I want to address something about this summer's presumed top draft picks, Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball, inspired by Bill Simmons’ latest mailbag, which I only just got around to reading today. To do that, we should start with a disclaimer: This isn’t specifically about Simmons, nor is it even necessarily specifically about Fultz and Ball. Here’s the passage: The crucial part in there for me is how he frames Fultz and Ball, ”two no-doubt-about-it picks,” and the context in wh

I’m not going to make this too in-depth, since it’s just one game, but I did want to jot down some qualified thoughts after watching Pelicans-Rockets tonight, and the debut of the Brow and Boogie Show. • Not much to say, huh? Unfortunately, it’s obvious they’re going to have to feel each other out more in practice before it begins to flow in the game. Alvin Gentry didn’t leave them out for very long stretches on the floor together - an extended run to begin the game and at th

The moral of the story for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, when they’re clicking, is that for as bad as their defense is - really, really bad - their attack can be all the better. Sergio Aguero on his day can look like the best forward in the world. Raheem Sterling has the raw pace to spring a threat at any given moment. Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane, silky smooth and making the ball dance. David Silva, poking and probing as expertly and reliably as ever. It can all be so s

To understand the Kings-Pelicans trade and what DeMarcus Cousins might be able to do with Anthony Davis in New Orleans, first we need to understand Davis. The first thing to understand about Davis is, well, our misunderstanding of him. At 23, Davis is bouncing back nicely from a lost-ish season last year. He’s averaging 27.7 points per game, a career high, pulling down 11.9 rebounds, also a career best, and even dishing a career-high-equaling 2.2 assists per contest. To reall