Bulls On A Roll, Beat Lakers for 5th Straight Win, 113-93

Now the NBA season starts in earnest. Ten teams played on Christmas Day in five games. The Chicago Bulls hosted the Los Angeles Lakers, who played without Kobe Bryant, who sat out this game. Coach Byran Scott sat Kobe due to "general soreness."  Judging form Byrant's expression on the bench, he would have rather been on the court.

But the Lakers put up a good fight for 3 quarters.  They showed quickness, speed, and worked hard.
LA (9-20), recently defeated the Golden State Warriors and served notice that they can play too. 

Then it was 4th quarter time and the Bulls held LA to 16 points, while scoring 30 and routed the Lakers, 113-93. Five Bulls' players scored in double figures led by Pau Gasol who had 23 points, 13 boards....an outstanding game.  Jimmy Butler added 21 points, and Derrick Rose scored 20, some on nice longer shots.

Chris Webber, TNT analyst at the game, said of Rose, "He's back."

That could be debatable in some circles.  He certainly is playing better. Rose himself said, "Watch me in 2 months."

The Bulls are now 7-5 at home after a slow start. They have a 20-9 record, and are rolling with 5 wins in a row.

Aaron Brooks who had 13 points makes this team more versatile. He is quick, fearless, and can hit the trey. Nikola Mirotic, is also showing his skills. He can move without the ball, and is an excellent passer.  His European game is starting to flourish.

Charles Barkley, former NBA great and now TNT analyst said of Rose, "He doesn't have to do it all."
With the talent on the Bulls, he doesn't. Just stay healthy. 

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Kobe Bryant: Not Enough to Save Los Angeles Lakers' Season

The Los Angeles Lakers’ season is off to a poor start as expected, as after flopping in free agency this offseason the Lakers’ roster is not very talented after missing out on Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh. The loss of Steve Nash for the rest of the season was a tough blow, and that was followed up by the loss of Julius Randle for the season with a broken leg.

Despite the injuries to his teammates, Kobe Bryant is back and doing everything he can to try and keep the Lakers respectable in the Western Conference. The bad thing for the Lakers is that even with Bryant playing quite well right now, they still haven’t won a game this season.

Bryant looks to be pretty healthy right now, and head coach Byron Scott is playing him at about 32 minutes per game, which seems to be a good number for the aging Bryant.

This season, Bryant is averaging 24.8 points per game, which is very impressive for Bryant, who has been hit hard by injuries in the latter part of his career. Bryant’s shooting percentage is a bit low at 41% right now, but a large part of that is due to a rough first game against the Houston Rockets, when he shot 6-17.

So far this season the Lakers have only kept it close in one out of their four games, as against the Los Angeles Clippers they were able to only lose by single-digits, which seems like a victory in itself this season.

Sadly for the Lakers it is looking like they very well be a bottom-feeder in the West, but Bryant playing a high-level still will still draw fans to the Staples Center, but it isn’t enough to help them win games.

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Is a Healthy Kobe Enough to Lead LA Back to the Playoffs?

Last season, the storied Los Angeles franchise had arguably it’s worst season in almost a decade, with an abysmal record of 27-55, only a .329 win percentage. With the deteriorating health and age of superstar Kobe Bryant and the loss of big man Pau Gasol, many fans in purple and gold are left to wonder, “what’s next?”. After a disappointingly mediocre 2012-13 campaign(which ended with a 45-37 record and a quick departure in the first round), no one could have imagined the down fall of arguably the most storied franchise in basketball.

Bryant returned from his devastating Achilles tear on December 8, 2013 against the Toronto Raptors however “The Return” was short-lived, as Kobe broke a bone in his left knee on December 20th against the Memphis Grizzlies. After yet another season sidelined, the 35-year-old Bryant(soon to be 36 on August 23rd) returned to the lab after last year’s campaign and began putting in work. While reports say Kobe has impressed so far, would that really be enough to contend for a playoff spot in a tough, gritty western conference?

LA’s off-season has not exactly been spectacular. While they did manage to get Julius Randle with the 7th overall pick, the loss of star big man Pau Gasol leaves a gaping hole at center. Randle doesn’t have the size to play center, neither does Carlos Boozer, whom the Lakers claimed off waivers. A center rotation of Robert Sacre and Jordan Hill is not daunting, but it might be enough to get the job done. Another void left is the point guard position. It’s yet to be seen if Steve Nash can even play anymore, and Jeremy Lin hasn’t been able to live up to the hype of “Linsanity” nearly three years ago. While it is possible Nick Young could start at the point, his specialty is not distributing the ball. 

Projected Lakers starting lineup: (PG) Jeremy Lin, (SG) Kobe Bryant, (SF) Wesley Johnson, (PF) Carlos Boozer, (C) Jordan Hill.

If this lineup could be inserted into the Eastern Conference, then there could be discussions of a probable playoff spot, but they’re in the west, and will have to battle teams such as San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Houston, Portland, Golden State, Dallas, Memphis, and their friendly neighborhood rival Clippers. With a solid, not great, starting lineup, the return of the Black Mamba, a potential Sixth Man of the Year candidate coming off the bench, along with a potential star in Julius Randle, expect to see the Lakers slugging it out with Phoenix, Memphis, and Dallas for that eighth and final spot in next year’s western conference playoffs.

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Prospect Examination: Andrew Wiggins

You've heard about him since last summer as he was thought of as the next big thing since Miami Heat forward LeBron James and even gained comparisons to him. This teenager is hands down the most hyped up  player since James was in high school but the only difference between the two is that this player is from Canada where basketball is becoming more and more popular by the day. You've seen him on ESPN magazines, Sports Illustrated etc., the player I'm talking about is of course Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins had a roller coaster freshmen season but despite that it wouldn't hurt his draft stock.

"The hype has created a negative tone in people's mind, because the hype made people believe he should get 22 points and 10 rebounds every night," Kansas coach Bill Self said.

Being a player of Wiggins' caliber, everything he did was under a microscope and nobody besides his teammates, coaches and family would commiserate for him. As we all know it's very unfair for a teenager with gifted abilities to be ridiculed for every little thing he does on the court — it's only going to get worse in the NBA. From his first game at KU to his last he has critiqued on everything he did; one day he's an All-Star the next he's a bust. Wiggins struggling and not having the dominate season many hoped was probably the best thing to happen him because he will still be a Top-5 pick and the media isn't swarming him as they once were.

"I don't think he has the mindset to be a natural, Michael Beasley-, Kevin Durant-guy that puts up numbers," said Bill Self. "I don't think that's the way he'll feel he can help the team the most. He's going to have games where he does it. There's going to be some games where he just doesn't feel it. But he's talented enough that he can impact the games just as much when he doesn't feel it because he can do a little bit of everything."

NBA scouts this season have been quite brash with Wiggins; its basically like this, one day Wiggins was the favorite child, the next he isn't based on behavior and what he did that day. One comparison that Wiggins has to be James is the way he zoned out the media because he rarely commented on the negatives they were saying showing his maturity. Scouts have said Wiggins doesn't "play hard", not "motivated", and lack of "love" for the game. 

"[Wiggins] is not always playing hard and motivated," an NBA scout said. "That scares people. That scares me a little. You need a gym rat, someone that absolutely loves it. It's 82 games. It's tough. Those guys are harder to win with than guys who love it."

Watching Wiggins you can tell he has some King James characteristics as he is labeled as "Too unselfish" and being hesitant to attack the basket despite his tremendous finishing ability. When James first entered the league he had the same problem as he always passed when critics thought he wouldn't and in his seven seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers he has obsessed with that jumpshot more than going to the hole. Wiggins has a 44-inch vertical but didn't use it much to his advantage and should in the NBA. 

This season in his only season as a Kansas Jayhawk he averaged 17.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 blocks, 1.2 steals while shooting 44.8% (FG%), 34.1% (3P%) and 77.5% (FT%) in 35 games while playing 32.8 minutes per game with a 116.1 offensive rating (ORtg). His best scoring performance came against West Virginia in which he scored 41 points. 

Wiggins clearly didn't assert himself well enough at KU like he was at Huntington Prep; had a 26.3% usage rating isn't completely bad since he was on the same team as Joel Embiid and Wayne Selden as they formed a big-3 there. The thing with Wiggins is that he plays down to his lower competition and up to elite teams as some of his coaches had to sometimes find a way to motivate him making a scouts analysis on him a fact. 

"Until Wiggins learns how to play hard, he's Kansas' third-best freshman," said one NBA scout.

As great as Wiggins could be, he has his strengths and weaknesses like anybody else. With his video game-like athleticism as he posses a 44-inch vertical he will easily be one of the better dunkers in the league and will be acrobat when attacking the basket; he has great potential to become a scorer in the league as a first or second option. Wiggins has a 7'0" wingspan as a 6'8" forward/guard making him a defensive threat with potential. This season with the Jayhawks he had a 2.1 steal percentage (STL%), 3.1 block percentage (BLK%), 102.8 defensive rating (DRtg) and a 1.7 Defensive win share (DWS).Wiggins has a very tenuous frame at 200-pounds but as time goes by his body will develop. When it comes to passing he's willing to do that with his decent court vision and his 1.5 assists don't tell entire the story. He did progress a lot this season and like any other player he had his bad games just like his teammate Joel Embiid.

"He's playing so much better," one GM said. "He's becoming aggressive. He's playing with more poise... He's going to have to get better at finishing around the basket in traffic, but lately he's been playing like the Wiggins we knew in high school. I think he's still very much in the running for the No. 1 pick. If I were choosing between him and Embiid, I don't know what I'd do."

A significant weakness to Wiggins is again his motor and ambition to reach the potential many believe he could achieve. Under Bill Self he wasn't known as a physical player and he will struggle guarding small forwards at that next level just like Kevin Durant before he bulked up. He has shown signs of being a guy that can grab at least 6-7 rebounds per game. He isn't the best ball-handler and struggles greatly against lockdown defenders. The last noticeable weaknesses for Wiggins is that he isn't a great finisher going left and has a tendency to pick up his dribble from afar.

Wiggins has seen numerous of NBA comparisons from NBA GMs, scouts and general managers from the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, Andre Iguodala etc. Name any athletic wing player and it can be guaranteed that wiggins has been compared to that player. A more realistic comparison is Andre Iguodala since both aren't big time scorers but do share the same athleticism and similar playing styles. 

"Worst-case scenario [Vince Carter]."

"I think he can be a player that plays a lot like Paul George does," one veteran NBA executive said. "He's so smooth that at times it almost looks like he's coasting. But when you watch closer, you just see the game comes so easy to him. With his length and explosiveness, he's going to be able to do whatever he wants once he gets it. And from everything we can gather in looking into his background, he's going to get it. I'm not sure how we could pass on him if we had the No. 1 pick. The other guys might be more ready right now, but in three years, I think he's the best player in this class."

The soon to be lottery pick has a high ceiling with the intangibles he possess. Over the course of the season he has shown great improvement, taking great strides to better himself as a player and it's quite obvious that he will have a good NBA career barring any injuries. If he wants to become the elite superstar that many believe he can become then he must become dominant and become aggressive with a killer instinct and it may take a few seasons to develop. His maturity is beyond his years as he hasn't done or said anything negative and seems like a calm person. His dream of playing for the Raptors is unlikely — It should be no surprise if he follows fellow Canadian Anthony Bennett in becoming the No. 1 pick.

NBA legend and Lakers guard Kobe Bryant would love to "mentor" Wiggins if he's drafted by the Lakers.

Best fits: Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks 

NBA comparisons: Rudy Gay, Andre Iguodala, Nicolas Batum and Jeff Green

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Due Diligence: The Los Angeles Lakers Coaching Search

On April 30th, 2014, Mike D'Antoni resigned as the Head Coach of one of the most storied franchises in American sports.....the Los Angeles Lakers and the fans of the franchise rejoiced. The reason why D'Antoni resigned was due to Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak opting not to exercise the 2015-2016 season on his contract and D'Antoni was paid a undisclosed amount of money from the $4 million owed to him. In years past only one coach has proven capable of controlling the "Black Mamba" that is Kobe Bryant and now that master of Zen has taken on a greater task in the concrete jungle.  With that being said, whomever coaches the Lakers next must know how to control the venomous Mamba and also embrace the larger task of restoring the franchise to the days of past, the days where the just making the playoffs wasn't the goal....contending for world tiles was the only option.  

After the somewhat surprising departure of D'Antoni, Kobe Bryant subliminally displayed being happy that D'Antoni was gone by saying he "didn't care".  The display showed Bryant didn't have an iota of respect for D'Antoni. Since the resignation of D'Antoni, the Lakers were immediately linked to a multitude of coaches ranking from college, to former coaches and finally current NBA coaches. The men who were associated with the franchise were none other than, Kevin Ollie (UCONN), John Calipari (Kentucky), Roy Williams (UNC), Tom Thibadeau (Bulls) and former coaches Jeff Van Gundy, Mike Dunleavy, Sr., Byron Scott, Lionel Hollins, Kurt Rambis and George Karl. None of the NBA coaches have denied interest in the Lakers but the college coaches have as they are content coaching student-athletes. 

To be brutally honest, I couldn't blame the college coaches ala Kevin Ollie, John Calipari and Roy Williams for staying where they are. The NBA is a business where you are hired to get fired; in college that isn't the case as you are hired there to be viable as long as your team is respectable. Also in college, the fans seem more loyal to their coaches than players and in the NBA it's vice versa.

Kevin Ollie was a 13-year NBA journeymen but didn't gain national attention until he led the UCONN Huskies to a improbable NCAA championship. The 41-year old was linked to "The City of Angels" because of his success in two short years at Connecticut and his league wide reputation as a player which made some believe that he would be a perfect for since LA would be in rebuild soon. But the chances of him becoming the new coach of the Lakers ended when he agreed to a multi-year extension with UCONN which would pay him $3 million annually.

University of Kentucky coach John Calipari was immediately linked to the Lakers job. Calipari has led Kentucky to the NCAA championship game two of the last four years and has produced many NBA players in John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and soon-to-be draftees James Young and Julius Randle. Most of their starters are returning and he has yet again put together another dominant freshmen class. So the question now is, Why would he leave? Calipari quickly put out the flames of the possibility of him becoming the Lakers coach.

"Before it starts," Calipari said as he shutdown the Laker rumors. "I'm totally committed to helping this group of young men reach their dreams," said Calipari. I wouldn't & couldn't leave this group." 

In 2004, one season after leaving the University of Kansas for the University of North Carolina, Roy Williams had declined to speak with the Lakers. The 10 year time period saw Williams have a change of heart. With the Lakers deciding to once again flirt with Williams, this time around he has "friend zoned" them by saying he believes he's solely meant to be a college coach and couldn't make the commitment to being in a relationship with the Lakers or NBA. In the college ranks, Williams has won two national championships at Chapel Hill in 2005 and 2009.

"I've always felt like that I'm a college coach and that's where I belong,” Williams said. “(Lakers general manager) Mitch Kupchak is one of my best friends in the whole wide world, there's no question there, but I'm a college guy and if somebody calls and offers me the greatest job in the world, it better be really good because I feel like I've got about the greatest job in the world."

Tom Thibadeau's relationship with the Chicago Bulls front office is as bad as his team's offense. Thibadeau and the Bulls are a good pair but he and GM Gar Forman reportedly don't see eye-to-eye which could prompt Thibadeau to leave. He has been linked to the Lakers but is under contract in the Windy City through 2017. Despite those rumors, no gas has been added to the fire and the only way Thibadeau is coaching the Lakers is if the Bulls agree to compensate them which is what the Los Angeles Clippers did with the Boston Celtics last season to acquire Doc Rivers. Thibs had also been linked to the Warriors (Steve Kerr is new coach), Memphis Grizzlies and the New York Knicks, which is the only team he has interest in coaching. 

George Karl, Jeff Van Gundy and Kurt Rambis are three coaches that have been linked to the Lakers and that's about it. There have been no reported conversations between the team and any of those former coaches. Two of the three candidates are being linked to other franchises as the Lakers take their time in naming a new coach. Karl has been associated with the Cleveland Cavaliers as he could make a return to the franchise as their coach and possibly their team  president. Karl, 63, has the most wins of any candidate with a 1,131-756 record — 59.9% winning percentage — in 25 NBA seasons. Van Gundy on the other hand, has been linked to the Memphis Grizzlies as possibly becoming their coach and president of basketball operations which would make David Joerger's exit imminent and Rambis is just being linked to the team with no eye popping credentials.  

    

Byron Scott, Lionel Hollins and Mike Dunleavy, Sr. have all been linked to the Lakers recently and are likely to become the new coach of the franchise than the previous candidates, unless new candidates emerge. Mike Dunleavy, Sr. — father of Bulls forward Mike Dunleavy, Jr. — has recently interviewed for the Lakers job as he has 17 years of experience in the league — coaching record is 613-716 (.461) — in which he coached the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers. Dunleavy was recently with the Clippers in 2010 but resigned. He has a history with the Lakers as he coached them from 1990-1992 and made a NBA Finals appearance in 1991.    

Byron Scott probably has the most notoriety of all the candidates since he actually played with the organization from 1983-1993 and 1996-1997 and helped them to three NBA championships when "ShowTime" was must-see-tv in LA. 18 years after being the veteran presence to a young Kobe Bryant, he could now reunite now with him. Scott recently coached the then New Jersey Nets and New Orleans Hornets and also the Cleveland Cavaliers. He led the Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003. Scott hasn't coached a good team since the 2008-2009 season in which the Hornets went 49-33. Since then, Scott has been a aberration of what he once was which was a winner. From 2010-2013 he went 64-166 and has a 416-521 (.444) coaching record all together. As Scott recently interviewed for the Lakers job, he left feeling confident.

"I don't feel I'm a very arrogant guy, but I feel like I am the perfect guy for this job," Scott said to ESPNLA 710 Radio. "I got a great relationship with Kobe. I know the team, know the roster. I watched them all season long and I just think it would be a great fit.

There's one thing we all know about Kobe Bryant, he likes playing the game of basketball the way he wants to and doesn't plan in changing his game for anyone unless your name is Phil Jackson. Byron Scott recently said Kobe needed to change his game if he got the job: "Obviously, if I get the job, the first conversation I have is with Kobe... talk about the type of game that he's going to be playing because he's going to have to change his game a little bit, and I think he knows that." An argument could be made if Scott is the perfect fit for the job, but looking at his recent success and the type of players he's coached, it looks as if he will still be unemployed especially since the chances of Kobe changing the way he plays is like the chance I have to make it in the NBA – zero.

The last candidate but certainly not least is former Memphis Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins. Hollins is a former NBA player and champion and is a coach in which perennial All-Star guard Kobe Bryant might enjoy to play under due to his stringency in which the franchise will need as they will enter a youth movement. Hollins also brings a championship swagger due to reaching the NBA Finals as a player (Portland) and assistant coach (Phoenix). Hollins is as close to a perfect fit as one can get as he took a horrific Memphis Grizzlies team into a team to watch and got accustomed to winning. He led Memphis to the 2013 Western Conference Finals and made history in 2011 at they swept the No. 1 seeded San Antonio Spurs. If the Lakers enter win-now mode then Hollins is the perfect choice, if in rebuilding mode then your hire Hollins, it's a win-win situation hypothetically speaking. Coach Hollins has a 214-201 (.516) coaching record and is the guy Mr. Bryant wants to see drawing up playa for him during timeouts. 

The Lakers will do everything they can to hire the right coach and someone who won't extirpate the franchise even more. The question now is, How will Kobe Bryant impact their decision? Bryant wasn't a big fan of the hirings of Mike Brown and Mike D'Antoni and would like the team to not play favorites and wants to have input on their next coach, which would likely be his last. 

"On the last two they didn't," Bryant said. "On the third one, I'm hoping they do... Honestly, it's not really about whether the players like the coach or not, it's really about getting results. Liking somebody and those results don't necessarily go hand-in-hand. Sometimes when a coach is driving you, you don't necessarily like it, but it's a part of the process, and then once you win, everybody is buddy-buddy after that."

The Los Angeles Lakers franchise plans on communicating with Kobe Bryant throughout the coaching search, but it has been made clear that he won't be a part of the process and whatever he says it won't thwart the organization from making a final decision.

"From time to time we ask his advice," Mitch Kupchak told ESPN's Andy Katz at the NBA draft combine in Chicago. "He really won't weigh in on something like this. I'm not even sure that we'll talk to him prior to interviews. But from time to time, he is in our facility, I'll go downstairs and I'll talk to him about a bunch of different things."

LA is trying to return to the glory days, the days which began with George Mikan and evolved to the days of Wilt-West, Magic-Kareem and Kobe-Shaq. Their way back to the top of the totem pole starts with their next coach as the 16-time NBA Champions are in a precarious situation. The ball is in their court, will they go for a coach that is a rough, tough and intimidating like a slam dunk or someone who is soft, finesse and simple like a layup. The Lakers have a bevy of candidates that have congregated to them and it's only a matter of time until they decide who will become the 25th Head coach in franchise history. The new hire can either tame the "Black Mamba" or get struck by its deadly venom which will prompt the search for number 26. Mitch Kupchak and his peers have many options to pick from and it doesn't seem like they will rush the process which is wise. Will the Lakers return to prominence next year or the NBA's Draft Lottery? The next coach will have a abundance of pressure and it will be entertaining to see who is selected. Lionel Hollins, Byron Scott, Mike Dunleavy, Sr., George Karl, Jeff Van Gundy and others are all worthy candidates but there can only be one.

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The Donald Sterling Aftermath

The late great Michael Jackson once said "It Doesn't Matter If You're Black Or White" and he's right about that but in the year 2014 some people fail to realize that the color do our skin is just a small sample of us, it's the first thing you see and it shouldn't be the last if you get to know the person. Late Friday night TMZ obtained a contentious tape between Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling and his model girlfriend V. Stiviano and as expected the tape was passed around twitter like a note in elementary school and everyone had their own perspective of it.

Sterling, 81, has a history of making racial remarks; in 2006 the U.S. Department of Justice sued Sterling for housing discrimination because he didn't want Koreans, Latinos/Latinas and Blacks in his complexes. He allegedly said Spanish people just "smoke, drink and just hang around the building" and for African-Americans he had said "black tenants smell and attract vermin"... The case was eventually settled for $2.275 million.

Back in 2009 he was sued by then Clippers executive Elgin Baylor for employment discrimination due to the color of his skin and age. Sterling allegedly told Baylor that he wanted the Clippers roster and coaching staff to be assembled with "poor black boys from the south with a white head coach." Now the NFL and NBA have the perfect ensemble of black and white and yes, most teams are predominately black and the staff being Caucasian but that comment in general in that context he used it in is perfectly attributed to hate.

Sterling's mouth has gotten him to do more wrongs than rights but for some odd reason he was awarded the with the NAACP lifetime achievement award in 2009 and after he recent outburst, he was scheduled to receive the award again next month but as expected they have decided to to no longer give him the award.

"NAACP statement: "As the investigation is in progress, we urge the LA Branch of the NAACP to withdraw Donald Sterling from the honoree list."

But back to his remarks, in the video obtained by TMZ he was upset with his very young girlfriend about taking a picture with Hall of Famer Magic Johnson and her boasting about the image on Instagram and he became infuriated with her showing off a black man. Among the comments he said:   

"It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to?"

"You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want.  The little I ask you is not to promote it on that ... and not to bring them to my games."

"I’m just saying, in your lousy f******* Instagrams, you don’t have to have yourself with, walking with black people."

"...Don't put him [Magic] on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me.  And don't bring him to my games."

Find it funny that he doesn't Magic at his game despite both being allegedly friends... Magic would later go on a tirade on twitter:

My problem with Sterling's comments is that he made them and he no remorse for what he was saying. Now I have no problem with him hating people who aren't white because that's his choice and we shouldn't attempt to change his views on multiple communities. But the big issue here is that he made those remarks and owns a team which is made up of his best players being black, one of them mullato and his head coach being black. Sterling has a reputation of being a frugal businessman as he has historically shown skepticism of bringing top tier players to put out a respectable product on the court. It took over 30 years for him to actually get the Clippers out of the shadow of the Lakers and from being the joke of the league to being the headliners.

But despite the ignorant people of the world and people on social media who try to make jokes to get "likes" and "retweets" there are people who took a stand on twitter as it's commonly used for fun and is a place to relax and communicate with other people with he same views as you. But if there is a major topic in the world that becomes bothersome then black, white and spanish twitter unite to showcase their concerns it wasn't better showcased than all-day Saturday.

Magic Johnson, Kevin Hart and other high profile people in the world had much to say about the situation and just like the Trayvon Martin situation back in 2013, many people changed their twitter "avi" to a black picture which was started by center DeAndre Jordan on Instagram. 

Many other public figures shared their thoughts on the Sterling situation from some wanting him to sell the team to him being a disgrace.

"Donald Sterling has mentality of an antebellum slave master," Chris Broussard of ESPN said.

"No one should be allowed to own a team if they have in fact engaged in this kind of racial language," Reverend Al Sharpton said. 

"Donald sterling is the definition of racism," Rapper Meek Mill said.

"time for #Clippers players to step up. Refuse to play till NBA moves against this racist jackass #Sterling. NBA can't defend him," Keith Olbermann of ESPN said via twitter.

The crew of "Inside the NBA" have a reputation of being comical most of the time but with a huge problem with the magnitude of Sterling's hate comments they took time at halftime of the Pacers-Hawks game to address the issue and gave their input.

"Racism is a refuge to ignorance," Kenny Smith said. "Sterling has shown his primitive uneducated thoughts. It a shame the only thing you are rich in is money." 

"If it's true...there's no space in the NBA for Donald Sterling," Ernie Johnson said.

"this is the first big test for Adam Silver," Charles Barkley said. "You can’t have this guy making statements like that. He has to suspend him and fine him immediately…. We can not have an NBA owner discriminating against a league that’s…we’re a black league."

Comedian Kevin Hart chimed in also on his twitter account with a vast amount of tweets with one of them saying, "The owner of the Clippers is a flat out racist and will never see a dime of my money!!! Donald Sterling is disgusting...this sh*t is sad."

NBA players from past and present also wanted their voices heard about the discriminatory remarks by Sterling.

"As a VP for the Hawks it is appalling to wake up to this story," Dominique Wilkins said. "It is in no way anything that I know MY NBA at ANY level to promote, condone or harbor behind closed doors or openly. As a black man living in the South, this is not something that is a surprise. Racism is prevalent, still a problem and something that can not be taken lightly in any context. As a former Clipper, I feel for the community of LA. It is a melting pot of culture and ALL races. For Clipper fans, staff and players, I do hope this is dealt with swiftly and justly. It is just totally disappointing."

"He has a history of being a bigot and racist," Indiana Pacers forward David West said.

"I can only imagine if a player came out and said something of that stature. What would happen to us?," LeBron James said. "I believe in Adam (Silver). I believe in the NBA, and they have to do something and do something very fast."

"There is no room for Donald Sterling in our league," James said. "There's just no room for him."

"I couldn't play for him," Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said via twitter. (Bryant almost signed with the Clippers in '04)

Charles Barkley wants the NBA to suspend Sterling, which they could do making him the first owner to be suspended since Glen Taylor of the Minnesota Timberwolves as he was the last owner to be debarred due to salary cap violations which less his team to forfeiting draft picks and losing $3.5 million.

A suspension towards Sterling could happen but him being kicked out of the NBA won't happen unless it's on his own power:

NBA owners Michael Jordan (Charlotte Bobcats) and Mark Cuban (Dallas Mavericks) gave their input on the debacle. 

"I look at this from two perspectives – as a current owner and a former player," Jordan said." As an owner, I’m obviously disgusted that a fellow team owner could hold such sickening and offensive views. I’m confident that Adam Silver will make a full investigation and take appropriate action quickly. As a former player, I’m completely outraged. There is no room in the NBA - or anywhere else - for the kind of racism and hatred that Mr. Sterling allegedly expressed. I am appalled that this type of ignorance still exists within our country and at the highest levels of our sport. In a league where the majority of players are African-American, we cannot and must not tolerate discrimination at any level."

"The obvious is obvious," Mark Cuban said.

What makes this situation more intriguing is that the Clippers have Chris Paul who is the Nation Basketball Players Association (NBPA) President and Doc Rivers who is on the competition committee. Both men gave their input on the situation. Also it's worth nothing that the Clippers did indeed plan on protesting but Rivers was against it and believed it would be better for fans to boycott rather than the talent.

"On behalf of the National Basketball Players Association," Paul said. "This is a very serious issue which we will address aggressively. We have asked Mayor Kevin Johnson to expand his responsibilities with the NBPA, to determine our response and our next steps. As players, we owe it to our teams and our fans to keep our focus on our game, the playoffs, and the drive to the Finals."

"Were not happy with any of it," Rivers said. "Were going to let the due process happen."

The man who helped keep the Sacramento Kings in Sac-Town and the major of that town, Kevin Johnson released a statement on the matter.

"The reported comments made by Clippers owner Donald Sterling are reprehensible and unacceptable," Johnson said. "The National Basketball Players Association must and will play a very active role in determining how this issue is addressed. There needs to be an immediate investigation and if the reports are true, there needs to be strong and swift action taken. I have spoken with NBPA President Chris Paul and will be leading the NBPA in addressing the implications of this serious matter. I will be formally reaching out to the NBA today to determine our next steps. While I originally came on to lead the Executive Director search, this issue requires immediate attention from the players association. I will be keeping Chris Paul, the Executive Committee, and all player representatives informed of every step."

The president on the United States, Barack Obama released his opinion and on Sterling from Malaysia — as he is a avid NBA fan but Sterling's comments he found very disrespectful like anybody else would.

"When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, you don't really have to do anything, you just let them talk. That's what happened here," Obama said. "The United States continues to wrestle with the legacy of race and slavery and segregation. That's still there, the vestiges of discrimination. We've made enormous strides, but you're going to continue to see this percolate up every so often."

There are people sadly who took Sterling's remarks and it into a somewhat joke:

Andy Roeser the president of the Los Angeles Clippers released a statement saying: 

Assuming that the recording is authentic and it is Donald Sterling saying those comments, it will be interesting to see how the league deals with it because his history plays a impact on it and there is no way for Sterling to escape as his reputation nationally has been hindered mightily and can't show his face at a NBA arena again or at least for a long time. Wonder how long it'll take? Wonder what disciplinary actions the league takes? Also, Are there other owners or people associated in the NBA who feel this way?

Wonder what he was thinking when he took this picture with former Clipper, Elton Brand:

-- Clevis Murray 

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W2W4: Los Angeles Lakers vs. New York Knicks; January 26th, 2014

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Sunday, January 26^th, 2014

Pre-Game News and Notes

Los Angeles Lakers vs. New York Knicks

The Knicks and Lakers will be playing a Sunday matinee at Madison Square Garden as the Knicks will continue their eight game home stand. This will be the Lakers sole visit to New York this season and the first time the two teams meet this year; the second will be in late March in Los Angeles. Here are some things to keep an eye on for this afternoon.

-Player News and Notes

The Knicks front court will be in dire straights once again as Amar’e Stoudemire, Kenyon Martin and Andrea Bargnani will all be out again. Metta World Peace will not suit up tonight either, leaving the Knicks with only 11 healthy bodies heading into the game and a dearth of depth at the forward spots. Jeremy Tyler expects to see minutes again, as should Cole Aldrich.

For the Lakers, Kobe Bryant will obviously not be gracing Madison Square Garden with his presence today, at least on the court as he recovers from knee surgery. He is expected to return before the All-Star break. It would have been quite intriguing to see what Bryant would have done after Carmelo Anthony broke his MSG scoring record Friday night. Xavier Henry, Steve Nash and Jordan Farmar will all also miss the game today as well.

-Melo Encore?

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

After having the greatest scoring night in MadisonSquare Garden history Friday with 62 points, what can we expect from Anthony today? Maybe another Bryant record, say 81 points?

Following Friday’s scoring barrage, Anthony said he was going for 81 with a smile on his face in a post game interview. He may not hit 81, but there is a chance Anthony could have a big scoring night. Since Mike D’Antoni has left the Knicks, Anthony has averaged an astounding 46.5 points per 48 minutes against the D’Antoni led Lakers. We could be in for another scoring show from Anthony with how everything is lining up.

-An Emerging Presence

Lost in the shuffle of Anthony’s big scoring night was the play of Tyler Friday night. Being pressed into action because of all the injuries up front, Tyler responded well with a solid 22 minute performance against the Bobcats. Tyler had eight points and five rebounds in his time on the court, shooting 50 percent and crashing the offensive glass with three offensive rebounds. He also provided some solid defense, blocking two shots.

Tyler will be a part of the rotation for the time being with all three out but could make an impression to get some playing time even once they return. The goal this season was to make sure everyone was healthy heading down the home stretch of the season and having a player like Tyler available on the bench will make things much easier on the team.

-J.R Breaking Out?

Smith has had a tumultuous season but recently he has put together some solid performances. Friday he scored 14 points on 5-9 shooting in 31 minutes, a very efficient shooting night the Knicks had hoped they would see more of this season from the reigning Sixth Man of the Year; he also added four assists.

The shooting numbers are something we could get used to seeing in the foreseeable future with Bargnani sidelined. When Smith is on the court without Bargnani this season, he is shooting 42.9 percent, which is actually above his career average of 42.3. While sharing the court with Bargnani, Smith is shooting a putrid 31.9 percent. It could just be a coincidence but hopefully that kind of shooting numbers can continue with Bargnani out if there actually is anything to them.

Match-Up of the Game: Pau Gasol vs. Tyson Chandler (Honorable mention; Nick Young vs. J.R. Smith)

Gasol is the best player on the Lakers and when he plays well the Lakers usually do as well. He has been the center of trade rumors seemingly his whole Lakers tenure but he has continued to come out and play well when he is on the court. It will be up to Chandler to slow him down tonight as Gasol is a perfect fit in a D’Antoni led offense as a big man capable of passing out of the high post, knocking down a jump shot or causing problems on the block.

Chandler has been making headlines more recently for things he says in post game interviews than his play on the court, so hopefully he can start to turn things around. His biggest problem or complaint is the constant switching the Knicks do on the defensive end, putting him and the team in general in bad positions trying to slow down opposing teams while out of position. If Chandler is just asked to do what he does best, protect the rim and rebound, the Knicks fortunes will surely turn around.

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VI

There's only one name that universally comes up as the greatest of all time.  Love him or hate him, he is the standard that all current NBA players want to surpass but how realistic is the thought.  Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, and even Dwyane Wade have been compared to him.  A former teammate of his even proclaimed that one day LeBron James could be better than his Airness but there's only one player that can compare to the greatness that was Michael Jordan.  On April 16th 2003, Jordan scored the last 13 points of his career total 32,292 points.  Jordan spent the last two years of his career with the Wizards but that's not what he's remembered for.  Michael Jordan was and will always be a Chicago Bull and will always be remembered for one number......VI.

For the past 17 NBA seasons we have witnessed the closest incarnation of Michael Jordan that perhaps we'll ever see and sadly he's nearing the end.  Still effective on certain nights, he is considered a relic in this new era blooming in the NBA.  His career blossomed during the time of relics and now he's become one his self.  It's funny because I once heard that as humans we all begin in diapers and most end their lives in them as.  It's a sad but cruel truth that afflicts us all too often and thus the career of an NBA player is no different.  There comes a time when it all ends, the mind wanting to soldier on but the body slowly betraying the wishes of its true master.  It's the moment that every athlete fears, the moment where one question is asked....."What do I have left to give?"  That one singular question has dethroned the greatest athletes, the most fierce champions and now facing his own mortality stand Kobe  Bean Bryant.

What does he have left to Give?

Over 30,000 points scored, 5 MVP Championships, 1 Gold Medal, and 1 NBA MVP.  Kobe Bryant has seen and done it all.  From the moment he entered the league he knew what his destiny would be, there was only one thing that he wanted.  Jordan was the measuring stick and Kobe wanted to surpass his idol at all costs.  The obsession eventually transformed "media friendly" Kobe into the Kobe that most of the NBA world loves to hate, The Black Mamba.  Demanding, foul mouthed, in your face Kobe but I forgot another label........multi-time champion.  With that being said isn't odd that the Mamba has been virtually absent this season?  The production is there, the foul mouth is there but something is missing.  Is it possible that Kobe has given us all that he has?  The endgame is upon us has Bryant himself has already stated that he may walk away from the game in two years once his current contract expires.  When I look at Bryant I see a great player that's 34 years young but in NBA years he's closer to 38 years old, having lived through countless deep playoff runs and multiple knee injuries. At this stage in his career what does Kobe have left to give?

Obsession:  The dominations of one's thoughts or feelings by persistent idea, image, desire, etc

It's no secret that Kobe Bryant is seemingly "obsessed" with becoming the best player that the NBA has ever seen and he has stopped at nothing to achieve it.  There's been feuds with coaches and teammates and some say that Bryant is even responsible to single handed breaking up the last true dynasty in the NBA, the Lakers team that began the millennium.  In his mind Bryant can do no wrong i.e. the departure of Shaquille O'Neal from the Lakers.  During the summer of 2004 Bryant had threatened to leave the Lakers for the Clippers and seemed serious about it.  The relationship between he and O'Neal was fractured beyond repair and once the Lakers moved O'Neal to the Miami Heat, Kobe Bryant signed a 7 year contract with the Lakers the next day.  The timing of Bryant's new contract spoke volumes.  The Lakers had made their choice and good or bad they had to live with it.  Kobe's profile skyrocketed and the "Black Mamba" was born but it was at the cost of several disastrous seasons for the franchise.

Kobe's move to run O'Neal out of town was finally validated 5 years later as Bryant began a string of 3 straight NBA Finals appearances, losing the first and winning the final two.  Not without the help of Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant had once again returned to the throne that he had grown obsessed with; capturing 4 and 5.  The Los Angeles Lakers are used to winning championships in bunches but in the NBA Championship teams/contenders usually only have a shelf life of about 3 years....the kings have their reign and then they die.......

A Thunderous End..............

As they always seem to do, the Los Angeles Lakers have regrouped and added star power but the one constant for the last 17 seasons has been Bryant or what is left of the Bryant that we once knew.  The additions of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash were supposed to propel the Lakers to the top and they still might, these things often take time but that's the very problem that the Lakers are faced with.....time.  Howard and Nash are not 100% and the Lakers are a bunch that are long in the tooth.  They've already endured a coaching change this season and question still remain about their defense but yet Bryant is that constant, trying to will the franchise for his own gain, that elusive number six.  If championship were won on will alone, all great NBA players would have one but sadly that's not the case.  The West's franchises growing in strength as the Lakers are seemingly in decline is no coincidence as the last two seasons the Lakers have been eliminated from the playoffs in embarrassing fashion.  The Lakers currently face great threats from the Grizzlies, Spurs, and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

If the Lakers are to overcome the challengers that were mentioned above will the Black Mamba be able to lead them to victory or will it be a new Bryant, an incarnation of Bryant that we haven't seen before.  Known for being aggressive at all times on the court, Bryant has never come across a shot that he doesn't like but now in the twilight of his career Bryant must do something that he was forced to do early in his career.......he has to become the second option.  Kobe Bryant will have to accept the role of being selfless and defer to the Lakers prized off season acquisition Dwight Howard.  VI is not even feasible if Dwight Howard isn't allowed to take his place among the Lakers greatest centers, Mikan, Chamberlain, Abdul-Jabbar, and O'Neal.

Acquiring IV would be a great Christmas gift for Bryant and perhaps the final milestone that'll be reached in his career but it's a gift that he'll have to wait until June to capture.  In the eyes of many, IV would be a coronation for Bryant and the cementing of his greatness next to the standard bearer, MJ.  Once his career is over, Bryant will have more points scored, more assists dished out, and more rebounds grabbed than MJ but it is the elusive IV that will truly make the defining statement and bring finality to a Hall of Fame career, one that will leave Bryant on a list of the top 5 players to ever play the game.  What does he have left to give.............................................VI

  

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Lin-Sanity: A doubled edged sword?

Jeremy Lin

      There are times when the name says it all when it comes to NBA success.  The name can say it all and help define careers, create legacies, and yes even ignite myths based on past performances.  Some of the greatest players that have stepped foot on the hardwood floors of the NBA also had the best names MJ, The Black Mamba, The Dream, The Iceman, Flash, Chocolate Thunder, and yes Sir Charles.  This past week, a new name was born, a new legend was created by a fan base so thirsty that they still believe that Willis Reed is walking through the tunnel.  Jeremy Lin has taken New York City by storm and yes it's time for Lin-Sanity!  Sometimes all one needs is an opportunity to show
their worth, show that they're worthy of playing at the highest level.  Jeremy Lin, a Harvard graduate, was cut by the Goldenstate Warriors and the Houston Rockets before landing in New York City but how did he get here, where did this phenomenon come from?

While growing up in Palo Alto California, Lin was taught the game of basketball by his father at the local YMCA.  Falling in love with the game is easy, mastering the game is the tough part and over the last five games, Lin has mastered his game and now as the starting point guard for the New York Knicks, Lin has created a fandom that rivals Tebow Mania.  Lin-Sanity is taking over the world, sweeping the nation and with all of the good press, there will be come bad press and unfortunately the stupid acts of others are out of Lin's control.

Jeremy Lin spent four years at Harvard, playing for the basketball team and majoring in Economics.  During Lin's four year stint at Harvard he averaged 12.9 points, 3.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 2 steals per game.  Lin was also a three time All-Ivy League selection, as a sophomore, junior, and senior and finished his career in Harvard's top five in scoring, assists, and steals.


After having a brief stint in the D-League, one that saw Lin post a triple double in his first game, the NBA can calling.  As mentioned earlier unfortunately, Lin was cut but since both teams have expressed regret about how Jeremy Lin was seemingly let go without being given much of a chance.  After being peppered by the media most of the week about the Warriors letting Lin go, Head Coach Mark Jackson decided to address the situation.

"I got a text message from Spike Lee (on Saturday) morning, thanking me, like I had something to do with it. I never saw him do a layup, so people can stop asking me. He never practiced for us, so leave me out of it."


Ignorance Galore

Really?

As the Lin-Sanity legend was growing as Jeremy Lin carved the Lakers defense, making Derek Fisher look like a player in his late 40's versus his late 30's, a sign in the New York crowd caught my attention.  At first glance the sign seemed harmless, a jab at Kobe Bryant but after thinking of it for a while, the sign was quite offensive.  Kobe Bryant has adopted the name of "The Black Mamba", not because he is of African descent but more due to the black mamba being the fastest snake in the world, one that is considered aggressive and highly venomous, one of the top ten most venomous land snakes.  Bryant saw the characteristics of his game in the black mamba, no more, no less.  Last friday when I saw the fan made sign I was disgusted.  This is not a cry wolf situation about racism but what this is, is a call out on ignorance that shouldn't be tolerated.  That sign should not have ever been allowed inside of Madison Square Garden nor should it have been displayed by ESPN, the self proclaimed worldwide leader in sports.

Not to be outdone by ESPN, foxsports columnist Jason Whitlock in a moment that was meant to be funny sent out the following tweet after Linsantiy overtook the Lake Show.

I absolutely love Whitlock's work as I have followed him for well over ten years but the tweet above was a sheer moment of ignorance.  Whitlock has stated multiple times, to enjoy his tweets but judge him by his work but tweets like the one above even though it was meant in jest, has no place in this world.   Some have called for Whitlock to be fired for the tweet but I'm not doing so, but he should be used as an example of what not to tweet.  Ask yourselves this question, what if the role was reversed?  What if an insensitive remark was made about an Caucasian, African american, or Hispanic american?  It just gives one something to think about, in no case should ignorance of this type be tolerated. 

A moment of redemption

After realizing the error of his ways, Jason Whitlock apologized for his tweet above by releasing a statement on twitter regarding the backlash he's faced in the middle of Lin-Sanity.  

I get Linsanity. I've cried watching Tiger Woods win a major golf championship. Jeremy Lin, for now, is the Tiger Woods of the NBA. I suspect Lin makes Asian Americans feel the way I feel when I watch Tiger play golf. I should've realized that Friday night when I watched Lin torch the Lakers. For Asian Americans and a lot of sports fans, his nationally-televised 38-point outburst was the equivalent of Tiger's first victory in The Masters. I got caught up in the excitement. I tweeted about what a great story Lin is and how he could rival Tim Tebow. I then gave into another part of my personality -- my immature, sophomoric comedic nature. It's been with me since birth, a gift from my mother and honed as a child listening to my Godmother's Richard Pryor albums. I still want to be a standup comedian. The couple-inches-of-pain tweet overshadowed my sincere celebration of Lin’s performance and the irony that the stereotype applies to pot-bellied, overweight male sports writers, too. As the Asian American Journalist Association pointed out, I debased a feel-good sports moment. For that, I’m truly sorry.  

Lin-Sanity is real

The Yahoo sports blog The Post Game recently revealed many truths about Lin-Sanity and some have actually given the New York Knicks financial gain.  All of this is of course sparked by Lin-Sanity, five games started, an average of 27 points, 8 assists a game, and a five game winning streak on top of that.

• Lin’s No. 17 jersey is the NBA’s top online seller since February 4.

• Knicks merchandise sales are No.1 overall in the NBA since Lin’s breakthrough game.

• Five of the NBA’s 10 most popular items are Knicks-related since ‘Linsanity’ started.

• Lin’s Chinese Wikipedia-style page (Baike) has picked up 3.5 million hits.

• Modell’s Sporting Goods Inc. in midtown Manhattan can’t keep Lin’s gear on shelves; they went through multiple shipments of jerseys and T-shirts over the weekend.

• The Knicks have taken advantage of Linsanity, raising average ticket prices by 27 percent since Lin scored 25 points off the bench against New Jersey in his breakout game.

• The Knicks’ upcoming road opponent Toronto has a huge price differential to see Lin play (cheap seat: $44.00) as opposed to an upcoming game with the Spurs (cheap seat: $12.50).

• Madison Square Garden stock has zoomed by 6.2 percent to $31.25 since the day before Lin started the Knicks on their winning streak.

To be continued.......

Lin's ascension in the NBA could end up being one of the best basketball stories in years as long as the Knicks continue their winning ways.  Lin represents the true story of the "underdog" fighting for his unlikely chance and making the most of said chance upon receiving it.  Allowing ignorance or hated to cloud the journey and story of Jeremy Lin would be an absolute tragedy.  Jeremy Lin will be a free agent at season's end and the Knicks will have to make a very tough decision because if Jeremy Lin continues this incredible run and the Knicks are able to make the playoffs, then they must use the full mid-level exemption to re-sign Lin so that Lin-Sanity can continue in New York versus elsewhere.  Continue the thirst Knicks fans but please don't become salty.  

Dedicated to Vic!

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