UCLA is legendary for the pickup games involving not just college players but NBA players as well. They happen not at Pauley Pavilion but at a nearby student gym.
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/the-nb ... cla-214458
And there was famously some sort of pickup game (it might've been invitation only) in Houston where Moses Malone played -- and where a young Akeem (as he spelled his name then) Olajuwon went to learn post moves from a master.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakeem_Olajuwon
Paul George and the folly of NBA stars playing for USA glory
Re: Paul George and the folly of NBA stars playing for USA g
Are 1) a stanchion being unusually close (seems pretty easily fixable) and 2) an erroneous belief that players don't play lots of pick-up ball during the off-season really reasons to pull out of international competition?
Re: Paul George and the folly of NBA stars playing for USA g
Cuban loses sight of role of international play:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/06/sport ... tball.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/06/sport ... tball.html
-
AcrossTheCourt
- Posts: 237
- Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2013 11:56 am
Re: Paul George and the folly of NBA stars playing for USA g
Reminds me of an old article I wrote about injuries and the Olympics:
http://ascreamingcomesacrossthecourt.bl ... mpics.html
Summary: players play 4.8 games less after the summer games, but some of this is due to aging. It's really more like 4 games less after the summer games, and it's right on the edge of significance (1%~.)
However, the selection process is bogus. Guys who had a healthy season previously are more likely to be taken. A guy who had an injury-plagued year is less likely to attend. I never got around to sorting this out, but the issue is still there....
http://ascreamingcomesacrossthecourt.bl ... mpics.html
Summary: players play 4.8 games less after the summer games, but some of this is due to aging. It's really more like 4 games less after the summer games, and it's right on the edge of significance (1%~.)
However, the selection process is bogus. Guys who had a healthy season previously are more likely to be taken. A guy who had an injury-plagued year is less likely to attend. I never got around to sorting this out, but the issue is still there....
Re: Paul George and the folly of NBA stars playing for USA g
Jalen Rose says of NBA players playing in the Olympics: they'd be playing anyway, but they get better quality games and training in the Olympics.
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/jalen ... usa-2014-8
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/jalen ... usa-2014-8
Re: Paul George and the folly of NBA stars playing for USA g
Jalen's take has a lot of merit.
And similarly Gordon Hayward's thoughts:
"A lot of questions have been raised now about the risk of injury in a competition like this. I don’t think it’s something you can think about. You just have to go out there and play. As soon as you start thinking about injuries and you’re tentative, bad things happen.
That’s just the nature of sports in general. You go out and play.
There is risk wherever you are. During the offseason, guys play pick-up games all the time where they could get hurt. The only time I’m ever cautious is if I’m playing somewhere where I don’t know everybody playing, and somebody is trying to prove something, or do something that would hurt me. That’s where I would walk away and say, “I don’t want to risk it.”
But in a situation like Paul’s, where everybody is just trying to compete and guys aren’t trying to hurt anybody else, sometimes things happen, and there’s nothing you can do about that."
Coach Thibodeau: "Injuries, unfortunately, are part of the game, and you hate to see anyone get injured. And it could happen in the regular season, it could happen in the offseason, it could happen in practice, it could happen in a game. Basically, the only way you can guarantee a guy not getting hurt is don’t play at all. So, you’re never playing a game, never practice, never play in the offseason and you won’t get hurt. But that’s not the way you play this game."
Steph Curry: "Every time you suit up, whether it’s practice or during the season or working out during the summer playing pick-up wherever, you’re always at risk of getting hurt and we understand that as basketball players.
"So obviously you don’t want it to happen and you try to keep yourself out of precarious situations but when we’re out on the floor we can’t afford to have any doubt or hesitation, that’s when injuries do happen. Just play the game the way you know how and just pray for the best because injuries are a part of the game. That’s just the risk you take."
And similarly Gordon Hayward's thoughts:
"A lot of questions have been raised now about the risk of injury in a competition like this. I don’t think it’s something you can think about. You just have to go out there and play. As soon as you start thinking about injuries and you’re tentative, bad things happen.
That’s just the nature of sports in general. You go out and play.
There is risk wherever you are. During the offseason, guys play pick-up games all the time where they could get hurt. The only time I’m ever cautious is if I’m playing somewhere where I don’t know everybody playing, and somebody is trying to prove something, or do something that would hurt me. That’s where I would walk away and say, “I don’t want to risk it.”
But in a situation like Paul’s, where everybody is just trying to compete and guys aren’t trying to hurt anybody else, sometimes things happen, and there’s nothing you can do about that."
Coach Thibodeau: "Injuries, unfortunately, are part of the game, and you hate to see anyone get injured. And it could happen in the regular season, it could happen in the offseason, it could happen in practice, it could happen in a game. Basically, the only way you can guarantee a guy not getting hurt is don’t play at all. So, you’re never playing a game, never practice, never play in the offseason and you won’t get hurt. But that’s not the way you play this game."
Steph Curry: "Every time you suit up, whether it’s practice or during the season or working out during the summer playing pick-up wherever, you’re always at risk of getting hurt and we understand that as basketball players.
"So obviously you don’t want it to happen and you try to keep yourself out of precarious situations but when we’re out on the floor we can’t afford to have any doubt or hesitation, that’s when injuries do happen. Just play the game the way you know how and just pray for the best because injuries are a part of the game. That’s just the risk you take."
Last edited by rlee on Fri Aug 15, 2014 5:17 am, edited 2 times in total.
Re: Paul George and the folly of NBA stars playing for USA g
Apologies for starting this thread in a really bad mood. Since I've had my right knee torn apart in a stupid game, it was especially unnerving.
Paul George probably has mostly himself to blame, for going so hard for a block in an unimportant scrimmage.
I love the idea of international games. It doesn't matter to me if the US wins. It seems that the games would be more intriguing if they were more competitive -- i.e., if the US didn't send their best players, nor perhaps anyone of all-star level.
When an NBA superstar is severely injured, his team is screwed for the year. If he's just overextended, they aren't quite as screwed.
George seems to have a pattern of wearing out toward the end of seasons. Everyone has a limit to their physical outputs, the sustainability of their concentration, etc. This was a no-win situation for him and the Pacers.
Paul George probably has mostly himself to blame, for going so hard for a block in an unimportant scrimmage.
I love the idea of international games. It doesn't matter to me if the US wins. It seems that the games would be more intriguing if they were more competitive -- i.e., if the US didn't send their best players, nor perhaps anyone of all-star level.
When an NBA superstar is severely injured, his team is screwed for the year. If he's just overextended, they aren't quite as screwed.
George seems to have a pattern of wearing out toward the end of seasons. Everyone has a limit to their physical outputs, the sustainability of their concentration, etc. This was a no-win situation for him and the Pacers.