August 10, 2020

 

Two games are on tap for me to cover. The first game at 3:00 pm pits Dallas against Utah.  That means my call time is 10:00 am.  It is going to be a long day today.  The second game airing live on TNT isn’t slated to tip until 9:00 pm so I won’t be getting back to the resort until tomorrow.

 

No workout for me today.  Under normal circumstances I would be up and at the gym by 7:00 am but here in Orlando, I cannot go asleep like I do at home.  In Tucson I would be out by11:00 pm at the latest but for some reason I cannot get to sleep until well after midnight.  It’s not like I don’t try to go to bed earlier.  It’s just that I cannot fall asleep regardless of the time I go to bed.  I have resigned any chance of rising early and working out at my usual time.  Any time I have to be at any arena before noon I have given up any chance of exercising that day.

 

I don’t know why the Mavericks and the Jazz even played this game today.  Both teams rested their star players and neither team had anything to gain with a win and had nothing to lose with a loss. Both will make the playoffs and are happy with their seeding.  It was a true yawner as evident of the seven second yawn I captured of Luka Doncik on the bench.  I decided to not shoot game action for a period of time, spotting the 21 year old on the bench fighting to stay awake and remain interested in the game.  That comical piece of video was replayed on several sports outlets that evening and the next morning. I could not wait for the game to finish so I could kill a couple hours before the getting ready to the Lakers and Nuggets.

 

Los Angeles and Denver were pretty much in the same situation as the two prior teams.  The Nuggets are awaiting the playoffs to start but the Lakers have had a difficult time thus far in the bubble.  They are the number one seed in the West but since entering the restart have ranked last or close to last in almost every offensive category.  Much of their demise has been attributed to their inability to adjust to the unique circumstances of this tournament.  Remember what my buddy Bill Duffy said about most players being content with just playing basketball and being around each other?  Well, our commentators, Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller, said just the opposite about the team from LA. 

 

There has been a lot of speculation that the Lakers, in particular Lebron James, have not adjusted as well to the bubble as many of the others have. With the numerous distractions outside of basketball absent that many of the Lakers players have while playing and living in Los Angeles, being able to adjust to only playing games and being around teammates and staff has proved difficult.  The complaints of the living environment, the food, the confining surroundings, have mostly come from the team from Los Angeles, and that isn’t the Clippers. As a result, their performance has deteriorated and tonight’s game against Denver is important for them to start playing like the team with the best record in the NBA should be playing.

 

I like working games with Kevin and Reggie.  They work so well together and their banter is quite entertaining.  Reggie Miller, a Hall of Famer with the Indiana Pacers, always has a great story to tell.  He played against so many greats during his career and he is a great in his own right.  Plus his analysis of players is spot on, being positive or negative.  A guy with a resume like his is allowed to speak objectively because he has seen and done it all.  And he looks like he could step on the court today and pick up where he left off.

Kevin Harlan is that one of a kind play by play announcer.  He is a radio guy that transitioned to television yet still describes situations like he doesn’t have the visuals to compliment what he is describing.  He is articulate, funny, very down to earth, and treats everyone on the crew as an equal.  Words just roll off his tongue unchecked yet they never seem forced or inadequate like many other announcers (insert Bill Walton here, although Bill is a super great guy as well).  I remember working a game with Kevin when he was the play by play guy with the Timberwolves. I cannot for the life of me remember what he was describing but it was hilarious enough that he found himself laughing so hard at his own story that he had to duck beneath the announce table until he could compose himself. 

 

The game went down to the wire.  It was exciting from start to finish, only the Nuggets had their star players (Jokic, Murray, and Porter Jr) watching the action the entire second half.  The Lakers were playing evenly against Denver’s supporting cast and that is not a good sign.  But I have to give the Nuggets credit. Guys that weren’t used to playing as much as they did tonight were holding their own against a star studded starting five from LA.  Plumlee, Bol Bol, Dozier, and Morris played very well together.  With 4 seconds left, the Lakers had the ball out of bounds in their front court.

 

LA had called time out.  On the headsets we speculated where the ball would go.  Some thought James would take the final shot while others thought they would go inside to Anthony Davis.  I said they would devise a play that would allow Kyle Kuzma to take the game winner.  Kuzma was getting good shots all night and he was my choice to take the game winner.

 

I was told to isolate the Lakers bench for a reaction after the shot so I fixed my camera on the reserves standing along the sidelines.  I watched the play by peering over my viewfinder and sure enough, the ball went to James who drove towards the bucket a few steps then tossed the rock to Kuzma who cut into three point land and drilled the shot.  Game over.  Lakers win.  I call the final play.  Is there a coaching job open in the NBA that needs some fresh blood?  Feel free to reach out.

 

On the bus back at 12:30 am one of the camera operators that is on my crew lets me know he forgot to get his COVID test today.  Uh oh.  There may serious consequences as a result of his negligence.  Everyone must have a negative result each day in order to continue working.  His fate will be decided in the morning as he is scheduled to work with me tomorrow night at 9:00 pm on our next TNT telecast.  I hope he is cut some slack.