20 Second Timeout

The NBA Play-In Tournament Gives Mediocre Teams an Opportunity to Salvage Their Disappointing Seasons

The NBA's public relations spin is that the Play-In Tournament added excitement to the final days of the 2024 regular season because most of the playoff seeding remained undetermined until the very end; the reality is that the Play-In Tournament diminished the importance of the regular season because a team can muddle through 82 games, win one or two Play-In Tournament games and have the same opportunity to advance in the playoffs as the teams that took the regular season seriously. It is sad that despite their huge guaranteed salaries the modern NBA players need so many extra incentives/gimmicks like the NBA Cup, the Player Participation Policy, and the Play-In Tournament to play hard, and it is disgraceful that when they are not provided extra incentives they produce travesties like the 2024 NBA All-Star Game.

This year's Play-In Tournament includes Miami visiting Philadelphia to determine the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, and the L.A. Lakers visiting New Orleans to determine the seventh seed in the Western Conference. The eighth seeds in each conference will be determined after Atlanta visits Chicago, and Golden State visits Sacramento, with the winners of those games facing the losers of Philadelphia-Miami and New Orleans-L.A. respectively to lock up the final playoff spot in each conference.

It has become popular to view the Philadelphia 76ers as a legitimate threat to not only survive the Play-In Tournament but to then make a deep playoff run. That is a very optimistic view of a team that has a proven track record of playoff failures.

The 76ers solved a major problem by trading disgruntled playoff underachiever James Harden to the L.A. Clippers, but the advantage that they gained from getting rid of Harden was nullified because 2023 regular season MVP Joel Embiid missed 43 games, with most of his absences caused by a left knee injury that required surgery. The 76ers posted a 31-8 record when Embiid played, and a 16-27 record when he did not play. Unfortunately for the 76ers, Embiid has a history of (1) missing a lot of games due to injury and (2) not performing up to par in the playoffs. It should be emphasized that Harden's playoff choking is not the only reason that Embiid has never seen the Eastern Conference Finals without buying a ticket or watching on TV: Embiid has a 5-6 playoff series record, and he shot worse than .500 from the field in eight of those series. Not coincidentally, the 76ers won all three playoff series during which Embiid shot better than .500 from the field. Embiid's career playoff numbers (24.0 ppg, 10.9 rpg, .461 FG%, 2.8 apg, 1.8 bpg) do not look bad, but they are worse than his career regular season numbers (27.9 ppg, 11.2 rpg, .504 FG%, 3.6 apg, 1.7 bpg).

The 76ers' team statistical rankings this season are almost meaningless because they played more than half of the season without Embiid. They are a very good team with Embiid, and a mediocre team (at best) without him. The 76ers are 7-0 since Embiid returned to action--and they even won the two games that he sat out--with Embiid averaging 30.4 ppg in his five appearances. However, Embiid has never been in top physical condition during his career, and he is far from being in top physical condition now. 

Side note: I am baffled by how often Embiid crashes to the floor despite being such a gifted athlete; I have played basketball for most of my life, and I would say that Embiid probably falls down more in one playoff series than I have fallen down in decades of playing competitive basketball. I am not sure if Embiid is flopping to draw fouls or just moving awkwardly, but he would be well advised to keep his huge body upright in order to avoid getting injured again.

The Miami Heat have been a baffling team for the past several years. They reached the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023 in addition to reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022, when they posted the Eastern Conference's best regular season record--but this is the second year in a row that they finished outside of the top six and thus fell into the Play-In Tournament. It does not seem as if Jimmy Butler and the Heat take the regular season very seriously--which contradicts all of the Heat's self-promotion about their unique "Heat culture"--but few teams have matched their recent postseason success. The Heat are anemic offensively (ranking 26th in scoring and 22nd in field goal percentage) and they get killed on the boards because they are undersized (ranking 26th in rebounding)

I predict that Embiid will lead the 76ers past the Heat in a home Play-In Tournament game, but it is unlikely that the 76ers will make much noise in the playoffs.

The Atlanta Hawks have lost six games in a row and seven of their last 10 games. They are awful defensively--ranking 28th in points allowed and 28th in defensive field goal percentage--and they have not accomplished much of note since their fluky run to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals. Teams that are led by undersized guards who are averse to playing defense tend to not make much postseason noise. The Hawks led by Trae Young are very similar to the Portland teams led by Damian Lillard; Lillard's Trail Blazers made a fluky run to the 2019 Western Conference Finals but the Trail Blazers have won just three playoff games since 2019--and after being traded from Portland to Milwaukee, Lillard has helped destroy Milwaukee's once stout defense. The Hawks will endure a playoff drought similar to Portland's until the Hawks either trade Young or else surround him with a deep supporting cast of defensive-minded players.

The Chicago Bulls did not have a great season, but they finished three games ahead of the Hawks and the Bulls went 5-5 in their last 10 games. The Bulls started the season 5-14, but played better after former All-Star Zach LaVine suffered a season-ending ankle injury. DeMar DeRozan averaged a team-high 24.0 ppg while leading the league in minutes played per game (37.8).

When the moveable object meets the resistible force, anything can happen, but I predict that the Bulls will beat the Hawks.

The L.A. Lakers feature two members of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, yet they failed to finish in the top six in the Western Conference for the fourth straight season. Keep in mind that Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to the playoffs twice with Kwame Brown as his starting center, Smush Parker as his starting point guard, and the talented but inconsistent--to put it mildly--Lamar Odom as the Lakers' second best player. If not for the 2020 "bubble" NBA title, James' L.A. tenure would have to be viewed as a monumental failure from the standpoint of team success regardless of his high individual performance level--but the "bubble" title is a historical fact, and there are many great players who did not lead their teams to even one championship. The Lakers would be well served to remember and emulate how they won that title: they attacked the paint on offense, defended the paint on defense, and used their size to their advantage.

Much has been made of James' late career emergence as a high percentage three point shooter. While James deserves credit for improving this facet of his game, the Lakers are at their best when--to borrow a concept from chess--the threat of James shooting a three pointer is stronger than the execution. In other words, now that James has legit three point range opposing defenses have to guard him beyond the arc--but instead of settling for three pointers he should still attack the paint not only to take high percentage close range shots but also to draw fouls and to create easier shots for his teammates.

Davis is perhaps Embiid's top rival in the category of "regularly falling down hard for no apparent reason." Not coincidentally, Davis also is similar to Embiid in terms of missing a lot of games due to injury, although Davis broke form by playing in a career-high 76 games this season.

The New Orleans Pelicans are a solid team, and they have benefited tremendously from Zion Williamson playing in a career-high 70 games this season, but it would speak volumes about James and Davis if they fail to lead the Lakers past a team that no one should seriously consider to be a championship contender. I predict that the Lakers will beat the Pelicans, but not match last season's fluky run to the Western Conference Finals--and we know that the run was fluky because we have seen that over the course of a full season the vaunted "new look" Lakers sans scapegoats Russell Westbrook and Frank Vogel had to fight to finish eighth even with James and Davis avoiding injuries and eschewing load management.

The Golden State Warriors have at least three future Hall of Famers (Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, Klay Thompson) on their roster--and probably four, as Draymond Green will likely be voted in unless he does something so egregious before the end of his career that he becomes persona non grata--but the 2022 NBA champions finished 10th in the 15 team Western Conference. However, the Warriors closed the season strongly by winning eight of their last 10 games to earn a rematch with their opponent from the first round of the 2023 playoffs--but the rematch is in the Play-In Tournament, not the playoffs.

The Sacramento Kings finished only two games worse this season (46-36) than last season (48-34), but in the deep Western Conference they fell from all the way from the third seed last season to the ninth seed this season. They were terrible defensively last season (ranking 25th in points allowed and 29th in defensive field goal percentage), and not very good defensively this season (ranking 17th in points allowed and 21st in defensive field goal percentage). The Kings have dropped in the standings since Sixth Man of the Year candidate Malik Monk suffered a knee injury that will keep him out until the end of April, which means that he will not return this season unless the Kings make an extended playoff run. 

The Warriors needed a 50 point game seven masterpiece from Stephen Curry to eliminate the Kings from the 2023 playoffs, but such heroics will not be required for the Warriors to beat the Kings in the 2024 Play-In Tournament.

If my predictions are correct then Miami will host Chicago and New Orleans will host Golden State in the last chance segment of the Play-In Tournament. I expect Miami to defeat Chicago, and Golden State to beat New Orleans.

The NBA is happy because the Play-In Tournament adds six games to the schedule, with the corresponding bump in TV revenue and ticket sales. Let's hope that the games come even close to living up to the relentless hype provided by the league and its media partners. Chicago versus Atlanta is not a game that anyone would ask for (other than fans of those teams), but we can hope that the Bulls and Hawks will make it a game worth remembering and talking about, and we can likewise hope that all of the Play-In Tournament games feature playoff caliber basketball.

Previous Play-In Tournament Articles:

2023

Zion Williamson's Refusal to Play Despite Being Healthy Embodies What is Wrong With Today's NBA (April 13, 2023)

L.A. Lakers Need Overtime to Dispatch Shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves in Play-In Tournament (April 12, 2023)

The 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament: Grab Your Popcorn and Savor the Mediocrity! (April 10, 2023)

2022

Notes on the 2022 NBA Play-In Tournament (April 14, 2022)

Nets Clinch Seventh Seed After Outlasting Cavaliers, 115-108 (April 12, 2022)

The NBA is (Usually) Fantastic (Except When Teams Bench Their Starters for the Season's Last Game) (April 11, 2022)

2021

Nine Versus Ten Does Not Add Up to Fantastic Basketball (May 20, 2021)

Thoughts on the NBA's Play-In Tournament (May 17, 2021)

Labels: Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, L.A. Lakers, Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings

posted by David Friedman @ 10:19 PM

0 comments

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's 2024 Class Includes Dick Barnett, Chauncey Billups, Vince Carter, Doug Collins, Michael Cooper, Walter Davis, Herb Simon, and Jerry West

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's 2024 class includes 13 inductees, eight of whom have strong NBA ties: players Dick Barnett, Chauncey Billups, Vince Carter, Michael Cooper, and Walter Davis, plus contributors Doug Collins, Herb Simon, and Jerry West. West joins Lenny Wilkens as the only three-time inductees, as West was previously inducted as a player and as a member of the 1960 Team USA Olympic team. This year's other five inductees are Seimone Augustus, Harley Redin, Bo Ryan, Charles Smith (a Louisiana high school coach, not the former NBA player) and Michelle Timms. At 20 Second Timeout I focus on the NBA game, but I will note that Timms is one of my favorite female basketball players of all-time (along with Cynthia Cooper, who I interviewed during the 2006 NBA All-Star Weekend). Timms was a heady, scrappy player whose impact on winning was greater than her individual numbers might suggest.

The eight inductees who are connected with the NBA have impacted basketball from the 1950s through today.

During the 2019 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Barnett narrated a powerful tribute to his school--Tennessee A&I--and his college coach, John McClendon. Barnett led Teneessee A&I to three straight NAIA championships (1957-59) before enjoying a successful 14 season NBA career that included winning two NBA titles with the New York Knicks (1970, 1973) and earning one NBA All-Star selection (1968). Barnett averaged a career-high 23.1 ppg in the 1965-66 season, and he finished his career with 15,358 points (15.8 ppg).

Billups won the 2004 NBA Finals MVP as his Detroit Pistons defeated the L.A. Lakers, who had won three straight championships (2000-02) with the powerful Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant duo leading the way. He earned the nickname "Mr. Big Shot" because of how often he rose to the occasion in clutch situations. Billups ranks sixth in ABA/NBA history in free throw percentage (.897). Billups was not a dominant player or a perennial MVP candidate, but he earned five All-Star selections, three All-NBA selections, and two All-Defensive Team selections. Also, every NBA Finals MVP who is eligible for Hall of Fame induction has been inducted except for Cedric Maxwell.

Carter holds the record for most ABA/NBA seasons played (22), breaking the mark of 21 previously held by Moses Malone (19 NBA seasons, two ABA seasons), Robert Parish, Kevin Willis, and Dirk Nowitzki. After Carter retired, I analyzed his Hall of Fame candidacy:

Should Carter be selected as a Hall of Famer? The answer to that question depends on how you think about the Hall of Fame. If you think that the Hall of Fame should only welcome the absolute best of the best, then you would likely think that Carter is not worthy. Carter is not one of the 50 greatest players of all-time, and may in fact not be one of the top 100 greatest players of all-time. However, if you think that the Hall of Fame should welcome players who played at a high level for an extended period even if they never reached MVP level then Carter easily meets that standard. Carter was no worse than a top 20-25 player for an eight to 10 year period, which is excellent peak value. He then spent an even longer period as a solid rotation player; those final seasons lowered his career per game averages, but should Carter's Hall of Fame resume be downgraded because he had great longevity compared to his peers whose bodies failed them at a younger age, or who were not able to adjust to a lesser role in order to stay in the league? Carter proved that he was a coachable player who was willing to help younger players, and he proved that there was more to his game than just eye-popping leaping ability. Carter's role in elevating (pun intended) pro basketball in Toronto, and his iconic dunks (both in games and in the Slam Dunk Contest) are intangibles that bolster his Hall of Fame candidacy.

Cooper won the 1987 Defensive Player of the Year award, and he made the All-Defensive Team for eight straight seasons (1981-88), including five First Team selections (1982, 1984-85, 1987-88). He was a key member of all five Showtime Lakers championships teams (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987-88). Cooper was a prototype for what is now called a "3 and D" player; in addition to his defensive prowess he ranked in the top 10 in three point field goal percentage three times (1984, 1986-87), and he twice ranked second in the league in three point field goals made, albeit with numbers that do not look impressive in today's NBA (38 in 1984, 89 in 1987).

However, while Billups fits the Hall of Fame profile as a Finals MVP and multiple-time All-Star and Carter was a top 20-25 player for an extended time, Cooper's resume lacks such credentials. Thus, Cooper's induction raises more questions about what it means to be a Hall of Famer: it is one thing to determine that players such as Billups and Carter deserve Hall of Fame induction, but if Cooper--who never made the All-Star team, and never averaged more than 12 ppg, 6 apg or 4.5 rpg in a season--is a Hall of Famer then where is the line drawn? Should Robert Horry and Bruce Bowen be inducted as well? This is not meant to diminish the value that Cooper, Horry, and Bowen provided to multiple championship teams; the point is that at no time during their playing careers did any credible analyst seriously consider them to be Hall of Famers. With very few exceptions, Hall of Fame status meant, at a minimum, playing at an All-Star level for a sustained period. Cooper, Horry, and Bowen were tremendous role players who played alongside multiple players whose Hall of Fame credentials are beyond reproach, and those first ballot Hall of Famers likely could have won championships with other supporting casts, but one cannot picture Cooper, Horry, or Bowen being the first, second, or third best player on a championship contender.

I am not saying that Cooper should not be a Hall of Famer, and I am not trying to rain on his parade, but I am saying that the criteria for Hall of Fame induction should be clarified; the criteria seem to have evolved or shifted.

Davis was known as "The Greyhound" because of his graceful and smooth playing style. He won the 1978 Rookie of the Year award over Hall of Famer Bernard King, and Davis finished fifth in MVP voting that season as well. He earned two All-NBA Second Team selections (1978-79), and he was a six-time All-Star (1978-81, 1984, 1987). Prior to his NBA career, he was an excellent college player at North Carolina and an Olympic gold medalist in 1976.

Collins earned four All-Star selections in his injury-plagued eight season NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers before compiling a 442-407 record as an NBA head coach with Chicago, Detroit, Washington, and Philadelphia. He also established himself as one of the premier color commentators on NBA and FIBA telecasts. 

Herb Simon has owned the Indiana Pacers longer than any other owner has owned a team in NBA history. He co-owned the team with his brother Melvin from 1983 until Melvin died of cancer in 2009. Under Simon's ownership, the Pacers have reached the Eastern Conference Finals eight times (1994-95, 1998-2000, 2004, 2013-14) and the NBA Finals once (2000).

West is a Pantheon-level player who also coached the L.A. Lakers for three seasons (1977-79) before enjoying one of the most accomplished front office careers in NBA history, building Lakers teams that won eight NBA titles (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987-88, 2000-02); although West left the Lakers after the 2000 season, it is fair to say that the Lakers would not have won their 2001 and 2002 championships had West not brought Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant to L.A. West won the Executive of the Year award twice (1995 with the Lakers, 2004 with the Memphis Grizzlies). The dust jacket to Roland Lazenby's Jerry West biography asserts that West is "a man who has done more to shape basketball than anyone on the planet."

Labels: Basketball Hall of Fame, Chauncey Billups, Dick Barnett, Doug Collins, Herb Simon, Jerry West, Michael Cooper, Vince Carter, Walter Davis

posted by David Friedman @ 8:44 PM

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Sharpshooting Bucks Take Down Defenseless Suns, 140-129

The Milwaukee Bucks beat the Phoenix Suns 140-129 on Sunday even though the Suns were at full strength while the Bucks were missing two-time regular season MVP (2019, 2020) Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was a late precautionary scratch due to lingering hamstring soreness. Damian Lillard scored a game-high 31 points on 10-19 field goal shooting while passing for a game-high/career-high tying 16 assists. Bobby Portis matched Lillard with 31 points, shooting 13-20 from the field and also snaring a game-high 10 rebounds. Portis made all five of his three point shots. Khris Middleton returned to the lineup after missing 16 games with an ankle injury, and he had a major impact, scoring 22 points and dishing for seven assists in just 25 minutes. The Bucks set season highs for three point field goals made (24) and points scored in a half (82) while also tying the NBA record for three point field goals made in a half (18). Their 140 points is the most that they have scored since Doc Rivers took the head coaching reins shortly before the All-Star Game.

Bradley Beal led the Suns with 28 points while passing for seven assists, Grayson Allen added 25 points and a team-high eight assists, and Devin Booker had 23 points, a team-high nine rebounds, and six assists. Kevin Durant entered the game needing 20 points to surpass Shaquille O'Neal on the all-time scoring list, but he finished with just 11 points on 4-10 field goal shooting, though he did have a strong floor game (nine rebounds, four assists, three steals, two blocked shots, and just one turnover in a game-high 41 minutes).

This rematch of the 2021 NBA Finals did not feel like a rematch not only because of Antetokounmpo's absence but also because Booker is the only player or coach remaining from Phoenix' 2021 squad. It is amazing how quickly things change in the NBA, even for franchises that have been successful.  

Hubie Brown provided the color commentary for ABC. His most recent telecast was last Sunday when the Philadelphia 76ers beat the New York Knicks 79-73 in the NBA's lowest scoring game since 2016. Brown's pregame remarks focused on Middleton and Durant. Brown noted that even though Middleton is only averaging around 14 ppg this season he is a proven 20 ppg scorer who can also play the point guard role during crunch time minutes. Brown commented that Durant is so good that he makes scoring look easy, and he pointed out how Durant uses his length to create space to launch uncontested shots. 

Lillard is having a good season by conventional standards, but his numbers are below his career averages in several key categories, including PPG, FG%, and 3FG%. He played poorly in his previous two games, scoring just 27 points on 9-28 (.321) field goal shooting, but he understood the assignment with Antetokounmpo out of action: score efficiently while creating easy scoring opportunities for his teammates. Lillard scored nine first quarter points, but even more importantly he had six assists and no turnovers. Portis led the Bucks with 12 first quarter points on 5-5 field goal shooting. 

The Suns jumped out to a 9-3 lead, but by the end of the first quarter the Bucks led 39-36 and they never trailed again. The Bucks shot 15-24 from the field (.625) in the first quarter and the Suns were not far behind that blazing pace, shooting 14-25 (.560). Brown called the Bucks a "slow defensive recovery team," and added, "You can see early in this game that the defensive end off of the dribble is going to be a problem for Milwaukee." 

Brown amplified his pregame comments about Middleton's importance to the Bucks, calling him "A joy to watch," and praising him as a third scoring option who is comfortable being the second or even first option in clutch situations, which takes pressure off of Antetokounmpo and Lillard. 

Brown, who made his mark as a defensive-minded coach, described the defense in this game as so bad "it's almost outrageous," specifically noting that on many plays a defender was not within four or five feet of the shooter. Brown pointed out that the Bucks' strategy was to trap Booker and Durant out front while playing zone behind the traps.

After Portis made a three pointer from the left wing in the second quarter, he shouted, "That’s for you, Hubie!" Portis gave a similar shoutout to Brown during Milwaukee's 119-98 win over Philadelphia on Sunday February 25. Brown loves Portis' game, and it is nice to see a player who is far too young to remember most of Brown's coaching and broadcasting careers demonstrating such respect for one of the legends of the game.

The Bucks led 82-60 at halftime, mainly because of their record-setting three point shooting, led by Portis' 25 points on 10-13 field goal shooting (including 5-5 from three point range). Brown mentioned that the Bucks shot 2-2 from the free throw line during the first half, and said that this is because the Bucks were "shooting at will in wide open areas." The Suns' defense was so bad that they were not even close enough to the Bucks to foul them, let alone hinder or stop them. 

Brown said that the Suns should approach the second half with the mindset of cutting 4-5 points off of the lead every six minutes. The Suns stuck to that blueprint quite well, helped by the nature of the NBA today: the three point shot is a high variance play, and overuse of the three point shot is a major reason that NBA games so often feature big leads followed by big comebacks. In this game, the Bucks led by as many as 25 points in the second half before the Suns used a 32-13 rally to trim the margin to 100-94 with 1:30 remaining in the third quarter; in less than eight minutes, the Suns transformed a blowout into a potential win. The Bucks quickly built their lead back up to 15 points, but had to withstand one more Phoenix surge that trimmed the deficit to 122-115 with 6:17 left in the fourth quarter. The Suns made their run by utilizing a smaller, more aggressive lineup featuring Durant as the only player taller than 6-7.

Although the Suns outscored the Bucks 35-31 in the fourth quarter, overall this season the Suns have been awful in the final stanza, posting the fifth worst fourth quarter scoring margin in NBA history and blowing 10 fourth quarter leads. Brown attributes the Suns' fourth quarter struggles this season to high turnovers and low field goal percentage.

After the Bucks sealed the win in the closing moments, Brown's broadcast partner Dave Pasch noted that Lillard is the first player in Bucks' history to have at least 30 points and at least 15 assists in the same game. Brown replied that he was fortunate to coach great Milwaukee players including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, and Bob Dandridge. Brown said that it is important to remind younger viewers that Robertson averaged 30-10-10 in his first five NBA seasons. "That is the impression he made," Brown emphasized. Brown is correct, and in fact Robertson averaged 30.4 ppg, 10.7 apg, 10.0 rpg in his first six NBA seasons. Brown respects the players in today's NBA and he praises Lillard's game when warranted, but Brown did a great job of making it clear that one 30-15 game is not equivalent to averaging 30-10-10 for several seasons in a row.  

This game reflected the strengths and weaknesses that both teams have displayed throughout the season: the Bucks are potentially an offensive powerhouse, but they need Antetokounmpo on the court to provide paint presence at both ends of the court; the Suns' Durant-Booker-Beal trio can be lethal on offense, but collectively the Suns provide little defensive resistance. 

Labels: Bobby Portis, Bradley Beal, Damian Lillard, Devin Booker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Hubie Brown, Kevin Durant, Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns

posted by David Friedman @ 2:46 AM

12 comments

76ers Beat Knicks 79-73 in Lowest Scoring NBA Game Since 2016

The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the New York Knicks 79-73 on Sunday night despite being without the services of injured All-Stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Embiid has missed the last 18 games while recovering from knee surgery, while Maxey has been out for four games because he is in the concussion protocol. The Knicks played without All-Star Julius Randle, who has missed 18 straight games with a dislocated shoulder. Kelly Oubre Jr. led the 76ers with 18 points while also grabbing 10 rebounds and swiping three steals. Buddy Hield (16 points, seven rebounds) and Paul Reed (13 points, seven rebounds) made important contributions off of the bench, while Tobias Harris added 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 19 points and passed for a game-high eight assists, but he shot just 6-22 from the field. Donte DiVincenzo had 15 points on 6-17 field goal shooting, and Bojan Bogdanovic (10 points on 4-8 field goal shooting) was the Knicks' only other double figure scorer.

This is the first NBA game in which both teams scored fewer than 80 points since January 6, 2016. The Knicks shot just 26-80 (.325) from the field and they committed 21 turnovers, eight more than their per game average. The Knicks were particularly bad from three point range (9-40, .225) and--like many teams in the modern NBA--they kept firing away from long range unconcerned about their airballs and bricks; it is puzzling that so many NBA teams do not have a backup plan for games during which they just cannot make three pointers.  

Hubie Brown provided the color commentary for ESPN, and this is the fourth 76ers game for which Brown has provided color commentary since February 23; his most recent telecast was when the 76ers defeated the Mavericks 120-116 on Sunday March 3, and prior to that he did the color commentary when the Bucks topped the 76ers 119-98 on Sunday February 25, and when the 76ers beat the Cavaliers 104-97 on Friday February 23.

During his pregame remarks, Brown noted that Brunson is a three level scorer (three point line, midrange, in the paint), and he said that he is happy that Brunson was rewarded for his hard work by making the All-Star team for the first time. Brown mentioned that Harris is a versatile player and he said that Harris' contributions are critically important while Embiid and Maxey are sidelined. Brown concluded that the pressure is on for both of these teams to maintain their position in the standings by not losing to sub-.500 teams.

When the game began, Brown pointed out that the 76ers had two point guards in the starting lineup--Kyle Lowry and Cameron Payne--to control the tempo and try to get easy fast break scoring opportunities. Brown observed that neither of those point guards checked Brunson; instead, the 76ers assigned that task to the bigger and more athletic Oubre.

Brown singled out Harris' excellent first quarter--six points, five rebounds--as the teams played to a 15-15 tie after the first 12 minutes. The 76ers shot 7-24 (.292) from the field, while the Knicks shot 6-18 (.333) and had more turnovers (seven) than field goals made--the rare team "Harden" (the statistical category denoting a player--or, in this case, a team--accumulating more turnovers than field goals made). Brown said that the 76ers were struggling to score against New York's active, switching defense. He also mentioned throughout the game how much he loves Reed, who he described as a "tough guy."

The Knicks posted another "Harden" in the second quarter, again with seven turnovers and six field goals made, and the 76ers outscored them 22-16 to take a 37-31 halftime lead as the teams combined for the NBA's lowest scoring half this season. Brown provided his usual concise, on point scouting reports on various players, chiding the Knicks that they must jam Hield because Hield is always looking to shoot, and praising Oubre as "a midrange player who wants the contact." Brown said that the 76ers did a terrific job forcing Brunson to take tough, contested shots while also cutting down his passing angles. I love Brunson's attitude and work ethic, and there is no denying how productive he has been during his career, but it must be a little disconcerting for Knicks' fans to see how much he can be bothered by size, which is often the downfall of undersized guards--particularly during postseason play, when the best teams often either have big guards or else will cross-match to nullify a potent but undersized guard.

Beth Mowins on the play by play mentioned that ESPN Analytics predict that both teams will maintain their current position in the standings. Brown quipped, "Does that mean we don't have to play the remaining games?" Brown favored the use of meaningful statistics--including point differential--long before anyone talked about "advanced basketball statistics," but he does not go all-in on the numerical driven nonsense spewed by many analysts and commentators who lack his ability to understand a basketball game by watching with an educated eye.

During the third quarter, ESPN showed a graphic of the top five single season scorers in Knicks' history: Bernard King (32.9 ppg in 1984-85), Richie Guerin (29.5 ppg in 1961-62), Carmelo Anthony (28.7 ppg in 2012-13), Patrick Ewing (28.6 ppg in 1989-90), and Carmelo Anthony (27.4 ppg in 2013-14). Brunson averaged 27.2 ppg this season prior to Sunday night's game. Brown coached the Knicks from 1982-86, so he had a close view of King's most dominant seasons--a 26.3 ppg masterpiece in 1983-84 when the Knicks pushed the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics to seven games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, followed by a league-leading 32.9 ppg in a 1984-85 season cut short by a devastating knee injury that kept King out of action until 1987. King eventually became the first player to make the All-Star team with a totally reconstructed knee. Brown shared poignant memories of how King injured his knee in 1985 while doing a chasedown block of Reggie Theus in Kansas City. Mowins quietly commented that the worst moments are sometimes more memorable for coaches than the highlight moments. 

As the teams slogged their way through a 42-42 second half, Brown said of Harris, "They need him to get going. They need him to not be bashful." It is often frustrating to watch Harris; he seems to have first option level talent, but despite his size, athletic ability, and shooting skill he tends to drift through games instead of placing his imprint on the action. 

One does not need to be a basketball expert to diagnose New York's problems during this game--too many turnovers combined with wretched three point shooting--but Brown managed to state the obvious without beating viewers over the head with it; we could all see what was happening without someone like "Screamin' A" Smith rupturing our eardrums while confusing decibel levels with IQ points, as if raising the former corresponds with demonstrating a high number of the latter.

Brown does not harp on officiating, but he made an observation that he has made in previous games this season: players have difficulty figuring out how to play when the officiating is inconsistent regarding what is a foul. Coaches and players have criticized officiating forever, but it seems like the overall quality of officiating has declined in recent years. 

This game is not destined to be rebroadcast as an "instant classic," but Brown once again provided a master class in how to analyze a game without screaming, without citing numbers of doubtful relevance or value, and without making it seem like the game is a branding opportunity for the commentators as opposed to entertainment for the viewers.

Labels: Jalen Brunson, Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, Kelly Oubre Jr., New York Knicks, Paul Reed, Philadelphia 76ers, Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey

posted by David Friedman @ 2:01 AM

6 comments

Caitlin Clark is a Great Player, but She did not Break Pete Maravich's Division I Career Scoring Record

Caitlin Clark is a tremendous basketball player. She has established herself as one of the greatest female college basketball players of all-time, and there is every reason to believe that she will be a great professional player as well. Women's basketball is better than it has ever been, and Clark is one of the players who is leading the way.

However--contrary to recent reports--Clark is not the all-time Division I career scoring leader, because Division I exists in two separate categories. There is a women's Division I career scoring record (that is the one that Clark broke). Clark did not break the record set by "Pistol Pete" Maravich, who scored 3667 points in men's Division I. I say this not just because Maravich set his record in three varsity seasons while averaging 44.2 ppg in 83 games, compared to Clark averaging 28.3 ppg in 130 games in four seasons (though I would separately argue that there should be a three year Division I record and a four year Division I record because in Maravich's era by rule it was not possible to play four varsity seasons); I say this because Maravich played a different sport: men's basketball and women's basketball are two different sports, and to suggest otherwise is to deny reality. As great as Clark is, it is doubtful that she could start for any Division I men's team, let alone come close to averaging 28.3 ppg while playing versus Division I men. That is not a knock against Clark. There are biological differences between men and women; men tend to be bigger, stronger, and faster, and that is the reason that most sports--particularly at the elite level--have a men's category and a women's category. 

There seems to be a notion that comparing Clark to Maravich somehow elevates the women's game, but anyone with sense understands the obvious differences between men and women. Keeping men's records separate from women's records reflects the reality of those differences, and underscores the value of having two fully funded, separate leagues. Also, having separate records enables fans to celebrate the accomplishments of all of the great players in both sports. What if at some point the artificially combined records included only one woman in the top 10, and the other nine players were men? Then, instead of having two top 10 lists showcasing the scoring prowess of the best players in each sport, the feats of other women players would be forgotten. By the same token, in sports where it is unlikely that women would ever crack the combined top 10 (such as sprinting), it would not be right to merge the records, either.

It should further be noted that Clark is not even the career scoring leader in the women's college game. That distinction belongs to Pearl Moore, who played in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) at a time when women's basketball was not an NCAA sport. The NCAA does not acknowledge statistics from prior to 1982, much like the NBA does not officially count ABA statistics; both stances are historically and morally wrong. 

Those who seek to promote women's sports should focus on persuading the NCAA to admit that women's college basketball did not begin when the NCAA belatedly joined the party in 1982; instead of comparing Clark to Maravich, advocates for women's sports should compare Clark to Moore and insist that Moore receive full credit for her accomplishments during an era when women had very limited opportunities to play sports in general and basketball in particular.  

Recent attempts to blur the distinction between men's records and women's records do not uplift the women's game; this is not only a false equivalence, but it subliminally suggests that a women's record only matters in comparison to whatever the men's record is. Clark's career scoring numbers did not become more significant when her total in women's play surpassed Maravich's total in men's play. A cynic could wonder if blurring the distinction between men's records and women's records is a prelude for suggesting that separate men's sports and women's sports are not needed at all--and that would not benefit women at all, but we already see this happening with people who are biologically men petitioning for the right to compete as women against biological women. The notion that there are no biological differences between men and women threatens to undo many of the gains that women have made in recent decades toward obtaining equal rights and equal opportunities; it is puzzling that more feminists do not seem to understand this. A more authentic feminist position would be to assert that women's sports have intrinsic value without being compared to or merged with men's sports.

It should not be necessary to say this, but I want to emphasize again that I am not diminishing what Clark has accomplished. It should be obvious that I am praising her as one of the greatest women's college basketball players of all-time. I am a "girl Dad" as the current parlance puts it, and I encourage my daughter Rachel to play rated tournament chess--she has exclusively played in co-ed events up to this point--in addition to playing basketball and any other sport that interests her (including swimming, ice skating, and gymnastics). I support girls' sports and women's sports, and I believe that those sports have intrinsic merit without being compared to boys' sports and men's sports; of course, when a female successfully competes head to head with males--as Judit Polgar did for many years in world-class open chess tournaments--that should be celebrated, as any great sports accomplishment should be celebrated.

Labels: Antoine Davis, Caitlin Clark, NCAA, Pete Maravich

posted by David Friedman @ 1:39 AM

31 comments

Harris, Maxey, and Oubre Lead the Way as Philadelphia Outlasts Dallas, 120-116

The Philadelphia 76ers sans 2023 regular season MVP Joel Embiid--who missed his 14th straight game due to a knee injury--defeated the Dallas Mavericks 120-116 on Sunday afternoon. Tobias Harris scored a team-high 28 points, Tyrese Maxey added 24 points, and Kelly Oubre Jr. contributed 21 points in 26 minutes off of the bench for the 76ers. Luka Doncic scored a game-high 38 points, grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds (tied with the 76ers' Nicolas Batum), and dished for a game-high 10 assists to join Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and Russell Westbrook as the only players to have at least three consecutive 30 point triple doubles. Kyrie Irving scored 28 points, and Derrick Jones Jr. had 21 points in 26 minutes to match Oubre as the game's highest scoring bench player. The 76ers enjoyed significant advantages in points in the paint (52-42), turnovers (committing just nine compared to the Mavericks' 17), and bench scoring (41-26); it is worth remembering how much depth and defensive versatility the Mavericks gave up to acquire Irving.

Hubie Brown provided the color commentary for ABC, and this is the third 76ers game for which Brown has provided color commentary since February 23; his most recent telecast was when the Bucks defeated the 76ers 119-98 on Sunday February 25, and he also did the color commentary when the 76ers beat the Cavaliers 104-97 on Friday February 23.

Before this game began, Brown noted that Doncic is not only leading the NBA in scoring while ranking third in assists, but he also ranks 19th in rebounding (first among guards). Brown emphasized that Doncic plays with great "physical force," using his strength to score in the paint while also being prolific from three point range. The only thing that I would add to Brown's scouting report is that Doncic’s rebounding and ability to advance ball with either the dribble or the pass echo the way that his coach Jason Kidd played; Kidd was a one man fastbreak, and so is Doncic, even though his body type and playing style are both different than Kidd's. Regarding Maxey, Brown said that the key question is, "Can you lead and make the plays when you get trapped?" He added that this is particularly important in the last five minutes of close games.

The Mavericks jumped out to an 11-0 lead, and that would usually be significant because the NBA--contrary to popular belief--is not so much a fourth quarter league as a first quarter league: early leads often are the result of matchup advantages that can and will be exploited throughout the game. Here, though, the 76ers countered with a 32-11 run to end the first quarter with a 32-22 lead, and the 76ers did not trail the rest of the way. Maxey scored 17 first quarter points on 7-10 field goal shooting. Brown commented that Maxey is "answering the pressure" of being the team's number one option with Embiid out of action, and Brown mentioned that Maxey is very dangerous going right because of his explosive quickness.

Doncic and Irving started slowly with Doncic scoring three first quarter points on 1-6 field goal shooting (though he did have five assists) and Irving failing to score after shooting 0-1 from the field. Both heated up in the second quarter: Doncic scored 12 points on 5-6 field goal shooting, and Irving had seven points on 3-4 field goal shooting as the Mavericks outscored the 76ers 29-24 to trim the 76ers' lead to 56-51. The 76ers' Buddy Hield committed a backcourt foul--with the Mavericks in the bonus--with less than a second remaining in the first half, and P.J. Washington nailed both free throws. Brown said of Hield's gaffe, "That's a gift." The 76ers only committed one first half turnover, and they scored 30 points in the paint, while the Mavericks coughed up the ball 11 times and scored just 16 points in the paint. 

Brown does not just talk about star players. He praised Paul Reed's game overall, and he focused on how Reed makes himself "available" for the pass while staying active on the boards. Reed had 13 points and seven rebounds for the 76ers. Brown pointed out that Harris' post ups on the block versus smaller defenders drew double teams that led to open three point shots. Brown described this game as one characterized by three "streaks": the Mavericks' 11-0 run at the start, Maxey's subsequent 17 point first quarter explosion, and then Maxey scoring just two points in the second quarter and the third quarter combined. Maxey missed the last four minutes of the third quarter after slipping and banging his head on Derrick Jones Jr.'s right shin, but after being examined by medical staff Maxey was cleared to return for the fourth quarter. Maxey played all 12 minutes in the final stanza, scoring five points.

Brown also talked about the league-leading Boston Celtics, saying that the Celtics are "9-10 deep with established players. They can defend." Those words proved to be prophetic, as later in the afternoon the Celtics dismantled the Golden State Warriors, 140-88. TNT's Charles Barkley recently said that the L.A. Lakers and Golden State Warriors are not championship contenders; the Celtics seemed determined to prove Barkley correct about the Warriors while also getting a (small) measure of revenge for the Warriors clinching the 2022 championship on Boston's home court.

Down the stretch, Brown said, "This is about Dallas playing halfcourt defense." The Mavericks outscored the 76ers 40-30 in the fourth quarter, but that was not quite enough to complete the comeback attempt. Oubre provided a big lift in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 points. Doncic (18 points) and Irving (10 points) shined offensively in the final 12 minutes, but--as Brown correctly stated--the Mavericks needed to string together stops in order to prevail. 

Doncic's 30 point triple double happened anticlimactically, as Brown's play by play partner Dave Pasch mentioned that Doncic had been credited with his 10th assist without specifying exactly when that happened. Doncic is a great player on the way toward becoming an all-time great player, but some of the numbers being posted in today's NBA--not just by Doncic, but in general--should be viewed with a skeptical eye. For example, take a look at Doncic's 10th assist at the 1:34 mark of the fourth quarter, granted by a Dallas scorekeeper who must have known that time was running out for Doncic to notch his third straight 30 point triple double: Doncic passed to Irving, who caught the ball on the right wing outside of the three point line, sized up defender Kyle Lowry, took two hard dribbles, and then nailed a fadeaway jumper in the paint. What contribution did Doncic's pass make to "assist" Irving's field goal? Irving scored on a one on one move. Here is the NBA's rule book definition of an assist, as quoted in an article that I wrote on December 18, 2008:

An assist is a pass that directly leads to a basket. This can be a pass to the low post that leads to a direct score, a long pass for a layup, a fast break pass to a teammate for a layup, and/or a pass that results in an open perimeter shot for a teammate. In basketball, an assist is awarded only if, in the judgement of the statistician, the last player's pass contributed directly to a made basket. An assist can be awarded for a basket scored after the ball has been dribbled if the player's pass led to the field goal being made.

Doncic's pass to Irving did not contribute directly to the field goal being made. The NBA retroactively rescinded a phony LeBron James triple double in November 2014, but the league has been very inconsistent (and not transparent) about how/when/if it reviews scorekeeping errors; my subjective belief/observation is that the NBA rescinds egregiously incorrect triple doubles that receive a lot of media attention, but that the league does not have the inclination to systematically review scorekeeping errors. My research years ago indicated that assist totals in general--and Chris Paul's assist totals in particular--are inflated, but based on the NBA's indifference it is evident that the league would prefer to have gaudy numbers to promote and thus is disinclined to look too closely behind the curtain. This is unfortunate for players who accumulated their numbers during eras when assists were awarded with much less leniency.

Labels: Dallas Mavericks, Hubie Brown, Joel Embiid, Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, Paul Reed, Philadelphia 76ers, Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey

posted by David Friedman @ 1:34 AM

4 comments

LeBron James Establishes the 40,000 Point Club, but Nuggets Rally Late to Beat Lakers, 124-114

LeBron James made history, but Nikola Jokic's Denver Nuggets got the 124-114 win over James' L.A. Lakers. Jokic dominated with a game-high 35 points on 16-25 field goal shooting plus 10 rebounds and seven assists. His +16 plus/minus number led both teams. Plus/minus numbers can be "noisy" and should be placed in context, but with Jokic there is a large data sample demonstrating that the Nuggets are an elite level team when he is on the court and a much weaker team when he is not on the court. Michael Porter Jr. contributed 25 points on 10-10 field goal shooting, and Jamal Murray added 24 points plus a team-high 11 assists. James led the Lakers with 26 points, and he became the first player in pro basketball history to score more than 40,000 regular season points. Rui Hachimura chipped in 23 points, and Anthony Davis scored 17 points while grabbing a team-high 11 rebounds--but no other Laker had more than four rebounds, and the Nuggets outrebounded the Lakers 47-31.

The Nuggets swept the Lakers 4-0 in the 2023 Western Conference Finals by dominating in the second half, and they used that same formula to win this game: the Lakers led 66-58 at halftime, but in the second half the Nuggets outscored the Lakers 66-48 and outshot the Lakers .636 to .476. The Lakers played well offensively overall--scoring 114 points while shooting .528 from the field, including .414 from three point range--but their defense is just not at a championship level. In other words, what I have been saying about the Lakers for several years is still true: they don't need "lasers" (elite three point shooters), Frank Vogel was not the problem, Russell Westbrook was not the problem, the "tremendous trio" that the Lakers received in the Westbrook trade was not the answer, and the Lakers will not be a legitimate championship contender until they consistently play elite defense.

The Lakers led 110-108 with 4:11 to go in the fourth quarter after James made a driving layup, but the Nuggets closed the game with a 16-4 run. James scored 13 fourth quarter points on 6-8 field goal shooting while playing all 12 minutes. Murray led the Nuggets with nine fourth quarter points, while Jokic scored six points on 3-3 field goal shooting in eight minutes. Jokic led both teams with a +12 plus/minus number in the fourth quarter. 

Since James joined the Lakers in 2018, he has been stacking up individual accomplishments, but the Lakers have not accomplished much collectively other than winning the 2020 "bubble" championship: the Lakers missed the playoffs in 2019 and 2022, lost in the first round in 2021, and--as noted above--were swept by the Nuggets in the 2023 Western Conference Finals. James' personal milestones during that period are notable:

On January 23, 2018, James became the youngest member of the 30,000 point club.

On February 7, 2023, James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's regular season career scoring record of 38,387 points.

Last night, James became the first player to score 40,000 career regular season points. That is a staggering number: The 10,000 point club is a milestone accomplishment that relatively few pro basketball players reach, so James is now the equivalent of a very good NBA career ahead of the 30,000 point mark! For further context, it should be noted that when LeBron James entered the NBA in 2004, the 30,000 point club had just five members: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and Julius Erving. The 20,000 point club had 32 members (including the five players listed above). Rules changes and style of play changes have made both clubs somewhat less exclusive--the 30,000 point club now has eight members, and the 20,000 point club now has 55 members--but it is amazing that James has doubled the scoring output of all but 54 players out of the thousands who have played pro basketball for the past 75-plus years. James' durability and consistency is remarkable, as is the fact that he is still playing at an All-NBA level as a 39 year old. One hesitates to call any record unbreakable, but even with the lax defense being played in the NBA today it is difficult to foresee a player averaging 2000 points per season for 20 seasons, which is what it would take to match James' current total--and James conceivably could pad that total by 2000 or more points!

Labels: Aaron Gordon, Anthony Davis, Denver Nuggets, Jamal Murray, L.A. Lakers, LeBron James, Michael Porter Jr., Nikola Jokic

posted by David Friedman @ 12:39 AM

11 comments

Roland Lazenby Details Magic Johnson's Triumphs and Tribulations

Magic Johnson starred at Michigan State, leading the Spartans to the 1979 NCAA title in a famous showdown with Larry Bird's Indiana State Seminoles. Johnson then won five NBA titles (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987-88) with the L.A. Lakers while earning three regular season MVPs (1987, 1989-90) and three NBA Finals MVPs (1980, 1982, 1987). Johnson broke Oscar Robertson's NBA record for career regular season assists, and Johnson currently ranks seventh on the all-time regular season assists list in addition to holding the record for career playoff assists. Johnson led the NBA in regular season assists four times (1983-84, 1986-87) while also leading the league in steals twice (1981-82) and free throw percentage once (1989).

Johnson suddenly retired from the NBA in November 1991 after being diagnosed as HIV positive, but Commissioner David Stern permitted Johnson to play in the 1992 NBA All-Star Game, and Johnson won the 1992 All-Star Game MVP. Johnson coached the Lakers for the final 16 games of the 1994 season, but did not return to the bench after the Lakers went 5-11 with him at the helm. Johnson came back to the NBA as a player for 32 regular season games and four playoff games in 1996 before retiring for the final time. Johnson's lucrative endorsements and savvy business deals enabled him to amass a net worth of more than $1 billion.

Roland Lazenby's Magic: The Life of Earvin "Magic" Johnson (Celadon Books, 813 pages, $40.00) provides a detailed, engaging account of Johnson's ascension from high school phenomenon to NCAA champion to all-time NBA great. Lazenby has written biographies of several all-time great basketball players, including Jerry West, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant. Lazenby's Magic Johnson biography is divided into three parts: Part I is titled "Lansing," Part II is titled "Hollywood," and Part III is titled "Across The Great Divide." 

Lansing

Part I is the longest section of the book (338 pages), and some reviewers have criticized Lazenby for focusing so much attention not only on Johnson's early days but also on Johnson's family history dating back to the 1800s. Lazenby has stated that his intention was to not just tell the story of Johnson's basketball life but to place Johnson's entire life in the larger context of American history. Lazenby may not have written the book that some other people think that he should have written, but it is only fair to evaluate Lazenby's book based on what he wrote and what he tried to accomplish--not on what other people think that he should have written or tried to accomplish. 

It is interesting to learn about Johnson's family history, and it is also interesting to consider the different ways that family history can be interpreted and understood. Some of Johnson's ancestors were slaves, so should we focus on the persecution they suffered, or should we focus on how in America it is possible for a descendant of slaves to become a world-famous sports legend who earned generational wealth? Acknowledging the opportunities that America provides does not in any way diminish the horrors of slavery and racism. Reading about Johnson's family history reminds us that America is a flawed country with a troubling past but also a great country that, in the immortal words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is striving to live up to its great, foundational principles: "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'"

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Labels: Bill Russell, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, L.A. Lakers, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Philadelphia 76ers, Wilt Chamberlain

posted by David Friedman @ 10:53 PM

9 comments

Erving-Bird Photo from 2024 All-Star Weekend Sparks Memories of a Great Rivalry

After 2024 All-Star Weekend, Julius Erving posted this picture on his Instagram page:

For those of us who grew up watching the NBA in the 1980s, this picture of Erving standing next to Larry Bird sparks memories of that decade's first great rivalry: Erving's Philadelphia 76ers and Bird's Boston Celtics faced each other six times in each regular season from 1980-87 and they also squared off four times in the Eastern Conference Finals. The final head to head tally was 2-2 in playoff series, 12-12 in playoff games, and 23-21 in Bird's favor in regular season games (their teams split the four games during that era when Bird and/or Erving did not play). Keep in mind that Bird did not face Magic Johnson in a playoff series until the 1984 NBA Finals--by which time Bird had already played Erving in the Eastern Conference Finals three times (1980-82)--and that Bird and Johnson only played each other twice each regular season.

My favorite Erving-Bird photo depicts Erving skying over Bird in game seven of the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals. The 76ers won 120-106 as Erving finished with 29 points, five assists, four rebounds, three blocked shots and three steals, shooting 10-21 from the field and 9-9 from the free throw line. Erving's teammate Andrew Toney led all scorers with 34 points on 14-23 field goal shooting, while Robert Parish topped the Celtics with 23 points and 14 rebounds but shot just 8-21 from the field; Bird had 20 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, two blocked shots and two steals but he shot just 7-18 from the field and 6-8 from the free throw line.

In a 1983 "Sports Champions" video, Erving provided a voiceover narration of him driving against Bird that captures the essence of their rivalry while poetically describing the beauty of competition:

When I get the ball in my hands and when you turn and you face him, when you take the initiative to aggressively face him, then he has to react. He may not react physically but his heart jumps if you turn and you really look at him like you mean business. His heart might even stop for a second, especially if you are good. This is when you start playing the game as you were when you were a kid, because this is when you are playing basketball and you are not working. To me this has always been a beautiful experience because I can look in a guy's eye and I can also tell if he means business and I can also feel whether my heart stops or stands still or not. If I'm looking at him and he's looking at me and we have got the same thing in mind--playing basketball and playing it the way that nobody else in the world plays it--then I think we create something beautiful.

There is something very special not only about the incomparable way that Erving played basketball but also about the way that he feels about the game. Erving and Bird brought the best out of each other, and that is the essence of competition at the highest level.

Labels: Boston Celtics, Julius Erving, Larry Bird, Philadelphia 76ers

posted by David Friedman @ 3:31 PM

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Bucks Overwhelm Undermanned 76ers, 119-98

Giannis Antetokounmpo posted game-high totals in points (30), rebounds (12), and assists (nine) while leading the Milwaukee Bucks to a 119-98 road win versus the Philadelphia 76ers. Damian Lillard added 24 points and seven rebounds while matching Antetokounmpo with nine assists, Malik Beasley contributed 20 points, and Bobby Portis chipped in 17 points off of the bench. The Bucks have won two in a row after beating the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves 112-107 on Friday. Tyrese Maxey topped the 76ers in scoring (24 points) and assists (seven), but he shot just 8-19 from the field as the 76ers shot 36-97 (.371) from the field overall. Joel Embiid missed his 11th straight game as he recovers from knee surgery, and his absence was felt at both ends of the court.

Hubie Brown did the ABC color commentary; he did the color commentary during Philadelphia's 104-97 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night, so this weekend provided a treat for basketball fans who enjoy listening to Brown's insights. Prior to this game, Brown noted that Antetokounmpo ranks first in the league in paint ppg (20.5), first in free throw attempts per game (11.1), third in scoring (30.8 ppg), tied for third in double doubles (44), and sixth in rebounding (11.3 rpg). Antetokounmpo is having another MVP-caliber season, and Brown concluded, "Let’s hope that everything else will turn around here."

This game marked Doc Rivers' return to Philadelphia. Rivers, who improved to 5-7 as Milwaukee's coach, coached the 76ers for the previous three seasons before the team fired him last summer and hired Nick Nurse. Doc Rivers told the ABC crew that he is proud that he coached Embiid during Embiid's MVP season, and he is proud that the 76ers became a championship contender on his watch. 

The Bucks blitzed the 76ers 35-21 in the first quarter and Maxey started the game slowly, but Brown reminded viewers about Maxey's great fourth quarter performance in the 76ers' Friday night win: "15 points under incredible pressure…outstanding foot quickness…you just love his competitiveness." Lillard scored the Bucks' first seven points on 3-3 field goal shooting, and he led both teams with 11 first quarter points. However, during the playoffs it will be interesting to track the impact of Lillard's questionable shot selection: after his hot start, he airballed a 27 foot three pointer with 15 seconds left on the 24 second shot clock. The Bucks have a size advantage against most teams--and a decided size advantage against the 76ers sans Embiid--so it makes no sense to jack up a long three pointer without first challenging the defense with a drive or a post entry pass. Such lapses may not matter in a regular season game against a depleted team like the 76ers, but they will likely be significant in a playoff series versus a strong defensive team.

The 76ers missed 11 straight shots during the first quarter, and this fueled an 11-0 Milwaukee run that flipped the score from 17-16 in Philadelphia's favor to 27-16 for the Bucks, who led the rest of the way. Brown made an excellent point when he mentioned that the biggest challenge for players is to figure out the officiating differences from game to game. He said that it is usually clear in the first eight minutes how loosely or tightly a game will be called, but entering the second quarter it was not clear how this game would be called.

A light-hearted moment happened during the second quarter after Portis drilled a corner three pointer; he ran by the broadcast table, looked at Brown, and said, "Talk about that, Hubie!" Later, Portis came over to the broadcast table and said to Brown with a smile, "I gave you a little shoutout." Brown likes Portis’ game and is happy that Portis has found a comfortable home with the Bucks after playing for the Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, and New York Knicks.

The Bucks have struggled defensively this season, and Rivers attributes this in part to the Bucks being "big, not fast." Rivers' solution is to employ more switching so that the Bucks keep size in front of opposing players.  

After the Bucks led 69-48 at halftime, Brown said that one key for the Bucks was "Lillard broke the defense down and made the passes." Brown also liked that Antetokounmpo did not force the action. Antetokounmpo is the first player in NBA history to average at least 30 ppg while shooting at least .600 from the field prior to the All-Star break, and he is seeking to become the first player to reach both levels for an entire season. Although Antetokounmpo's scoring efficiency is unprecedented, Brown said that passing is "the most underrated part of his game this year."

The 76ers mounted a third quarter comeback, and Brown noted, "Going small has really helped them a lot." The 76ers shot 7-12 from three point range in the third quarter as they shaved the Bucks' lead to just 11 points before trailing 95-82 entering the fourth quarter. However, in the fourth quarter the Bucks' size and defensive focus took over, and the Bucks outscored the 76ers 24-16 while holding the 76ers to 6-23 (.261) field goal shooting.

Brown talked about the challenges facing Rivers after becoming the Bucks' coach during the middle of the season. Brown said that it takes time to define roles while implementing offensive and defensive systems, and he added that the Bucks' "biggest problem" is their subpar road record. 

Labels: Bobby Portis, Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Hubie Brown, Joel Embiid, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, Tyrese Maxey

posted by David Friedman @ 11:57 PM

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Victor Wembanyama Joins 5x5 Club

The exclusive 5x5 Club includes players who had at least five points, at least five rebounds, at least five assists, at least five steals, and at least five blocked shots in the same game. I mentioned the 5x5 Club in my article about Pro Basketball's Greatest Ball Hawks, noting--based on the information available at that time (September 2007)--that Hakeem Olajuwon accomplished this feat six times, Andrei Kirilenko did it three times, and three other players did it once each (Vlade Divac, Jamaal Tinsley and Marcus Camby). It must be emphasized that the ABA officially began tracking steals and blocked shots in the 1972-73 season, and the NBA followed suit in 1973-74, so we do not know how many 5x5 games Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and other great players accumulated before steals and blocked shots became official statistics; also, even for the years during which steals and blocked shots were officially tracked the game by game data prior to the mid-1980s is not complete. After I wrote my article, I have uncovered more information about the 5x5 Club, and though this data is without question incomplete here is a list of known 5x5 games courtesy of Stathead via The Sporting News:

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Labels: Andrei Kirilenko, David Robinson, George Gervin, Hakeem Olajuwon, Jamaal Tinsley, Julius Erving, Victor Wembanyama

posted by David Friedman @ 11:18 PM

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Maxey Comes to Life in Fourth Quarter as 76ers Hold off Cavaliers, 104-97

The Philadelphia 76ers had lost six straight home games before defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight, 104-97. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers in scoring (24 points) and assists (five), and Cameron Payne added 16 points in just 20 minutes off of the bench. Jarret Allen had 24 points and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers, and Darius Garland contributed 20 points plus a game-high nine assists. The 76ers outrebounded the Cavaliers 51-43, and their bench players outscored the Cavaliers' bench players, 34-20; combine those numbers with the Cavaliers' dismal three point shooting (8-27, .296), and that was too much for Cleveland to overcome.

Each team was without their best player: the 76ers' Joel Embiid has now missed 10 straight games as he recovers from knee surgery, while the Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell sat out his second straight game due to an illness.

Hubie Brown handled the ESPN color commentary. His previous ESPN/ABC game was almost a month ago when the New York Knicks routed the Miami Heat. As usual, Brown's pregame analysis was right on point, as he highlighted the key contributions that Allen and Garland made as the Cavaliers went 18-3 since January 3 to vault to second place in the Eastern Conference; those players were Cleveland's best players tonight, albeit in a losing effort. Brown mentioned that Maxey is attempting 20 shots per game but he is averaging nearly 26 ppg. In this game, Maxey was not as efficient as usual--he shot just 9-22 (.409) from the field--but he took over in the fourth quarter with 15 points on 5-9 field goal shooting.

As the Cavaliers took the lead early in the first quarter, Brown noted that the Cavaliers are fourth in the NBA in point differential, which he called a key statistic (and which Brown has long recognized as a key statistic). Brown praised the Cavaliers' depth while sounding a cautionary note about the impact of Mitchell's absence: "The Cavaliers are 10 deep and they can withstand injuries, but Mitchell is different because he is your closer." Brown said that even though the Cavaliers had a successful regular season last year, the organization was not satisfied and decided to become a "beep beep" team that pushes the pace. 

The 76ers were ahead 40-38 midway through the second quarter, with their bench players providing 21 of their 40 points. The 76ers led 53-50 at halftime, with their bench outscoring Cleveland's 25-7. The 76ers rank near the bottom of the league in bench scoring, so this output is unusual and proved to be a major factor in the game's outcome. Brown pointed out that the 76ers held the Cavaliers to nine three point field goals attempted in the first half, which is a low number for a Cleveland team that averages nearly 37 three point field goal attempts per game.

Both teams shot poorly in the third quarter as the 76ers outscored the Cavaliers, 21-20. In the fourth quarter, Maxey did what an All-Star is supposed to do: take over. In his postgame interview with ESPN's Monica McNutt, Maxey admitted that he was tired after playing 40 minutes in yesterday's 110-96 loss to the New York Knicks, and he said that he told his teammates throughout the game to just keep the game close because if they did then he would have something special in the fourth quarter. What Maxey did versus the Cavaliers highlights the difference between being a player who is capable of scoring 25 points in a given game, and being a player who averages 25 points per game for a season; NBA players are very talented and even many of the ones who do not get a lot of minutes or shot attempts on a regular basis can score 25 points in a game if provided with sufficient minutes and shot attempts--but very few players can log heavy minutes over the course of an 82 game season and consistently produce 25 points per game despite being the focal point of their team's offense and the opposing team's defense. 

Trading James Harden to the L.A. Clippers not only bolstered the 76ers' depth while providing the team with additional draft picks, but it also unlocked Maxey's game; in each of the past two playoff runs, Maxey both outscored and outshot Harden, but Maxey's opportunities were limited because of the way that Harden often monopolized the ball. There is no evidence that Maxey will shrink in the playoffs as the second option behind Embiid the way that Harden has spent the better part of a decade shrinking, culminating in last year's game seven debacle versus Boston during which Harden had nine points, five turnovers and three field goals made (a player who has more turnovers than field goals made should be credited with a "Harden"). The Clippers have looked good so far this season, but James Harden in April and May is a different player than James Harden in January and February, as Clippers' fans will soon see firsthand.

The only thing that Maxey cannot do is help Embiid stay healthy and avoid disappearing in the playoffs--Harden's massive flops the past two years helped obscure the reality that Embiid is hardly "Mr. Clutch" in the postseason--but Maxey looks like he is developing into a player who can be a perennial All-Star.

Labels: Cleveland Cavaliers, Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Hubie Brown, Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers, Tyrese Maxey

posted by David Friedman @ 11:25 PM

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The 2024 NBA All-Star Game Descends to New Lows as Any Pretense of Defense is Abandoned

The 2023 NBA All-Star Game may have been not only the worst NBA All-Star Game ever, but possibly the worst basketball game ever played by high level players--until the 2024 NBA All-Star Game sunk to a new low: the teams launched 168 three point shots while attempting just five free throws as the Eastern Conference All-Stars routed the Western Conference All-Stars, 211-186. That is not competitive basketball, and it is unrecognizable compared to what the All-Star Game used to be: in 1994, the East beat the West 127-118 in a game featuring a combined 60 free throw attempts but just 30 three point field goal attempts; there was no shortage of highlight plays/moments but the most important thing is that the players competed.

During the wonderful 2024 NBA Legends Brunch, Larry Bird praised today's players and made a request: "The one thing I would really like to see is they play hard in tonight's All-Star Game. I think it's very important when you have the best players in the world together you've got to compete and you've got to play hard." 

Instead, the players disrespected themselves, the sport, and the legends who built the game that provides them with the opportunity to receive generational wealth. No one is expecting the All-Star Game to resemble game seven of the NBA Finals, but the refusal of the modern players to even pretend to want to compete is sad. This speaks to a larger societal issue: people demand to be highly paid and highly praised, but then balk at the notion that they have any responsibility to anyone or anything other than their own desires. LeBron James said that the best thing about the 2024 All-Star Game is that no one got hurt. While no one wants to see anyone get hurt at any time, injury is one of the risks of competition, and NBA players are blessed with guaranteed contracts ensuring that they get paid even if they get hurt. James' comment exposes the mentality of the modern player: get the "bag" (the big, guaranteed contract) and then prioritize yourself above your teammates, your franchise, and even the league that enables you to receive generational wealth.

Instead of playing hard all of the time during the regular season, or even just being available to play at all, many players whine about the new rule implemented this season requiring them to participate in at least 65 regular season games to be eligible for awards such as the MVP and the All-NBA Team. I have a simple, direct response to the players who are complaining about being expected to show up to work: the players should give up the right to have guaranteed contracts in exchange for taking their chances on winning awards as part-time workers. 

The 2024 All-Stars put forth so little effort and demonstrated so little pride in their craft that I am tempted to just cut and paste what I wrote in my recap of last year's travesty. My personal pride--a quality absent from Sunday's pathetic exhibition of highly paid professional putting forth minimal effort to do their jobs--prohibits me from doing that, but I would say that my passionate summary of last year's debacle applies to this year's travesty as well:

Kids are watching this trash and thinking that this is how basketball is supposed to be played: uncontested dunks followed up by half court shots. 

Anyone who wants to put "advanced basketball statistics"--with their emphasis on dunks and three pointers, and their abhorrence of the mid-range game--on trial for destroying the game that many of us know and love should just submit the 2023 All-Star Game telecast as Exhibit #1 and then move for summary judgment. "Advanced basketball statistics" have played a major role in destroying competition--think "load management," the ostracism of post play and the midrange game, and the overemphasis on dunks and three pointers to the exclusion of other shot types--while also taking the fun out of the game. Competition is fun. Running up and down the court without playing defense is not competition, and it is not fun to watch. There is a place and value for using various basketball statistics in an intelligent way, but the "stat gurus" have been given way too much power and way too much influence. Watch a tape of any All-Star Game from the 1980s or any NBA Finals from the 1980s, and judge for yourself if the game was better and more fun to watch then or now.

The league should be embarrassed as a whole, and each player should be embarrassed. Sport is about competition, not exhibition. If the NBA is unwilling or unable to restore the All-Star Game to what it can and should be, at a minimum the NBA's official records should distinguish between statistics posted when the All-Star Game mattered and statistics posted when the All-Star Game became a farce, a sham, and a travesty.

Since 2022, the All-Star Game MVP has been named in honor of Kobe Bryant, but much like Bryant derisively noted that the Lakers do not hang banners for anything other than NBA titles (he would be appalled by the Lakers hanging a banner for winning the inaugural NBA Cup) one suspects that he would not be pleased by having his name on a trophy connected with the pathetic, noncompetitive joke that the NBA All-Star Game has become. Bryant competed hard in the NBA All-Star Game and he tied Bob Pettit's record by winning four All-Star Game MVPs because Bryant took the game seriously.

Damian Lillard received the 2024 All-Star Game MVP. Almost every shot that Lillard took--23 of his 26 field goal attempts--was a three pointer. He shot well--14-26 overall, 11-23 from three point range--but nobody played any defense. Lillard won the Three Point Contest on All-Star Saturday Night, becoming the first back to back Three Point Contest champion since Jason Kapono (2007-08). Lillard joins Michael Jordan, who won the Slam Dunk Contest and All-Star Game MVP in 1988, as the only players to win an All-Star Saturday Night event and the All-Star Game MVP in the same year.

Lillard is a fitting All-Star Game MVP for a sport that is now dominated by a perverse set of values dictated by a distorted view of "advanced basketball statistics." Lillard is "efficient," but he showcases his individual talents in a way that has little influence on winning competitive basketball games. He has a 4-8 playoff series record, and the Milwaukee Bucks trading Jrue Holiday for him has transformed the Boston Celtics--who subsequently acquired Holiday from Portland--into a juggernaut while sending the Bucks spiraling from championship contender to a team struggling to find its identity. Lillard has above average shooting and passing skills, but it is ridiculous that he was selected to the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team while deserving players--including Chris Bosh, Adrian Dantley, Alex English, Artis Gilmore, Dwight Howard, Bernard King, and Tracy McGrady--did not receive that honor.  

A kidney stone sent me to the emergency room on Sunday night, and that is the reason that I finished this article later than usual. I could make various jokes about the All-Star Game being so bad that it literally made me sick to my stomach, but the reality is that I am fine now and the All-Star Game is (or should be) on its deathbed. We hear so much about how great Commissioner Adam Silver is, but it appears that he is praised because he tends to let the players do whatever they want, in contrast to his predecessor David Stern, who viewed himself as a caretaker of the sport as a whole. 

Considering how little today's best players care about putting even forth minimal effort, the NBA should get rid of not just the All-Star Game but even the concept of being an All-Star: retain All-Star Saturday Night (it could be renamed something else, like NBA Showcase Saturday) and of course retain the Legends Brunch, but the All-Star Game serves no purpose, and being selected as an All-Star in today's NBA has no meaning. Only the awards given after the season matter, so let the players grumble about having to play at least 65 out of 82 games--oh, the suffering!--to be eligible to win those awards. 

Here is the challenge to Silver: fix the All-Star Game, or have the intestinal fortitude to not only get rid of it but to publicly say that he is getting rid of it because the players do not take it seriously enough to deserve to have it and to receive the bonuses associated with being selected for it.

Recent NBA All-Star Game Recaps:

The 2023 NBA All-Star Game May Have Been the Worst Basketball Game Ever (2023) 

"The 2023 NBA All-Star Game was not only the worst NBA All-Star Game ever, but it may have been the worst basketball game ever 'contested'--and I use that word with hesitation--by high level players. Denver Nuggets Coach Michael Malone, who coached Team LeBron, made this statement after Team Giannis prevailed 184-175: 'It's an honor to be here, and it's an honor to be a part of a great weekend with great players, but it's the worst basketball game ever played.' Malone also admitted that he has no idea how to fix the game.

The NBA All-Star Game began its horrific slide to irrelevance several years ago (see game recaps appended to this article for more details), but yesterday the league's showcase midseason event descended to a nadir from which there may be no recovery. 

At its best, NBA basketball is about the world's greatest athletes competing at a high level at both ends of the court while working together to help their team win. At its worst--and its worst was on full display last night--NBA basketball is about players flaunting their individual skills without any connection to team success while their 'opponents' step aside and watch instead of competing on defense. The 2023 NBA All-Star Game was such an abomination that it is difficult to decide which moment was the worst."

NBA Formally Honors the 75th Anniversary Team, Stephen Curry Wins the All-Star Game MVP (2022)

"How much has the All-Star Game devolved from an actual competition featuring the league's best players to an exhibition of players demonstrating individual skills devoid of competition or team play? Free throws are a quick way to gauge physicality/defense. The 2022 All-Star Game included eight fouls, four of which were called in the fourth quarter, and Team LeBron shot 2-2 from the free throw line while Team Durant shot 7-7 from the free throw line. This season, NBA teams average a little over 21 free throw attempts per game, so it is obvious that the All-Star Game featured few fouls, few free throws, very little physicality, and token defense compared to a normal NBA game.

All-Star Games used to be played much differently. In the first NBA All-Star Game, the East beat the West 98-93 in overtime in 1954 with the East shooting 36 of 44 from the free throw line and the West shooting 17-26 from the free throw line. In 1962, Wilt Chamberlain set an All-Star single game scoring record (42 points) that stood for 55 years. Chamberlain shot 8-16 from the free throw line, and his East squad shot 24-43 from the free throw line. The West, which won 150-130, shot 36-51 from the free throw line. Chamberlain's scoring record took place during a competitive game, and the record stood until long after NBA All-Star Games ceased to be competitive; his record is so exceptional that even in an era during which it is much easier to score in All-Star Games only two players have surpassed the standard that he set--and Curry did so by making a bunch of uncontested three pointers.

For most of All-Star Game history, players from both sides played hard, played defense, and committed a normal amount of fouls. Things began to change in 2007, when the victorious West only attempted nine free throws and the East only attempted 13 free throws, a big decline from 24 and 28 respectively in the 2006 All-Star Game. The 2008 All-Star Game was more of the same. Matters improved a bit during the next several All-Star Games, but in 2014 the East attempted nine free throws and the West attempted 12 free throws. Since 2014, single digit free throw attempts per team have been the norm rather than the exception--and on the rare occasion that a team has attempted more than 10 free throws most of those free throw attempts have happened in the fourth quarter, when the new scoring rules inspire (or shame) the All-Stars into playing some defense."

Giannis Antetokounmpo Wins All-Star MVP With Perfect Shooting, Leads Team LeBron to 170-150 Win Over Team Durant (2021)

"Giannis Antetokounmpo did not have the first perfect shooting performance in NBA All-Star Game history--Hal Greer shot 8-8 from the field en route to scoring 21 points and winning the 1968 NBA All-Star Game MVP--but he set the NBA All-Star Game record for most field goals without a miss (16), and he captured his first All-Star Game MVP by scoring a game-high 35 points as his Team LeBron routed Team Durant, 170-150. Antetokounmpo played just 19 minutes, so he scored nearly two points per minute. Most of Antetokounmpo's shots were lightly contested--if not uncontested--dunks, but he also shot 3-3 from three point range. Each team shot 3-5 from the free throw line as both teams spent most of the game not even pretending to care about defense. Perhaps the league and/or the players think that the fans want to see uncontested dunks and wide open three pointers, but I think/hope that true basketball fans want to see competition. A contested dunk is a great play; an uncontested dunk is just performance art."

Kawhi Leonard Leads Team LeBron to 157-155 Win over Team Giannis as New Format Results in Exciting Fourth Quarter Competition (2020)

"After three quarters, it seemed that the new NBA All-Star Game format had not inspired many players from either team to even pretend to play at a fraction of their full capabilities. Fortunately, the fourth quarter--a race to 157 points based on adding 24 points (in honor of Kobe Bryant) to the 133-124 lead enjoyed by Team Giannis over Team LeBron at the end of the third quarter--featured high level play as both teams looked fully engaged: Team Giannis' Kyle Lowry seemed to try to take a charge on every defensive possession, players from both teams contested almost every shot, and the level of physicality ramped up to top notch regular season levels, if not even first round playoff levels.

It is mystifying that most NBA players seem to need external motivation to play their best in the All-Star Game, but with a substantial portion of the weekend's festivities dedicated to the memory of Bryant--including naming the All-Star MVP award for him--it would have been a travesty for the players to just sleepwalk through the entire proceedings. Kawhi Leonard is a pioneer of the less than commendable load management scourge, but at least he always plays hard when he is on the court. Leonard scored a game-high 30 points on 11-18 field goal shooting (including 8-14 from three point range), grabbed seven rebounds, dished for four assists, and received the first Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP Award as his Team LeBron won, 157-155."

Kevin Durant Wins his Second All-Star MVP as Team LeBron Overcomes 20 Point Deficit to Defeat Team Giannis, 178-164 (2019)

"The All-Star Game sunk to such depths a few years ago that there were even whispers that it might be discontinued. Instead, the league changed the format from East versus West to a format in which the top two vote-getters conduct a draft consisting of a pool of other All-Stars selected by fans, coaches and media members. LeBron James faced off against Giannis Antetokounmpo in this year's All-Star draft. Popular consensus was that James, whose draft strategy seemed to be focused on acquiring every major player who will be a free agent soon, got the better of Antetokounmpo--but it did not look like that initially, as Team Giannis led 53-37 after the first quarter and 95-82 at halftime. Antetokounmpo scored a game-high 38 points on 17-23 field goal shooting, including 10 dunks. He also had 11 rebounds and five assists. He set the tone in the first quarter with 16 points. Antetokounmpo's Milwaukee teammate/All-Star teammate Khris Middleton added 20 points on 7-13 field goal shooting, including 6-10 from three point range. Middleton scored 12 first quarter points.

To coin--or repeat--a phrase, it seemed like Team LeBron was in 'chill mode' during the first half, but in the second half they exerted at least some defensive effort and they rained down a barrage of three pointers. Team LeBron outscored Team Giannis 96-69 in the second half while shooting 22-49 from three point range. The teams combined to attempt 167 three pointers during the game, compared to 108 two pointers attempted.

Kevin Durant earned MVP honors by scoring 31 points on 10-15 field goal shooting (including 6-9 from three point range) while also contributing seven rebounds. He had 11 points on 4-4 field goal shooting in the fourth quarter. Durant's Golden State teammate Klay Thompson finished second on Team LeBron with 20 points on 7-16 field goal shooting (6-12 from three point range) and he had eight rebounds and four assists as well."

LeBron James Earns Third All-Star Game MVP as Team LeBron Outlasts Team Stephen, 148-145 (2018):

"LeBron James scored a game-high 29 points on 12-17 field goal shooting, grabbed a game-high tying 10 rebounds and dished eight assists as Team LeBron defeated Team Stephen 148-145 in the first year of the NBA's new All-Star selection format; instead of the traditional matchup featuring the Eastern Conference facing the Western Conference, a team of All-Stars picked by LeBron James faced a team of All-Stars picked by Stephen Curry. The NBA tweaked the All-Star Game in the wake of several subpar All-Star Games, culminating in last year's farce.

Before the 2018 All-Star Game, James already held the NBA All-Star Game career scoring record (314 points) and yesterday he surpassed Julius Erving (321 points) to set the record for most points scored in ABA and NBA All-Star Games combined. Bob Pettit (1956, 58, 59, 62) and Kobe Bryant (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011) share the record with four All-Star Game MVPs each, while James joined Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal as three-time winners; James previously earned the All-Star Game MVP in 2006 and 2008."

The NBA All-Star Game Has Become a Farce (2017):

"The Western Conference's 192-182 victory over the Eastern Conference is without question the worst NBA All-Star Game that I have ever watched. Other than the MLB All-Star Game that ended in a tie (and many NFL Pro Bowls of recent vintage) it may be the worst major professional league All-Star Game ever. When the reigning two-time regular season MVP literally lies down on the court instead of attempting to play defense, you know that the event has jumped the shark."

Labels: lack of pride, NBA All-Star Game, sham, travesty

posted by David Friedman @ 12:36 PM

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