Year End Award Predictions

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As the season winds down, let’s dive into the obligatory year end awards predictions.  Last year, there was some debate over which incredible season between Russell Westbrook and James Harden merited MVP.  This year, it seems clearer that Harden is in the lead on all fronts.  Nevertheless, let’s look into the numbers and give our take on the major awards: Rookie of the Year:  Before sorting through this group, we do note that there are a bunch of pretty good rooks that are arguably in the … [Read more...] about Year End Award Predictions

Revisting LaRue

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The incredible run by Loyola University of Chicago in the NCAA tournament this year made me wonder about the school's history with NBA players it has produced over the years.  In fact, Loyola has rarely produced NBA players, even by the standards of a mid-major school.  Currently, Milton Doyle is having a cup of coffee with the Nets.  Doyle is the first NBA player from Loyola in 30 years.  Besides that gap, the players who did make it were all fringe players. The only former Loyola pro to … [Read more...] about Revisting LaRue

Studying the Mega Blowouts

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Thursday night, the Hornets drubbed the Grizzlies by 61 points.  This marked the sixth time in the NBA history that there has been a margin of greater than 60 points (and the first time since 1997-98).  While one wouldn’t expect any NBA team to lose by 60, if you had to pick a likely candidate to suffer a mega blowout, the Grizz fit the bill.  They are tied as the worst team in the NBA (the Suns have same record but a much worse SRS), playing on the road, late in a lost season, and without most … [Read more...] about Studying the Mega Blowouts

The End of Craig Hodges’ Career

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In the last year, Craig Hodges, former NBA guard, wrote an engaging book his NBA career in the 1980s and early 1990s called “Long Shot,” describing his attempts to build a career and how his social activism may have ended career early.   I caught an excerpt of Long Shot and Hodges set a picture where asserted that, as a player on the original Bull Threepeat, he felt that there was collusion to end his career prematurely based upon the social activism. In the book, Hodges wrote that, after the … [Read more...] about The End of Craig Hodges’ Career

No Block Party, All-Star Defense Decline

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The All-Star game is back and, despite all the attempts by the NBA to make it fun, I still could care less.  The staggering lack of defense on display the last few years, even by the low standard we have historically been used to in the game, makes it look more like a bunch of dudes messing around in an empty gym than a nationally televised event.   Don’t get me wrong, I have never been particularly interested in the NBA All-Star game but last year’s 192-182 shoot-out was the absolute nadir in … [Read more...] about No Block Party, All-Star Defense Decline

Trade Deadline Round Up

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Well that was a more interesting and frenetic trade deadline than expected.  Here’s our quick take on the more significant deals: Magic trade Elfrid Payton to the Suns for a 2018 second-round pick The Magic have had a rough season and, after four years, they clearly wanted no part of the tough decision as to whether to give Payton a big free agent deal in the summer of 2018.  I can’t help but think the Magic cut bait too early.  It is understandable that Orlando is frustrated.  The team … [Read more...] about Trade Deadline Round Up

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