NBA Takes…with Teresa: Injuries, trades, and those officials again!
This week: the trade deadline has come and gone, and I’m still shaking my head. Some severe injuries to top players, and those officials are still making a mess of our favorite game.
This has been quite a week in the NBA. Injuries, trades, no trades, and those refs again. All in all, it’s just basketball.
Major injuries
LeBron James suffered a devastating high ankle sprain when he and Solomon Hill collided during the Lakers’ 99-94 road loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Initial reports were that James would be out 4-6 weeks. However, Friday morning, it was reported he would be out an additional 3-5 weeks. What does this mean for the Lakers and their hopes of a repeat?
If all goes well, LeBron’s return would be in the last week of April or the first week of May. That would leave just two or three weeks left in the regular season. Could the Lakers even make the eighth seed without LeBron, and when is Anthony Davis due back? Only time will tell boys and girls.
Charlotte Hornets’ LaMelo Ball fractured his right wrist in a hard fall during a loss to the Clippers back in L.A. The first reports are that Ball will miss the rest of the season. LaMelo was ahead of the pack to win the Rookie of the Year award.
Trades and no trades
I don’t understand why the analysts try to figure out who’s being traded where. All they need to do is look at the trades once they come through. There were plenty of trades Thursday, and most were a big surprise. I sat back with my Woj Twitter and analyzed the deals. Until the deadline, I sat with my fingers crossed that the new Knicks didn’t resort to the old Knicks. They didn’t.
I will not give my opinions on all of the trades, but I must speak on two.
Portland Trailblazers
The Blazers knocked me out when they traded Gary Trent, Jr. and Rodney Hood for the Raptors’ shooting guard Norman Powell. At first, I was upset. GTJ and Hood (to me) were so good when the team was down CJ McCollum. I was going to blow up the Blazers this week. Then I saw Powell’s stats.
Powell is averaging 20 ppg and has a 49.9 percent field goal percentage and 43.9 percent from three. He gives the Blazers’ second team a tremendous lift. Will he even be coming off the bench? Just think about it. I think he’s better off the bench and as the new backup for Damian Lillard.
In tight games, Powell can be on the floor with Dame and CJ as a small forward. Either off the bench or as a starter, Norman Powell will help the Blazers not only in the playoffs but, dare I say, Western Conference Finals?
Orlando Magic
These people traded Nikola Vucevic to the Chicago Bulls for Wendell Carter Jr. and two first-round picks. Okay, I get it; the Magic are in 14th place. Even a team that wants to rebuild should never throw away their biggest jewel. I know fans out there gonna say, “Well, the Knicks traded away Kristaps Porzingis?” to which I will answer, he didn’t want to be there, let it go!
Seriously, this trade stunned me for most of the day. Wendell Carter, Jr. was the seventh pick in the 2018 draft, and Orlando dumped him?
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers traded Lou Williams!!! Los Angeles traded Lou Williams to the Atlanta Hawks for Rajon “Playoff” Rondo. When I first read about this trade, I was actually speechless. I’m not a Rondo fan, so I’ll leave that there also.
Ha, ha, they did not get traded!
- Kyle Lowry didn’t get traded. He is staying in Toronto. Rumors of his trade to the Lakers were just that – rumors.
- Lonzo Ball is staying in New Orleans. Several teams, including the Knicks, Chicago, and Atlanta, were said to be in play for him, but nothing.
- Their respective teams bought out Andre Drummond and LaMarcus Aldridge.
The official ruining of the NBA
The NBA officials continue to go through the league ruining close games and/or making sure certain teams win.
- During a Knicks vs. Sixers game, the ref refused Tom Thibodeau a challenge, then argued that he never made the challenge.
- In the game between the Lakers and Sixers on Thursday, Dwight Howard and Montrezl Harrell played a very physical game. Howard was playing Harrell very close, Harrell pushed him, and the refs called Howard for his second technical and ejected him from the game. That was in the first quarter.
Commissioner Silver, what will it take to get this right? Chris Paul, are you paying attention to your members, or are you just making State Farm commercials? In the meantime, the fans are getting angrier and angrier.
Until next week, stay safe and healthy!