NFL
By: Greg Rector
The NBA season is a marathon of course. However it’s obvious that some teams aren’t ready for that, some aren’t even ready for the 100 meters. Those teams of course headline the Victor Wembayanama sweepstakes. Do you really want this type of talent wasting away in Charlotte with Michael Jordan or Detroit, Houston, or even San Antonio the four teams currently with the best opportunity to win the draft lottery? Of the bottom four teams if Gregg Popovich was likely to be around for years then sure I would love to see what he would do with another big man, but I don’t think he will be around. This is a year where the balls for a longshot anyone from Utah at 14 currently to Washington at number six hopefully do win the lottery.
Memphis Mob
Now not being a watcher of any of the screaming matches known to many as some kind of entertaining sports journalism shows, the Shannon Sharpe versus the Grizzlies incident was not a good look for anyone. I spoke about this after the Christmas Day game concerning Memphis and talking, Ja Morant, and company time for a little less talk. As for any fan getting that heated as Sharpe did, anyone not a celebrity would have been escorted out. This is entertainment, not a club or back alley where alcohol makes folks stupid. The blame goes to all parties, plain and simple.
Toronto Turmoil
The Raptors faced depleted Bucks (Giannis and Middleton), Celtics (Tatum and Smart), and Timberwolves rosters this past week and lost to Milwaukee by eight points and the other two teams by two points each. They did manage to beat the Knicks on Sunday, but simply put this is a franchise in turmoil. How long Masai Ujuri and Bobby Webster wait to make a change is being watched very closely. When the Raptors issues get more airtime than the NHL teams up here in Canada, you know things are out of hand. Fire the coach, trade Van Vleet or Trent Jr, some even are willing to part with Anunoby and Siakim. Losing breeds a lot of overreactions. Something will happen, what they decide to do is anyone’s guess.
Road Warriors
The Philadelphia 76ers had an awesome road trip. They played great basketball nightly and went 5-0 out west. That included beating Sacramento minus both James Harden and Joel Embid. That ended a six-game winning streak for the Kings. If you read my “Bold Predictions” for 2023 article around the New Year I did have the Kings winning the NBA title, somewhat tongue in cheek, but the team I also had my sleeper team in the league sits third in the western conference standings. Meanwhile, the Sixers beat teams in a variety of ways, and when you can get wins minus your two best players that’s always a bonus.
Scoring Race
Past the halfway mark and there are 5 players if you round up Lebron James and Kevin Durant it’s seven players averaging 30 points a game or more. The guy who is on fire is Shai Gilgeous – Alexander. The Thunder guard is making 30 a night with ease. Averaging 7 more points a game over last season is he a candidate for Most Improved Player? We will see when the votes come in but to me, he has to be a strong candidate at this point.
Hawks Shopping Young?
Funny how a couple of times now at the end of last year and now just a few weeks later a lot of rumors concerning Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks are being floated about. Look I admit I am not the biggest Young fan out there. It would be shocking though after giving him a max deal for them to trade him unless the rumors of his being the cause of dissension are proven to be a reality. It would definitely be the biggest trade deadline story if it were to happen. I just don’t believe it will. the latest rumor is that Young doesn’t like the fit with Dejounte Murray. That sound like they are saying Young clearly doesn’t like sharing the spotlight. When reporters covering teams float things out there without proof, it can be because they want to stir the pot, or depending on the reporter it’s the team sending out a trial balloon. Either way, it gets eyes on social media and is something to watch if anything really materializes.
That’s it for this week in the association.
