basketball
The world of Basketball detailed by the voices of the unathletic. Discussing play, culture, and, of course, who's the best. Trust the Process.
A Curious Case: How Isaiah Thomas Refuses to be SHORTchanged
In today’s NBA where “small ball” is all the rage, just how “small” is big enough to be a great player? There isn’t quite a right answer as there are many teams who seem to find themselves lost in the shuffle between tradition and being unorthodox. This is no more indicative than in the fact that teams are now looking and searching for the “big” hybrid guard, who primarily acts as the ball handler, sort of like Russell Westbrook or D'Angelo Russell. Especially in light of the fact that these very same teams are looking for “3 and D”, “swingman”, general forward types who can man the 3, 4, and perhaps a little of the 5 if need be in this wide open era of basketball. The kicker to this part is the fact that these players are generally in between the heights of 6’6–6’9, which leads to another conundrum when considering the “Greek Freak” or Giannis Antetokounmpo, who probably grew an inch while I was writing this, who plays every position and handles the ball the majority of the time. With this considered, it makes you wonder exactly what is the “ideal” size for any player, how big do you want certain positions to be, and what is too small for an NBA player? Well, the first two aren’t exactly questions that can be answered in today’s ever-evolving NBA but the last one is certainly being answered before our eyes.
Kenneth WilsonPublished 6 years ago in Unbalanced
Are You Not Entertained by the NBA Season?
Although some, such as Stephen A. Smith, would have you believe the NBA season was “ruined” before it ever even started due to Kevin Durant’s sudden defection to Golden State, that is absolutely not the case. Although the Warriors look like the odds on favorite to win the West and more than likely win the entire NBA championship, the play has been surprisingly competitive and thoroughly entertaining. What has been even more entertaining, however, is everything else that has been occurring around the league this season.
Kenneth WilsonPublished 6 years ago in Unbalanced
Three Reasons the Cavaliers Should Revisit the Carmelo Deal
If you are living and in any way a fan of the NBA, there are currently two rumors circulating around the league. Ironically enough, they both involve the Cleveland Cavaliers. The first situation revolves around the team itself and how they seem to be missing a few pieces — especially if they expect to defend their 2016 title. LeBron James is no stranger to using the media to pull strings. In fact, he recently began to let Dan Gilbert know (through the media) that he is not happy with the Cavs current state of affairs. The irony at this point is too hot to handle — since, as many know, LeBron is the team’s unofficial GM. The Cavs current state of affairs involves losing 5 of their last 8, including a disheartening overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. Add this with a struggling Tristan Thompson, an injured J.R. Smith, and an unacclimated Kyle Korver and what do you get? A recipe for some Cleveland drama.
Kenneth WilsonPublished 6 years ago in Unbalanced
Mike D’Antoni Is the X-Factor in the San Antonio Series
Mike D’Antoni’s feared “seven seconds or less offense” and the Phoenix Suns ran into Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs three times in their four playoff appearances during his tenure. All three series resulted in a San Antonio dub.
Tony HeimPublished 6 years ago in Unbalanced
Is Chicago’s Big 3 Finally Becoming the Trio We Thought They Would Be?
The No. 8 seeded Chicago Bulls are off to a shockingly good start in the playoffs, ringing off two straight victories against the top seeded Boston Celtics. Even more impressive is that both wins came in Boston. Considering Celtic’s Star Isiah Thomas’s recent and tragic loss, he's performing up to par, averaging almost 27 a game. To be quite honest, it isn’t anything at all that the Celtics are doing or not doing that could prevent whats happening. What is happening here is what happens when fresh cabbage meets a brand new food processor — cole slaw. Too deep? A simpler explanation is that when you run into a finely tuned machine operating at peak performance, it’s hard to beat it.
Kenneth WilsonPublished 6 years ago in Unbalanced
LeBron and the Cavaliers Are Doing Just Fine
Last night, the Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Washington Wizards, 127–115. In the game, the Wizards scored 71 points in the second half. With the loss, the Cavaliers moved to 47–25 on the season. The Boston Celtics are now 0.5 games behind the Cavaliers in the race for the No. 1 seed. Fire away the “CAVALIERS ARE IN TROUBLE” hot take cannon!
Charles ManiegoPublished 6 years ago in Unbalanced
Well Chicago, You Were Bull Headed...
Can a mayor be impeached? That might be a question buzzing around Chicago as the Bulls continue to flounder their way through the first half of the NBA season. Seriously though, they seem to be in real trouble and to be quite honest, it comes down to levels of the organization: Front Office, Coaches, Players. Let’s take a look.
Kenneth WilsonPublished 6 years ago in Unbalanced
Let’s Not Forget About Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs
He’s already averaging 34.5 points per game through two games in the playoffs. Kawhi Leonard is the backbone of the San Antonio Spurs. In fact, Leonard has scored in double figures in 22 straight playoff contests. Talk about clutch.
Quinn AllenPublished 6 years ago in Unbalanced
No One Thinks the Cavs Have a Shot, Here is Why They Will Win the NBA Finals
As we near Thursday’s NBA Finals Game 1 tilt between the Warriors and the Cavaliers, many already have the writing on the wall for the defending champion Cavs. From the many pundits who think the Cavaliers will be lucky to come away with one game, to the aficionado’s known as Vegas Oddsmakers, everyone seems to think that the Warriors have this thing in the bag. Well, not quite everyone. Here are three reasons why the Cavaliers not only CAN but WILL win this year's NBA Finals.
Kenneth WilsonPublished 6 years ago in Unbalanced
Turning Up the Heat: Is Miami a Playoff Relevant Team?
As the season began to unfold and teams started to develop and progress, there was one team that never quite seemed to reach fruition. They were hampered by injury throughout much of the season prior to the All-Star Break, the Miami Heat have surged as of late, winning 19 of their last 23 games with a hefty double digit game win streak stashed right in the middle of that run. How have the Miami Heat managed to climb back into a, surprisingly interesting Eastern Conference playoff race? More importantly, once in the playoffs, do they have any shot of making any noise. The answer in short, by playing Miami Heat basketball, and they sure do. The long answers are a lot more fun though, check them out.
Kenneth WilsonPublished 6 years ago in Unbalanced
Will Carmelo Leave the Knicks? Where to Next?
The NBA Playoffs are underway and look as though they may live up to the hype, not missing one single exciting beat along the way. The playoffs are however missing their *usual* representative from New York. With both the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knickerbockers enduring down years, which has come to be something of the norm for these franchises. “Big time” hoops are done in the Big Apple until next season. There is a saving grace for the Brooklyn Nets, however — at least this year, they are not the team with the most dysfunction heading into next year’s preparation.
Kenneth WilsonPublished 6 years ago in Unbalanced
How The Most Important NBA Finals Matchup Lies Between Kevin Love and Draymond Green
The buildup for this NBA Finals is bigger than anything in recent memory. With the combination of this being the rubber match following the last two Finals, the obviously apparent disdain these two teams have for one another, and this year’s playoffs being less entertaining than the Summer League, everyone is ready the clash of the titans.
Dan O'SheaPublished 6 years ago in Unbalanced
