So many nicks, so little time. Sorry Nick! But yes, the human stat-line roller coast (longer nick, you like?) Anthony Davis went from “Level 1” to “Level 3” apparently, skipped what I figured would be an injury at Level 2 and put up a 40/20 (along with 5 assists and 4 blocks) to help LeBron James and Austin Reaves (there are no other Lakers apparently) take the first ever In-Season Tournament Championship.
Before we get to the great Pacers showing (the entire tournament honestly), it was no hyperbole when I mentioned the Lakers are only rostering three players. Okay, like five percent hyperbole, but only because I like saying the word “hyperbole”. But the three of Davis, James and Reaves combined for 93 points and 35 field goals. No three-pointers by the way (I think Davis’ last attempt was like two years ago) from them, but that just shows how they got what they wanted in the paint and inside the arc. Not for nothing, but this is straight-up 90’s style basketball and without age-shaming myself, it was a treat.
And talking about the Pacers, we obviously must look at Tyrese Haliburton‘s IST run, scoring on average 26.7 points, 13.3 assists and 4.9 rebounds on 52.4 FG% and 42.5 3PT%. Incredible. Honestly, I love the way this team uses its speed and energy to dictate pace and everyone wants to facilitate and share, definitely some 2022 Thunder energy here.
Speaking of the Thunder, before the IST took hold this weekend, my man Chet Holmgren put up 39 points and 6 blocks with a +24. I’ve long since patted my back on going Chet instead of Wemby, and I’m loving it right now, but don’t sleep on the Spurs or Wemby. I mean, maybe the Spurs, it actually takes a lot of effort to hang out with the Pistons and Wizards, but remember, Chet is a rookie in name only and I cant’ wait to see what Wemby can do with a year of system work and other development can do…
Tests are showing that Kyrie Irving has a substantial heel contusion. We’ll know more this week, but it could be big deal. You know what they say, idle hands (or maybe mouth in his case?) are the devils play tools…
Like the true nature the universe, with Irving out, the cycle continues with Bradley Beal finally set to make his season debut this Tuesday against the Warriors. The universe, such a beautiful thing.
The yearly fat-shaming of Zion Williamson has begun! Or did it ever end? Look, there’s been plenty of aggregation and rehashing of the same old stuff, and with me eating my hot pocket here, the last thing I’m going to do is add BBQ sauce to this amazing rack of ribs while bemoaning Zion’s playing shape, but you know, I’m not a professional basketball player. Thankfully. All I’m saying is, this whole situation is a shame, and watching guys like Haliburton, or ANT, SGA, all the other letters, Zion should have been up there. Six years now in the league? That’s a lifetime, and instead of taking advantage of amazing talent and physical presence (like LeBron!), Zion has just taken his money and become a slow-man facilitator that, to be honest, is actively taking away from the Pelicans building an identity. It’s not because he’s fat, it’s because he doesn’t care, and that’s what is most frustrating.
So I guess the Trailblazers have been a mess, but that was to be expected… you can’t be running out such a young team with zero defense without draft aspirations, but the one player to emerge from the mess isn’t who you’d expect it to be; Shaedon Sharpe is currently averaging 26 points, nearly 8 rebounds and almost 5 assists a game while shooting nearly 55% from the field and 47% for threes.
And we’ll end on last two weeks Giannis Antetokounmpo just had; in his last 14 games, he’s averaging 33.6 points and 11.4 rebounds on 65.2% shooting…
Jay is a longtime Razzball everything who consumes an egregious amount of Makers Mark as a vehicle to gain wisdom and augment his natural glow. Living in the D.C. area, he also likes spending time visiting the local parks and feeding lettuce to any turtles he encounters, including Mitch McConnell.
