o/u 38.5 wins

Another team you used to be able to pencil in somewhere in the top 8. I don’t see it. Harrison Barnes might be more available than Chandler Parsons, but he is not a better player. Bogut should be fine. Dirk is an all-time great. I want to put him in the playoffs again but I do not think he has the talent this time around. I wouldn’t be surprised though. Rick Carlisle is the best coach in the league in my view. He gets the most out of everyone.

Under at 37

NBA

Denver Nuggets o/u 37 wins

This might be the most underrated team in the whole league. They have a lot of talent that has yet to be fulfilled. They kinda remind me of Orlando a bit, just they haven’t made that all-in trade yet. They also have what a friend of mine likes to call an “All Medicaid” team. They are always hurt and scrambling for more players. If they can somehow put it all together, they can win some games. I am going to be conservative with them, but I can see them making a push.

Under at 35 wins

NBA

Phoenix Suns o/u 30 wins

Why does it feel like Phoenix always has a logjam at the guard spot? How do they keep getting all these good guards and do not benefit from it? Booker, Knight, Bledsoe. They can all ball. Len should be better too. Tyson Chandler was that one signing every summer that screamed buyers remorse ( NOAH THIS YEAR) and now they are stuck with him. I cannot see them making any headway in this conference. Sorry.

Under at 28

NBA

New Orleans Pelicans o/u 37 wins

This team stinks. Jrue is out indefinitely to take care of his wife. Ty Evans is finished. Anthony Davis is always hurt. Buddy has the ROY all to himself. Tim Frazier is going to be a big assist guy too until Jrue comes back, but who cares?

Under at 27

NBA

Sacramento Kings o/u 34 wins

No one gives a shit about this team. DeMarcus Cousins might finally put it all together and lead them to an 8 seed, or he might be 20 seconds away from punching Dave Joerger in the face. They need an overhaul in the worst way.

Under at 26 wins

NBA

Los Angeles Lakers o/u 24.5

D’Angelo Russell! He is gonna have a Jeremy Lin type of year. All types of usage. Walton is going to let him ball and he is going to thrive. They still need a little more time though. They might have the worst record in the West, but their future is brighter than a few teams I have above them. Just have to keep drafting well.

Under at 23 wins.

 

Eastern Conference Preview

 

Joel Rodriguez, for War Room Sports

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NBA Opening Day: Eastern Conference Preview

Tuesday, October 25th, 2016

by Joel Rodriguez

 

NBA

NBA TIME!

This is how I see everything happening in the regular season.

Eastern Conference:

NBA

Cleveland Cavaliers o/u 56.5 wins

Maybe a tiny letdown to start the season as they finally got that elusive title, but no one in the Eastern Conference can challenge them just yet. Maybe the Celtics can in a year or two depending on who they get with Brooklyn’s pick, but not yet.

Over at 58 wins.

NBA

Boston Celtics: o/u 52.5 wins

I absolutely hate that I absolutely love how well they play. They share the ball. They have guys who get after you on defense. They play a deep rotation nightly. They have a tremendous coach. They need someone to make Isiah their number 2 or 3 guy though. As long as he is their 1st or 2nd option they can’t take over Cleveland. That is not a knock on Thomas either. He can play. He is just not that guy.

Under at 52 wins

NBA

Toronto Raptors o/u 50.5 wins

They get better every single year. That might change this year, but they should still be good enough to land a top 3 or 4 spot in the East. Signing Bismack was a great move. Losing him is going to hurt later in the year. Lowry might regress a little, Jonas might improve some. DeRozan will keep every 90’s basketball fan happy with his mid range jumpers and lack of 3 point shooting.

Under at 50 wins.

NBA

Indiana Pacers o/u 44.5 wins

Had a really good offseason as far as acquiring talent on paper. Not sure if Jeff Teague is a good fit for them. He and Monta are a little redundant. They are also going to have some spacing issues, especially when Myles is not on the floor. Still, they have a top 10 player in Paul George and Myles Turner is for real. They should have home court first round.

Over at 48 wins

NBA

Atlanta Hawks o/u 43.5 wins

Always underrated in Vegas. Dennis Schroder can ball guys. He is going to be very good. Paul Millsap is on the right team, because he is criminally underrated too. They still have shooting, they still share the ball and Dennis will attack the basket and the opposing PG in a way Teague could not. They might even be a little higher than this. Dwight is as per usual, the too talented to be X Factor, but still the X Factor.

Over at 46 wins.

NBA

Detroit Pistons o/u 44.5 wins

If you have ever talked to me about basketball, you know how much I love Reggie Jackson. Him being hurt is going to hurt the team for a bit, but Ish Smith should shoot over 40 percent just enough to keep them afloat until he gets back. They also have Andre Drummond, who is a monster for 3.5 quarters. Tobias Harris should pick up the scoring slack while Reg is gone. Stanley Johnson is money off the bench and KCP might have one more year of improvement in him. This was the toughest team for me to gauge. I can see them anywhere from 3-7. They are a playoff team though. No doubt about it.

Over at 46

NBA

Charlotte Hornets o/u 42.5 wins

They have probably the best defensive coach in the EC, if not the NBA. They still have most of their core intact. Losing Lin sucks, but they should still be good. The team is much better offensively when Kaminsky is on the floor. If he can be somewhat competent on defense they are going to be fine. This is where I started to realize the Eastern Conference is pretty good. When I first did this in my head, I had Charlotte a lot higher than this. I can’t justify putting them ahead of these other teams though.

Over at 44.

NBA

Orlando Magic o/u 37.5 wins

I think this is the year we see that improvement. I really wish they had a PG who can knock down a jumper, but Elfrid Payton does a lot of things well. They have enough talent to make the playoffs and I believe they will. Trading Vuc for some shooting/firepower can help seal that. They gave Biyombo a bag and traded for Ibaka, who I am assuming they will try and keep. Vuc gotta go. By the way, they need to find a way to not auto correct Ibaka with Obama. That is enough. I can see Milwaukee and Chicago taking this spot too. Orlando didn’t necessarily get better trading Oladipo for Ibaka, I just think this is the year it comes together for them a little bit. Aaron Gordon is a nice breakout candidate too.

Over at 41 wins

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Now for the not so good teams:

NBA
Chicago Bulls o/u 38.5 wins

These guys are weird. They have decided to completely abandon the pace and space game dominating the league now. Their projected starting 5, Rondo, Wade, Butler, Gibson and Lopez.. None of them outside of Butler can really space the floor and you don’t really want Butler hanging out shooting six 3’s a game either. Wade and Rondo in the backcourt will be interesting to see, too. It is one thing for Wade to play off of LeBron and succeed. Bron is a threat to score and get to the line. It is another thing to play off the ball next to someone who does not look to score. He is also a prime candidate to lose to father time this year, be it by injury or his play… I just do not see it with them making the playoffs. If they do, they will be gone quickly

Over at 39 wins

NBA

Miami Heat o/u 34.5 wins

I think this team is a little better than we are giving them credit for. I expect them to run a little more this year with Wade and Bosh gone. Dragic should get a ton of usage and will play well. I can also see Riley deciding to tank, trading Dragic for some expiring deals and getting a high pick in a loaded draft. He has done it before. If they do not do that, I expect them to battle with Chicago and Orlando for a playoff spot. Oh yeah… Whiteside is gonna OD this year with his stat padding.

Over at 39 wins

NBA

Milwaukee Bucks o/u 34.5 wins

Milwaukee, Washington and the Knicks can all be interchangeable. I picked Milwaukee first because I want to talk about the “Greek Freak”. He might be my favorite player in the NBA. If he can ever make his jumper respectable, we have a new top 5 player in the league. He is that good. Jabari Parker is also doing his best early Melo impression. Kid is a monster on the blocks and should get better. Teletovic should get all types of minutes on this team too, because they have absolutely no shooting and need spacing to help out Giannis and Parker. They can make the playoffs and mess up all of my predictions. So can Chicago. So can Washington… Middleton being hurt is awful. They were primed for a rebound year but I don’t see it yet. Might be a blessing. A lottery pick to go with Jabari and Giannis might be a bad thing for the East moving forward.

Over at 38 wins.

NBA

New York Knicks o/u 38.5 wins

I don’t want to talk about them, but it is only fair. They went out and got guys who will get their last big payday with New York in Lee and Noah. Lee and Afflalo have different styles of play but will have the same type of impact. They are both role players and I do not see Lee adding wins Afflalo couldn’t. Noah wants to be here and he wants this to work. You can tell. The man is a leader and will get the most out of his body and his teammates while he is on the floor. I am just not sure he is good enough anymore to be more than that. Rose is an upgrade from Calderon. He attacks the basket. He gets to the line more. He will help. I just don’t think it is enough for what some of us are expecting. For all of this alleged grit and energy Brandon Jennings brings, it will not mask the fact that he will shoot 35% from the floor this year and take bad shots. It is what he is. KP should get better. Melo should still be good. They are just too risky with injury and do not have the depth to compete yet.

Under at 37 wins.

NBA

Washington Wizards O/U 42.5 wins

Man, this team is hard to predict. I love John Wall. I think his knees are failing him though… Slowly. It is not on some epic Derrick Rose kinda deal, but it is happening. If he can somehow develop a catch and shoot game, it will help him immensely. Bradley Beal is going to take about 19 shots per game this year. It is good for his numbers, but it is an indictment on the team. They literally have nothing else. Gortat is good money but aging… Otto Porter has been another Georgetown bust… This team needs a mini blowup.

Under at 34 wins

NBA

Brooklyn Nets o/u 20.5 wins

Jeremy Lin is going to put up monster numbers this year. Brook Lopez should get his too and Rondae Hollis Jefferson has the makings of one of those glue guy/big time defensive player on a title team player… But this ain’t no title team. This team is doomed.
I am hoping they stick with Kenny Atkinson though. He has been deserving of a HC job for a long time.

Over at 21 wins

NBA

Philadelphia 76ers o/u 24.5

How are they going to win 25 games? I have been looking super foolish on Embiid for a bit now. I am still a believer… He is the truth. If he is over his injury life, he is going to kill and Philly is on to something once Ben gets back… But he will probably have his minutes reduced to start. One more year, Sixer fans.

 

Western Conference Preview

 

Joel Rodriguez, for War Room Sports

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LEICESTER CITY, STEPH CURRY, AND THE ALL MADRID FINALS II

Monday, May 16th, 2016

by Nwaji Jibunoh

Nwaji Blog

 

 

 

 

As we get into the business end of the sports season, you find that times are changing with some intriguing accomplishments occurring.

Denver's stingy defense helps "The Sheriff" ride off into the sunset a champion. (Photo courtesy of FoxBusiness.com)

Denver’s stingy defense helps “The Sheriff” ride off into the sunset a champion.
(Photo courtesy of FoxBusiness.com)

In the 2015/2016 sports calendar year, we have already seen Peyton Manning and The Denver Broncos crowned Super Bowl Champions after an incredible defensive display against the Cam Newton-led Carolina Panthers.

In as much as the lead up to the Super Bowl was quite exciting and the emergence of Cam Newton as an elite Quarterback was something to note, special mention needs to go out to other fascinating accomplishments occurring in other sporting events.

EPL Champions - Leicester City

EPL Champions – Leicester City

Let us begin with the English Premiership. At the conclusion of the 2014/2015 season, a little known club located in the East Midland of England finished in 14th place in a league with only 20 clubs. A little known club that nobody truly ranked and were given a whopping 5000/1 Odds to win the title the following season. That little known club are currently the champions of England and that little known club is Leicester City. To put things in context, let us use a case study for the odds that the bookies put in play at the beginning of the season. A lifetime Leicester City supporter put a 50 pounds ($30) bet on those odds of 5000/1 to win the title. That lifetime supporter cashed out on a take home prize of 250,000 pounds ($166,000). What has been accomplished by this club who had a spending budget of 52m pounds ($32.5M) in comparison to the likes of Manchester City (411m – $274M), Manchester United (391m – $260M), and Chelsea (298m – $198M) is something that has never ever been witnessed in British football. Leicester City took advantage of a slow methodology of playing every single game to win and taking advantage of lackluster performances from the other big clubs. Credit goes out to their manager (Claudio Ranieri) and star players James Vardy (who only a few years ago was combining his playing time while working part-time as a technician making medical splints) and Riyad Mahrez (a relatively unknown Algerian now among the English Premier League elites).

As we talk about this great accomplishment in sports by Leicester City, we cannot go any further without mentioning what Wardell Stephen “Steph” Curry has done in the NBA this year. Let us look at some quick numbers to put things into perspective. In the 2014/2015 season where he was crowned MVP and also won the NBA championship, his numbers were as follows:

Regular Season – 23.8 ppg. Playoffs – 28.3 ppg. Total number of three pointers made – 286.

This season, his numbers are:

30 ppg and he made 402 three pointers. I will say that again….402. The only other player to come close was Ray Allen with 289 and we all know him to be a three point genius. Steph Curry has

Stephen Curry hoists his second consecutive MVP trophy prior to Game 5 of the second round of the Western Conference Semifinals vs. the Portland Trail Blazers at Oracle Arena. (Photo courtesy of Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Stephen Curry hoists his second consecutive MVP trophy prior to Game 5 of the second round of the Western Conference Semifinals vs. the Portland Trail Blazers at Oracle Arena.
(Photo courtesy of Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

completely redefined basketball and the point guard position, and he makes shots from pretty much anywhere he wants to. He controls the tempo of the court and pulls out perimeter defenders, allowing other players such as Klay Thompson and Draymond Green to make significant contributions. The Conference Finals this year will see some exciting matchups with Golden State taking on Oklahoma City Thunder as perennial All-Stars (Curry, Thompson, Green, Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka) will dominate the highlights in the best of 7 series. On the East Coast, it looks like Cleveland with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, back at this stage of the competition healthy, will compliment the enigma that is LeBron James. We will most likely see the Cavs steamroll pass the Toronto Raptors to meet the best of the West.

UEFA Champions League Final - Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid - May 28th, 2016

UEFA Champions League Final – Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid – May 28th, 2016

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both finished in second and third positions in the Spanish La Liga. They were edged out by Barcelona but not before Barcelona suffered successive defeats to both clubs in the El Classcio and Champions League semifinals. These two clubs are Spanish power houses and are getting ready to battle it out in the Champions League Finals. This is not the first time we are going to have an “All Madrid Final”. In 2014, we saw these two clubs battle it out with Real Madrid emerging victorious. The Star man then and now and 3 time Ballon D’or (World Footballer of the Year) recipient, Cristiano Ronaldo is of course the centre of attraction. The last time these two teams met, Ronaldo was breaking records with an astonishing 51 goals. He has achieved that milestone again this season and goes into this final fully charged and poised to pick up his 3rd UEFA Champions League trophy. It will not be easy as Diego Simeone and his Atletico Madrid team, that play a high tempo coordinated style of Spanish football, will be looking to get revenge against their 2014 finalist fellow city rivals. These two teams have already met twice this season with Atletico winning one game and the other game ending in a tie. The UEFA Champions League Final which will be played at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy will be an explosive encounter come May 28th.

All in all, it has been an exciting year so far with so much more to play as we have the NBA Finals, UCL Finals, and the European Championships.

Sports fans, eat your heart out as the games will always continue to bring nothing but sheer entertainment and exhilarating excitement….

 

Nwaji Jibunoh, International Correspondent for War Room Sports

Located in Lagos, Nigeria, Nwaji Jibunoh is War Room Sports’ International Soccer Contributor.  Nwaji also contributes commentary on U.S. sports from an international perspective.  He’s an Atlanta Falcons fan, Howard University alum, and former tight end for the North Atlanta High School Warriors.

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Kobe Goes Out on an Epic 60-Point Performance

Thursday, April 14th, 2016

KB

Kobe Bryant ends his historic 20-year NBA career by willing his old NBA body to a 60-point performance while simultaneously willing his young Lakers team to a 101-96 victory over the Utah Jazz.  It was a final game performance for the ages.  #MambaOut

Get your Kobe Bryant gear HERE, by clicking the link below:

Kobe Bryant Retirement Gear

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The Evolution of Basketball and the Steph Haters

Saturday, March 5th, 2016

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

Image via Basketball.RealGM.com

Image via Basketball.RealGM.com

Dear Oscar Robertson:

You may have never averaged a triple-double for a whole season in today’s basketball game!

And yet I still have no doubt that you are one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.

 

Dear Detroit “Bad Boy” Pistons:

You may not be so bad today.  The rules simply would not permit you to be.  And yet you remain one the best teams of the NBA’s greatest era.

Why?  Because you must be evaluated within the context of your own time.  To do otherwise makes about as much sense as comparing homicide detectives before DNA with detectives after DNA.  Or boasting that an administrative aide with a computer is better than one with a typewriter.

Enter the old timers’ reluctance to recognize the greatness of Steph Curry.

Former Milwaukee Bucks' Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Former Milwaukee Bucks’ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson
(AP Photo/Morry Gash)

This saga is as much about the evolution of the basketball as it is Curry and his haters, especially the 3-point shot.  It came into the NBA in the 1979-80 season…..the same year that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the last of his 6 league MVP awards.  Fellow HOFers Bill Walton and Moses Malone won the award the previous two years.  Simply put, the back to the basket dominant big man era was in full force and thus the 3-point shot was not yet an integral part of the game.  The team known for annually taking among the fewest 3-point shots was the best, my Lakers.  Who needs a 3 when Magic can penetrate or run the break and dish to Worthy or Wilkes, or choose Jabbar’s sky hook and you have a former league MVP in Bob McAdoo coming off the bench for much higher percentage 2-point attempts?

The first championship team to make the 3 an integral part of its offense was the Olajuwon era Rockets with Horry, Kenny Smith, and Mario Elie, awaiting “The Dream’s” pass out of the double-team, and that was 15 years after it came to the league.

It is no accident that it grew as the back to the basket big man began to go the way of the dinosaur.  The stats say as Ewing/Robinson/Olajuwon left the game, the 3’s increased league wide.

Think about it: if your choice is to dump the ball into say, Julius Randle, Kevin Love, or Porzingus (on the rare occasions they actually get on the block) for a 2-point attempt with a 41-42% success rate or let the shooters go for a 3 – 40% of the time, the math makes the choice for you.

Steph Curry is but the highest example of the evolution of this process.  It was delayed briefly by the Shaq/Tim Duncan era.  But we can all agree that they were once in a lifetime players.  It’s much more likely to find 3 or 4 poor man’s versions of Steph Curry than you will find another Shaq.

Projecting if players could do the same in another era is inherently flawed due to the failure to project the player to all the unique factors of that era, be they societal, training, or others.  For example, it’s easy to say Bill Russell at 6’9 and 215 lbs would be too small to play center today.  The real question is wouldn’t he likely be bigger if he grew up in the 1990s as opposed to the 1950s?

The argument can be made that adaptability is the single most common denominator among the exceptional athletes, even beyond basketball.  Look at the NFL and its evolution.  Seven years ago who was the poster child for the sort of play the NFL “claimed” to want to be rid of:  James Harrison, the league’s 2008 defensive player of the year and maker of arguably the greatest single defensive play in Super Bowl history.  And yet he will be on the field next year at age 38, why?  Because he adapted.

So too would Steph Curry, Oscar Robertson, or the Bad Boy Pistons, if called upon to do so.  If only the mindset of haters could do the same.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

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WHAT HAPPENED IN DC LAST NIGHT?

Thursday, December 3rd, 2015

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

KB

No matter how many armchair coaches and talking heads try to give you a basketball-based explanation, resist.  It was not about the X’s and O’s of basketball, it was about understanding the psychology of teams in the moment.  On Tuesday the maddening Wizards went into Cleveland and beat LeBron and the defending conference champs.  It was their first home loss of the year.  On that same night my Lakers were beaten soundly by one of the worst teams in NBA history, giving those Sixers their first win of the year.  So all logic tells you that those same Wizards should have little trouble with my Lakers, right?  Vegas saw it that way, installing the Wizards as 10 point favorites.  Wrong!  This game was not only a classic letdown spot for the Wizards, it was a letdown spot on steroids.  It was neither some brilliant tactical adjustment made by Byron Scott, nor some great coaching blunder by Randy Whitman.

The script was a familiar one: Act 1: Kobe gets the ball; Act 2: everyone in the whole arena knows that he is going to shoot; Act 3: he single-handedly stops any semblance of functional half-court offense by dribbling and head faking with a defender on his back as if he were in the post, though he is now usually 25 feet from basket; Act 4: he shoots; Act 5: and this was the only outcome of all the acts that differed dramatically from previous scripts: THE SHOTS WENT IN.  It was the old Kobe, pun intended, not the Grey Mamba, to the tune of 31 points to include two huge shots inside the last 2 minutes.  Sure it took him 24 shots to make 10, but that’s not different from the Kobe that will be a first ballot HOF’er.  Unfortunately for the Lakers, he cannot sustain such efforts.  Last night’s Kobe was the norm for so many years, or at least 7-8 of every 10 games.  They will be lucky to see him once every 12-15 games.  I am fully prepared for my Lakers to return to being what we are: some shit!  But hey, as a lifelong diehard fan of the mighty purple and gold, in a game that may as well have been in the Great Western Forum, it was nice to reminisce of the glory days.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

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WRS Book Review – “Got to Give the People What They Want: True Stories and Flagrant Opinions From Center Court”

Saturday, October 31st, 2015

by Jon Carroll

DrJonCarroll.final2

 

 

 

Image via Amazon.com

Image via Amazon.com

I remember the reign of the Fab Five as if it just happened.  The baggy shorts, the black Nike socks with the matching black Air Max Barkleys, and most importantly, the trash talk.  I was not a baller, but I, like many was drawn to this collection of five freshmen because of the brashness and flair with which they played together.  They were the type of team I imagined myself playing on had basketball been my gift.  In the aftermath of their careers as players, I have become a fan of Jalen Rose in particular because of his podcast, but also because of his work founding the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA).  When he started hitting media outlets to promote his book Got to Give the People What They Want: True Stories and Flagrant Opinions From Center Court, I downloaded it as soon as I could and devoured it in two days.

Jalen Rose & "Fab Five" brother Chris Webber

Jalen Rose & “Fab Five” brother Chris Webber

As someone who is a regular listener to the Jalen and Jacoby podcast and now radio show, much of the material covered in the book was not new.  However, there was ample context to help understand the lens that focuses Rose’s worldview.  From the detailed account of his key family relationships to the motivating force that was Jalen’s absent father, the reader is given a deeper understanding of why the retired NBA star viewed Michigan and the NCAA skeptically during his time on campus.  For those who watched the ESPN30 for 30 documentary Fab Five and cringed as Rose and his former teammates recalled calling Black Duke players “Uncle Toms”, the text gives greater insight into why they did it and why they had no shame in doing so.  Of course, given recent headlines, Rose spends significant time detailing his fractured relationship with childhood friend and Fab Five brother, Chris Webber.  It’s a sad story, but a real one and it would not have been a Give the people what they want text without it.    The same can be said for how Rose opens up and talk about other parts of his life.

When I read autobiographical texts, I am always looking to see how much the author is willing to look inside and expose the bad and the ugly along with the good.  Mr. Rose’s text rates at an 8 on a 1-10 scale.  He lamented not being able to be the type of present father that he hoped to be.  As much as it is nice to be able to provide, he demonstrated awareness that the presence cannot be replaced.  He also recounts having to go to jail on a driving under the influence (DUI) charge and how sobering that was.  These stories and others helped humanize Rose over the course of the book so that there is substance behind the flagrant opinions and hot takes, which you may or may not agree with.  I definitely recommend picking this book up if you are at all a fan of basketball.  The insight that Mr. Rose has is truly unique and made for a quick enjoyable read.

 

Jon Carroll, for War Room Sports

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Riley Rebel: Champion Athlete for America, Misunderstood Victim of Racist Roots, and Supremacist Upbringing

Wednesday, October 21st, 2015

by B. Austin

BA

 

 

 

RC

It’s time to let “Riley Rebel”, champion of the Confederate Calvary of America, live in peace.  Time to stop judging him for shit we allow others to get away with, because it is less brash…not as overt.  I am absolutely certain his feelings are shared by many, many, many young white males from his background.  Personally, I prefer my racists and supremacists out in the open where I can see them and know their position.  I am not going to church, living near, or associating with Riley Rebel in anyway…so like white people have said for 100’s of years: “Run cracker run! Go run, jump, catch, hit, tackle, and entertain me with a football as you break your body apart for my entertainment”.

What BOTHERS ME THEN YOU ASK?  Well, I am glad you asked. What bothers me is the 7 or 8 other NBA owners that were Donald Sterling’s pals, which we will probably never know about.  What bothers me is the fact that the NFL, whose players are 72% black, have only 3 or 4 black head coaches, a few coordinators, the weakest player’s union, and NO BLACK MAJORITY OWNERS.  No, Riley Rebel doesn’t bother me much.  What bothered me was when 4 St. Louis Rams players decided to take a stand for justice regarding Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson, Police organizations and Policemen took a stand against that, and football fans didn’t rally or stand up against tyranny.  Nah, Riley Cooper didn’t bother me at all…he is entertaining.  I was much more concerned with the sports and athletic community’s lack of presence and silence in the #JusticeOrElse events.  Riley Cooper had no input there.  There are so many truly devious and heinous instances of white supremacy, racism, ethnocentrism, white privilege, white entitlement, Black apathy, Black colorism, self-hate, and overall societal erosion to point at, AND use sports as your landscape with which to do so.  Riley Cooper isn’t worth all the anger and ire he receives.  What Riley is to us and himself is a relatively slow, not-so-talented, overlooked, overpaid white professional athlete, who lives as a minority at his workplace and his true feelings came out on camera.  He probably faces an inferiority complex every day, and in the comfort and confines of his own territory, a Kenny Chesney concert filled with white country music fans (but secured by hulking Black security guards), Riley let that inferiority complex and alcohol get the best of him.  Here were guys that were bigger and stronger than him but making far less money and having far less status…and he was in front of his entourage…he had to let testosterone and frustration blend with the alcohol and racism, to go ahead and let his honest feelings be felt.  I actually feel sorry for dude. He has to live with this and public scorn for the remainder of his career, meanwhile America remains the same and the real problems go unsolved. He is merely an honest product of his environment.

 

B. Austin of War Room Sports

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