Jalen Brunson: The One That Got Away

I'll be honest and say that when the Mavs traded Doncic for Davis, yes, I was a bit surprised, but I wasn't one of those kinds of people who couldn't see the logic in the decision.  There were financial factors involved, i.e. do you want to supermax a player who you know isn't likely to lead you to a championship?  And you know, it's sorta like damned if you do, damned if you don't.  Luka was the face of the franchise, and you don't want to alienate your fanbase.  But at the same time, with a superstar like that, if you don't win a championship eventually, those same fans will diss you.

In hindsight, I would say the biggest mistake Dallas made wasn't trading Doncic in and of itself but rather trading one perennially-injured allstar for another, even older perennially-injured allstar.  Also, having Anthony around never panned out as idealized because, excuse my expression, he plays like a bum.

It was blaringly obvious that the Mavs needed an interior presence more than anything.  Remember, we're now in the Wemby Era.  But there goes Anthony, executing crossovers and jacking up three-pointers, as if he isn't 7-feet tall and shit.

But now, let's go back even further to the 2022 Playoffs.  And if you dig back through this blog, this is something I pointed out at that time.

During that postseason, the Mavs were playing better with Brunson and without Luka than they were playing with Luka and without Brunson or with both of them in the lineup.  These kinds of things, they aren't easy to explain logically because of course, Doncic was putting up better stats, perhaps more than anyone else in the entire playoffs.  But he was also of course regularly injured.  Yet the Mavs, depsite being underdogs without him, led by Jalen were pulling off upsets.  And once Luka did return like fulltime, that chemistry or magic was destroyed.

Again, this isn't something I can fully explain, how the team seemed to play better without Doncic, considering that Brunson is an even bigger chuck.  But I would say that maybe, the other Mavs players were able to fukwit him more because, not trying to sound racist or anything, but he plays more of a Black brand of basketball.

Also, back then Luka appeared sorta despondent towards his teammates.  Thankfully, that problem appears to have been solved, as he seems to be a lot more connected and supportive on the Lakers.

Now we can say that, no matter how much money Dallas offered, Brunson was going to bounce anyway, to be with his dad in NY.  If the Mavs' braintrust had inside knowledge of something like that, that they didn't even have a chance, then that would explain why they didn't really try to keep him.

Indeed, the general thinking at the time was, who would pay a king's ransom for Jalen and in the process risk losing Luka?  In other words, no one was even imagining that Brunson may be the better player.  Well, that is to say no one but me.

IS BRUNSON BETTER THAN DONCIC?

So recently I was watching this video about 'who turned out to be best player in each NBA draft', and when the presenter got around to 2018, I was sure he was going to crown Luka.  Remember that both Ayton and Bagley were selected before Doncic, and even the Hawks had a chance to land him but rather opted for Trae Young.  Those decisions have gone down as some of the biggest mishaps in recent draft history.

But who the presenter actually chose - who I had totally forgotten about - is SGA.  And I mean, he's right, now looking back from the future.

I'd still contend that Doncic is the most naturally-talented player in the NBA.  But all of the things people were predicting or hoping for Luka - MVPs and championships and shit like that - it's rather been Shai who's taken them home.  Yet and still, I wouldn't go as far as to say that SGA is the better individual player(?).

And that, dear reader, is the dilemma or confusion surrounding Doncic.  Dude commonly averages close to 10apg, so you can't turnaround and be like he doesn't get his teammates involved.  But it's just like, well, I don't think there's any team in the NBA - including the Lakers, marketing aside - who would rather have Luka than Brunson at this point.  None of them, except arguably the Knicks, could see this coming.

SHOUTOUT TO THE KNICKS

One of the reasons I'm calling this the Wemby Era, even if the Spurs don't win the championship, is because once dude fleshes out and like puts on more muscle, man, he's going to be an even bigger problem than he is now.  But as it currently stands, Victor's biggest weakness is his lightassednees.  It appears, at times, that the Thunder tried to exploit that, but they don't really have the personnel to do so, especially with Williams hurt

The Knicks, however, have the personnel.  They have the best all-around wing core in the league, and they are clearly physically stronger than the Spurs.  NYK's starting five is so stacked that Mikal Bridges is like the third or fourth option or some shit.

And the way I see it, going back to Brunson vs. Luka but also with Bridges vs. Durant, that's the biggest challenge of being an NBA braintrust, as far as roster decisions are concerned.  You're forced to constantly deal with this dilemma of having to choose between what the fans want, i.e. marketability, versus actually winning.  But of course, we don't have that problem at NBA Inception.  Here, we can tell the truth.

So if you dig back, you'll see that when the Suns traded KD for Bridges, I was like why?  Kevin is and by the looks of things always will be more popular.  But, as I argued back then, Bridges is the better all-around player.

CONCLUSION

In a perfect world, all braintrusts would be incepted, and every team would consequently be a contender(?).  But in the real world, you know, niggas be doing some dumb shit.  Like if the Lakers were going to trade AD - remember, this is a franchise that always had like the best C in the league and won accordingly.  So if you're going to trade AD, why for Luka anyway?  That was a Hollywood-inspired decision.  So anytime a superstar is involved in a transaction the question must be asked - is this decision based more on popularity or competitiveness?  The Rockets going after KD, was that more about popularity or competitiveness?  Could they have made wiser decisions in pursuit of the Larry O'Brien?  And on the flip side of the coin, what about players who are devalued because they aren't popular?

Congrats to the Warriors (I Guess)

The Warriors are my favorite team in the NBA and therefore were my sentimental favorites to win the Championship. The reason I like them so much is that there's more players on this squad I can identify with than any other, as in players who are underrated.  For example, people were even dogging the Splash Bros. + Draymond headed into this season.

Also, Golden State is the only team that you can look at them now and like see their future, as in having successful vets alongside a crop of up-and-coming players.  With other teams, even young ones like the Pistons and Rockets, there's no telling how they'll look years from now because if dudes keep losing, that would only make the young players, when they become eligible to bounce, more likely to do so.  Meanwhile, you have players on the Dubs like Kuminga, Poole and Payton who are being afforded the opportunity to gradually grow into stars and find their niche instead of being expected to turn around a mediocre franchise.  But of course there's no telling how long they'll stick around either, which is something I hope to get into in my next blog post.

But let me be honest and say that I wasn't really jumping for joy when the Warriors beat the Celtics.  In fact based on the little I saw, it doesn't really look like anybody was, though Steph was, understandably, quite emotional.

And I'll be honest and say that I thought Boston was going to win the series, at first.  But as it progressed, it became increasingly obvious that they were outmatched, not in talent but in depth.  And by the time Game 6 ended, you're sitting there saying to yourself like 'so if the Celtics are getting their asses bust like this now, then how did they even make to the Finals to begin with?'

Also, I don't know how common this is in NBA history, but the Warriors managed to win a Championship while not only avoiding the best regular season team in their conference (the Suns) but also the best in the East (the Heat).  The Heat would've matched up with Golden State better, because they have depth and Jimmy Butler.   So it's like the Dubs really lucked out, you know, rather playing against the Mavs type shit.  The Kawhi-less Clippers would have gave the Warriors a stiffer challenge than Dallas.

CONCLUSION

But one thing I always try to remember is that in NBA, nay, in life even, it isn't always the best who emerges victorious.  And if I'm still working on this blog next season, instead of going with who's the best team , my predictions will rather start to be based on who I think is favored to win.

But the good thing is that odds makers are already predicting a Warriors v. Celtics sequel next year, which really sounds like a longshot, thus meaning to me that people actually want to see them go at it again, maybe.  But in the meantime the Splash Bros. + Draymond would need to (re-)find the fountain of youth, and the Celtics could use some roster upgrades.  And I don't any of us want to see players like the Gauntlet or Kevin Looney leave.  But at least the Dubs have backups who can hopefully fill those holes.

Where Do We Go From Here? (Boston Celtics Edition)

It feels like Celtics' bashing has become sort of a fad now.  But when I criticized Jayson Tatum for being a chuck, I wasn't trying to diss him.  Every NBA that I've watched play this season has at least one solid chuck, with some of them, like the Nets, having more.  And it isn't always that these players are ballhogs or trying to imitate Steph, but that's the style of play the NBA intentionally evolved into a couple of years ago.

My mistake was thinking that the Celtics were familiar enough with each other to make up for the negative effects of chucking, you know, like being in position to get offensive rebounds and things like that.  But now you see just how rare and valuable a player like Dennis Rodman actually was.

And I'm not counting them out.  The fact they made this far amazes me even more than the Bucks winning it all last season.  But it's obvious Boston has depth issues, and that's the main advantage the Warriors have over them.

For instance both Derrick White and Payton Pritchard are quality guards.  But neither of them, to my knowledge, are known as ball handlers.  Meanwhile, what the analysts are saying is that it's the Celtics' turnovers that are fuking them up.

In Game 5 all of their starters played at least 30 minutes, including Robert Williams, who isn't in the best of health.  I thought that Al Horford, at least back in the days he used to get more assists.  But I'm sure I also said somewhere in this blog that he's the type of player who actually has to be touching the ball to be effective.  You know what I'm saying?  He's no Dennis Rodman.

Also Grant Williams, I'll be honest and say I don't really know much about him.  What I do know is that he had a big game against the Bucks a couple of series ago, and like I haven't heard his name since.

CONCLUSION

I'm not counting the Celtics out, but if they do end up winning this series, it's like their big 3 is really going to be tired afterwards.  But whether they emerge victorious or not, this team needs an upgrade in depth, at first I thought only on the frontline, but I now see they also need a more effective guard coming of the bench, someone who can play both the 1 and 2 (Jordan Clarkson?).

Celtics vs. Warriors? (Rigging Done Right)

Yes, I believe the NBA is rigged, to the point that suggesting otherwise would basically be an insult to my intelligence.  But I'm also not a child nor someone whose going to tell another person how to run their business, especially one as big as the National Basketball Association.  Or, ask yourself this question - how would NBA history look if it weren't rigged?

If the NBA weren't rigged, their would likely be a new champion ever season or two, because dudes would be so tired from winning a championship the previous season.  Young, energetic upstarts would also be a problem to the established status quo.  And by all means, the NBA had to have help the Jordan Bulls here and there.

Without rigging, Kobe + Shaq would have been lucky to have won even one championship.  Lebron going to the Finals for what, eight years straight?  Yes, the East was kinda weak in those days, but he also had some... help along the way.  And it isn't really the rigging that bothers me so much as sympathy for those on the losing end of the stick, those whose legacies are permanently affected just so that Silver and them can promote this one or that one.

But sometimes, they actually get shit right.  I knew from the beginning of this season that the Warriors were going to surprise people, because for whatever reason a lot of pundits were under the impression that the Splash Brothers are old, Draymond is washed up, so on and so forth, none of which I personally believed.  And this was even before Poole, Kuminga, Payton and them popped up out of nowhere.  But to be perfectly honest, I didn't expect them to make the Finals, where it looks like they're headed.  However I knew that if any NBA team could pull off that sort of a miracle, it's the Splash Brothers + Draymond.

And speaking of rigging, I believe the NBA helped the Cavs beat the Dubs in 2016 and helped the Raptors beat them in 2019.  Or at least with the Raptors, the Warriors were dealing with some serious injury issues at the time.

The only team I believe that was actually better than the Warriors back when they were kicking everybody's asses was the Celtics.  I don't mean that literally, since Boston never even made it to the Finals during that time (at least in part, imo, due to the propagation of Lebron).  But I do believe that the Celtics are the only team who could fairly and squarely beat the Dubs at full strength in a series, even when they had KD.  And now, we may finally be on the verge of seeing that matchup, with both the Warriors and Celtics, imo, being helped along the way during the 2022 Playoffs.  For instance the Warriors are lucky they didn't have to face the Suns, who are definitely better than the Mavs.  And as good as Boston may be or whatever, getting past the Bucks and Heat is like a miracle in and of itself.

CONCLUSION

If you're going to rig the NBA than please, do it right.  You know what I mean?  At least give the people an exciting contest.  But if at the end of the day you did help both Golden State and Boston make it all to the Finals, then please, at least at that point let them duke it out fair and share.

2nd Round Predictions - Mavs vs. Suns

I know it's not really fair to try to predict a series after one game has already been played, but I don't think anything that transpired in Game 1 really changed what I was going to say anyway.

DALLAS MAVERICKS

The Mavericks are like the Cinderella team of these Playoffs.  To be totally honest, I'm kinda surprised, given their roster makeup, that they made the playoffs at all.

STARTING 5 MAKEUP

PG-SG-SF-SF-PF (point guard, 2 guard, small forward, small forward, power forward)

I don't know who put this roster together, but from a defensive standpoint Dallas must boast the weakest frontline in the league.  Their starting C has the size of a PF, and their starting 4 plays more like a 3.  This past season, Dorian Finney-Smith and Dwight Powell combined for less than 10 rebounds a game.

BIGGEST STRENGTH

I have to say Luka, but his style of play has been souring on me of late.

BIGGEST WEAKNESS

At this point, as undersized as Dallas may be, I know not to sleep on them.  So once again I have to say Luka and more precisely how he's been chucking of late.  Like damn, if you're not willing to pass the ball to Jalen Brunson, then who has to be back there with you to convince you to pass?  Dude got deadass ripped by JaVale McGee.  And getting 8 assists is cool, but Luka should be getting like 15 with these role players around him.

X-FACTOR

Needless to say, Jalen Brunson.  If Luka isn't wise enough to force this guy to get going, then I have to question the legitimacy of allowing Doncic to run the point.

KARMA ASSESSMENT

I know it ain't always easy for these European superstars.  But one good thing I'll say about Jokic is that even though you could tell he also isn't too fond of his teammates, at least he knows when to pass the ball.

PHOENIX SUNS

The Suns rank high in like every category imaginable, which is why they're the title favorites (after the Lakers and Nets, lmao).

STARTING 5 MAKEUP

PG-SG-SF-SF-C (point guard, 2 guard, small forward, small forward, center)

The Suns are also a small team, until you get up to the 5 spot.  And this is how all teams should be structured imo, with respect for the center position.

BIGGEST STRENGTH

Depth.  Like the Suns never look like they run out of energy.

BIGGEST WEAKNESS

I can't really think of anything to put here except the prospect of CP3 or Devin Booker getting injured.  But if the Suns were playing against a bigger team, I'd prolly say something like lack of size.

X-FACTOR

I'd have to say Booker because it's not only the fact that he scores.  But also the way he scores sometimes can demoralize the opposing team, on that 'there's nothing we can do' type shit.

You know, there's a difference between a big, dominant player dunking on you and a guard hitting a jumpshot in your face.  With the big guys, at least you have the excuse that they're bigger and like angles and all of that shit.  And the only other players I know of who can consistently strip teams of their morale with jumpshots are the Splash Brothers.

KARMA ASSESSMENT

The Suns seem to have a good rapport, for the most part.  Most of the old superstars who are still playing have leadership issues.  But one thing the Suns have been blessed with is a veteran like Chris Paul who's actually like an older brother to younger players, not like some egotistical bully, you know, screaming on niggas while you're also flunking.

CONCLUSION

One thing I will say after peeping Game 1 is that the Mavericks don't have a true C anywhere in their regular rotation.  But still, it's like the Suns kinda struggled to beat them.  So who knows?  I already suggested that Luka may actually be able to take this team to the Finals.  But it's like fuk the BS, he has to pass more.

Where Do We Go From Here? (Utah Jazz Edition)

During the Playoffs, coaches tend to tighten up their rotations.  But that doesn't mean depth isn't important.  To the contrary - now depth is more important than it was during the Regular Season,  because even having 8 guys on your roster who can be effective, day-in/day-out, throughout an entire four quarters of basketball in an elimination type of scenario is a luxury most teams don't have.  And lack of depth, on top of questionable roster construction, is what ultimately did the Jazz in.

For instance, there's nothing wrong with having Hassan Whiteside as a backup for Rudy Gobert, since those types of centers tend to get into foul trouble a lot.  But you also have to another C on the roster, one of those stretch-5 types like Bjelica.  Why?  Because sometimes the big, lumbering center strategy doesn't work.

That's especially true now that we have players regularly doing crazy shit like shooting step-back threes early in the shot clock.  Sometimes both teams will be playing like that, not even letting 10 seconds go off transpire before shooting.  And in those cases, a traditional, lowpost C is of limited effect, because even players on his own team will sometimes shoot before he's in a position to secure the offensive rebound.

Also, I remember when Mike Conley signed that ridiculous contract in 2016.  That was what I refer to as a "legacy contract", the type a team gives to a star player they drafted who has stuck with them, even through the garbage years.  I remember when Kobe got a contract like that, and also I believe Dirk.  But the difference is that Conley, even if he did have his moments back in the day, isn't a franchise player.

And I know I may be bringing that up unfairly, as that contract already expired a year ago.  But dude is still making $20million+.  And it kinda reminds me of that episode of Friends where Monica bought those shoes and then had to wear them because she paid so much dough or whatever.

At his salary, it'd be hard for a franchise to rationalize benching Conley, even if he deserves it.  Even worse, he makes the kinda dough that could be spent on a couple of quality role players.  And the reason I bring that up is because it seems to make more sense, at least to me, to let Mitchell start at the point.  And then, you may even do something creative like start Clarkson at the 2.  But such a move, as it now stands, would further expose the lack of depth on this team.

And where the Jazz are weakest is actually at forward.  Bojan Bogdanovic is supposed to be one of the best European players in the NBA or whatever.  But it's like the Jazz are living a nightmare.

You always hear about salary cap and all that shit, but it seems that most teams are able to pretty much chase who they want and let the chips fall where they may.  The Jazz are like really top heavy, but after 3 or 4 players the name recognition and talent level seems to drop off enormously.  And you know, that kinda shit can work during the regular season, or if you have a bona fide superteam.  But not so much in the Playoffs, as the Jazz only have two perenial-ish allstars.

And to make matters worse, it's like who wants to play for the Jazz anyway?  I've been following the NBA through four decades now.  And in that time, as far as players that Utah didn't draft, Conley is actually the biggest name to ever join the roster.  And he did so via trade, not as a free agent completely under his own will.

CONCLUSION

I would personally say that Rudy has to go.  It probably also wouldn't be a bad idea to trade Conley, but Gobert going to a team that covets his skillset, such as maybe the Kings (off the top of my head), can reap 2 or 3 really good players in return.  Another squad that could obviously use someone like him is the Nets, though I don't know if they have the trade chips (Ben Simmons?  LMAO).

The Knicks were criticized for recently attending a Jazz/Mavs game, reportedly having interest in Jalen Brunson.  And maxing out Brunson sounds exactly like some dumb shit the Knicks would do.  And they're also said to be interested in Mitchell.  But that's another team that's deep enough to theoretically pull off a trade for Gobert, though it probably isn't likely since they already have Robinson.

Where Do We Go From Here? (Atlanta Hawks Edition)

Usually when a team is only a player or two from contending, as the Hawks may be, it's easy to identify the ideal type of player(s) that would fit into their roster.  But the problem with lineups like Atlanta's is that they don't really seem to lack anything in particular, except maybe experience and a backup PG.

I deadass forgot that Lou Williams was on this team until I just looked up the roster.  But for whatever reason, he wasn't even listed among active players for Game 5 vs. the Heat.

Earlier in the season, some lingering beef from 2020-2021 carried over in which John "Onfroy" Collins was pissed at Trae Young for being a chuck and for awhile was like demanding a trade or some shit.  I'm glad that didn't happen, because Young + Collins is the most exciting PG/PF combination since Kidd + Martin.  And one thing I will give Trae credit for is this.  Most players, amateur or professional, when you complain about them chucking, like they don't really give AF.  But it looked like Trae really made an effort to be more of a facilitator and less of a scorer as the season progressed, even when Collins was injured.  In fact, some people were even starting to say that now Trae isn't shooting enough.

Also, the most experienced players on this roster are Danilo Gallinari who, despite looking young, feels like he's been in the NBA since the 1990s, and Clint Capela, who played alongside the Beard during some of Harden's best years in Houston.  Lou Williams also falls into the category of experienced vet, but again, where dafuk is he?  I just googled him, and like some shit came up about him tweeting(?).

So now the question is like, who's even Trae Young's backup?  The only other PG actually listed on the roster is Sharife Cooper, someone who was getting mad love during the offseason, and I only remember hearing of him once since.

CONCLUSION

I felt that the Hawks making the ECF last season was a "fluke", and now that has been proven.  At the conclusion last season, they were supposed to be the next big thing.  But instead, that prize rather goes out to the Grizzlies and/or Timberwolves, or maybe even the Pistons come next year.

And off the top of my head, I can't even think of the type of player who would instantly cure Atlanta's woes.  Of course they need a quality backup PG, but they're rarer these days than perhaps they've even been.

One thing I will say though is that whereas Trae Young may be the star of the team, I think De'Andre Hunter is the model the Hawks should build upon into the future.  He has a very stable, veteran-like feel to his game - not none of that wild shit.  And it looks like he's going to keep getting better into the future.  So if his health holds up, he should become the team's centerpiece, even if Young is the franchise player.

In fact now that I think about, I don't think a team has ever won a Championship that like depended primarily on a PG for points.  You know what I mean?  Maybe the PG will be the main scorer, but there also has to be other dudes who can score, on their own, at a higher FG%.

Shoutout to Mikal Bridges

I don't believe I've ever mentioned Mikal Bridges name in this blog before, because honestly, I don't know much about him.  I remember his name floating around when he was drafted a few years back and occasionally popping up here and there since.  But of course there's more popular players on the Suns who have been getting most of the spotlight.

But one thing I do know is this.  Every time I've had the opportunity to peep a Suns game this season, he's represented.  I was really shocked when I learned when that some pundits were even suggesting that Mikal be named DPOY.  That's when I really understood that this is somebody, despite knowing how good he is on one level, that I'm still sleeping on.

IMO, Bridges falls into that category of dudes who don't particularly look like he can play basketball, like being all lean and inconspicuous and shit.  It's like CP3 and Devin Booker and/or DeAndre Ayton are also running around out there.  And even Jae Crowder, with his dreads, seems to draw more attention Bridges.  But like I said, that is also an advantage, when people and especially opposing players forget that you're on the court.  In that sense, Mikal reminds me a lot of Gary Payton II offensively.  And if you look at the highlights from Game 5 against the Pelicans, you'll see that Bridges was very much able to slip all up under their defense.

CONCLUSION

I'm on Bridges Wikipedia page now and see that he won a couple of NCAA Championships.  But this post isn't meant to be like a biography on him.

I believe that some teams are favored by the NBA, and other aren't.  And looking through this blog, you'll know what category I think the Suns fall into.  But if they are going to succeed, especially in the absence of Booker, then in a way it's almost as if Bridges is more important to the equation than even CP3.

Where Do We Go From Here? (Brooklyn Nets Edition)

I'll be honest and say that whereas I already knew the Nets damn sure weren't contenders (without Simmons), I never imagined that the Celtics would sweep them in such a dominating and embarrassing fashion.  Watching how Brooklyn performed in Game 3 almost brought tears to my eyes.  But as I have implied, Boston has the best perimeter defense in the league.  So this was bound to happen once a worthy defense locked in on Kyrie and KD, since the Nets don't play with any actual strategy.

The good thing about their situation, unlike other disappointing teams like the Lakers and probably soon-to-be the Jazz, is that the answer to the Nets problems, Ben Simmons, is already on their roster.  Once Joe Harris returns and if Simmons also suits up, the Nets should be the favorites to take the East, regardless of who wins it this year.  And it also wouldn't hurt if perhaps Andre Drummond shed a few pounds in the meantime.

There's this part in The Last Dance where they highlight how Scottie Pippen, due to his feelings being hurt at the time, refused to participate in a single pivotal play during a playoff game.  Well Ben Simmons has refused to play in an entire series, and he isn't catching nowhere near the flack Pippen did.  And I've already said it in the past, that if Ben Simmons has become that disenchanted with the NBA, then maybe he should just quit already.  It's better than giving fans of whatever team he's on false hope that he may return when needed.

Also, Steve Nash's leadership is suspect.  But I'm not going to go as far as to say that he should be replaced.  As I have also stated in the past, coaching these superstar teams isn't easy, because no matter what, dudes like KD and Kyrie are going to do what they want on the court anyway.  This same approach may have yielded better results in times past.  But occasionally putting up 50+ points doesn't mean that you're still in your prime.  But now, maybe people will stop already with that KD being 'the best player in the NBA' and Kyrie 'the best scorer in the game', lmao.

CONCLUSION

So now, Ben Simmons and Rich Paul are reportedly polying with the Nets.  These are the same type of Simmons' headlines that have been coming out all season.  And like I said before, there's no guarantee that he's ever coming back.

But Kyrie seems prepared to tough it out.  And you have to believe that he and KD are really going to come back with a vengeance next season.  So I'm already saying it now.  Despite those two being past their primes, if Simmons plays next season and everyone remains relatively healthy, the Nets are taking the East unless some other team makes a major powermove over the postseason.  But if Simmons finally decides to quit that'll be a sign of relief for many fans also, as those same funds can be used to go after someone more helpful, though I can't think of a player who would fit better with this roster.

Jalen Brunson (TF?!)

Looks matter in basketball.  And if you don't believe me, go down to your local gym or playground looking like you can't ball and try to get picked up for a game.  You better get there early to call next, or else, if the place is crowded, you may find yourself standing on the sidelines for hours.  Trust me, I know.

That's why it took so long for people to accept just how good Fred VanVleet has become.  I still have a hard time accepting it, because he simply doesn't look like an NBA player, or at least not on TV.  It's something about those short guys with big heads that just doesn't scream 'I can bust your ass in basketball'.  Desmond Bane also kinda has that quality, even though he's diesel AF.

And that brings us to Jalen Brunson.  A couple of months ago I had to privilege of peeping out a few Mavs games, and dude was out there totally and completely bustin ass.  And I'm just sitting there saying to myself like 'WTF?  Is this real?  Who is this guy?'  A couple of games, he even seemed to be outplaying, dare I say it, Luka Doncic himself.  Jalen Brunson is one of those players like I know I kinda heard of somewhere.  And it seems that the Mavs actually drafted him at the same time as they did Luka.

And now with Luka out, Brunson is doing the Jazz so bad that some dude over at NBC is even calling Utah "overrated".  I don't think the Jazz are overrated.  They just have bad playoff luck and, I believe, are not favored by the NBA.  And believe me - being favored by the NBA goes a long way.

And even still I'm reluctant to say that the Mavs are going to win the series.  But at this point, does it really matter?  I'm just glad I didn't right a post predicting this series, as I would have undoubtedly foretold that the Jazz would swiftly do away with the Luka-less Mavs.

CONCLUSION

Believe it or not, one of the advantages Jalen Brunson has is not looking like he can play basketball.  It doesn't matter if he scores 100 points in a game, his looks will remain the same.  And that one split second when the defender is saying to himself 'lol, look at this guy' is all Brunson needs at this point.  That's like some evolutionary psychology type shit, like a natural advantage he has over others.

The NBA - A Very Emotional Experience (For Players)

'Damn dude, like you barely even made it to the playoffs.' -Inception

It's been a long time since I watched any other sport but basketball.  A few years ago I went through a spell where I was watching a considerable amount of FIFA.  And when you talk about emotion, there's nothing in the world like when the home team scores a goal during a big soccer match.  Well, shit ain't really like that in the US where no one gives a fuk about soccer, but I digress.

What I'm trying to say is that, I know players and fans get emotional at sporting events, even on the playground or at the local gym.  And these days, post-lockdown(?), it almost seems as if NBA arenas are more invigorated than ever.  But what I want to talk about is the NBA players, who truly have developed into an emotional lot.

For instance, I was peeping last night's play-in game and saw Patrick Beverly jump on the table after the T-wolves beat the Clippers.  I can't remember who it was who first did the table jump, but I believe it might have been MJ or Kobe.  And in both of those cases, if I also remember correctly it was like after winning the championship and shit.  It wasn't like 'oh, we just barely made it to the playoffs, aaahhhhh!!!'.  But in Patrick's defense, the game was against the old team that didn't value him or whatever.  And later, I saw that Anthony Edwards jumped on the table also.  But in his defense, he's still basically a teenager.

And that's something that needs to be said about today's NBA.  Sometimes you can watch a game, and like every single call a ref makes, the player who has been assessed a foul would throw a sissyfit.  Sometimes, you see them sissyfitting because a foul wasn't called.  And besides making the sissyfitter look immature, the worst thing about it is that you can't throw a tantrum and focus on the game at the same time.  So a lot of times when a player is complaining about a no call, by the time he recollects himself the other team may already be on the other side of the floor with the ball.

And what I meant to get at concerning Anthony Edwards age is, I don't know if it's just getting old and shit.  But a lot of NBA players look mighty young to me these days.  With some of them, if not for the fact that they're mad tall, you wouldn't even know they're adults by looking solely at their faces.  So it's only a matter of time before we see a player on the court after a no call like 'I want my mommy!'

On the converse side, we have dudes celebrating every time they make a three-pointer or screaming every time they dunk.  Like damn, leave that to us laymen who don't actually play basketball for a living.  A NBA player celebrating every time he makes a three-pointer is like a policeman celebrating every time he makes an arrest.  Like damn, it's your job. 

The only players who should be getting giddy every time they make make a three are the ones who rarely shoot them.  Some players, you see them dancing and throwing up signs after making 3s, and their teams are deadass garbage.  You know what I'm saying?  Isn't actually winning supposed to be like a prerequisite for celebration?

Recently I was watching a Lakers game from 2000, where they featured a snippet of an interview with this old player, like some dude who played during the 50s.  Unfortunately, I can't remember who it was.  But anyway, they were asking him about his opinion of the current state of the NBA.  And he said something I'll never forget.  He said that he thinks the sport has suffered now that it's airing on TV.  And he said the reason why is because in the pre-TV days, players were more humble.  But now in the current age, they're 'selfish', I believe is how he put it.

So it's like always having those cameras in your face makes you want to showboat or some shit.  You know what I mean?  It makes you more emotional.  Like I don't really know how to put it into words, but you know what I'm talking about, since it's like some human nature type shit.

CONCLUSION

And if old boy was perturbed by the affect TV has had on the NBA 20 years ago, then he definitely wouldn't be happy with the internet, social media and all this additional shit we have now.  Hey Mr. Silver, whatever happened to that plan to let spectators metaverse their way into live NBA games?

But once again, I digress.  And I'm not trying to judge nobody or anything.  But in closing, I would like to think that if I were an NBA player, I would save the in-game celebrations until after the game is actually won.  You know what I mean?  No use celebrating a three or a phat dunk if your team is soundly on its way to getting its ass bust.  And then, how many calories does screaming like that consume anyway?  Like wouldn't that energy be better dedicated to gameplay?

Kyrie Irving, the Well-Rested Superstar

'Thank you very much.  I'm now off to play some flag football
against my non-professional athlete homeys.' -Kyrie

About a week ago, Kyrie "Fievel" Irving dropped 60 points in a game against the ever-lowly Magic, and all types of dickridin took place afterwards.  This even included NBC Sports postulating whether he's "the most skilled NBA player ever" (a distinction I would rather give to Kobe, but that's a discussion for another day).

Meanwhile, Karl Anthony-Towns accomplished the same feat the night prior against the Spurs, another team that really isn't that good but is still more respectable than the Magic.  And personally, I consider KAT's 60 points to be more notable than Kyrie's.  Why?  Because Kyrie Irving is better rested than any other NBAer who is actually playing at the moment.

This then brings up the age-old debate of which is more preferable, rest or practice?  Every year during the Playoffs, you have one team sweep another, while whoever they're going to face in the next round is locked into a longer, more-competitive series.  So then people start asking what's preferable, having days of to rest or constantly plying your craft?  The old adage, "practice makes perfect", would support the latter theory.  But natural law itself dictates that rest is a good thing, especially if you make your bread engaged in a profession as physically strenuous as the NBA.

Oddly enough, none other than Allen Iverson already answered this question, in his own special way, decades ago.  AI wasn't the most coachable player, and the pinnacle of his hard-headnesses was on display in what has gone down in history as "the practice rant".

Even though the Answer didn't actually diss the importance of practice, that's how his words were interpreted anyway.  But even if you do decide to take what he said like that, there's something very important you have to remember about Allen Iverson.  From the moment he stepped on the court as a rookie, he was already the best scoring PG in the NBA.  And that is not an ability he got from practicing.  In other words, he did not need to practice as much as some of the other dudes.

Would practicing make him a better player overall?  Of course it would, so long as he didn't overextend himself.  But it isn't like he's one of those players who has to go to the D-league and shoot a thousand free throws and all types of other shit before becoming a starter.  Allen Iverson wasn't Eric Snow or Aaron McKie or those other dudes he played with, no disrespect to them.  He didn't become one of the best basketball players in the world through practice.  Rather, he was born with it.

So if Kyrie Irving is in fact the most skilled player in the NBA, logic would dictate that the more rest he gets the better.  Why?  Because he's already more talented than 99.9% of the other players, so constantly being on the court isn't as beneficial to him as it would be to them.  That is to say that he is in the enviable position of being able to prioritize general health over actually playing basketball.

CONCLUSION

When this season began, I didn't believe that the Nets were contenders.  But with this current roster, I do.  Yet that said, if the Nets do make it out of the East please, let's not contribute it all to their talent, even if they do have one of the most-gifted rosters.

If they do make a long playoff run and Irving is healthy throughout, that would likely be due to the fact that he rested most of this season (remember what happened during last year's Playoffs).  And if Ben Simmons also suits up, which I believe he will, then the Nets will basically have two all-stars who rested all the way up until the playoffs.  Some people will say 'oh, Ben Simmons is rusty' - but he will be rested.  And in a way that may not be fair to the other teams who will likely be facing them with hobbled stars.

Steph "Out Indefinitely" (and now things get interesting)

It seems that Steph suffered some type of serious injury last night, apparently against the Celtics (a team I hope to write about in the near future in terms of them, if I remember correctly, being the dynasty Warriors' Achilles heel).  I just glanced at the headline, via NBC Sports, but I didn't read the article, as I have yet to watch the game's highlights and don't want to spoil things by knowing the winner beforehand.  But now the Warriors, a team who just yesterday I noted as being too deep, don't necessarily have that problem anymore.

Well more ideally they're heavier at the forward position, as in an injury to one of their forwards, even All-Star Andrew Wiggins, would have had less of an impact.  But now, on top of Jordan Poole becoming a permanent starter, I would speculate that Moses Moody is going to be getting a lot more burn at the 2-guard.  I would also have to presume that now the Dubs are going to have to expedite the return of Gary "the Mitt" Payton, which is a good thing, as I have grown weary of seeing him in street clothes cracking jokes on the sidelines.

I would venture to say that before Steph's injury, the Warriors were perhaps the 3rd or 4th best team in the NBA.  That's saying a lot for a squad with a core as old as theirs.  And, fuck it I'm going to say it - they may prove even better without Steph.  That is if Jordan Poole lives up to "the third Splash Brother" billing.

Either way, he's going to have an opportunity to prove to the world, right here right now, his basketball worth.  It's one thing when you're fighting with big brother looking on, ready to jump in if need be.  But now, it's almost like he has to become the next Steph.  And if he fails, there's no foreseeable PG coming off the Warriors' bench - no disrespect to the Mitt - who will be able to fill that void.  Good thing Draymond recently came back, or else the Warriors would really have like an on-court leadership problem.

CONCLUSION

I hate to say that it's 'exciting' to see a star player get injured, but this does stir things up a bit.  Luckily for the Warriors, they're in an overall better position to lose a star player, maybe even two, than any other team in the league.  And for all we know, Steph may well be back for the Playoffs.

Jordan Poole, in my opinion, should be able to pick up the slack, if not exceed it.  I know that Steph dropped like 40 points a couple of nights ago, but there have also been some recent games where he was outperformed by Jordan.

Curry, when energized, can be the most entertaining player in the game.  But he hasn't been putting on such displays with consistency as of late and has even been looking like he needs, nay, deserves a good rest.  So what Dubs' fans should really be worried about, even more than whether or not he makes the Playoffs, is Klay Thompson potentially getting (re)injured also.

Luka Dončić = The Best Player in the NBA

I already said this a couple of years ago, around midway through his rookie season, on a since-obsolete Disqus forum.  Luka Doncic is the best player in the NBA.  There's practice and working out and all that shit, and then there's just natural talent.  Does that mean I'd pick him as my franchise cornerstone if I could build any team I wanted?  Honestly, I'd prolly go with Giannis instead.  But that doesn't mean that I think Giannis is a better player in Luka.

The funny thing is that all the signs were already there for this to happen.  I know that the Euroleague doesn't have as many Black dudes, at least percentage-wise, as the NBA does.  But that's part of the problem, that Europeans don't even look like they can play basketball.  You would never look at somebody like Pau Gasol or Tony Parker or Rudy Gobert and say to yourself, 'yes, that's future Hall of Famer right there".  Even Dirk didn't look formidable until he grew a little diesel with age.  I vividly remember once matching up against a European dude, in the university gym, who is of the same modest size as myself.  And things got so bad that I had to win by cheating.

I believe that part of the problem is that it would be hard for any established superstar to play under Doncic.  There are very few players, maybe even only one or two, who if they went to Dallas right now would demand the same billing as Luka, even though he has seniority.  For everyone else, it would clearly be a case of 'you're on Luka's team' now.  And I'm not trying to sound racist or anything, but I believe the reason some superstars couldn't accept this fact earlier, that he's the best player in the game, is because Luka is white and European.  Most players who come into the NBA with a lot of hype have to prove themselves, but Luka didn't, since he was already one of the best players right off the bat.  Luka is so good that pundits can just ignore him in the MVP conversation, because by all means, barring injury, he'll be there next year also.

CONCLUSION

But I guess the mark of any legend-level great player is being able to at least lead a mediocre team to the Finals.  LBJ did it during his first stint with the Cavs.  AI did it with a cast of role players (and Dikembe).  Magic did it with Kareem injured.  And as balanced as the 1st three-peat Bulls may have been, spread throughout they damn sure weren't the best team in the NBA.  And the Mavs right now, at least as far as I know, are strong on the wings but weak upfront.  So that's my way of saying that based on what's been happening recently, I don't think any team except maybe the Suns would actually want to draw the Mavs in the playoffs.