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In Memoriam: Kobe Bryant

1/26/2020

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By Joshua Tenzer

    ​“Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames. Much respect my brother #33644” That was the last tweet sent out by Kobe Bryant 15 hours and 45 seconds before TMZ first reported about his untimely demise in a helicopter crash. That tweet was congratulating LeBron James for surpassing Kobe on the all time point total list, bumping the retired NBA player down to 4th all time. He wasn’t upset or salty about the success of others, he was classy and proud of LeBron’s success on the court.

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Kobe Bryant in his first year and last year in the NBA
    TMZ was the first major news outlet to break the news of Kobe Bryant’s passing. When I first saw it, I was in shock. TMZ is a glorified gossip magazine with a television show, they could be wrong. Then Yahoo News released a statement, then Bleacher Report, ESPN, ABC. It was real. I sat there for a long time in silence. I wasn’t alone in that. The hall of my dorm exploded into shouts of disbelief and confusion. Hockey writer Steve Dangle tweeted “At an airport restaurant in Charlotte and the whole place went quiet when ABC and ESPN broke to the news.” The world seemed to stand still and no one really had words. 

    ​Kobe Bryant transcended his sport. He was accomplished both on and off the court. He is the only person to win an NBA championship and an Oscar. Not only did he win an NBA championship, but he won 5, was MVP for two of them, has the second most three-pointers made by a player in one game, 2nd most points by a player in a game, the only player to have two numbers retired by the same organization, two Olympic gold medals, and a 17 time all-star. In a rapidly shifting offensive game, Kobe played all around the court. He led his team in scoring for twelve of his 20 years and made 12 all defensive team selections.

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Kobe Bryant and his 5 NBA Championship Trophies
    Besides the five championship wins, most people’s first thought at the mention of Kobe’s name is his 81 point game against the Raptors on January 22nd 2006. He played almost 42 minutes and his 81 points came in the form of 28 field goals going in out of 46 attempts. He was 7 for 13 from beyond the arc and collected 18 points from the free throw line. If he kept that pace for the other six minutes that he was benched he would have ended the game with 93 points. An average game for Kobe that season was impressive: 35.4 points per game, he played significantly better on that day to say the least. The rest of the Lakers team attempted 4 less field goals than Kobe and made less field goals than Kobe made free throws.

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Kobe on January 22nd 2006 vs. the Toronto Raptors. He put up 81 points that night
     On December 13th 2019, just weeks before his death, Kobe Bryant was seen helping to comfort victims of a car crash before first responders arrived on the scene. He owns the Mamba Sports Academy, a space for youth athletes to train their skills in a multitude of sports. He spent his time after the NBA being a family man and helping others. Just like when LeBron passed him on the scoring list, he lived his life with class and should be remembered as such. 

Photo Credits:
The Philadelphia Tribune
NBA
The Wrap

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RJ Barrett's Promising Start Giving Knicks Fans Needed Hope

10/30/2019

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By: Jared Greenspan

The 2019 NBA Draft Lottery brought about unprecedented angst and apprehension for NBA franchises and their respective fanbases. Why? Available for the taking was Zion Williamson, the freakishly athletic, extremely gifted bowling ball of a power forward from Duke who, in many eyes, was viewed as the best pro prospect since LeBron James. 

Williamson offered all the lackluster franchises competing in the lottery with a formidable chance at resurrection. The team lucky enough to land the first overall pick would presumably select Williamson, who would bring instant excitement, entertainment and unlimited potential. 

For fans of the New York Knicks, a franchise notoriously dormant and dysfunctional throughout the 21st century, the crave for Williamson was palpable. New York had a 14% chance to land the coveted number one pick, tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns for the top odds. If the Knicks could land Williamson, years of failure would quickly be forgotten. 

In typical Knicks fashion, though, the ping pong balls failed to bounce in the franchise’s favor, the number one pick instead falling into the laps of the unsuspecting New Orleans Pelicans. The devastated New York fanbase went up in flames and a depressing hysteria.

Relegated to the third pick in the NBA Draft, New York went on to select RJ Barrett, Williamson’s college teammate at Duke. After a promising season debut in San Antonio last Wednesday night and three strong games since then, it appears that Barrett might have what it takes to be the flame that ignites the franchise to a restoration of its glory days, after all. Perhaps Barrett is capable of making the New York City faithful forget about their lost chance at gold in Williamson. 

It’s easy to forget that, coming out of high school, it was Barrett -- not Williamson -- who was the number one player in the country. Almost immediately, Barrett was overshadowed by Williamson’s thrilling theatrics and highlight-reel dunks at Duke. 

While a Blue Devil, Barrett was often under-appreciated and criticized for his play on offense. There was no doubt that he was immensely talented and capable of scoring in droves, yet many viewed him as selfish. Critics ridiculed his questionable shot selection and inability to make an outside jump shot with any sort of consistency. 

Such concerns reared their head again throughout the preseason and summer league for the Knicks. Barrett often jacked up shot after shot, showing little self-control. His shooting percentage was uncomfortably low, as even when he got to the basket -- one of his strong suits -- he had trouble converting. Teams would also leave him free on the perimeter, not all too worried with his ability to knock one down from range. 

In a formidable NBA system, Barrett would not be able to survive while keeping up such play on offense. Forcing up shots and isolation would have to give way to crisp cuts and ball movement. From there, scoring opportunities would surely arise more naturally. The question, though, would be whether or not Barrett, all of 19-years-old, could pick up on such in haste. 

In the Knicks first game of the season against the San Antonio Spurs, we saw a much more controlled, poised and ultimately impressive version of Barrett. It was the tantalizing type of play which floods Knicks’ fans hearts with endless hope. 

Barrett bullied his way through the Spurs defense with ease, getting to the basket in the halfcourt and transition. When he bruised into the paint, he was able to finish, showcasing strength and creativity at the rim. Overall, Barrett finished 9-13 from the field, good for 21 points. Only taking 13 shots, Barrett showed a form of self-control that was largely absent at Duke and in the preseason, certainly a positive takeaway. 

In his second career game against the Brooklyn Nets, Barrett flashed his defensive potential -- another aspect of his game often absent while at Duke. The rookie recorded six steals, flexing good, active hands. 

The positive play from Barrett has continued since then. Against the Celtics in his debut at the Garden, he led all Knicks with 26 points, also canning four three-pointers. In the Knicks first win of the season against the Chicago Bulls, the rookie was instrumental in engineering an 18-point comeback, notching a double-double with 19 points and 15 rebounds while logging 40 minutes. 

Only nineteen, Barrett is mature and wise beyond his years. Coach David Fizdale has developed so much trust in Barrett that he opted to start the rookie at point guard in the season opener. While the beginnings of such an experiment failed to pay dividends, the showing of confidence certainly says something about the rookie’s talent level and adaptability. And in the closing minutes of the game against Brooklyn, Fizdale again turned back to Barrett to man the point guard position, a stint in which he looked much-improved and more confident. 

In today’s NBA, Barrett is the lauded prototype. At 6-7, he has the height and lanky wingspan to disrupt perimeter players and battle with taller post players. On the flip side, Barrett is a mismatch for bigs and smalls alike, possessing an ability to score down low and handle the ball with grace.
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In the end, Wednesday night was only the first game of Barrett’s career and, combined with the other three games, makes for a small sample size. Still, the results have undoubtedly been encouraging, Barrett’s strong start surely sparking hope for Knicks fans moving forward. 

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Lottery Bound Teams Worth Watching in the 17-18 NBA Season

10/12/2017

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By Adam Rich

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With the NBA season a mere week away, the main storyline is the Golden State Warriors, and the developments related to their domination throughout the league. Coming off of an NBA Championship and seeking to win their third title in four years, most fans and executives alike expected teams to back down in the wake of the juggernaut Warriors. To the surprise but delight of many, teams bulked up instead. The Thunder added Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, while Houston added Chris Paul. The Spurs stood pat, but remember they held a twenty-point lead against the Warriors in game one of the Western Conference Finals before Kawhi got Zaza’d. On the other side of the country, Boston stocked up on talent, adding Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving, although at the cost of beloved Celtics Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley. Cleveland always remains a threat so long as they posses Lebron James, and every team listed above could be a Steph Curry ankle sprain from a championship. But there’s intrigue on the bottom half of the league too, as many teams that have been tanking in recent years continue to build towards the post-Warriors era. While fans of most expected-to-be lottery teams know their team won’t be competing for a title this season, they can rejoice in their quest to build for the future, particularly fans of these four young and exciting teams.


Lakers

The Lonzo Ball effect is real. While the Lakers probably won’t crack the playoffs (sorry Lavar), they’ll definitely be worth the watch. Ball will invigorate the franchise and has the potential to launch them into a wildly successful and prosperous post-Kobe era. While Ball isn’t expected to light up the game with his shooting, he is more than capable from deep despite his awkward form (41% in his lone season at UCLA), and will likely develop into an above average threat from beyond the arc. Ball will mesh seamlessly into Luke Walton’s spacing and ball movement system alongside Brandon Ingram. For Ingram, who struggled at times last season adjusting to the length and speed of NBA players on both ends of the court, he will have much to prove this season. Ingram focused much of his attention this offseason on the defensive side of the ball, while continuing to harness his sweet stroke. Although his shot did not translate from Duke last season, Ingram has the potential to become a 20+ point per game scorer in the near future. His form is excellent, and his combination of height, handles, and quickness will give him an unparalleled advantage on offense when his skills reach their potential. Opposing wings can’t contest his shots easily, and opposing fours can’t keep up chasing him around the perimeter. Ingram also has an improving low post game to complement his well-honed perimeter skills. Outside of the two main Laker stars, expect Julius Randle to make a jump in his fourth professional year, in addition to Summer League star Kyle Kuzma. The elite athleticism of Larry Nance Jr. and the free agent addition of talented two way wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope add to the intrigue that comes with the drafting of Lonzo Ball, and should have Laker fans buzzing for weeks until December once they realize their team isn’t competing this season and return to being Clipper ‘fans’ for another year or so.

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Sixers

The Process has arrived. Rather The Process got paid. Joel Embiid that is. Fresh off of signing a five year, 148 million dollar deal (albeit with many injury provisions) as a result of his tantalizing talent, the questions still remain. Can Embiid stay healthy enough to anchor the Sixers for years to come? In three years in the league, Embiid has played a mere 31 games total. But those 31 games were enough to entice the Sixers into locking him up early and enhancing an already strong relationship between the two sides. Embiid’s ability to anchor the defense last season was apparent immediately, as the Sixers actually won a few games before he was shutdown for the year. Picturing a healthy Embiid (sadly doubtful to actually happen) alongside budding stars and fellow first overall picks Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz is incredibly exciting, and should turn endlessly stubborn Philly fans into eager supporters. The Sixers now have two capable ball handlers to initiate the offense, in addition to the option of having Embiid kickstart it out of the low or high post. While Simmons is not a talented shooter, the team will space the floor with Fultz (41% although the team is tinkering with his shot...yikes), sharpshooter J.J. Reddick, and either Amir Johnson, Robert Covington, or Dario Saric at the four (all above-average shooters). Also coming off the bench will be the spunky T.J. McConnell, an interesting piece in Nik (Sauce Castillo) Stauskas, and talented big Richaun Holmes. With their cache of young talent and influx of veterans to guide them, The Process will keep on rolling, and has the potential to nab one of the East’s back end playoff spots.


Suns

Forgot The Process, here comes The Timeline (credit SB Nation’s BrightSideoftheSun). With the youngest roster in the league, the Phoenix Suns will be a bottom five team again, but they are not without intrigue. Phoenix features two of the best young talents in the league, and perhaps the two most complementary to each other. At the 2 guard is budding superstar and microwave scorer Devin Booker. While a lethal scorer from inside the arc, Booker still has a ways to go from downtown (a mere 34%) before he enters the upper echelon of NBA scorers. Currently, Booker employs one of the silkiest shots in the league, along with a deadly arsenal of dribble moves, pull ups and finishes around the rim that have enabled him to score at will in his first two years in the desert. Based on the rest of his offensive game, there’s no reason to believe Booker won’t reach his 50-40-90 offensive potential. Alongside Booker is fellow 20 year old Josh Jackson, the rookie out of Kansas. Jackson’s athleticism was unparalleled in the rookie class, and Jackson was in the discussion to go first overall throughout the college season, making him a steal for the Suns at 4th overall. Jackson smothers guards on the wing with his imposing wingspan and lightning quick foot speed. Jackson also has the ability to hold his own in the post should the Suns choose to go small with Jackson at the four due to his 205 pound frame. While not touted as a shooter, Jackson did close the year with a stretch where he shot above 40% from deep. If jackson’s shooting winds up nearly half as strong as his defense, the Suns are in for a treat. From the front office side, the role of Eric Bledsoe should fascinate NBA fans. Playing on a relatively cheap contract (14.5 million) and coming off of a transcendent (albeit quiet because he plays in Phoenix) year, Bledsoe could be dealt either this season or offseason to pave the way for Serbian darling and soon to be top pick Luka Doncic. The Suns will feature promising but flawed big-men Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss in the frontcourt alongside seasoned vet Tyson Chandler, in addition to young role players T.J. Warren, Tyler Ulis and the high-flying Derrick Jones Jr. The accumulation of young talent in Phoenix within Earl Watson’s run and gun system makes the Suns worth the watch come October.


Nets

No, I am not joking. The Nets will be really fun to watch this year. After acquiring D’Angelo Russell from the Lakers, the draft pick depleted Nets finally have a potential star to build around. Although his tenure in Los Angeles never got far off the ground (thanks Byron Scott and Magic Johnson), D’Angelo still has superstar potential. Russell has shown flashes of excellence in the past, but needs to become more consistent in his decision making and effort to become a legitimate threat on a basketball court. With only 2 nationally televised games this season (both NBAtv), Russell will be out of the spotlight despite being in New York, and will have a chance to grow as a leader and playmaker. While Russell alone should be enough to entice viewers, he’ll have a chance to share the court with Caris Levert, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and Jarrett Allen, all recent picks. Despite not having their own pick in recent years, the Nets have managed to acquire young talent by taking on unwanted contracts. All three players fell in their respective drafts (due to age, one-dimensionality, and injury respectively) to the delight of the Nets. While none of the three will develop into stars, they all have the potential to be high caliber NBA starters with the right coaching and players around them. Levert improved last season from his rookie year, and RHJ’s value greatly increased once Kenny Atkinson slid him over to the 4. For Allen, he was a beast at Texas last season, although it did not translate to team success. The team also rosters the versatile Spencer Dinwiddie, who shined in Brooklyn last season as their starting point guard. Dinwiddie’s ability at 6’6 to see and shoot over opposing defenders has helped him settled into the league, and will be a key factor in his development just three years removed from an ACL tear while at Colorado. Also employing the always entertaining Jeremy Lin, the Nets have a shot at being mildly relevant this year should most breaks go their way, and best of all this is their last season owing their first round pick to another team (Thanks again Billy King)!
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