Why Mark Jackson is Entitled To His Beliefs

Detour from Basketball, I know. But bare with me as this is a big issue. I’m taking time out from my birthday to write this so you could take a few minutes out to read it.

Today, Jason Collins came out as the first gay athlete in the Major American sports. It shouldn’t be an issue, but it is, because we’re stilling learning how to be accepting while still having our own beliefs. I want to preface this with the fact I am not religious and I believe that homosexual love is just as awesome as heterosexual love. Equal beings.

Mark Jackson commented on his coming out. He said:

As a Christian man, I serve a god who gives you free will to be who you want to be… As a Christian man, I have beliefs of what’s right and what’s wrong. That being said, I know Jason Collins…. I know his family. I’m certainly praying for them at this time.”

All of a sudden Twitter outcried with accusations of homophobia and ignorance. That’s just insulting to who Mark Jackson as a person. He has his beliefs and none of us has the RIGHT to tell him that he can’t. That sentence showed an understanding and acceptance of who Collins is as a person, but also stated that his sexuality was against what he understood to be right and wrong. He didn’t state he thought less of him as a person or that he hated what he was, just that his beliefs defined what he believed was right or wrong. I think a lot of things people do are wrong (homosexuality is not one of them) but I love them regardless. Jackson is a loving man, and he would unconditionally accept Collins as a person and treat him no differently, even if he didn’t agree with his lifestyle choice. When asked if he’d have him on the team, it wasn’t a no or a yes, it was simply that his skill as a basketball player would define that choice and rightly so!

People have also stated Mark Jackson was praying for his soul, or something stupid like that. Sure, he might be praying for Collins’ clarity, but in the same breath, that clarity would just allow Collins to chose what is best for him. Jackson was praying for them to deal with a stressful time, a time where there will be a lot said and a lot of it directed at Collins and his family who will need the strength to cope.

After New Zealand passed the Marriage Equality Amendment, I was over the moon. The right way to legislate equality is to leave all opinions out of the mix and just put everyone on an equal footing. The United States should take note, that it’s not up to your beliefs to dictate what a man can and can not do. For example, Chris Broussard while he was appearing on OTL. He openly judged and condemned Collins in a way that made it clear Collins could not have a relationship with Christianity. Jackson asserted his beliefs, Broussard forced them on Collins. What they said and did were opposite ends of tolerance.

That’s all I have to say really, as I want to go and celebrate my birthday. Please be tolerant of people, no matter their beliefs or sexuality. We’re all going to disagree, but it doesn’t mean we can’t love one and other. We can be equal as people if everyone just accepts what the other has chosen and doesn’t try to stop them living their lives.

A Kiwi’s perspective on Steven Adams

If anybody knows me in real life, I am one of Steven Adams biggest fans. Not in a long time has New Zealand produced such prime basketball talent. He’s tall, athletic, strong and quick for a 7 footer. He’s been lucky enough to play in Jamie Dixon’s system in Pittsburgh, where he hasn’t been the shining star that everyone had hoped for, but a solid player none the less. The idea was for Adams to develop his game in the NCAA system which would eventually funnel him into the NBA as a top 1^st round pick, somewhere in the mid lottery selections.

Adams is talented, there’s no denying that

To my initial dismay, Adams declared for the draft after just his freshman year in College. What was supposed to be the long haul, getting all he could from Pitt and Dixon, preparing him to compete against centres in the NBA, he turned into the ‘One and Done’ that is generally reserved for players that just are naturally ready to play at a higher level.  It was meant to not only prepare him physically, but mentally, as the US basketball system is so much more talented than here in New Zealand. In spite of the plan, Adams declared for the draft, a decision that was motivated by money, but for all the right reasons.

When you read about Adams, you understand how grounded he is. He’s still the Kiwi boy from Rotorua that loves sausage rolls and playing his guitar. The love he has for his family is also apparent. So when the opportunity to earn a $3mil – 3 year contract from an organisation that boasts the best players in the world, Adams decided to put family first. He says of them, ‘I went back to Rotorua and talked to my family and stuff, just to see the position that they’re in. I thought, you know what, it’s time for me to help my family.’ I cannot fault Adams for wanting to support his family, because in the end, that’s what the majority of us would love to do; to earn enough that we can ease the financial burden of our parents and close family.

He’s a shy guy, but that’s what you love about him.

New Zealanders have this attitude that is simplified into this figure-of-speech: She’ll be al’right. It’s a saying about doing things and having a blind sense of faith that everything will work out for the best.  For most Kiwis, Steven Adams declaring is the smartest thing to do, because who wouldn’t want to compete in the NBA? We’re a nation that has a can-do attitude. We love DIY, with no job being impossible. We love to be the small pair of islands that sends top-talent out into the far reaches of the planet, despite our small population and physical isolation in the corner of the Pacific. It’s why when we are faced with the idea that a Kiwi is going to the NBA, we just assume that because of our self-assurance, that things will work our on their own. New Zealanders need to snap out of that fantasy, right now.

The NBA is cutthroat. This isn’t rugby, where a player may be called up to the All-Blacks (the national team) multiple times in their career depending on their form. There aren’t multiple levels of competition that ease you into the big time. When you go to the NBA, the step-up in skill and talent is unparalleled in most sports. Even College can’t fully prepare you, although it can give you the resources to thrive in the pros. When you go to the NBA, rarely are you given a second chance. You have to be able to make a mark in the league in any manner you can, so that when your first contract expires, a second one is around the corner. If you can’t compete, that’s it. The D-League can provide you with a middling ground that could see you recalled, but that’s a tough road. You’d be better to find an international squad that will sign you for good money.

Everyone’s watching Adam’s future with a keen eye.

Adams declaring has me very worried, for all these reasons. New Zealanders don’t realise just how crucial this transition is. There are now a lot of factors in play that could make him sink or swim. The biggest negative is obviously how raw he is. He’s talented, but he’s got A LOT of work to do in whatever system he lands in to hone that talent. He probably won’t see much playing time due to where he is going to be drafted. As a mid to late 1^st rounder, he’s going to join a team that isn’t necessarily struggling or in need of role players, so he won’t get the exposure he would if he had waited for his stock to rise.

Despite all of this, if he plays his cards right and works exceptionally hard, there are SOME advantages to his declaring for the draft. Without the exposure of being a lottery pick, he can dedicate his time and effort to improving under a successful system that will nurture his talent and produce a winning player. If he dropped far enough, the Spurs come to mind. His humility will also be to his advantage. A lot of players that come to the NBA feel a sense of entitlement, that they’ve finally made it and the rest is history. It’s never the case, of course. He’s the type of person who will develop without complaint, taking the minutes he’s allocated and work hard in practice. He’s shown growth even in one year at Pitt, so one can assume he’s a willing learner too, which when combined with his natural instincts defensively, could allow him to carve out a place in the NBA that isn’t solely on the offensive end.

Adams is in control of his own future, whatever that may be.

I still think Adams has declared to soon. Going as a lottery pick would’ve netted a lot more exposure and I feel that he would’ve handled it. He’s quiet and a bit awkward around the attention from the media, but that’s what endears him to Americans. He would’ve settled into a higher calibre of play easier with a few more years at Pitt, where he could’ve played more basketball and learnt to be the go-to-guy that Pitt had hoped he would become. I understand that he wants to support his family back home, but he may one day find that he could’ve helped them even more if he’d stuck it out in college.

I just hope that everything falls into place for Adams, because a man who looks out for his family and plays a game he loves with the dedication he does, deserves all the success in the world.

What Makes a Fan?

After reading Jesse Taylor’s (GSW_JesseTaylor) brilliant article on the David Lee slander that has occurred over the last few weeks, it’s led me to think about what basketball means to me and the people that stand in the way of my journey to completely integrate it into my life.

I haven’t watched basketball for that long. As a fat, short kid, that grew into a fat, averagely tall adult, my passion for sports always felt inhibited by my lack of ability to play it competitively. It’s my own fault, there’s no arguing that. It’s something that I’ve struggled with psychologically for the longest time and still am trying to find the key that unlocks the door to a healthier lifestyle.

There was no argument though, I loved sport from a young age. I can attribute it to my parents fervent support of national sports in New Zealand like rugby and cricket, so I got to grow up with it. They put my brother, sister and I into sports and gave us every opportunity to excel.

I wasn’t very good. I was always one step slow on the pitch, always inaccurate with my bowling and the less said about my soccer skills, the better. It’s amazing that I look back on sport with such fond memory, giving me the opportunity to explore my passion.

I’ve always kept a social finger in the proverbial pie, playing friends at the gym, chucking up my awkward looking jumper no matter what kind of talent I was up against. It’s a freeing experience to play the game I have come to love with everything I have. I’ve discovered it’s not really about being good. It’s just loving the experience. I’m not a professional athlete. I’m Joe Blogs, average human being. Once I understood that, I understood how to be self-accepting of being the fat kid who loved sport.

I discovered basketball in the most accidental of ways. I walked into my local Gamestop and perused the 2nd hand games. NBA 2K10 was $10. I was looking for something that I could just pick up and play, so I bought it. My friend Dan had a copy, so it was also a chance to jam with him.

It’s a long story, so I’ll shorten it. The game led to me watching real games on ESPN. ESPN led me to keeping track of games I could not watch via box scores and live feeds. Not being able to watch all the games led me to getting League Pass.

My love for Golden State has the silliest of origins. They drafted me in 2K. I’d like to thank the organisation for looking at me as a deserving candidate for that pick. I went on to become their franchise player, of course.

The hardest part about passion is that when it’s not under control, people don’t understand it. I kicked a pair of shoes I’d left lying on the floor across the room during the disgusting loss to Philly today. My mum told me that I shouldn’t take it so seriously, that it’s just a sport. If it’s just a sport, then why do I feel so connected to it. Why do I want to drop everything else to interact with it. I tweet, I watch, I analyse, I play, I dream… It’s an integral part of my life that I no longer feel like being a casual fan or even a dedicated fan is enough.

To this day people question my love for it. The reason for writing this is Jesse’s statement about White/White racism. It’s low on the social injustice scale, but when another white male questions my motives or reasoning for loving basketball simply because I don’t match the demographic that predominantly play the game, it makes my skin crawl. I wear my ‘The City’ snapback with pride, yet I’m told that I look stupid cause white kids with their snapbacks are just trying to hard.

I don’t even have 100 followers on Twitter. To those 97 people who follow me though, you mean the world to me. You give me the opportunity to discuss, debate and embrace the game with people who understand me. It’s something that I can never repay you for physically, but I hope the conversations we’ll have down the line are valuable to you too.

I’m not David Lee, and I will never have to go through what he does on a daily basis. The pressure and the criticism must become so overwhelming. In my own little world however, I understand the principle of what it is that he goes through. The idea people question your commitment or love of the game that you would do anything to be a part of.

So, to David Lee, ladies and gentleman. We all struggle in our different ways, but if you’re reading this, I think you’ll agree:

Basketball is worth it.

A Demoralising Loss

The Warriors went into Madison Square Garden with a lot on their mind. After the ‘brawl’ during the final quarter of their game in Indiana, David Lee was being forced to sit out his homecoming, suspended by the NBA. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson had been fined for their contributions to the scuffle. The game against the Knicks was going to be played on the back of all this commotion, making it a volatile situation for a Warriors squad that seems to go from extreme highs to extreme lows.

The game wasn’t expected to be that close. The Warriors don’t have a centre that they’re comfortable playing, despite Ezeli’s good start to the season. With David Lee’s rebounding taken out of the equation, people expected Tyson Chandler to dominate up front and Carmelo Anthony to exploit the replacement in the starting line up.

Tyson Chandler rebounded 28 shots, a career high (via warriors.com)

To nobodies’ surprise, they did. Anthony dropped in 35 and Chandler grabbed (and tapped out, a much debated accreditation) 28 boards, a career best. However, they’re good and great nights, respectively, would be eclipsed by one man’s ‘solar explosion’ as Ethan Strauss put it.

Stephen Curry, lord of the 3pt shot and maestro of the Warriors offense, absolutely rained fire on the Knicks, pocketing a humble 54 points.  At points the shot was wide open, but that was only in the beginning. When it was common knowledge that he would not miss without being physically held back, the Knicks ran the most ridiculous pressure at him I think I’ve ever seen on Curry. When Curry used a screen, the primary defender and the pick man would smother him. The screener was of no consequence to them because anything was better than Curry getting free. This lead to wide open shots for other players, or Curry would dribble his way out and shoot rainbow money shots from behind the arc. Pull up or stand still, floater or runner, Curry would’ve hit it last night.

Just one of Curry’s 11 3′s on a 54 Point, 7 Assist, 6 Rebound night (via warriors.com)

This is why the loss to the Knicks is the worst they’ve experienced this season. Forget losing-streaks and forget OT lapses. When a player is so hot offensively and scores half your points, there is a very small chance that you’re going to lose. In fact, in the last decade, when a player has scored 50 or more points, it’s resulted in a win 70% of the time. The reason? Defence and ball handling

It’s becoming a reoccurring sentence coming from anybody who talks Warrior basketball: the defence from the first part of the season is gone. It’s been a train wreck, going from one of the top Defensive Ratings to the bottom third of the league. It may be the slimmest of margins, but Golden State now has a .2 differential in points scored/allowed, favouring points allowed.

As Zach Lowe says in his Grantland article, their zone has fallen apart, shredded to bits by poor communication. Players aren’t rotating on the screens. They’re losing track of cutters from one corner to another. They’ve tried to play it to stop the bleeding, but it only makes the wound bigger. It’s when a 100% Andrew Bogut and Brandon Rush would be really welcome, top tier defenders at their positions.

STAT dunks a wide open shot (via Getty Images)

The other factor at the end was careless ball handling. It could even be called misplaced, due to who would be on the ball in the final stretch. Jarret Jack is a huge part of this team, and I do not want to detract from his outstanding season. He’s pulled this team out of losses and into wins. Last night, however, I could not believe how much he handled the ball. Curry had proven that he could run the offense AND get his own shot, almost having a double-double on such a large volume of shots. The theory must’ve been to get him open off screens, but that wasn’t at all necessary.  Jack tends to go into ‘God Mode’, a generally effective hero ball style. He’ll make clutch passes when they’re there, but other than that, he tries to take the whole load on himself. His shot was off last night and he wasn’t making those passes. He dribbled into trouble; the complete opposite of what Curry had done all night. It was ugly to watch, and was underlined by the final minutes of play which resulted in turnovers and missed rebounds.

It’s an up and down sport, and the Warriors can’t find consitency (via Getty Images)

It’s hard to tell what the rest of the season holds for this team. The Heat, Spurs, Thunder… they’re all locked in and ready for post-season scrimmage. The Warriors are still in the middling ground between having arrived and having departed. They’ve got to lock in despite not having Bogut, get the defence sorted out and win games. The easier home schedule should see them into the playoffs, but if they don’t sort things out, the first round is as far as they’ll go. This team couldn’t beat the top 5 teams in the West through 7 games. The Warriors from the beginning of the season? They’re darkhorse contenders.

Andrew Bogut is Not Injury Prone

I’ve heard through the grape vine that a lot of you Warriors fans are upset that we traded away our star Shooting Guard for a Center with a fractured ankle? While I understand how hard it is for us to let Monta Ellis go and get on with his career, we were lacking any sort of inside presence alongside David Lee. Even if that roster had made the playoffs, what good is one round, elimination and then no lottery pick to boost our roster? No, this was the best outcome for everyone. We lost some great talent in Ellis and Udoh, but we gained a Top 5 (If not Top 3) Center and Klay Thompson has the space to develop without being in the shadow of Ellis.

The main point of this article, however, is to address the concerns people have over Bogut. The main argument for why the trade was not a good idea is because Andrew Bogut is not healthy, with a broken ankle. They also claim he is injury prone, due to the fact he has had to take time out for two other injuries in the past.

Bogut has admitted that when he suffered back problems early in his career, it was from a lack of conditioning. He is open about that, and has taken it on himself to strengthen his core and get his conditioning up to scratch so that he is able to support his height and weight in the fast paced NBA.

That is the last of my concerns. Why, you ask? Because the next two injuries were both unpredictable and complete bad luck.

In a game against the Phoenix Suns, Andrew Bogut went to dunk the ball on a fast break when Amar’e Stoudemire fouled him, which sent him falling from the rim and landed on his arm in such a way that it broke both his wrist and his elbow. If you google it or watch it on Youtube, you will see just how unfortunate the incident was.

The next time Bogut injured himself, he broke his ankle landing on somebody’s foot. That’s not injury proneness, that’s bad luck.

So the next time you have a conversation about how injury prone Bogut is, just remember the rest of the NBA Players in the league are not immune to this sort of bad luck. You don’t hear them calling Derrick Rose injury prone…

The Golden State Warriors at the Deadline

Well, today has just about made my head explode. Being my first deadline as more than just a passive fan, I don’t think I was quite expecting all the exciting things that happened! I’d love to touch on everything that happened, but I think that I will just focus on the Warriors movements at the deadline, which were small in comparison, but provide a very interesting situation!

1. ATLANTA HAWKS trade 2nd Round Draft Pick to GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS for Cash Considerations

This trade is nothing more than convenience for both. The Warriors need more picks in a deep draft and the Hawks are dabbling in the luxury tax this year, so this trade works for both sides.

2. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS trade Stephen Jackson to SAN ANTONIO SPURS for Richard Jefferson and 1st Round Conditional Draft Pick.

This is the trade that has me sitting up straight. Admittedly the Spurs 1st Round Pick is quite low as they are seeded so high in the west, but it means that they are all but guaranteed the pick if it’s only lottery protected. So, the Warriors get a first round pick, which for me can only mean something good if they use it right.

Then there is the fact that Stephen Jackson will not be donning a Warriors uniform.

Thank God.

I know that people were talking about the past being the past, but in all reality taking him into the locker room would have been terrible. Perhaps not at first, but after a while he would start to become tired of the Warriors and cause problems. I had faith Mark Jackson could be the coach to turn him around, but why take the risk. So we send him to the Spurs and take on Richard Jefferson.

Now Jefferson is not playing career basketball, but he is a vet who can give some back-up at the SF spot. I really do think this was a good choice for a basketball team that is trying to restructure its lineup and will potentially have 3 new players as rookies next season.

Only time will tell, but personally, this was a fantastic trade deadline for the Warriors.

 

The Ellis Trade and Why You Shouldn’t Be Panicing

What a roller coaster night that was. After making a 2 game win streak against two over .500 teams, the Golden State Warriors were ready to ride some momentum through to what was their dream of making the playoffs, even if that meant making it through the 8th Seed. They looked like they might even be able to do that without Stephen Curry’s production, who is still nursing that recurring ankle injury. Then something shocking happened.

I say shocking, but the rumor had been circulating ever since the Bucks put their oft-injured centre Andrew Bogut on the trade market, but nobody thought it would really go down. That was until before the game tonight, terms were agreed upon that would see Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh and Kwame Brown sent to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Bogut and Stephen Jackson.

It’s a trade that has caused real controversy between fans of the team, who have grown tired of terrible front office decisions (see 90% of draft picks and the huge contracts this team signs players to who don’t produce ANYTHING.)  The major feelings are that we have just traded away the best player currently in a full-time starting roll and the best up and coming star we had on the team, and for what? We get a player that can’t even compete this year because of a fractured ankle and another player who had a public falling out with the franchise when he requested a trade away from the team (refer to huge contracts, no production).

Before I start to defend the trade, let me just go on the record saying it was a mistake to trade Udoh. We may have got Bogut, but we still needed a big to end the season. He was a fan favorite simply for his dedication and energy every night to the team. There are other players on the squad that could have filled that trade out, because in the end, they wanted Ellis and just something to sweeten the deal. Alas, life goes on, so…

The following points detail why you, the Warriors fan should not panic:

1. I do not agree that we just traded away our best player or our best talent. Yes, they could be regarded a such, but has anybody watched Stephen Curry play, or Klay Thompson. Curry is not healthy, I will concede that, but with the athletic staff working to get him 100% and potentially locking him down for the rest of the season could result in the Davidson-drafted PG producing outstanding numbers, unlike we would have seen when he competed for shots with Ellis. Curry is going to be a franchise Point Guard, with the owners definitely indicating their preference towards him than to Ellis, and come the 2012-2013 FULL SCHEDULE season, he should be ready to play.

2. Then there is Klay Thompson. The 11th pick in the 2011 draft has the sweetest looking jump shot in the league, next to Ray Allen and he uses it perfectly. At 6’7, he rises and shoots the ball for high percentage looks and has shown great agression as of late when it comes to driving that lane. He’s not slashing like Ellis just yet, but he has enough BBall I.Q. to get into the paint and cause some strife. Forget the fact he shot 6-19 from the floor in the win over Sacramento, he showed intent in his first start for the team, and was working hard to keep the flow of the game at a Warrior-Style tempo. It was Numero Uno start for him, and on a emotionally draining night. This kid is going to be huge.

3. Speaking of Sacramento, this is where we should start to open our eyes to what GSW can be without Ellis. I’m not going to say this proves we can still make the playoffs and make a huge run to completing Mark Jackson’s pipe-dream for his rookie season. That would be getting ahead of myself. What I WILL say however, is that my-oh-my the Warriors looked nice tonight.

Sure, it’s the Kings, and they are seeded even lower than GSW in the conference, but the Warriors play was exceptional against any team. They kept the ball moving through the hands of everyone on the court, to create amazing opportunities which they cashed in on a lot of the time, especially the 3-ball. The score sheet was so spread out that even Andris Biedrins managed to record 6 points, 4 Rebounds, 3 Steals and 2 Blocks. He was visibly frustrated when he wasn’t given an open pass, and That would be a negative sign to show that frustration on about every other team in the league. But for me, that just signifies his hunger to get open. Everyone hustled and played flowing offense.

To sum it up, here is a tweet from a fan:

@warriorsworld Did anyone notice how much ball movement there was without everyone standing around waiting for Monta to do something?

— Michael Abena (@mikee707) March 14, 2012

 

So quit worrying. Sure, this season is probably heading even further from a .500 record, but the future is what this trade was about. At least we have a franchise acknowledging that 8th seed is not enough. We want rings one day!