JORDAN POOLE NEEDS TO COME OFF OF THE BENCH!!!

Last season the Golden State Warriors won the NBA Championship and Jordan Poole was an intrical part of the success. On the other hand, this season they have not been playing up to their potential. The team that they beat in the NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics, are the team playing like champions. When the two faced one another for the first time since the Finals, I wanted to see the true reason for the Warrior's decline.

Ironically, the Golden State Warriors WHIPPED the Boston Celtics, and shut down their high scorer Jason Tatum just like in game 6 of the NBA Finala. In fact, the most recent game looked like what the game 7 would have looked like if the Celtics had been good enough to make it that far. The Splash Brothers 'splashed' and the Warriors kept the lead the final 42 minutes of the game.

For the record, it should have been a tremendous blowout, but thanks to Jordan Poole it was not. Apparently, the Warriors are giving Poole extraordinary leeway because 'big brother' Draymond Green whooped his *ss in the preseason. Poppa Steve Kerr has shown the 'younger son' (Poole) more love in order to be fair, and refrain from showing favoritism amongst his 'kids'.

Just like the typical 'spoiled youngest child' Jordan Poole is taking the parental kindness as a weakness and doing TOO MUCH nonsense. For example, Poppa Steve Kerr is letting him start and play point guard. During the first half alone he shot 7 times without anyone else even touching the basketball. On a team with so much elite firepower only a selfish brat would consider themselve rhe first option so many times. Also, Jordan Poole is literally shooting 43% from the field, and 32% from deep (👎👎) so his actions are just bad basketball.

                      Basketball G.O.A.T

Furthermore, Jordan Poole is not Steph Curry, and he is not even close. Poole took shots that only Steph Curry can make consistently, and missed them atrociously. For the record, Jordan Poole shot airballs, bricks, and even a shot that hit the side of the backboard. It was as if last season's Russell Westbrook had been traded to the Warriors. Yes, that bad.

In conclusion, Jordan Poole was direspected and humiliated earlier in the season by Draymond Green. It is now time to move on, and get back to what works. In the first half Draymond fell and Poole was quick to offer him a helping hand. They have obviously moved on like brothers do. So should the entire team.

Poppa Steve Kerr has love for all of his kids and the team realizes it. Now it is time to make Jordan Poole sleep in his own bed, and go back to being the little brother. The Splash Brothers and Draymond Green are the 'big brothers' in their family - PERIOD. The Warriors need scoring off of the bench in order to be championship level competitive, and that is what Jordan Poole brings to the team. The Warriors will be alright with Steph Curry running the point - TRUST ME!!!

* High IQ players are not born, they are made. If you would like to know what makes a player elite without being more athletic, then click the picture below for more detailed information.

                            High IQ Hoops

JORDAN'S KRYPTONITE

Isiah Thomas retired from the NBA because of injuries. When he played Isiah was a winner of the highest magnitude. After all, how many players can honestly claim that they won a NCAA championship, multiple NBA championships, and been named to two Olympic teams (1980 & 1994 Dream Team 2) in seperate decades?

The ommission of Isiah Thomas onto the Olympic Dream Team was totally unjustified and unexpected. Many attribute this blatant disrespect to Michael Jordan's refusing to play alongside Thomas. Apparently, Michael Jordan didnt want Isiah Thomas on the team because he felt threatened, or as pay back for several yeats of  playoff beatings and losses he experienced at tbe hands of Isaih and the Pistons

Isaiah Thomas clearly deserved the opportunity. If Isiah had replaced any one of them, including Michael Jordan, then the Dream Team still would have won the Olympic gold medal. 

* Isiah Thomas was able to excel in basketball on the highest level, not because of his height or athleticism, but because of his skills and high basketball IQ. You can play smarter, and more skillfully, immediately if you know what to do. For more information click the link below.

                           High IQ Hoops

WHO WAS DRAFTED THE HIGHEST?

In 1987 Mark Jackson, Steve Alford, and Mugsey Bogues were drafted into the NBA. Two were first round picks, and the other was a high second round pick. Some of you may not know about all three players, or if they could even play. Trust me, all three could ball!!! 

First of all, Mark Jackson was the floor general for legendary coach Lou Carniseca at St. John's University. Also, Mark Jackson is 5th on the NBA All-time assist list, ahead of icon and Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. Jackson is also the previous coach of the Splash Brothers and the Golden State Warriors. Mark Jackson is currently an NBA analyst on ESPN.

Steve Alford played in the NBA for four seasons, and he is currently a college basketball coach. In 1987 he was the man!!! Alford was a 2-time NCAA All-American, and he had been selected to play with future NBA Hall of Famers on the 1984 Olympic team that won the gold medal while only a sophomore in college. In addition, Steve Alford and the Indiana Hoosiers had just won the NCAA championship while playing for legendary coach Bobby Knight.

                  Word Art Coloring Book

Tyrone "Mugsey" Bogues was a point guard out of Wake Forrest. In 1986 he won a gold medal at the FIBA World Championships as a member of the USA national team. In addition, at 5'3" Mugsey Bogues is the shortest player to ever play in the NBA. 

Be advised, Mugsey Bogues was far from a novelty act. He was a tremendous defender, and facilitator that played in the NBA for fourteen (14) seasons. In addition, Mugsey was in the top for seven assists over six consecutive seasons, top ten for steals during three of those seasons, and Bogues earned 146 career double-doubles.

BONUS QUESTION: Which one of these three former players was drafted in the second round? 

* The Top 30 players of every position have been uncovered with the use of the Player Valuation Numeric (PVN). It is both accurate and objective. In fact, its results are accurate to a tenth of a point. Would you like to know if the NBA got the All-time Top 75 correct? How about whether Kobe Bryant really was more valuable than Lebron James? For the answers to these questions, and many more, click the link below. 

                     Basketball G.O.A.T

5 WAYS TO GET OPEN FOR SHOTS

5 WAYS TO GET OPEN FOR SHOTS 🏀

The best players can make shots seemingly with defenders draped all over them. They manage to do this because they create enough space to attempt and unimpeded shot. Below or five techniques that may be used by players to create the space to score when needed.

                                MOVE

Be advised, Defenders routinely lose sight of their assignments, slack off, stop guarding, or simply 'cherry pick' for easy baskets when they should be focused on defense. In addition, many competitors are poorly conditioned, so late in games the well conditioned athletes that keep moving can take advantage of them. Just like cars, their defenders 'run out of gas' chasing them, and are unable to adequately defend in the clutch at the end of games.

                      CHANGE OF PACE

When using the change of pace method an offensive player can be in motion, ala Steph Curry. They can then stop on a dime, go in another direction, and receive the basketball for an open shot. The same player could also trot for several steps, then take off in a full sprint and receive a pass for an uncontested layup. These are but two of the various ways pace can be altered for an offensive advantage. The more aggressive the defender is the more susceptible they are to being beaten with random change of pace maneuvers.

                          BASKET CUTS

Basket cuts can be done in various manners. A player can run behind a defender towards the basket in order to receive the basketball for a layup. This is called a "back door cut". Further, a player can run in one direction, making an abrupt stop, and then sprint in the opposite direction at an unspecified angle for an easy ball reception from a teammate. This is referred to as a "v cut". V cuts are hard to defend because opponents can only react to open court movements, thus limiting their defensive effectiveness. Scorers must be aware of their teammates with the ball, and continually place themselves in a position to receive a pass.

                       Pit Bull Defense

                        

                            SET PICKS

By consistently screening for teammates high IQ players also set themselves up for opportunities to get open and often  uncontested shots. This can occur in two ways; after a pic is used, the screener can pivot or 'roll' to the towards the basket for a return pass and potential bucket; or during the screen his defender may get caught 'cheating' or attempting to double team the ball handler. The double teamed ball handler need only pass the ball to the screener for an open shot or drive to the basket. Each technique can happen at a moment's notice once teammates develop chemistry. Teammates wise enough to appreciate the subtle effectiveness of these moves should immediately add them to their repertoires.

                            USE PICKS

One of the simplest ways to get open shots is to use pics, or screens. Every player knows of them but they are not used nearly enough in today's game. Furthermore, double pics and down screens seem to be a thing of the past. These pics require patience and selflessness, but they are extremely effective when utilized.

Please note, there is an established process of setting pics that succeeds like clockwork. First, make eye contact with the screening teammate. Although non-verbal, this type of communication works well and it's not easily noticed by most offenders. Next, the potential scorer should run past the screener as closely as possible. If a defender is not allowed enough room to go over the screen then he has only two other options; go below it or follow  the player and be out of preferred defensive position. This creates the desired space needed for the offensive player to receive the ball and shoot an uncontested shot, which is the objective.

These strategies work extremely well and can be done consistently without fear of failure. In fact, players that want to be high scorers can use these five techniques interchangeably every game and achieve consistent success.

* Hopefully,  you like these tips and see their potential effectiveness if added to your game. These and several more 'high powered' techniques are contained within the pages of How To Get Buckets. The players that are not afraid to read will benefit ENORMOUSLY by getting a copy. For more information click the link below. 

                     How To Get Buckets

THE PLAYER VALUATION NUMERIC IS HERE!!!

The Player Valuation Numeric (PVN) first appeared in the 2020 publication Basketball G.O.A.T.  The PVN accurately calculates player value unlike any other basketball formula ever created. Most importantly, it only uses "objective" integers derived from actual on court production. All "subjective" awards or accollades are ommitted on purpose.

For the record, countles player debates immediately shift to how many MVP awards, All-star appearances, or "All-whatever" awards one player may have in comparison to another. These awards are all decided by voting or human opinions. This makes all of them "subjective", and therefore USELESS when judging players on their individual merits. 

For example, Bill Russell (R.I.P) won the NBA MVP award at the end of the 1961-62 season after leading the Boston Celtics to consecutive championships. Russell averaged a career high 18.9 ppg as well as an incredible 23.6 rpg that season. His PVN score was an awesome  48.0. On the other hand, this was also the same season that Oscar "Big O" Robertson averaged a triple double for the entire season and his PVN score was 54.7. No one matched the Big O's feat for 55 years!!! Hold on, it gets worse.

In the 1961-62 season Elgin Baylor averaged a husky 38.3 ppg, 18.6 rpg, and 4.6 assists for a tremendous PVN score of 62.0.  If that was not enough, in this same season Wilt Chamberlain averaged a NBA record of 50.4 ppg, 25.7 rpg, while shooting over 50% from the field. Chamberlain had a record PVN score of 79.5 for the season even though both steals and blocked shots were not recorded at the time. Yes, Wilt Chambetlain's PVN score would have been MUCH HIGHER!!!

                         High IQ Hoops

Bill Russell clearly won the MVP award that year because of the championship victory. The NBA MVP voters basically gave Bill Russell too much credit for his team's victory. The fact that Russell was playing with 8 other HOFs had more to do with the Celtic success than the MVP voters wanted to admit. For the record, PVN scores 1.0 or less apart are debatable, not those 6.0 (Robertson), 14.0 (Baylor), or 31.5 (Chamberlain) greater. Bill Russell should not have finished in the Top 3 for the MVP award that season, and a  blind man can now see it.

Be advised, the Player Valuation Numeric only utilizes five integers, addition, and subtraction so it is simple to use. Once you understand each concept of the formula then the hardest part is to find the input for each player. 

PVN = Base Numeric + Excellence Points + Premium Points - Weak Points

The first integer is the Base Numeric, or the sum of each player's per game averages for points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots.

The Base Numeric is next added with the Excellece Points. There are six Excellence Points that can increase a player's value.

1) Field Goal Percentage - over 50%

2) Three Point Percentage - over 40%

3) Foul Shooting Percentage - over 90%

4) Blocked Shots per game - 3.0 or greater

5) Steals per game - 2.0 or greater

6) Turnovers per game - 2.0 or less

At this point value differences between players begin to stand out.

.                     Basketball G.O.A.T

                 

Next, Premium Points are added to the growing sum. Premium Points are earned with an All-time accomplishment. For example, Michael Jordan received a Premium Point because he owns the record for career points per game scoring. In addition, premium points are awarded for each championship won, and a half point for making it to the NBA Finals if a team loses. The "losers" are conference champions and that has value. In total there are 47 possible categories of Premium Points, and they only go to the elite and/or winners. 

Finally, Weak Points are subtracted from the PVN sum that has been calculated. Weak Points are self explanatory. They are "nonachievements" that players would sooner forget. For example Lebron James earned a Weak Point when he passed Karl Malone for the NBA All-time turnover lead. Also, Kobe Bryant earned a Weak Point for missing the most shots in NBA history. There are 16 Weak Points and most fans would be shocked that HOFs and legends primarily have them.

PLEASE NOTE: Karl Malone's PVN score would go up a point because he would no longer have the Weak Point subtracted from his total.

In conclusion, the Player Valuation Numeric is accurate, objective, and the legitimate answer for solving the myriad of "Who is best" and "Who is the G.O.A.T"  debates that go on daily. Before I even presented the formula to the public I had several former high level players and coaches check it. No flaws found. I also left the PVN in the hands of two sports minded math teachers of "gifted" HS students, as well as a legitimate genius (perfect SAT MATH score). No flaws found. This speaks volumes because the gifted young genius' hobby was correcting teachers, and he was very good at it!!! Those that do not accept the Player Valuation Numeric as the real deal are simply in denial because they will not and cannot find any flaws either. 

* For even more detailed information click the link below. 

                 Player Valuation Numeric

WHO JUMPED HIGHER - WILT CHAMBERLAIN OR MICHAEL JORDAN?

Michael "Air" Jordan is an NBA icon known for playing above the rim. For decades kids and players have been buying his "Air Jordan" brand sneakers hoping to put them on and magically "Be Like Mike". So many that he is the first professional player to become a billionaire. This speaks volumes because Jordan did not earn anywhere half that amount via his NBA salary.

Wilt Chamberlain played many years before Michael Jordan and his accomplishments are so incredible that fans come up wirh excuse as to why any of it could be possible. Fortunately, virtually ALL of Wilt Chamberlains credentials are verifiable and on video. Wilt still has 72 NBA records for a real reason.

Coming out of college and into the NBA combine Michael Jordan recorded a 42 inch vertical leap, not the other nonsense currently on blog sites. His 42" vertical was amazing and the same as Julius "Dr.J Evring's. This also made sense considering David "Skywalker" Thompson (44"), Dominique "Human Highlight Film" Wilkins, and Darrell "Dr. Dunkenstein" Griffith were all clearly on a vertical level above Jordan. In fact, at one point Darrell Griffith was in the Guiness Book of World Records for the highest vertical jump at 48 inches.

Ironically, he was tied with Wilt Chamberlain in both rhe Guiness Book records as well as currently in NBA records. How is that possible? Most people never realized that Wilt Chamberlain was a two sport athlete in both high achool and college. His sports were basketball and track & field, more specifically the high jump. 

Currently, Wilt Chamberlain still holds his high school's (Overbrook HS) high jump record when at 6'11" he jumped over a 6'11" bar. Furthermore, in college (Kansas University) Wilt Chamberlain grew to 7' and became a 7' plus high jumper. Consequently he became a two time NCAA high jump champion. Unless someone can prove otherwise this made Wilt Chamberlain the first and only seven foot athlete to ever jump over his own head.

Therefore, despite public perception Michael Jordan could not jump as high as Wilt Chamberlain. His actual recorded vertical was 6 inches lower, and although Jordan has amazing arial highlights, there is not proof that he could jump over his own head (6'6"). MJ jumping an additional six inches is not realistic to believe.

* Athletes that want to jump like Michael Jordan have to be blessed, or they must put in the work just like Michael Jordan did. Fortunately, the jump techniques and workouts that professional dunkers and elite jump athletes use are now available. This can save an athlete countless hours of trial and wrror. For more information click the link below.

                           How To LEAP

TWO YOUNG BALLERS THAT ARE BETTER THAN MOST NBA PLAYERS - RIGHT NOW!!!

Rarely do NBA G-League games get much notice, and never do they outshine the NBA summer league games during the preseason. That is exactly what happened this year, and Victor Membanyana and Scoot Henderson are the two main reasons. 

According to NBA rules a player must turn 19 years old during the calendar year that they are drafted. The only reasons that Scoot Henderson and Victor Wembanyana have not been drafted this season is because they are simply too young. 

The 6'2" Scoot Henderson, an bonafide phenom and 5-star recruit , reclassified in high school and then signed a $1M G-League contract. At the beginning of the season he was still only 17 years old. Henderson is a physically mature scoring point guard that has the 'Mamba Mentality'. Scoot finishes above the rim, and he plays fearlessly. Henderson's game reminds one of a fello Georgia native Anthony Edwards, or a young Russell Westbrook - RIGHT NOW!!!

On the other hand, Victor Wembanyana is 7'4" and the consensus number 1 pick for the 2023 NBA draft. He has a very accurate three point stroke, excellent ball handling ability for someone his size, and he knows how to play the game. In addition, although he is tall and slim, Victor Wembanyana is not weak or frail by any means. 

                         Bad B.I.T.C.H

Also, Victor Wembanyana is a superior rim protector that is quick to slam dunk on someone inside. Wembayana has been playing professional basketball in France since he was 16 years old, so the physical grind and contact is nothing new to him. Unlike Chet Holmgren, this years number 2 pick (and 'Unicorn'), Victor Wembanyana would be a legit contender for an All-star selection this season.

This week, these two future NBA stars faced off in a G-League game and neither disappointed. Scoot Henderson scored 28 points (11-21), and his team won the game. Henderson was electrifying and made dazzling moves while attacking the basket and the 7'4" Wembanyana.

Wembanyana's team Metropolitain 92 traveled 5000 miles fron France to compete against the G-League's Ignite and Scoot Henderson. The crowd was not disappointed because they saw more than they bargained for. Wembanyama dropped 37 points on Henderson and the Ignite. He hit spinning drives, step back jump shots, follow up dunks, and went 7-11 from three point range. In addition, during one play Wembanyana caught the ball just inside of the three point line, dribbled once, took off and tried to dunk on Shareef O'Neal (Shaq's son) but got fouled. This young man has the size and athleticism of a young Wilt Chamberlain or Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar). Rate air!!!

In addition, three of Henderson's 'misses' were actually Wembanyana blocks. He blocked two of Henderson's layups and sent one of his three pointer into the stands. Wembanyana finished with 5 blocks, and several shots did not make it into the basket because of his presence. Victor Wembanyana can become a legitimate NBA force on both ends of the court. Ja Morant, Chris Paul, and DeMarcus Cousins were in attendance and all left impressed.

In conclusion, the NBA Rookie of the Year award will go to someone just as it does each season. One thing that can be said is that this season's winner will not have to face the same type of competition as next season's. Victor Wembanyana, Scoot Henderson, the recently injured (season) Chet Holmgren, and next season's NCAA Player of the Year will all be duking it out in 2024 for the award.

* True player value can now be calculated accurately, and objectively with the use of the Player Valuation Numeric (PVN). The PVN uses each players actual production, as well as specific accomplishments (ex: championships), to compute the value each player brings to the court. It is so easy to understand that even a 5th grader can use it. For more detailed information click the link below. 

                Player Valuation Numeric

NBA GREATEST SCORERS QUIZ

 

The following 10 questions are about great NBA scorers and their feats. In addition, aside from the 'true or false' questions, a player in the picture is the answer to every question. Let me know your answers in the comments, and I will let you know your score.

PLEASE NOTE: 9 or more correct = A; 8 correct = B; 7 correct = C; 6 correct = D; 5 or less correct = WTF

1) Michael Jordan took the playoff single game record from this legend.

2) This player became the first NBA player to score 15,000 points, which made him its first All-time leading scorer.

3) Lebron James passed this player for second place on the All-time list.

4) Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan are the only players to average 30.0 or more points per game for their careers.

5) Elgin Baylor averaged more points per game than Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Karl Malone, and Lebron James. True or False?

                        Pit Bull Defense

6) This player was the first NBA MVP, and he was the NBA All-time leading scorer for only one season.

7) Wilt Chamberlain became the NBA All-time leading scorer during his eighth (8th) NBA season. True or False?

8) Michael Jordan is third on the All-time scoring list. True or False?

9) Wilt Chamberlain has more 50 point games than all of the other players in the picture COMBINED. True or False?

10) Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, and Lebron James have all scored over 70 points in a single game. True or False?

I tried not to make the NBA GREATEST SCORERS QUIZ too easy. Unfortunately, to many this will be a piece of cake. To others it will not be at all. Therefore, let me thank all participants in advance for your time and say -  Good Luck!!!

* The Top 30 players of each position (150 total) have been uncovered with the use of the Player Valuation Numeric (PVN). The PVN is objective and extremely accurate. Have you ever wondered if the NBA got the Top 75 correct? If so, then click the link below for more detailed information.

                       Basketball G.O.A.T

WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT TO WINNING - 30 PPG OR 20 RPG

Although casual fans give most of the credit for team success to the highest scorers, I came across an anomoly that clearly shows otherwise. Bill Russell (R.I.P) is the greatest winner in basketball and sports in general. His teams won 11 championships in 13 years!!! Ironically, he only averaged 15 ppg. In addition, he was selected as the league MVP in the year that the Oscar Robertson averaged a triple double, Elgin Baylor averaged 38.4 ppg, and Wilt Chamberlain averaged a whopping 50.4 ppg. Russell did average a tremendous 23.4 rpg, along with the championship victory. Were ball possessions more important than scoring for winning? Was STRONG rebounding more valuable to winning.

I decided to do the research and find out. There are only two players in NBA history to average over 30 ppg, as well as 20 rpg. The two players that averaged over 30 ppg both have multiple NBA Championships. Unfortunately, the combined total of the championships (8) by Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain does not equal Bill Russell's (11) solo count. 

Furthermore, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain are also the only two players to average over 20 rpg. Therefore, the rebound/championship count advantage is 13 to 8. Also, this inadvertently shows something very telling. For 13 straight years in the NBA the only teams that won a championship were teams with a player averaging 20 rpg on them. That speaks volumes!!!

In all of NBA history only 31 players have  averaged 30 ppg on a total of 71 occasions. Sixteen (16) of these players never won a NBA championship. In addition, 9 of the 15 players that did win championships, DID NOT win them when they averaged 30 or more points. For example, Lebron James averaged 30.2 ppg last season, but his team did not even make the playoffs, despite winning it all just two seasons ago.

                           How To LEAP

On the other hand, there have been only 13 seasons that players averaged 20 or more rebounds per game, and EVERY winning team had one. In fact, during the majority of those years it was both of the 20 rpg players battling one another in the NBA finals after winning their respective conference championships.

Today's fans cannot relate because a 20 rebound game is as rare as a 50 point game, or even more so. Be advised, domibant rebounding requires heart, desire, and technique. Today's bigmen rarely demonstrate these qualities. Modern centers prefer to shoot three pointers, and there is very little battling for rebounds. 

Not too long ago players like Moses Malone, Dennis Rodman, and Charles Barkley were patroling the offensive and defensive 'paint' areas. All were tremendous rebounders although undersized in their positions. They were also fearless, and they competed in the post season, and NBAFinals. Ironically, none of them averaged anything close to 20 rpg.

Therefore, I must conclude that teams that value winning championships would be best serviced with a STRONG rebounder (20 rpg)  than a 30 ppg scorer. Casual fans will argue that teams must score to win. Wiser fans will interject that they cannot score without the ball. Finally, the most wise fans will mention that you only have to win by one point, and teams can easily do this if they can take a whole lot more shots thanks to a STRONG rebounder. 

                          High IQ Hoops

WHICH ERA OF BIGMAN IS THE 'SOFTEST'?

When big men (centers & power forwards) of different eras are compared by casual fans one can be certain that they will give the most "props" to the players they grew up watching. Facts, official statistics, or the "eye test" have very little to do with their decisions. Truthfully speaking that is to be expected. They only know what they know, nothing more, and that is what makes them casual fans. 

Fortunately all fans are not casual. The older coaches and fans bring up the dominance of Wilt Chamberlain or the defensives skills and unparallelled winning of Bill Russell. The middle aged fans and coaches say that Shaquille O'Neal and his peers were the most "dominant". Finally, the young players and fans counter with complete & irrelevant nonsense like "Wilt played against little white guys." Or my favorite, "Today's big men have more skills and jump higher." 

For the record, I have seen Chamberlain and Russell at the ends of their careers as well as in countless highlights. All of the rest I have seen in college, and some as far back as high school. Instead of giving another opinion, I decided to rely on the facts. Here is what I found.

First of all, in order to claim big men of an era are more "soft" the players would have to be less durable, play less minutes per game, and/or use "load management", a clear sign of poor conditioning. In addition, all eras had Top 75 quality big men, so talent is not an issue.

Furthermore, it is useless to claim that superior rebounders are not "tougher". Rebounding prowess occurs because of heart and desire not height. The 6'4" Charles Barkley's career dominance on NBA backboards clearly proves my point.

               WORD ART - Coloring Book

With this being said the big men of Shaquille O'Neal's era were easily more physical and much more aggressive than today's  big men. In addition, they were warriors who would look down on load management. Furthermore, a top bigman of today such as Joel Embiid would be considered lazy in the other eras. Over his eight year career Embiid averages only 41 games per year played, and 31.2 minutes per game. Compared to the 80.3 games per year played over 13 seasons, and 45.8 minutes played per game of Wilt Chamberlain, and Embiid looks like a total underachiever.

Furthermore, the bigmen of Shaq's era also look like underachievers in comparison to their predecessors. The primary reason is their lack of rebounding prowess. Both Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell averaged TWICE as many rebounds as any two big men of the other eras. That is correct. The COMBINED rebound per game totals of Shaguille O'Neal and Kareem Abdul Jabbar are less than both Chamberlain's and Russell's. In addition, there were several big men in that era who would easily lead the current NBA in rebounding (Nate Thurmond, Bob Pettit, Jerry Lucas, Walt Bellamy, etc.).

In conclusion, the younger the era, the "softer" the big man. Granted, big men like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic have the skill, durability, and "heart" to play in any era.  Unfortunately, many of their big man peers in the NBA cannot realistically make the same claim.

* Would you like to know who the Top 30 centers are of all-time? How about the Top 30 power forwards, along with how all were decided? For more detailed information about the Top 30 players if each position (150 total), click the link below.

                      Basketball G.O.A.T

LEBRON JAMES WILL RETIRE AS THE "GREATEST" IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES

Some love Lebron James, and some hate him. Let me stop, thousands of trolls hate him and they are so trifling that they even came up with the term "Bronsexual" to keep the hate flowing. 

I neither love nor hate "King" James, but I do respect rhe hell out if him as a man and as an athlete. He stays in shape. He works out in the summers to continue improving. His home life is stable with no glaring "hidden secrets" to destroy his brand. Lebron James is the real deal.

For the record, last season Lebron James passed Karl Malone and moved into second place on the All-time scoring list. What no one seems to want to mention is that he also passed Karl Malone in turnovers, and missed shots. Naive basketball fans will say so what, but the 'ballers' (former & present) know what is up. 

                       Intangible Traits

Meaning this, when Lebron James passed Karl Malone's turnover total, he then became the NBA All-time leader. In addition, every time that Lebron turns the ball over it just adds to this crummy 'record'. Lebron James averages 3.5 turnovers per game for his career, so he may be setting a truly unbreakable record!!!

Also, when Lebron James passed Karl Malone on the missed shots list, he moved into 4th place. Lebron is now less than 1000 missed shots away from passing Kobe Bryant for the All-time lead. If Lebron James scores over 2000 points again this season, then he will pass Kobe. Think about it, Lebron is a career 50% shooter, and he misses 1000 shots every time he scores 2000 points. Ironically, he will still be shy of Kareem's scoring mark. You can check and/or redo the math. 

These facts make all of the presumptions that "Lebron James will be the G.O.A.T if he passes Kareem Abdul Jabbar in scoring" seem ridiculous. First of all, if you do not consider Kareem to be the greatest now, then how can ANYONE be the greatest if they pass him? Second, all real ball players (former & present) know that the player who misses the most, and turns the ball over the most, is not called the greatest, even if he scores the most points. We just called them "gunners". 

                           Bad B.I.T.C.H

THESE THREE PLAYERS ARE TOP 75 - PERIOD

When the NBA Top 75 was decided I checked out the names on the list immediately. I had already written a book (Basketball G.O.A.T) that gave a detailed breakdown of the Top 30 players of every position, so I wanted to see if we were in agreement. For the record, EVERY player on the NBA Top 75 list is in Basketball G.O.A.T , so I initially remained silent and validated. 

As time went on I began to see the names of players that had been ommitted. These discrepancies were found primarily in online comments from irate fans who's favorite players were left off the list. Soon three names began to surface over and over (Klay Thompson - Dwight Howard - Tracy McGrady) which made me pause. I had each highly ranked in their position, and their ommissions seemed more like a blatant injustice, so I rechecked.

When creating Basketball G.O.A.T I used the Player Valuation Numeric because it was both accurate and objective. Meaning this, it utilized only the actual player production, and specific accomplishments like championships, and areas of excellence to calculate each individual player's score. Awards and selections like MVP, All-star, and/or "All-whatever" are not used because they are "subjective", or decided by group votes. These votes are no more than opinions, and basically USELESS when making an unbiased  decision.

Therefore, using the Player Valuation Numeric for this "recheck" was a no- brainer. I will give a brief breakdown of each player, along with their PVN score, and hopefully you will see, as clearly as I do, that these three have been publically disrespected.

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1) Klay Thompson

When the Top 75 list was decided Klay Thompson was in the middle of a two year rehab. The numbers in Basketball G.O.A.T were apropo because they were the same. On the merit, Klay Thompson is the number eight (8) shooting guard of All-time with a Player Valuation Numeric score of 32.0. For those that do not have the book, this put Klay Thompson behind George "Iceman" Gervin, and ahead of "Pistol Pete" Maravich. Both are on the Top 75 list.

Furthermore, Klay Thompson has since come back from his two year hiatus, and his scoring, rebounding, and assist were all greater than his career numbers. On top of that his team won another NBA championship which means that Thompson's PVN score goes up another point, but not past the Iceman.

2) Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard was a dominant force in the NBA for several years. Howard is a 5-time rebound champion, 2-time shot block leader, a 3-time Defensive Player of the Year, and he shoots an incredible percentage from the field for his career (58.7%) which is 6th All-time. Granted, the DPOY award is subjective, but in that three year span there was no other true competitor for the award, so this accollade deserved mentioning.

When the NBA became three point crazy the powers that be devalued Howard's skill set. Over the last few years he has been moving around the league but he still produces, the teams have made the playoffs, and he even won his first NBA championship.

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Dwight Howard's Player Valuation Numeric score of of 32.4 makes him the number 23 center of All-time. In fact, this PVN score could also rise because of the championship. Be advised, Howard's numbers would adjust slightly because of his decreased production. Only slightly though, because he has been playing 17 years, and a couple years of limited playing time will not change his stats too much.

3) Tracy McGrady

Tracy McGrady was the reason that this post actually came to life. I was watching highlights of the game that McGrady dropped 62 points on Washington while with the Orlando Magic. Someone mentioned that T-Mac did not make the Top 75 cut which had me baffled. Yracu McGrady is a Hall of Famer,  7-time All-star, and he led the league in scoring two times. I had to check out why he was left off.

For the record, I have McGrady as the number 11 shooting guard with a solid PVN score of 29.3. Ironically, this places T-Mac behind Ray Allen, but directly in front of James Harden. Both made the Top 75 team.

In conclusion, Klay Thompson, Dwight Howard, and Tracy McGrady should have RIGHTFULLY been named to the NBA Top 75 team - PERIOD.  From a strictly objective point of view they clearly earned the honor. Unfortunately, "expert" voters are biased. Thankfully numbers and common sense do not lie. Thousands of fans are starting to realize this, and agree.

* The Top 30 players of each position are contained within the pages of Basketball G.O.A.T. In addition, the Player Valuation Numeric formula and explanation are available for everyone to review. Click the link below for more information.

                      Basketball G.O.A.T

ATTENTION BASKETBALL DEBATERS - THE PLAYER VALUATION NUMERIC IS HERE

The Player Valuation Numeric (PVN) first appeared in the 2020 publication Basketball G.O.A.T.  The PVN accurately calculates player value unlike any other basketball formula ever created. Most importantly, it only uses "objective" integers derived from actual on court production. All "subjective" awards or accollades are ommitted on purpose.

For the record, countles player debates immediately shift to how many MVP awards, All-star appearances, or "All-whatever" awards one player may have in comparison to another. These awards are all decided by voting or human opinions. This makes all of them "subjective", and therefore USELESS when judging players on their individual merits.

For example, Bill Russell (R.I.P) won the NBA MVP award at the end of the 1961-62 season after leading the Boston Celtics to consecutive championships. Russell averaged a career high 18.9 ppg as well as an incredible 23.6 rpg that season. His PVN score was an awesome  48.0. On the other hand, this was also the same season that Oscar "Big O" Robertson averaged a triple double for the entire season and his PVN score was 54.7. No one matched the Big O's feat for 55 years!!! Hold on, it gets worse.

In the 1961-62 season Elgin Baylor averaged a husky 38.3 ppg, 18.6 rpg, and 4.6 assists for a tremendous PVN score of 62.0.  If that was not enough, in this same season Wilt Chamberlain averaged a NBA record of 50.4 ppg, 25.7 rpg, while shooting over 50% from the field. Chamberlain had a record PVN score of 79.5 for the season even though both steals and blocked shots were not recorded at the time. Yes, Wilt Chambetlain's PVN score would have been MUCH HIGHER!!!

                     Basketball G.O.A.T

Bill Russell clearly won the MVP award that year because of the championship victory. The NBA MVP voters basically gave Bill Russell too much credit for his team's victory. The fact that Russell was playing with 8 other HOFs had more to do with the Celtic success than the MVP voters wanted to admit. For the record, PVN scores 1.0 or less apart are debatable, not those 6.0 (Robertson), 14.0 (Baylor), or 31.5 (Chamberlain) greater. Bill Russell should not have finished in the Top 3 for the MVP award that season, and a  blind man can now see it.

Be advised, the Player Valuation Numeric only utilizes five integers, addition, and subtraction so it is simple to use. Once you understand each concept of the formula then the hardest part is to find the input for each player. The first integer is the Base Numeric, or the sum of each player's per game averages for points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots.

The Base Numeric is next added with the Excellece Points. There are six Excellence Points that can increase a player's value.

1) Field Goal Percentage - over 50%

2) Three Point Percentage - over 40%

3) Foul Shooting Percentage - over 90%

4) Blocked Shots per game - 3.0 or greater

5) Steals per game - 2.0 or greater

6) Turnovers per game - 2.0 or less

At this point value differences between players begin to stand out.

Next, Premium Points are added to the growing sum. Premium Points are earned with an All-time accomplishment. For example, Michael Jordan received a Premium Point because he owns the record for career points per game scoring. In addition, premium points are awarded for each championship won, and a half point for making it to the NBA Finals if a team loses. The "losers" are conference champions and that has value. In total there are 47 possible categories of Premium Points, and they only go to the elite and/or winners. 

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Finally, Weak Points are subtracted from the PVN sum that has been calculated. Weak Points are self explanatory. They are "nonachievements" that players would sooner forget. For example Lebron James earned a Weak Point when he passed Karl Malone for the NBA All-time turnover lead. Also, Kobe Bryant earned a Weak Point for missing the most shots in NBA history. There are 16 Weak Points and most fans would be shocked that HOFs and legends primarily have them.

PLEASE NOTE: Karl Malone's PVN score would go up a point because he would no longer have the Weak Point subtracted from his total.

In conclusion, the Player Valuation Numeric is accurate, objective, and the legitimate answer for solving the myriad of "Who is best" and "Who is the G.O.A.T"  debates that go on daily. Before I even presented the formula to the public I had several former high level players and coaches check it. No flaws found. I also left the PVN in the hands of two sports minded math teachers of "gifted" HS students, as well as a legitimate genius (perfect SAT MATH score). No flaws found. This speaks volumes because the gifted young genius' hobby was correcting teachers, and he was very good at it!!! Those that do not accept the Player Valuation Numeric as the real deal are simply in denial because they will not and cannot find any flaws either. 

                 Player Valuation Numeric

THE TRUTH ABOUT NBA PLAYER HEIGHT

 

I often post about Wilt Chamberlain being the basketball G.O.A.T, and I routinely get detractors. Instead of taking the time to check their information, I get some of the most ridiculous responses. I can immediately tell who the "bottom feeders" are because they will say something outlandish like "he was bigger than everyone". I immediately clown them by mentioning that Wilt still has 72 NBA records, but the people's G.O.A.T  (Michael Jordan) only has 3. Even 1st graders know that 72 > 3, so the rational non-believers yield.

The irrational fana continue on with even more nonsense. In fact, the most ridiculous reply was that Wilt only played against 6'5" centers. Aside from the fact that most high schools have taller centers, these comments are devoid of fact as well. I then mention Bill Russell, Elvin Hayes, Nate Thurmond, Walt Bellamy, Bob Pettit, etc., and the fact that each was 6'9" or taller (literally GIANTS), and that every team had multiple GIANTS. Most of these haters then let their weak argument about height go.

Unfortunately, there are countless haters that are not adult enough to admit when they are wrong. This should help. I did the research and the average height of NBA players in 1960 was 6'6". That is also the same average height of NBA players today. That's correct, although there may have been variants over the years, the average height of NBA players over the past 62 years is the same - 6'6". The sound that the ramaining haters now hear is the 🎤 dropping

 WATCH OUT!!!

* Is Kobe Bryant more valuable than Lebron James? Is Michael Jordan really the greatest of all time? Who is the best point guard of all-time? These and many more questions have been answered in Basketball G.O.A.T. For more detailed information click the link below.

                      Basketball G.O.A.T

DID THE NBA GET IT RIGHT (PART 2)?

This is the second part of a two part post. In order to better understand the content in this article it would be best to read "DID THE NBA GET IT RIGHT (PART 1)?" first. This article is available on the Coach Ice's Corner blog as well.

                    NBA ALL-PRO 3RD TEAM

Chris Paul

Paul played in 65 games. He averaged 14.7 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game, 10.8 assists per game, 1.9 steals per game, and 0.3 blocks per game. Also, Chris Paul shot 49.3% from the field, 31.7% from three-point range, and 83.7% from the foul line, along with only 2.4 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 30.7

Trae Young

Young played in 76 games. He averaged 28.4 points per game, 3.7 rebounds per game, 9.7 assists per game, 0.9 steals per game, and 0.1 blocks per game. Young shot 46.0% from the field, 38.2% from three-point range, and 90.4% from the free-throw line, along with 4.0 turnovers per game. 

PVN = 40.8

 

Lebron James

James played in 56 games. He averaged 30.3 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game, 6.2 assists per game, 1.3 steals per game, and 1.1 blocks per game. Lebron James shot 52.4% from the field, 35.9% from three-point range, and 75.6% from the free-throw line, along with 3.5 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 44.6

Pascal Siakam

Siakam played in 68 games. He averaged 22.8 points per game, 8.5 rebounds per game, 5.3 assists per game, 1.3 steals per game, and 0.6 blocks each contest. Siakam shot 49.4% from the field, 34.4% from three-point range, and 74.9% from the free-throw line, along with 2.7 turnovers each game. 

Karl Anthony Towns

Towns played in 74 games. He averaged 24.6 points per game, 9.8 rebounds per game, 3.6 assists per game, 1.1 steals per game, and 1.1 blocks per game. Towns shot 52.9% from the field, 41.0% from the three-point range, and 82.2% from the free-throw line, along with 3.1 turnovers each contest.  

PVN = 39.0

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              ALL - PRO “TEST SUBJECTS”

Jimmy Butler

Butler played in 57 games. He averaged 21.4 points per game, 5.9 rebounds per game, 5.5 assists per game, 1.6 steals per game, and 0.5 blocks per game. In addition, Butler shot 48.0% from the field, 23.3% from three-point range, and 87.0% from the free-throw line, along with 2.1 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 32.8

Dejounte Murray

Murray played in 68 games. He averaged 21.1 points per game, 8.3 rebounds per game, 9.2 assists per game, 2.0 steals per game, and 0.3 blocks per game. Murray shot 46.2% from the field, 32.7% from three-point range, and 79.4% from the free-throw line, along with 2.6 turnovers each game.

PVN = 39.3

If the Play Valuation Numeric scores are taken into account, as well as each player's actual position on the court, then we have new NBA All-Pro first, second, and third teams. Here are the revised team set-ups according to how much actual "value" each player produced this season.

                    ALL-PRO 1ST TEAM

Center:  Nikola Jokic - 49.4

Power Forward:  Giannis Antetokounmpo - 47.0

Small Forward:  LeBron James - 44.6

Shooting Guard:  Dejonte Murray - 39.3

Point Guard:  Trae Young - 40.8

                     ALL-PRO 2ND TEAM

Center: Joel Embiid - 46.0

Power Forward: Kevin Durant - 44.0

Small Forward: Luka Doncic - 44.5

Shooting Guard: DeMar DeRozen - 37.8

Point Guard: Stephen Curry - 38.0

                         High IQ Hoops

                   

                     ALL-PRO 3RD TEAM

Center: Karl Anthony Towns - 39.0

Power Forward: Pascal Siakam - 35.8

Small Forward: Jayson Tatum - 38.5

Shooting Guard: Devin Booker - 35.5

Point Guard: Chris Paul - 30.7

I also took the liberty of arranging these players according to their Player Valuation Numeric scores, as opposed to their positions. By classifying them in this manner everyone can see which players were actually provided the most “value” devoid of their position on the basketball court. In fact, the PVN could be a useful tool to definitively decide which player is the true MVP each season. Unlike in many seasons of the past the NBA got it right. Here are the results.

 

                 ALL-PRO 1ST TEAM (PVN)

Nikola Jokic - 49.4

Giannis Antetokounmpo - 47.0

Joel Embiid - 46.0

LeBron James - 44.6

Luka Doncic - 44.5

                  ALL-PRO 2ND TEAM (PVN)

Trae Young - 40.8

Dejounte Murray -39.3

Karl Anthony Towns - 39.0

Jayson Tatum - 38.5

Stephen Curry - 38.0

                  ALL-PRO 3RD TEAM (PVN)

Ja Morant - 38.0

DeMar DeRozan - 37.8

Pascal Siakam - 35.8

Devin Booker - 35.5

Jimmy Butler - 32.8

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As stated earlier, the explanation of the Player Valuation Numeric is only a brief summary. It can be used, along with the above information, to check each All-Pro players PVN score. For the record, the Player Valuation Numeric first appeared in Basketball G.O.A.T, and later with more detail in Player Valuation Numeric - The Formula. Those with even more questions may purchase either or both books from Amazon, the world’s largest book seller, and become one of the “OBJECTIVE”.

Please Note: Stephen Curry, and Ja Morant both have the same PVN scores (38.0). They were ranked according to amount of games played. Also, Jason Tatum, and Stephen Curry still have a chance of earning another ½ PVN point since they will be competing against one another in the NBA Finals.

In addition, Lebron James and Luka Doncic are classified as small forwards. They both bring the ball up the court, but they are no more point guards than Giannis Antetokounmpo, who brings the ball up for the Milwaukee Bucks regularly. Their unnecessarily high turnover rates are proof of this reality as well.

In conclusion, the Player Valuation Numeric is normally calculated at the end of the season. Players on teams that win a conference championship, but not the NBA championship, receive an additional 0.5 of a point to their PVN scores. Each player on a team that wins the NBA championship receives an additional point (1.0). By doing this, no player receives "too much credit" for winning a championship, or having an outstanding regular season, especially if they do not win even one of multiple “championships” awarded. 

* Basketball G.O.A.T contains the Top 30 players of each position (150 total). Would you like to know if the NBA got their Top 75 correct?  If so, then click the link below the picture for more information.

                        Basketball G.O.A.T

DID THE NBA GET IT RIGHT? (PART 1)

The 2021-22 NBA All-Pro teams have officially been selected and announced. As usual, there are detractors but a majority of the online sports bloggers and basketball analysts seem to believe that the voters got it right. Since voting is extremely "subjective" I decided to investigate the All-Pro team selections from an "objective" point of view.

I used the Player Valuation Numeric formula on all of the All-Pro team members. It is accurate, detailed, completely objective, and only uses actual player production in its calculations. In addition, the PVN recognizes no awards of any because they are subjectively decided.

I also evaluated two other All-Stars to see if they may have been unjustifiably omitted from an All-Pro team. Jimmy Butler and Dejounte Murray both had excellent seasons as well, but they did not make any of the three All-Pro teams.

* This article will contain each player's key statistics as well as their calculated Player Valuation Numeric (PVN) score. 

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                  NBA ALL-PRO 1ST TEAM

Nikola Jokic

Jokic played in 74 games. He averaged 27.1 points per game, 13.8 rebounds per game, 7.9 assists per game, 1.5 steals per game, and 0.9 blocks per game. Jokic also shot 58.3% from the field, 38.7% from three-point range, 81.0% from the free throw line, along with 3.8 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 49.4

Luka Doncic

Doncic played in 65 games, He averaged 28.4 points per game, 9.1 rebounds per game, 8.7 assists per game, 1.2 steals per game, and 0.6 blocks per game. Doncic also shot 52.8% from the field, 35.3% from three-point range, and 74.4% from the free-throw line, along with 4.5 turnovers each outing.

PVN = 44.5

Jason Tatum

Tatum played in 76 games. He averaged 26.9 points per game, 8.0 rebounds per game, 4.4 assists per game, 1.0 steals per game, and 0.6 blocks per game. Tatum also shot 45.3% from the field, 35.3% from three-point range, and 85.3% from the free-throw line, along with 2.9 turnovers per game. 

PVN = 38.5

Devin Booker

Booker played in 68 games. He averaged 26.8 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game, 4.8 assists per game, 1.1 steals per game, and 0.4 blocks per game. Booker shot 45.6% from the field, 38.3% from three-point range, and 86.8% from the free-throw line, along with 2.6 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 35.5

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Antetokounmpo played in 67 games. He and averaged 29.9 points per game, 11.6 rebounds per game, 5.8 assists per game, 1.1 steals per game, and 1.4 blocks per game. Giannis shot 55.3% from the field, 29.3% from three-point range, and 72.2% from the free-throw line, along with 3.3 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 47.0

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                    NBA AII-PRO 2ND TEAM

Stephen Curry

Curry played in 64 games and averaged 25.5 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, 6.3 assists per game, 1.3 steals per game, and 0.4 blocks per game. Curry also averaged 43.7% from the field, 38.0% from three-point range, and 92.3% from the free-throw line, along with 3.2 turnovers each game.

PVN = 38.0

Ja Morant

Morant played in 57 games and averaged 27.4 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game, 6.7 assists per game, 1.2 steals per game, and 0.4 blocks per game. Morant shot 49.3% from the field, 34.4% from three-point range, 76.1% from the free-throw line, along with 3.4 turnovers each outing. 

Demar DeRozen

DeRozen played in 76 games. He averaged 27.9 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, 4.9 assists per game, 0.9 steals per game, and 0.3 blocks per game.  In addition, DeRozen shot 50.4% from the field, 35.2% from three-point range, 87.7% from the free-throw line, along with 2.4 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 37.8

Kevin Durant

Durant played in 55 games. He averaged 29.9 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game, 6.4 assists per game, 0.9 steals per game, and 0.9 blocks per game. Durant averaged 51.8% from the field, 38.3% from three-point range, 91.0% from the free-throw line, along with 3.5 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 44.0

Joel Embiid

Embiid played in 68 games. He averaged 30.6 points per game, 11.7 rebounds per game, 4.2 assists per game, 1.1 steals per game, and 1.5 blocks per game. In addition, Embiid shot 49.9% from the field, 37.1% from three-point range, and 81.4% from the free-throw line, along with 3.1 turnovers each contest. 

PVN = 46.0

                 Player Valuation Numeric