TERRY MOSHER
TOP OF THE TOWN‑ That old (bleep), LeBron James, is giving everything he’s got left as he surprisingly, leads the Los Angeles Lakers closer and closer to playing for the NBA championship. Now 38 (he will be 39 December 30). The Lakers lead the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors 3-1 and can move to the Western Finals against either Phoenix or Denver if they beat the Warriors at Chase Center in San Francisco Wednesday (May 10). LeBron is not only great on the basketball court, he’s a great businessman who Forbes estimates has net worth at $1billion, second only to Michael Jordan’s $1.7 billion. LeBron is doing wonderful things for kids, including the I Promise School funded by his foundation which aims to helps those kids who have fallen through the cracks. His contributions include Boys and Girls Club of America, After School program, Children’s Defense Fund and Onexone, which like the others supports children and the five pillars: Hunger, education, health, play and water. To say the least, LeBron is a giver who has been inspired by his mother who was a single mother when he was growing up. As much as I admire him for dong so much off the court, I find it difficult to root for him on court. It’s my personality. I have always liked to go one-on-one against the best. I like the challenge of battling the best. It was my background as the youngest in our family back in the 1950s and I played sports against my 3 very athletic older brothers and their friends, took my lumps and kept coming back for more. It made me better as a result I liked to challenge myself at all times (it didn’t work in golf. I routinely got beat in golf by friends who couldn’t walk and chew gum at the same time). So when I see a guy like LeBron I naturally root against him because if I had the talent I would love to battle him one-on-one and because I can’t I like to see others go against him and beat him. I don’t think the Warriors are going to do it. LeBron has support cast revved up, including Anthony Davis and last game, Lonnie Walker, and I see too many flaws in Steph Curry (bad passes, mishandling of the ball, and missed shots he normally makes). I was not very quick in basketball when I played as a youngster, but I was able to outsmart, outthink many defenders to succeed. That would not happen in today’s game. Players who are really good are extremely quick in addition to having a ton of talent. Jimmy Butler is a prime case of that. He can do about everything there is to do in basketball. Curry is like Butler, except he makes too many mistakes for me. I don’t know if there is a team left in the playoffs that can stop LeBron and the Lakers. Maybe Denver if it escapes Phoenix. LeBron is geared to play at least two more years so he can play alongside his son Bronny, who signed to play with USC, likely for just one year. He will be joined there with DJ Rodman, son of Dennis, who is transferring from Washington State. That’s it for today. Stay safe.
Be well pal.
Be careful out there.
Have a great day.
You are loved.
