The NBA has a way of moving things around without actually changing them. We are currently sitting at number eleven in the league power rankings, which is a jump from number fourteen. It feels like moving your couch to the other side of the living room (you still have the same couch, but now the sunlight hits your eyes in a slightly different way).
I spent some time looking at sketches someone drew of the first forty games of the season. It takes a lot of dedication to draw a picture after every game, especially when some of those games involve transition defense that makes you want to stare at a blank wall instead. It is nice to have a visual record of our collective confusion.
The Youth are Rising, Apparently
Tonight they announce the pool for the Rising Stars game at 6:30pm. There are twenty-one spots for the rookies and sophomores, which is a specific number that I assume someone high up decided was correct. We are looking to see if Chomche or Shead make the cut, though injuries are always lurking in the bushes like a stray cat.
The list of locks includes names like Cooper Flagg and VJ Edgecombe, who sound like guys who would own very expensive boats. Then you have the second year players like Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher, who we all talked about for months. Now they just exist in the league, running up and down the floor like everyone else.
Trade Winds and Wind Chill
There is a lot of talk going around right now, mostly because the trade deadline is a thing that exists. People say words like "assets" and "leverage" as if we are negotiating the sale of a mid sized shipping company in 1994. My uncle says we should trade everyone for a guy who "wants it more," but he also thinks the shot clock is too fast.
It is very likely that all this chatter leads to absolutely nothing, which is the most honest outcome. We wait for a big change and then we just end up watching more basketball. It reminds me of waiting for the bus in January (you know it is coming eventually, but that doesn't make your ears any warmer).
- Current Rank: 11
- Previous Rank: 14
- Rising Stars spots: 21
- Sketches drawn: 40
- General outlook: Persistent.