Monday, January 23, 2023

Basketball: Leave the 'Echo Chamber' Behind

Stop repeating everyone else. The 'echo chamber' lacks original ideas. Neither 'hakuna matata' or 'the sky is falling' is true. 

Be authentic, our own person. Think for ourselves. 

What do you mean? Here are "opinions" that didn't arrive on stone tablets. 

"The favorite." Some pundits pick the Celtics as the 'favorites' to win the NBA title. I see the race as wide open with reasons to advocate for the Celtics, Bucks, Nets, and Sixers in the east and Grizzlies and Nuggets in the West. Injuries always matter. 

"The record." LeBron James closes in on the "permanent" scoring record of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This recalls Teddy Roosevelt's quote, "Comparison is the thief of joy." Celebrate greatness and leave the "yeah, but" stuff behind. 

"The Next New Thing." Guys are putting up numbers at a ridiculous pace - Donovan Mitchell, Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, Giannis, and more. Jayson Tatum set the Celtics record for most times scoring 50, at age 24 eclipsing Larry Bird. There's no "live ball" controversy in basketball. Jokic isn't new and Ja Morant scares me. 

"The All-Star game." The NBA All-Star game doesn't resemble a playoff game as much as a no-defense exhibition. I enjoy the skills competitions but not the game. 

"Load management." Fans pay premium prices to see their favorites play. And players get worn out, injured, or "hurt," limiting effectiveness and increasing risk of injury. I don't blame teams for protecting their investments and maximizing their chance to win long-term. But it's tough on fans who pay premium prices and travel long distances only to have teams sit stars. There's no easy answer. 

Lagniappe. Let the minds meet to get unified rules between the US and the FIBA world. 

Lagniappe 2. Practice court expands players' minds. 

Lagniappe 3. Faster feet? 

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