NFL
By: Joe Cardoso
To some NBA fans, myself included the season STARTS at Christmas. We have the trade deadline coming fast along with All-Star Weekend. The rash of injuries continues which is an eye sore this season, but we also have seen new faces emerge and help teams stay afloat until stars come back healthy. Also, this year’s rookie class is not nearly as bad as many were led to believe it would be. Yesterday we were treated to some really good games and that is just what the doctor ordered for hoop fans. Let’s get into this week’s topics.
Refs Taking Center Stage
Hoop fans go to games and watch them to see elite athletes battle it out, not to see which official can make the game about them and determine the outcome of contests. From the Joel Embiid ejection, missed calls a topic that was a small part of the game is taking center stage more and more. I don’t like it and neither do fans. Anthony Edwards got hit in his pockets for his comments about the refs after a recent loss, $75,000 for public criticism of the officiating, and using profane language.
Referee Jenna Schroeder was honest and once she saw the tape told Sixers head coach Nick Nures “I f*cked up when she ejected Andre Drummond for doing nothing at all. In the same contest, Joel Embiid was given the boot and went OFF. The big man had to be held back by teammates and this started a firestorm, of internet trolls talking about a woman in a “man’s game” That is a topic for another day. Now are the players and coaches always right, of course not and this isn’t new we have always heard about how bad the refs were in post-game pressers and interviews. But in the age of cameras and everyone having access to footage mistakes are highlighted to a whole another level now. The two men in charge of officials are Albert Sanders Jr, and long-time official Monty McCutchen they are trying to be more transparent in the Why behind rules and calls. This is a topic to keep an eye on moving forward.
Denver We Have A Problem
If you are a hater of Nikola Jokic before this season then this must be torture for you because he is ballin. Ranking in the top for scoring (30.9 ppg) Rebounds (13.0) and dimes (9.8) he is also shooting the lights out from deep. Don’t look now but the Nuggets are moving UP the Western Conference standings who will step up and help him carry the load? Already known to roll out of bed and get a triple-double it is a long season and it can’t be expected for him to keep up this pace. Bright spots like Russel Westbrook are doing their part and it would be nice to see Jamal Murray stay on the floor and do his part. In the last few games we are seeing much more from “the others” time will tell if this continues.
Remember The Name
As I mentioned a ton of injuries have popped up all across the league. With that comes chances for role players to step up and get a shot to shine and a couple of names have stood out. And it is not just injury replacements some guys have improved over the summer and it is showing nightly, I won’t name all of them because there are that many but here are a few that have my eye so far this NBA season.
Christian Braun: One of the few Nuggets who is showing up nightly and giving the Joker a hand. His numbers are UP all across the board.
Dyson Daniels: Such a good defender and his overall game is so much better.
Bilal Coulibaly: The ONLY reason to watch a Wizards game
Brandon Miller: Not a lot to get excited about in Buzz City, except this second-year budding star.
CLOSEST #NBAXmas EVER.
🎄 Bridges, Wemby duel in Knicks W
🎄 Ant comes up CLUTCH for Wolves
🎄 Sixers come back in Boston
🎄 Reaves wins it for Lakers
🎄 KD, Beal power SunsToday’s average margin of victory was 5 points… the closest EVER for a Christmas Day with 5+ games. pic.twitter.com/ZAi9Lc7ic4
— NBA (@NBA) December 26, 2024
Enjoy the holiday and all the sports. If you must also enjoy time with family and friends. If we learned anything yesterday it was these two things the NBA will always bring the goods on Christmas day, and that Beyoncé is the greatest performer of our time. Want more NBA content then listen to “The Hoop Heads Podcast” hosted by Melo Williams, Kevin Lucas, and myself. The fun part of the season starts NOW.
