LeBron James continues to change his supporting cast - (All Pro reels photo)

Lonzo Ball - (NBA photo)   Kyle Kuzma - (NBA photo)   Montrezl Harrell - (NBA photo)   Alex Caruso. . (NBA photo)   Kentavious Caldwell Pope .- (NBA photo)

SPORTS NOTES - YOUNG NBA TEAMS THAT ARE SHOCKING THE LEAGUE

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

The NBA seems to be stronger throughout the league with three former doormat teams that are playing winning basketball. Much of it has to do with LeBron James castoffs that are excelling with the Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls. The Cleveland Cavaliers are winning with the most puzzling array of players. WHAT'S UP? READ ON… - NBA's ALL TIME BEST PLAYERS 1st and 2nd TEAMS

Wednesday November 10, 2021

Who-da-thunk-it? LeBron James castoffs Excel Elsewhere

What's up with this season turnaround teams. We're talkin Washington, Cleveland and Chicago. The three organizations have been the leagues doormat for years have now come alive with VENGEANCE.

The Washington Wizards franchise is largely due to their acquisition of LeBron James aka the LA Lakers castoffs, Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell Pope and Montrezl Harrell. At the time of the writing they were in 1st place in the Southeast standings with an 8-3 record. This team will be interesting to watch as they gel and get familiar with each other's timing and tendencies as a unit.

The Chicago Bulls are shocking the league with their stellar play. Again they are stocked with LeBron James rejects namely Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso. The blending of their skills with Nikola Vuecvic, Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan is exciting to watch.

Potentially they have the talent to make it to the finals should they stay healthy and continue to blend as a team. As a unit their style of fast break play and perimeter shooting is a threat to any opponent. They have the most exciting group of newly acquired players that are also exciting to watch.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the most surprising who-da-thunk-it team. Their improvement and early success is puzzling as they are winning but are the least most gelled team of our top three most surprising NBA teams. Currently they are in 2nd place in the Central standings with a 7-5 record just and game and a half behind the Bulls who have an 8-3 record.

At 31 Ricky Rubio seems to be reenergized. His offense has improved greatly yet his current role is coming off the bench. Kevin Love is a puzzle since he has not produced the way he did with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Since he teamed with LeBron James his play has diminished and he admits to having mental problems. The question is can he return close to his previous pre LeBron form and help solidify the squad with his experience and maturity?

The three youngsters that seem to be the driving force of the team are guards Darius Garland and Colin Sexton and center/forward Evan Mobley. In addition to last season's acquisition of center Jarrett Allen they have an interesting chemistry in progress. Basically, I can't figure this team out but they are shocking the league with their turnaround play from past disappointing seasons. They will be the most interesting to watch with regard to their chemistry development.

Another interesting highlight is how the aging Lakers are being utilized. It appears as if LeBron James is on COAST MODE by not playing due to his complaints of soreness. This is during a period when an Atlanta Braves player pitched for several innings in this seasons World Series WITH A BROKEN LEG.

They don't make athletes the way they used to when they played hurt. In one case former Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jack Youngblood played and entire game WITH A BROKEN LEG. His position requires him to tackle 230 lb. running backs when his charges after them or they are coming his way.

One of the athletic feats for which Youngblood is best known, is that of playing in the 1979 playoffs, including Super Bowl XIV, with a fractured left fibula. He also played in the 1980 Pro Bowl with the injured leg, a week after the Super Bowl. In the playoffs, Youngblood sacked Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach near the sideline in the waning moments of the divisional playoff game versus the Cowboys.

Playing with the fractured leg was noted by Sports Illustrated in their Top 10 list of athletes playing in pain. For that and other achievements Jack was dubbed the "John Wayne of football" by Jim Hanifan and echoed by Hall of Fame coach John Madden. The NFL Network series NFL Top 10 selected Youngblood's performance in the 1979 playoffs as top on its list of the "Gutsiest Performances" of all time.

The Philadelphia Eagles TWO WAY player Chuck Bednarik was known to play hurt WHEN HE NEVER CAME OUT OF A GAME. He played both offensive center and defensive lineman or linebacker. They didn't call him concrete Charlie for nothing.

The reality is Bednarik's nickname, "Concrete Charlie," originated from his off-season career as a concrete salesman for the Warner Company, not (contrary to popular belief) from his reputation as a ferocious tackler. Yes... if you got the drift... in those days professional athletes weren't paid enough to survive year round and many had to take jobs in the off-season to get by. Today's spoiled athletes apparently dictate policy and decision making.

Now here's the difference, James is paid over $40 million a year just to play basketball. He also earns endorsement money as well as income from his various enterprises. It boils down to today's athletes are paid so much money that they are the inmates that are running the asylum.

Apparently no longer do coaches run the team the star players do. They are pampered by their franchises and protected by the league. To both entities they have too much money invested to upset the apple cart or their prized star players. It appears

It appears that King James wants to pamper his aging body during the regular season to be healthy for the playoffs. The Lakers strongest and steadiest, most valuable player is Anthony Davis. He is the closest Laker to be compared to old school when they played basketball and were allowed to be physical. Basically the way they play the game today is an abortion of what the sport should be.

When you see SISSY BALL players take a HOP, SKIP, JUMP and SHOOT WITHOUT TAKING A DRIBBLE AND ARE NOT CALLED FOR TRAVELING THEN SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH WHATEVER SYSTEM IS PERMITTED TO EXIST.

Coaches and referees have lost the plot of what their role should be. Former Celtics coach Red Auerbach would be rolling and turning over in his grave if he could see the way the game is played today.

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