January 2017

Doug Collins

By |2017-03-09T04:10:29-07:00January 17th, 2017|NBA|

The former star player and longtime coach, now a full-time television analyst, is as proficient at “color commentary” as anyone in the business and more so than most. I’ve often wondered, though, why all that knowledge didn’t translate into more success as a coach. Doug coached 11 years, missed the playoffs three times, saw his […]

Melo, Knicks Off the Tracks

By |2017-03-09T04:15:17-07:00January 14th, 2017|NBA|

The Knicks are in the dumps and the wise guys on TV are trying to decide whether the Knicks should keep him or trade him. Carmelo Anthony never has been a player who makes players around him better. He has played some of his best basketball on the USA Olympic team. He obviously plays better […]

Inside Versus Outside

By |2017-03-09T04:17:38-07:00January 10th, 2017|Golden State Warriors, NBA|

All the experts, pundits and fans are a-flutter — Memphis Grizzlies overcome a huge deficit to defeat the Golden State Warriors in overtime and at the Oracle in Oakland, to boot!!

What happened is exactly what I’ve been saying all along: “Playoff time is when the basketball court somehow gets smaller; history tells us good big […]

Barkley Has It Right

By |2017-03-09T04:20:10-07:00January 8th, 2017|NBA|

I don’t always agree with Charles but on this one he is spot on.

For example, 3-pointers:

“Threes are great if you have a Steph Curry, a Klay Thompson, guys like that. And these guys can live by threes … but, if you look around the NBA, everybody’s trying to go small. You have a bunch of […]

December 2016

THE TRIPLE – DOUBLE WATCH

By |2017-03-09T04:22:13-07:00December 29th, 2016|NBA|

The ongoing Russell Westbrook triple-double watch prompted this gem from my man, Mister Research: March 13, 1966, at Madison Square Garden before 14,398, the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the NY Knicks, 115-113, on Chet Walker’s short jumper with 27 seconds left. Al Bianchi saw limited service and scored four points, Wilt Chamberlain hooped 25 to go […]

HORNACEK-THREE POINT GUARDS

By |2017-03-09T04:23:47-07:00December 22nd, 2016|Phoenix Suns|

Back in Phoenix as coach of the Knicks, Jeff Hornacek basically said this about his dismissal by the Suns: “Trying to play three point guards was unmanageable.”  Okay, he’s right. But who was wrong? I recall two assistant coaches being let go and another moved upstairs. But I don’t remember someone in the Suns’ front […]

DEFENSE

By |2017-03-09T04:25:42-07:00December 8th, 2016|NBA|

You all have heard it, cavernous arenas filled with fans, many of them chanting, urging, “Defense! Defense! DEFENSE!”

Coaches and players – and the talking heads on TV – all give lip service to “stops” and it’s always been that way: we talk about defense … but play offense.

Playing defense gets you awards. Playing offense gets […]

November 2016

High Basketball I.Q

By |2017-03-09T04:35:23-07:00November 21st, 2016|NBA, Phoenix Suns|

Playing with the Phoenix Suns Kiddie Corps, Jared Dudley’s basketball I.Q. has skyrocketed to nearly genius level.  We always thought Dudley knew how to play but give the Suns’ brain trust credit for bringing him back. There’s a message here, too, for those analytically inclined: knowing how to play is something you see and feel, […]

Rule 10: Some Enforcement, Please

By |2017-03-09T04:43:33-07:00November 21st, 2016|NBA, NBA Rules|

They’re ten or more games into the NBA season and as far as Mr. Research and I are able to discern, the NBA once again is going to resist enforcing those sections of Rule 10 which address palming and/or running with the ball.  It’s amazing what the guards in this league can accomplish while palming the […]

Name Recognition

By |2017-03-09T04:46:25-07:00November 15th, 2016|ML Baseball|

No surprise that the Arizona Diamondbacks, after (another) disappointing season, gave the gate to both manager Chip Hale and GM Dave Stewart. But why is Tony La Russa – the “chief baseball officer” – still in harness? Do you think it’s because he’s figured out how to be the Invisible Man?

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