Ten Things About the NBA: Dwight and the HoF, Knicks, Warriors, Fights and More!!

Golden State and Oklahoma City Getting Chippy!

Monday night the Golden State Warriors returned to the Chesapeake Energy Arena to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder and as you might expect the Warriors blew out the Thunder in their own barn.

This happened with five seconds to go to end the first half.

I wonder if the Warriors being upset at Thunder officials for not paying homage to their traitor former star Kevin Durant had anything to do with this? The ESPN source was later refuted by Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr.

They really can’t use the "rivalry" excuse either. The Warriors have OWNED the Thunder in the regular since 2014-2015.

You know what I think?

The reason behind the animosity between the Warriors and Thunder players in general but specifically Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry is because Kevin Durant probably said something Westbrook had said privately to him about Curry. Otherwise there is absolutely zero reason for Curry and some other Warriors to be so snippy towards Westbrook. And there would also be no reason for this.

Keep your radio dialed for the next installment of "As the Warriors Whine".

Was LeBron James "Resting" the Real Reason behind Adam Silvers Memo?

LeBron James sure thinks that it is. He had plenty to say about it and I just go wow.

You have to love it when James decides that it’s all about him. Well not really. Can’t James just be happy being the best basketball player on the planet? Why does James always and I mean ALWAYS take every single mandate the NBA makes and personalize it in order to play the victim martyr?

I will say this though; if anyone deserves a rest it’s LeBron James. James has played in six straight NBA Finals plus as Sirius NBA personality Eddie Johnson says James has only missed 43 out of 493 games.

As far as the memo from Commissioner Adam Silver; the very reason the salaries are so high these days is because of the television networks. So they must figure out a way to appease the networks.

On the flip side the reason the TV contract was so lucrative was in part because of James. He’s a polarizing figure and many tune in to nationally televised games to watch stars like James play. It would behoove all parties involved to have players like James play in these games but also to have James playing in the NBA for as long as possible.

The contract with ESPN and TNT runs through 2025 so they have time to figure this all out. Bet your last dollar they will figure this out and sooner rather than later.

Phil Naessens Makes Another Crazy Prediction

I make a ton of NBA predictions every season. Some work out and some don’t. Okay……most of them work out. This past week on my show Rotowire NBA expert Alex Rikleen and I discussed possible first round playoff matchups…….and I made my craziest prediction yet for the first round of the playoffs.

Robin Lopez and Serge Ibaka Square Off

Chicago Bulls center Robin Lopez is more known for punching out mascots and Serge Ibaka is known as one of the dirtiest players in the NBA……and the end result were punches being thrown. Check it out!

Both these gladiators received one game suspensions that neither appealed.

The Blowout Factor

I hate watching blowouts; as a New York Knicks fan my team is usually on the receiving end of these 25 point or more blowouts. Look below to see which NBA teams have won the most games this season by 25 points or more.

Urkel Records NBA First Perfect Triple Double

My man Urkel is having a legendary season; while it won’t nor shouldn’t win him the MVP Award this season averaging a triple double for an entire NBA season is quite a feat.

Wednesday night Urkel recorded the first perfect triple double in NBA history; he went 6-6 from the floor and 6-6 from the line for a line of 18 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists in just 28 minutes against an awestruck Brett Brown and his process-less process.

Bravo Urkel!!

As good as that triple double looked on so few shots from the field my friends at Statmuse came up with this;

The Nuggets Are Rolling!!

Back in September I predicted the Denver Nuggets would wind up with the eighth seed and the Portland Trail Blazers and their fantastic offensive minded yet defensively challenged backcourt would be making vacation plans in April…….check out this little nugget I found about just how good the Nuggets have been in 2017.

Matt Barnes Wants to "Kill" the Sacramento Kings

Former Sacramento Kings forward Matt Barnes is upset with his former employer. So much so that he told reporters on Thursday that he wanted to "kill" the Kings for releasing him after they traded DeMarcus Cousins to the Pelicans.

I don’t suppose Barnes getting himself arrested for allegedly hitting a woman in a NYC night club had anything to do with his release?

Knicks to Run "Full Triangle" Next Season?

It never rains in Southern California. It pours, man it pours. I doubt singer/songwriter Albert Hammond had my Knicks in mind when he wrote this along with Mike Hazelwood but it sure does fit that disaster on 4 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Allegedly the Knicks are going to go "Full Triangle" next season. At least according to Head Scapegoat Head Coach Jeff Hornacek they are.

They will if they can get everyone to embrace the system that is. If someone could please explain what the eff that means in light of these comments by Carmelo Anthony I would be eternally grateful.

Now it seems to be the personnel. Well no shit Sherlock. Isn’t it Jackson’s job to go out and get players who can play the bloody Triangle or at least convince these players to embrace it? Why sign Anthony to a long term albatross of a deal when you know he ain’t having any of it? Why bring in Derrick Rose if you know he can’t be bothered enough to actually understand the Triangle?

The Knicks were supposed to run the Triangle from day one of the Jackson era. I thought that was the reason for hiring Derek Fisher. Two coaches and an interim later and the Knicks still aren’t running the Triangle. Something tells me the Knicks never will run that offense.

As President of the New York Knicks Jackson’s flip flopping between ideas that actually work such as Hornacek’s faster paced early offense in order to return to his antiquated Triangle seems strange to me. Actually it exasperates me to no end.

As a Knicks fan of 45 years I can’t wait until Jackson is outta there. Then again who would be dumb enough or desperate enough to want to work for owner James Dolan?

Damn……it sucks being a Knicks fan.

Is Dwight Howard a "NO DOUBT" Hall of Famer?

Dwight thinks so and unabashedly made that statement to The Undefeated. It’s quite the detailed article where Howard attempts to tell his side of the story and clear the rumors and alleged misconceptions the public may or may not have about him.

He certainly has the numbers to be a First Ballot Hall of Famer. Howard is currently 22^nd on the All-Time Rebounds list, 20^th in blocked shots and 95^th on the All Time Scoring Leaders. Those are heady stats and if he plays four to five seasons more who knows where he will end up in the respective categories.

I’ll leave you with the last word on this one!

See ya next week!