Donald Sterling's Gone and a New Era Begins

The Clippers are hosting their Fan Fest today and seeing the images of celebration along the birth of the Steve Ballmer era has left me feeling a bit confused. Not that I'm not pleased Donald Sterling is finally removed from the NBA but because the team is going to have a change in identity.

I've grown up with the Clippers as the junior varsity team. They've had a year or two of success but it was never sustained. Even with this 3-year run they've been on, I had a feeling Sterling would find a way to screw it up because he always has. Whether it was by being cheap to pay quality coaches, free agents or running his mouth, he's been a poison to ruin any momentum.

Now that he's gone, I've wondered if the Clippers' new identity means that their old legacy isn't coming back and what that means longterm. I wrote about that last week over at Bro Jackson but I think to explain my confusion more, I can compare it to USC and UCLA.*

Selling the Melo-Drama (Why the Lakers should re-evaluate Carmelo Anthony)

I would’ve hoped the Lakers management learned from Dwight Howard to think wisely on which big names to chase. The Lakers need a new face but they need the right face and the right pieces around said face to work. That's why when considering Carmelo Anthony, I don't like it because it reminds me of the chase for Howard.

Howard is a great player but he wasn’t a good fit because 1) he didn’t have a role in Mike D’Antoni’s offense, 2) he was coming off a back injury, 3) he didn’t solve the Lakers biggest problems. Defending the perimeter and point guard play. Plus the Lakers didn’t need size as much as they needed help in the backcourt and on the wing.

Enter Melo. A shooting star who can score from anywhere. A volume shooter who happens to play similar to one Kobe Bryant. Which is nice except Melo isn't a ballhandler or a good defender. I've seen him for 11 years and I don't see where he can lead any team to a championship with the way he plays. Yes he won at Syracuse but Jim Boeheim's system isn't the NBA and while he can you into the playoffs, he needs more help than just outscoring folks.

So why go after him? Because he’s a big name? That’s a sign of desperation. You can’t convince me Carmelo is a great fit here with the team as constructed. When you need upgrades at point guard and defense, what on Earth makes you think he fixes those problems?

On the Lakers and the 2014 NBA Draft (Get the Point, Not the Size)

For the first time in nine years, I'm watching the NBA Draft to see what happens to the Lakers. The three-year back slide since the 2011 playoff sweep by the Mavericks has led to this and I guess all year, we've been waiting to see what happens.

Mostly, I've been praying that with some of the questionable personnel moves that Lakers management have made, they do the right thing on Thursday. Avoid getting a big man and get a guard to finally move into the 21st century NBA. With no second round pick this year or any draft picks for 2015 as of right now, this pick means a lot which is why they need to go small than big.

The Lakers have lacked a great, young, dynamic point guard for 15 years. While Ron Harper, Derek Fisher, Gary Payton, Smush Parker and Ramon Sessions were solid, Nick Van Exel was really the last one they've had. In this era you need a strong lead guard to be able to do anything in the West.

That's why the Lakers need to pray Dante Exum or Marcus Smart are available.

Lakers Fans vs. Kobe Fans

Losing reveals a lot of things. It tests your character and it exposes a lot things. In the case of the Lakers, it exposed a lot folks stooping to desperate levels.

For the first time, I heard Lakers fans and fan sites talk about tanking - that silly concept I debunked earlier this year. I settled for accepting a team that was competitive and moral victories meant giving up less than 100 points. I dealt with Nick Young being the West Coast JR Smith except not as destructive. And then there’s the Kobe conundrum.

If this season exposed anything, it’s the great divide between Lakers fans and Kobe fans. One group of folks know the Lakers way and respect the franchise as much or more than one player. The other group believes in Kobe Bean Bryant and can sometimes forget the realities of the game.

Yes, Kobe's opinion and actions matter considering he's given half his life to the team. But at the same time, resting the hopes of next year solely on him is a fool's errand. Yet there are fans who do this and I can't figure out why they can't balance their love for Kobe with the same reality check other superstars have.

Andy Kamenetzky did a great job laying this out and to add on to it, here’s things I notice.

The Anti-Tanking Manifesto (Why it's Misdiagnosed, Useless and Shameful)

Bill Simmons was maybe the first person I heard it from. The concept of "tanking" - where teams intentionally lose to help themselves in the upcoming draft. It was back in college when Simmons was busy writing columns that would influence me and a generation of future bloggers/sports websites.

It used to be something I frowned upon. Teams trying to lose? It sounded pathetic and limp. Who dare intentionally try to sabotage a season for the hope for getting a player who won't singlehandedly turn a team around. It sounded more like a private idea before Simmons announced it and promoted it every year.

A decade later, here we are. Tanking is a full-blown public term of endearment. Fans openly root for tanking. It's discussed at the beginning of a season. Now that it's hit home with the Lakers, it's made me even more vocal about why it's such a ridiculous concept.

Maybe it's because of how I'm wired. I'm a competitor and I have been since Day One. Get the best grade on a test. Do your best in athletics. Bring your A game and don't settle for less. I root for my teams to show effort all the time and win or lose, I'll respect it.

Optimistic? These Are Your 2013-14 Lakers (NBA Preview)

You can try the best you can

If you try the best you can

The best you can is good enough.....

Well here we are. Another NBA season. As happy as I am for various reasons (Return of D-Rose, Miami’s 3-peat bid, Dwight Howard in H-Town - yes, I want to see him do well), I’m also staring dead at a Lakers team with the lowest expectations I’ve seen in 10 years.

Steve Nash is pushing 40. Pau Gasol is still at a high level but hurting. And of course, Kobe Bryant won’t be starting the season opener for the first time in ages. And this is what the starting lineup looks like tonight.

D'Antoni confirms starters as Nash, Blake, Young, Williams and Gasol against the Clippers
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 29, 2013

Yeah, this is what they are. A decent lineup that doesn't strike much fear. It’s a reminder that this team has to prove what they are. Not just to the doubters but to the fans who want to know what the Mad Doctor Mike D’Antoni will cook up. Year 2 of his tenure scares me because he’s still the coach and unless he magically decides to commit to defense, everything’s a tossup.

That’s why I feel like Radiohead’s Kid A. Coming to a new world that looks familiar but is radically different and unpredictable. Yet, I’m trying to stay optimistic with Thom Yorke’s sad, bleak voice encouraging me.

A Toast to Allen Iverson in Retirement

I remember this cover like yesterday. The beginning of an era we'd never forget.

With Allen Iverson's retirement announcement, his NBA career should read like this. One of the most important players in NBA history. A cultural touchstone. A lethal scorer.

For better or worse, he impacted the game and left his mark that will be felt for years to come. He's a Hall of Famer that made you respect him regardless if you liked him. I say that from my own experience.

I'm of the generation that grew up on AI. He got drafted the year I started junior high in 1996. Many of my classmates in high school rocked corn rows and our best hoops player had a game similar to Iverson - a fearless, high scoring, volume shooter without the crazy hops or speed.

All that said, I couldn't identify with him like other peers. I was in awe of how fast he was and how he scored with ease but in those early jr. high/HS years, I didn't like how he embodied the street culture. Back then, I was Mr. Smart Guy raised to be everything but hood so I couldn't relate to that. I related more to Grant Hill and Kobe Bryant.

Athletes and Their Power (A Sports Take on Trayvon Martin)

Dont know what the appropriate punishment is but this sets an ugly precedence. Gotta feeling were gonna see more cases like this. #profiling
— Nazr Mohammed (@NazrMohammed) July 14, 2013

Amidst my many moods regarding George Zimmerman being acquitted of murdering Trayvon Martin, one thing did brighten my face. The slew of athletes who were outraged and disappointed at the verdict.

I save all of my non-sports thoughts at Virgo Gumbo so I'll direct you for my full thoughts on this latest miscarriage of justice. Here, I want to speak to the athletes who were like many of us over the weekend.

As angry as you are, you men and women have great power in your hands. Not just to be retweeted for any old reason but you have influence over your followers to do more than just promote yourselves, your craft or your league. Your reactions made national news and deservedly so.

One look at the Miami Heat posting a picture in their hoodies is a reminder that when you do something noteworthy, it will be celebrated. I know that folks like Rashard Mendenhall, Etan Thomas and a few others have carried the mantle of athlete-activists and folks like Donte Stallworth are thought-provoking as they are fun.

They say sports and politics don't mix. As Howard Bryant reminded us, they always do. They mix when the sport dictates what politics are acceptable. It's time for you to take the anger from the verdict and use it wisely for future causes you find acceptable to rally behind.

I hope everyone can see the BIGGER picture if this trial ... his story was heard, his voice was heard RIP Trayvon Benjamin Martin
— Da'Quan Bowers (@DaQuanBowers91) July 14, 2013

I'm not saying you need to be Muhammad Ali, Curt Flood, Spencer Haywood, Bill Russell or more from the 1960's and 70's who joined with movements that shook up this country. I only hope you realize that your voice has weight and when the time is right, you'll raise it again along with action and support.

If there is a sports positive from this is that I hope it inspires athletes professional and "amateur" to realize that no matter how good they are in sports, there's a world bigger than them and sometimes, they can feel free to speak up more often.

Analyzing the Dwightmare (D12, The Media and the Lakers)

So Dwight Howard is a Houston Rocket. Just as I expected in May. No real surprise so allow me to break down this whole thing a bit, starting with how this impacts D12. I'll quickly add that I hate calling this a Dwightmare so apologies for the title when really Dwight handled this quite well.

Howard goes to a team where he'll be loved and get what he wants. I don't have a problem with that. He earned the right to decide where he was going and what was a great fit. He earned the right to pick his future at his own pace and with careful thought. It's never easy to make a decision involving that much money and the prime of his career.

If the last three years have taught us anything, Howard's biggest issue is that he wants to be loved and being unaware of how it makes him look. He's a gifted player on the court but offensively, he's not as refined as he is defensively or as a rebounder.

Injured or not, he didn't adjust to a town where he wasn't coddled and had high expectations from Day One. It's not about rings, it's about embracing a mentality of toughness and going all out. I didn't see him as a true Laker because I didn't see that desire all the time.

I feel he wanted the love without the criticism. It's not easy playing with Kobe Bryant or surrounded by hungry veterans who don't have time to clown. Not to mention losing left a sour taste on things. That's why most of the vibe here is good riddance and good luck. Besides it wasn't as if Dwight gave folks a great glimpse of what he can do.

Recapping the Crazy, Fun and Wild 2013 NBA Draft

So raise your hands if you expected Anthony Bennett going No. 1?? Raise your hands if you expected the Pac-12 to tie for the most draft picks by conference?? Heck, raise your hands if you've not dizzy from all the trade talk.

I tried my best to focus on what I liked in the draft. No losers, just winners and good things. Except for maybe a few words on Bill Simmons trying to bring down the draft coverage like he does on the ESPN NBA crew.

Oh and Cody Zeller to Charlotte? Good luck there. 

I'd also like to say I'm very happy for Allen Crabbe and Solomon Hill, having covered them close in high school. I saw Tony Snell help Kawhi Leonard beat Mater Dei in the 2009 CIF Division I-AA championship and it's funny that Riverside King now has 2 NBA players from their squad and that loaded Mater Dei team has none yet.

Also, I didn't cover this in the video but the Boston-Brooklyn trade? Either the Nets are going to be the 2003-04 Lakers or it's going to blow up spectacularly. Rajon Rondo's going to have be a miracle worker but he's got good pieces in Kris Humphries and Gerald Wallace along with Marquis Daniels and Avery Bradley.

Five years after they met in the NBA Finals, the Celtics and Lakers are both pretty close to starting back at square one. Nature of the beast, I guess.

Comparing Players Isn't Just Lazy, It's Shortsighted

Sports debates are a great reason why we love the game. I love hearing different opinions and why/how somebody believes what they do.

I used to love doing it. At least for me, I’d try to know enough about the past to make my comparisons valid. When LeBron first starting getting notoriety when I was in high school, I saw Magic Johnson’s passing with the body of an NFL tight end. I saw a remarkable athlete who had the impact to make people better.

The more I watch sports, the more I think the rush to compare somebody to someone has ruined the coolness of watching things unfold. Nobody can do anything without us looking for rank or judge it.

But why do we do it? Is it solely to remind us how great the past greats were? Is it to put the present in its proper context to combat prisoners of the moment? Is it to denigrate the present as not worthy?

I just think it’s a waste of time especially when the comparisons are so lazy. This goes back to what I addressed back in February but I'm going to take it a step further now.

Doc Rivers Coming Back to LA (So the Clippers Do Care About Winning?)

As my video thumbnail suggests, I'm bewildered and confused at the Clippers. Did they really just a make a good move after much haggling and discussing with the Boston Celtics? Doc Rivers is coming back to L.A. and for once, the Clippers seem committed to keeping a good thing going.

Doesn't add to my uneasiness as a Lakers fan that the JV squad continues to make progress while my team is entering a dark summer of the unknown.  Enjoy the video. I got a written piece coming tomorrow on the silliness comparing NBA players in lieu of Miami's championship and what we miss by doing that.

A Game 7 To Remember as an Era Continues

You can say whatever you want about these NBA Finals. After seven brilliant games, I can only applaud both teams for leaving it all out there and giving us a series to remember. Game 7 had a lot to live up to and it did.

I salute the Spurs in defeat. Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich lost for the first time in these NBA Finals and they looked haunted as if they hadn’t already won four before.

Duncan gave it all these last two games but it was two easy shots in the paint guarded by a smaller Shane Battier that many will remember. His reaction afterwards made him more human and for one of the 15 greatest players of all time, it's hard to not feel empathy as he left the Finals for the first time without a ring.

It’s a heartbreaking moment similar to Tom Brady feeling dejected after the 2012 Super Bowl. A former champion at the closest he’s been to the mountaintop only to fall short and not know if that was the last chance.

NBA Finals: Game 7 and The Overratedness of Legacy

Regardless of what happens Thursday night, legacies will not be defined. That’s right. Win or lose, nobody’s legacy is at stake.

Why? Because a legacy can’t be defined in one game. It can’t be restricted to one game because that goes against the basic principle of what a legacy is.

It’s so easy to bring up that word. It’s thrown around so much that it’s become a cliché. As such, it’s misused and abused because people forget that in a team sport, legacy is always dependent on so many variables.

Why are we so obsessed with it? Why does it matter to define? Because it’s easy and as Game 6 reminded us, one person’s story can change at any time.

NBA Finals: A Masterpiece Game 6 Gives Us Game 7

Game 6 was a battle of will, desire and heart. And I loved every bit of it! Neither team wanted to lose and Tim Duncan and LeBron James are part of the reason why this game was an absolute gem.

Game 6 last night was the kind of Game 6 I'm used to seeing in baseball. The World Series is full of classic Game 6 moments. 2011 when the Cardinals came back. 1986 when the Red Sox blew that lead. 1991 when Kirby Puckett did everything to win that game.

We just got that as hoops fans. A masterpiece performance from both teams and several players. A memorable comeback. Both teams willing each other to the top and defense saving the day. All I can do is try to make sense of it and I hope I did in this video.

LeBron James gave us another great Game 6 to remind us of what he did last year in Game 6 vs. Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals. Tony Parker reminded us how he won Game 1. Tim Duncan reminded us why he's still an All-NBA level contributor. Kawhi Leonard showed why he's going to be a very good player in this league.

And that's just some of the folks worth praising. How about Ray Allen on offense and defense? Chris Bosh being aggressive on the glass AND as a shot blocker. Shane Battier's defense! Alright, let me stop so you'll have a reason to watch this video. It's only fitting we have one more game of this and I'm so excited!

I also jumped on a podcast with my guy Paris and his brother Zeph and we talked more in depth on Game 6. Check that out here cause that was a doozy as we consoled Zeph on being upset that the Heat ruined his evening.

NBA Finals: A Ball of Brilliant Confusion

This has been a strange series. Game 1 had us thinking we were in for a series of close games a la 2011. What happened over the last four games is nothing short of confusing.

Two blowouts thanks to a silly 33-5 Miami Heat run in Game 2 and Gary Neal/Danny Green going bonkers in Game 3. Game 4 saw Dwyane Wade rise from his shooting slump followed by Manu Ginobili doing the same in Game 5.

Even weirder? All four of those games I mentioned seemed to shift in the third quarter. Games 2 and 5 had runs that started in the third and spilled over in the fourth.

So either we have teams that are remarkably balanced except for a 10-minute stretch or both teams figuring the right time when to use their advantages and pour it on. Got it? Good, cause I don't?

NBA Finals: The Resurrection of Dwyane Wade

Very nice of Dwyane Wade to finally make an impact in these Finals. As hobbled as he is, he sucked it up and found his flow at the same time LeBron James began taking charge of things.

With some help from Grandmaster Flash chopping up Blondie, I take some time to talk about Flash's impact and the hope that he can keep this up because as I've stated, the series will hinge on his performance, not just LeBron's.

Shouts to Chris Bosh as well getting aggressive on both sides of the ball. If I look a little light in this, blame that natural sunlight coming from the window on my clean buzz from the other day.

Evaluating Dwight Howard's Future

 

The problem with being in L.A. is that we have to hear folks wonder about Dwight Howard's future front and center. As I've tried to share here in word and video form, I personally don't care what he does because it's his call and he didn't do much to convince me to be interested either way.

But after being inspired a few peers, I decided to go all in and evaluate Howard for hopefully the last time until he makes his free agent decision. I discuss his pros and cons as a center, how he conducts himself and where I think he'll end up.

Who Got Da Props: Memphis Stays Fly

As much as I focused on the predictable blame game that's going to happen in Oklahoma City, I should also give Memphis a ton of props because I've loved how they played the last two playoff rounds. It's old school, it's physical, it's smart hoops that any fan of the game should admire.

Props to Mike Conley, who has become by default the best player from his highly recruited Ohio State of 2006. Seven years ago, who would've thought that he'd have a better pro career than Greg Oden and Daequan Cook.

Conley's gotten a lot of heat most of his career but I loved how aggressive he is on both sides of the floor. He dominated the Thunder without Russell Westbrook guarding him and I think he's grown a lot more comfortable with who he is as a player.

Don't Blame Kevin Durant, Blame Scott Brooks

There's a good chance the Oklahoma City Thunder will see their season end this week. Whether it's tonight or Friday, the Thunder will be joining Russell Westbrook on the sidelines as Memphis has bullied them the last three games.

I've seen folks predictably start to turn on Kevin Durant and try to blame him for not being able to carry the Thunder to victory. Soon as LeBron got that ring, I started to figure out that Durant would be next to catch the wrath of impatient fans who are wondering when he'll get that ring.

It's frankly another sign of lazy fandom. Durant has played 43, 46 and 48 minutes the last three games and he hasn't been effective in the fourth quarter obviously. He's not used to carrying a team solo and hasn't been since 2008. No Westbrook means more work for Durant and since his game is based on shooting and slashing, we're seeing a Durant I haven't seen since he was a freshman in Texas.

He's averaging 30.8 points, 11.0 rebounds and 6.8 assists this series. He's doing everything he can and when it's not enough, I'm looking around to say where's the rest of his mates to step up. He looked absolutely sick after Game 3 and as much I want to say toughen up, I sympathize because he's an island chief surrounded by Pygmies.

To me, the story with OKC should revolve around Scott Brooks' failings as a head coach and the front office looking foolish betting on Serge Ibaka instead of James Harden.