I’m back again, Hoops Heads. It’s been a while (a week). While away, I was saying and owning it in full holiday splendor last week, dropping weird unfounded hot takes in a strictly verbal fashion. I attended several basketball games, including high school, NCAA, and NBA G-League games. It was a fine time, but I need to focus on the League now.
There are a few things I need to address this week, like a record breaking margin of victory, the lukewarm San Antonio Spurs, the Phoenix Suns in a Western Conference Finals preview against Golden State, and Kemba Walker.
So, let’s get started!
Dismal in Oklahoma
The Grizzlies defeat of the Oklahoma City NBA team was eye-popping. Memphis scored 152 gotdamn points in a 48 minute game. That’s over 3 points per minute. That’s impressive! What’s not impressive is how the Thunder countered with a meager 79 points. What’s downright offensive are the results of some intricate mathematical process that shows that the margin of defeat was only 73 points. The Thunder rolls….over, apparently. That was the largest margin of victory in NBA history! Hooray!

What I want to whisper to you is that only seven months ago, the mighty Indiana Pacers thrashed the Thunder by 57 points in what was obviously a much more competitive game, 152-95. It makes me wonder if there are taco giveaways for fans of the team that scores a century and a half against Oklahoma City. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander needs to escape. Quickly.
In any event, Thunder fans can start saving for their sweaty Paolo Banchero jerseys for next season because, OKC, you’re on the clock!
I said it. I’ll own it!
Spurs win again!
So, I’m a Spurs fan. I say it here constantly. But did you know that Dejounte Murray should be an All-Star this season? No? Well, he should. I said it. I’ll own it.
Well, this week the Spurs spanked the Portland Trail Blazers who were without Damian Lillard. Portland trotted out the likes of Tony Snell, Cody Zeller, and Ben McLemore. Are you suddenly underwhelmed? Well, how do you think CJ McCollum felt?. (I don’t blame Dame if he wants to bail on this situation either)

Well, that was San Antonio’s third win on the trot. They’re on fire, folks! More smoke than flame, but at least there’s signs of life there finally. They only need 15 straight wins to match what the red hot Phoenix Suns were doing, which was…
Suns win 18 in a row!
The Suns are a really solid squad that folks were actively ignoring until a few days ago. I thought they were a Finals Fluke last season, but they proved me wrong. But it’s not just the winning though, as if that wasn’t enough. They play with style, man. For example: the dismantling of a Warriors team that I’ve picked to win the Western Conference earlier this week.

The Suns are long and athletic, which is another way of saying they play bad ass defense, and they have great chemistry. The passing the other night against the Dubs was exquisite. As a fan of Big Man Ball, I truly appreciate the development of Deandre Ayton every time I see him.
Having said all that, the two teams played again last night, and Golden State summarily vanquished the juggernaut Suns, who were without the services of Devin Booker.
Western Conference Finals: Golden State in 6.
I said it. I’ll own it.
The Increasingly Sad Case of Kemba Walker
As a Spurs fan, and by extension a fan of a slow iceberg-like rebuild, I’ve had to look afield for hoops entertainment. So I’m now a full-fledged Las Vegas Aces fan and I’ve also found myself becoming a part time Knicks fan, which is odd.
I say it’s odd because the games I’ve been impressed with were both games that they lost against the Nets and the Bulls. They were so close in both and took away moral victories. Oh hell, they were heartbreaking losses, who am I kidding? It was like listening to Adele. Don’t get me started on the horrible officiating in the Nets game. I don’t blame Julius Randle for being salty.
What’s also heartbreaking to me is the sudden demise of Kemba Walker. He’s been removed from the Knicks rotation by coach Tom Thibodeau. Kemba has never been a defensive stopper at any point of his solid career. That shortcoming is probably what’s worked him to the end of the bench, despite still being able to score at the hoop and shoot the three relatively well (41%).

A Possible Trade?
The rumor is a deal with Houston for John Wall, but I can’t see that happening. Wall is owed billions and billions of dollars in his (insane) contract and Kemba is not, so pieces must be added in a prospective trade.
Kemba just isn’t working out in New York. He’s 31 and probably on the downside of his career. Ah, but there is one place he might fit in, though it would require a special someone coming back the other way. You know who.
Say it with me: Kemba for Russ.
I said it. I’ll own it!!
I promised weird unfounded hot takes, remember?
See ya next week!