Tag: nba

Steve Francis: I Got a Story to Tell

Steve Francis writing for The Players’ Tribune:

I still live in Houston to this day, and I can walk around this city and no matter what, people got my back. Even when I was going through some dark times the past few years, and I got locked up, everybody in Houston still had my back. How many guys who only played in a city for five years, and only made the playoffs once, get that much love?

I think it’s because of the energy in the city when me and Yao were together. That was my guy. When he came to Houston, we were some Odd Couple motherfuckers, man. A dude from China and a dude from D.C., and it wasn’t even language that was the problem. That was just a part of it. I’m partially deaf in my left ear, and Yao is partially deaf in his right ear, and we’re trying to speak to one another in basic English.

He’s turning his head, Huh?

I’m turning my head, What? Huh?

A genuinely entertaining and well written short-form memoir by Steve Francis covering what amounts to his whole life – from the death of his mother and step father, dealing drugs and visiting prisons to Hakeem, Yao, Gary Payton and Shawn Marion.

A must read for any NBA fan.

RIP Wes Johnson

There’s a moment – after the step back, after the look down… just the briefest of moments – when Harden relaxes his shoulders even more and spins the ball before bombing the three. That is cold blooded.

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ALL 50-Point Dunks In NBA Slam Dunk Contest History

Some thoughts:

  • Lavine vs Gordon is the gold standard in 1v1 dunk contests
  • Gordon’s two mascot dunks are both top ten all time dunk contest dunks
  • Jordan had an innate understanding of how his dunks would photograph (always watch his off-hand)
  • What is it about Dominique’s off the backboard one-hander that is so good?
  • Ceballos’ blindfold dunk is whack af
  • Des Mason is a underrated dunker
  • Josh Smith too
  • Nate had some hops boy
  • Lol at Spud Web getting any 50s at all
  • I forgot about the McGee double dunk
  • Also forgot about Oladipo’s 360 reverse goddamn
  • Controversial opinion: Jason Richardson might have better one-hand windmills than ‘Nique
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Don’t Call It A Choke

Photo credit: ESPN

After The Oklahoma Thunder lost Game 6 to the Golden State Warriors, tying the series at 3 all, the “choke” echo chamber started firing up.

Honestly, I’m completely over the ‘choking narrative’.

It’s lazy.

Why analyse the series when you can just yell “CHOKE”, right? Seven games worth of defensive rotations, pick and roll coverage, cross matches, game-to-game adjustments, shooting slumps – don’t worry about it. Just yell ‘choke’.

It’s dismissive.

The choke narrative completely ignores the fact that another team (The Warriors) was actively trying to beat them. And it completely minimises the sacrifice and hard work that the OKC players and coaches and staff made, not only for this series, but for the entire season.


It’s myopic.

Klay Thompson shot an NBA record 11 threes in Game 6. Klay and Steph beat the Playoff record for threes in a series, each. Yeah, OKC ‘choked’ though. The choke narrative ignores context.

It’s arbitrary.

What’s an appropriate number of wins or losses before a team chokes? If OKC went up 3-2 after a 2-2 tie and lost, is that still a choke?

It’s dickish, and do we really need more dick behaviour in the world?

If you’re a genuine GSW fan you’re excused, but for the rest of you: ease up. You just witnessed an incredible series in which both teams laid it all on the line in a Conference Finals matchup for the ages. Maybe take some time to appreciate it.