The Grip -- Tues, 1.9.18

A great showman will be heard, even from Lithuania

1.9.18

LAST NIGHT'S SCORES

Pacers 109, Bucks 96Raptors 114, Nets 113 (OT)Timberwolves 127, Cavaliers 99Pelicans 112, Pistons 109Rockets 116, Bulls 107Spurs 107, Kings 100Clippers 108, Hawks 107Warriors 124, Nuggets 114

Lakers: Hey LaVar, can you stop openly criticizing Luke Walton?

LaVar: Yeah word.

…

….

…..

LaVar: HOLLLLLL UP.

Your weekly LaVar Ball drama

One thing you can’t escape from in the modern NBA is the presence of the Ball family. They are on ESPN, Facebook, Fox, all that bad stuff. Every word uttered from their mouths is a headline, even though it’s one percent valuable, 99 percent hot gas.

Last week, LaVar Ball sat down with ESPN’s Jeff Goodman -- who is in Lithuania, churning out clickbait content -- to talk about his younger Balls. It soon turned into another moment of off the cuff trash talk-- this time a recurring one about Lonzo Ball’s coach, Luke Walton, who apparently “doesn't have control of the team no more.” This comment was then used as the headline for a national ESPN article.

This didn’t sit well for Jim Carrey look-a-like Rick Carlisle, who is done with the bullshit. 

"Printing an article where the father of an NBA player has an opinion that's printed as anything like legitimate erodes trust. It erodes the trust that we've built with ESPN. Our coaches are upset because Luke Walton does not deserve that."

Carlisle may have a point, but it wasn’t articulated well. It’s just a man angry at something he doesn’t like. Does he know that ESPN is (partly) the reason why he makes more than seven million dollars a year? That ESPN pays billions to broadcast NBA games? That the NBA is so lucrative because of batshit crazy drama from L.A. and New York, not Dallas?

Sure, we’re at a time where even the dumbest comments can become national headlines, so long as they lead to clicks and page views. (ESPN even reported on Carlisles rant about ESPN!) And you can’t get mad at the reporter. Jeff Goodman has been the man behind most of LaVar’s quotes -- he’s trying to stay alive in a saturated media market where any sort of distinguishable edge means you don’t get laid off.

This is perhaps an us problem, as Steve Kerr so eloquently put last night, via the S.F. Chronicle’s Connor Letourneau‏.

And if you’re thinking,

did this affect the Lakers locker room?

It doesn’t seem like it. Luke Walton didn’t seem to mind the comment,

Lonzo was also questioned about it after practice and calmly shrugged it off as his crazy dad who was just speaking his mind.

  • Somehow, Kevin Durant is the LEAGUE LEADER in blocked shots with 2.27 per game. He ruined the league, but props.

  • The Lakers (12-27) reportedly are putting Larry Nance, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle on the trading block. They seem to be really banking on some big moves...

  • Rajon Rondo put up nine assists in the first quarter of yesterday’s win over the Pistons (21-18). Here’s a video of his 25 assist game a few weeks ago.

  • After last night’s loss to Minnesota (26-16), Cleveland (26-14) has now lost five of the last seven games.

  • Despite losing, Lebron was at least able to add this savage block to his career highlight reel.

  • Last night, the Milwaukee Bucks’ (21-18) bench was the definition of “not showing up to play.” They recorded zero points through the first three quarters. The Bucks only lost by 13 points.

  • Houston native Gerald Green was picked up on waivers earlier this month by the Rockets. To show his gratitude, he’s averaging 23.7 points and four rebounds in 30 minutes per game. And his braids are unreal.

  • The Thunder (22-18) on Sunday night lost to the Suns. Very disheartening for us shadow OKC fans.  

  • Kawhi Leonard is injured again, this time a partial tear in his left shoulder. He missed the first 27 games of the year and will miss at least several more.

  

  • The Celtics (33-10) are playing the 76ers (19-19) in London on Thursday. Confused? Tap Here to learn the logistics of who, what, where, when, why and how.

  • Not sure how this one slipped through the cracks, but Bleacher Report las month did a funny and entertaining story on NBA players’ old AIM tendencies. [Tap Here]

  • DeMar DeRozan jumps on the Woj Pod to talk growing up in Compton, barely bonding with Lowry in his first year, and how close he once came to asking for a trade out of Toronto. [Tap Here]

 A LOOK AHEAD Here are the must-see games of the week. 

TUESDAY, 1/9Miami (22-17) and Toronto (28-10) square off in a matchup of two of the hottest teams in the league.7:30 PM EST WEDNESDAY, 1/10Portland (21-18) travels to Houston (27-11) in a game featuring three elite backcourt players, but not James Harden, who is still out for the foreseeable future.8 PM EST