Brook "the X-Factor" Lopez

Today I stumbled across a sports' website called How They Play that beforehand I didn't even know existed.  And they have this article entitled "5 of the Biggest NBA Draft Steals".  And on that list is Isaiah Thomas.

He is someone who, according to the article, had undeniable scoring skill even in college.  Meanwhile, he wasn't drafted all the way down to the 60th pick, meaning that, since each of the 2 rounds has 30 picks, that he was actually the last players selected.  That was in 2011.  By 2017, Thomas was in the MVP conversation.  And I think I even remember that season, the one where the NBA helped the Cavs get pass the Celtics.

Now anyone who knows of Isaiah Thomas would also be able to figure out on their own that the reason he went so low in the draft is because of his height.  Wikipedia lists him as being 5'9", which would probably mean he's even as short as 5'6" or 5'5", which may be hard to imagine.  But the reason I say that is because it is also common knowledge that the NBA adds a few inches to players' official height.  I went to school with a dude who went to the NBA who is listed at 5'11".  Meanwhile, I can assure you that he's no taller 5'8", and as I remember 5'7" even.

So don't let anybody tell that you that height doesn't matter in the NBA.  If the Warriors were able to construct a dynasty being relatively small, that doesn't mean that any team can do it.  Shorter guys tend to be the more skilled basketball players, and I know a number of average-sized dudes who, if it were about skill alone, would probably be NBA players.

But damn, what if you then have to face up against a Lebron or Giannis.  I'm not even talking about mismatches that are designed by a coach; I'm talking about giants who are able to run the point.  So unless you're the deadass Splash Brothers, size does matter.

"THE X-FACTOR"

The Bucks look very mediocre these days.  This isn't due to the team having a flawed roster per se.  In fact they have one of the most balanced rosters, and the last couple of seasons, even prior to the arrival of Jrue Holiday, they've also possessed the best regular season record.  And of course we know they also achieved a Championship last year.  So what's the difference between the last couple of years and now?  Well, Brook Lopez has been injured this entire season.

Brook Lopez is someone who looks big even standing next to other NBA players.  And I remember him making a number of timely plays during last season's playoffs.  His stats aren't going to jump out at you, but Lopez is a skilled and effective bigman.  And he's even developed a pretty-reliable 3pt shot over the years, which is good for him, or else somebody out there would be out saying some dumb shit like he's obsolete.

THE LOGIC BEHIND BASKETBALL

Basketball is not like soccer, or football as it is called in most of the world.  In football, the goal is on the ground.  So you see like a lotta averaged-sized dudes playing professional football.  I actually know a professional football player, and dude is like 5'4".

Meanwhile, in basketball the goal is 10ft up in the air, and shooting percentage is a big factor.  So of course being taller is more advantageous than otherwise.

I believe that being short has its advantages also.  But there's more if you're taller, i.e. blocking, rebounding, shooting percentage, being able to defend multiple positions, etc.  So unless Steph Curry goes out and like sires an entire generation of children, we shouldn't be looking forward to the NBA going short anytime soon.  The more logical prediction would be that we'll rather see teams with like five giants on the court who can all shoot 3s.  (And even that's taking longer to happen than I thought, though the Cavs are pretty close.)

And don't forget that even the Warriors had to bring Andrew Bogut into the fold before winning their first championship.  The only way to mitigate a lack of size is with a lethal offense.  That's the experiment that the Nets are trying right now, and it's blowing up in their faces.  I would have never let Jarrett Allen go in the name of signing James Harden after already having KD and Kyrie (unless the goal is selling tickets over winning).  Also remember that the top two MVP candidates as we speak, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic, are both centers.

You have people dissing the likes of Andre Drummond because he doesn't shoot 3s.  Meanwhile Joel Embiid can be hurt, and the Sixers will still bust your ass.

CONCLUSION

It doesn't look like Brook Lopez is coming back this season, if ever, after just having back surgery in December.  I would have thought that, since we knew from early on this might be the case, that the Bucks would have went out in search of a quality bigman or if not, move Giannis to the 5.  Instead it seems Bobby Portis is holding down that role.  And you know, Portis has his moments, but he's no Brook Lopez in terms of overall effect, i.e. the type of player whose skill coupled with his size can take a team to the next level.

F*ck the Bucks?

Here at NBA Inception, we don't condone White-on-White violence neither.

Let me be honest and say that coming into this post, my intent was to tear into the Deer, which apparently is kinda en vogue these days.  But before I get around to saying anything potentially negative about the organization, let me clarify that I have nothing against any of its players, not even Grayson "Spivy" Allen.  As with any sane NBA fan, Giannis "I Still Don't Know How to Spell His Last Name" Antetokounmpo is one of my favorite players.  I also enjoy watching Kris Middleton play when he's hot, making fools out of defenders.  Then there's Jrue Holiday who is perennially in the All-Star conversation.  And he really earned my respect back when played for the Pelicans since, even after it was established that they weren't really going anywhere, at least to my remembrance he never tried to force a trade or anything like that.

Also I have to give a shoutout to Bobby Portis who, during the early goings of his career, some people calling a bust.  And last but not least is Brook Lopez who, for some reason I can't truly explain, is one of my utmost favorite players in the NBA.  Like if I went to a Foot Locker or some shit, I'd buy a Brook Lopez jersey even before I'd buy a Lebron or Curry.

And even concerning Grayson Allen, it's only today that I finally got around to watching that flagrant foul he committed on Alex Caruso's tender ass.  Based on the way the media has been describing the incident, I was expecting to see dude like bodyslam Caruso out of the air or some shit.  But instead, we got this:

Not it's obvious that Grayson really didn't want him to make the shot.  But it's not like he hooked Caruso's arm or anything like that.  In fact I would venture to say that a foul like this, a stronger player like Lebron probably would have still made the shot.  But instead, I guess because Alex wasn't really expecting it, he ended up landing hard on his back.

And this is why I've personally coined the adage "your name walks in the room even before you do".  Grayson Allen was one of only a few players from the 2010s that I actually heard of even before he was drafted.  Why?  Because in college he developed a reputation as a dirty player.  In fact from then all the way til now, I think I've only come across one article about Grayson that actually focused on his basketball skills.  So I was under the impression that he was allowed to play dirty in college because #1 he's White and #2 he played for Duke.  But of course if a team of that caliber continues to give a controversially-dirty player run, that means he must be really good also.

A couple of weeks back, some dude from Portland also committed a foul on Kyrie Irving which the media was reporting as potentially career-ending.  Said player, Nassir Little, is someone who I would venture to say most of us never really heard of.  So even though that play did make headlines, no one really gave AF.  But by contrast, look at the history of your boy Spivy:

The last play on Jrue Holiday (who's now Grayson's teammate) was really dangerous.  But that said none of us, not even the people in the arena watching the game live, are actually aware of the relationship between players.  Things get said on the court; sometimes dudes get like hit in the nuts and all types of shit; feelings get hurt, and the refs can't police all of the action.  And I'm not saying that Jrue Holiday or Alex Caruso or any of the other victims in that video actually did anything to offend Grayson.  But what I am saying is that when offended, different people may react differently.  For instance earlier this year we even bore witness to Lebron James, who never gets into fights, actually drawing another player's blood.

F*CK THE BUCKS?

So when Mike Budenholzer came to the defense of Grayson Allen after the Alex Caruso foul, I was all ready to get into the Bucks' ass.  Then after watching the play, whereas I wouldn't agree with Coach's assessment that Allen was completely innocent, I personally don't see what the big stink is about.  But still, it's as if I don't really like the Bucks.

And again, it's nothing personal but rather harps back to my belief that the NBA more or less gifted them the Championship last year.  Now let me make something clear - many, if not most NBA Champions got some executive help along the way.  We know that the Shaq and Kobe benefited from David Stern's affinity for the Lakers. And The Last Dance strongly implied that even the Micheal Jordan Bulls were assisted by higher-ups.  So it's like it's their league, and who they want to win will most likely win.  But the way the Bucks were mediocre in the 2021 Playoffs, barely getting pass the Hawks even, I mean how on Earth did they beat the Suns?  And even til now the Bucks are mediocre, getting their asses handed to them by the Cavs just last night, though in their defense, Brook Lopez still isn't playing.

CONCLUSION

That said, the Bucks are still the betting favorites to take the East after the loaded Nets.  I personally believe that the Sixers, even without Ben Simmons, may be better than the Bucks.  But once Playoff time rolls around, it's like who knows.  Maybe the Bucks will luck out once again by only facing injured or equally-mediocre squads in the East.

One thing I will say though is that if they are looking forward to being the beneficiaries of executive privilege, it's like Milwaukee already got their one championship.  And like a wise woman once told me when it comes to navigating through the professional world, 'it's better for people to like you than not'.  So it really wouldn't help their cause if the team developed the reputation of shielding a dirty player.  But since the NBA only suspended Grayson for one game anyway, then obviously they didn't perceive that play against Caruso as being too dirty either.