Referees don’t like players talking to them. They especially don’t like young players coming into the NBA and running their mouths. As a result, Markieff, you will not get the benefit of the doubt in 50-50 calls. Just ask Rasheed Wallace.

Back on November 8, 2013, I blogged, “Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors, is an All-Star. If he doesn’t get selected in the fan voting, the coaches definitely will select him. What sets him apart from other shooters is he can guard. Watch him.” In case you were sleeping, Thompson had a THIRTY-SEVEN-point quarter against Sacramento […]

While giving careful scrutiny to the development of the NBA game, Mr. Research and I talk about what happened — and when. We just about have decided that the game changed when the uniform shorts got longer.

He doesn’t always get it right but he did this time. Cuban says the squads should be expanded to 14 players from the current 12. He said coaches or general managers or both should choose the teams. Cuban said the leading total of 1.5 million votes for Steph Curry was so low it was “embarrassing,” […]

Archie Goodwin, the part-time Sun and part-time Bakersfield jammer, has been making the TV newsreels of late. First, there was a spectacular dunk in the late going of Phoenix’ runaway win over the mail-it-in Toronto Raptors, lazily winding up a nine-day road swing. Not long after, back in Bakersfield, the U of Kentucky first-rounder (2013) […]

It’s been said for years that Dean Smith coach at University of North Carolina did the best defensive job on Michael Jordan. Nowadays with James Harden setting fire to the NBA, the same might be said about Herb Sendek, his coach at Arizona State university.

Observations on the Phoenix Suns For Mr. Research Since you asked — 1. You cannot play three (3) point guards and keep them all happy. 2. You can play fast and swift — “Sun-N-Gun” — but you had best have a half-court, inside game when April rolls around. 3. […]

Terminology Update Okay, last year we had the Stretch 4. Now, for the new year, we have the Stretch 5 — yet more proof that the big, low-post centers are being regarded as obsolete … at least for now. ++++

Mr. Research and I are back from holidays and it’s only fitting we begin 2015 with the quote of the year in 2014. Nick Young of the Los Angles Lakers said this after his team, minus a “resting” Kobe Bryant, spanked the high-flying Golden State Warriors: “Some guys just played like ‘Django Unchained’ […]