Kyle Anderson and The Art of Slow Basketball

Here are today’s best Spurs news and articles.

After three years of riding the bench, Kyle Anderson has finally gotten a chance to show off his basketball skills this season in what has become an unexpectedly permanent starting role. Bruno Passos had an excellent piece the other day about how the man known as “Slow Mo” has proven that speed is overrated in basketball, and now Deadspin is getting in on the act with an enjoyable read about how pleasantly hilarious it is to watch Anderson juke unsuspecting opponents off their feet in slow-motion.

Keeping old-school basketball alive

In an age where sports are driven by analytics, social media, and style over substance, old school basketball has almost become a thing of the past. Posting up is no longer en vogue, and the mid-range is considered the least analytically-friendly shot in the sport. As a result, players like LaMarcus Aldridge are a dying breed, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t any good. Playing to his strengths while carrying the perpetually undermanned Spurs through their most difficult season in 20 years, Aldridge remains one of the best post-up players in the league while also keeping a dying art alive.

Danny on “In the zone”

Danny Green recently joined Chris Broussard on his podcast “In the Zone”. Topics discussed obviously included the state of Kawhi Leonard with the Spurs, and per usual he repeated that neither Kawhi or anyone with the team is at odds with each other.

We all text him. We’re in touch with him. He’s still a very much part of this group, this team. We still have his back.

From the team’s perspective, there is no one that is at odds with him.”

They also discussed possible free agency landing sports for his ol’ buddy LeBron James, including if he would fit in with the Spurs. Naturally Danny believes he will…under certain circumstances:

“If they can still keep Kawhi and [LaMarcus Aldridge] and those foundational pieces, it would be interesting to see.”

You can listen to the entire thing below, or click here if the player isn’t working.

Speaking of LeBron

The idea of LeBron James in a Spurs uniform is all well and good from a basketball standpoint, but every now and then he does something that reminds me why I just don’t like him that much, the most recent being him threatening to sue the University of Alabama for having a similar web series as him.

If you’ve missed out on this still-developing story, basically LeBron and his media platform UNINTERRUPED have a web based series called “The Shop”, where Lebron talks life with friends and fellow players while getting a haircut. As it turns out, Alabama has a similar show called “Talk Shop” that just so happens to take place in the team facility’s barber shop, where players, coaches and former legends chat.

James claims “Talk Shop” might be infringing on copyrights and trademarks of “The Shop”, although it should be noted that none of James’ businesses have a copyright or trademark associated with “The Shop.”

While Alabama and UNINTERRUPTED are reportedly working behind the scenes to find a solution, that hasn’t stopped James and Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban from engaging in a war words. Saban responded to UNINTERRUPTED’s letter with the following statement:

“I think LeBron James is a great player. There’s been at least 20 barbershop-type things I’ve seen. I didn’t even know he had one. I’m sorry anybody could be offended by something we were just trying to have fun with. I enjoyed it and we’re going to continue to do it.”

To which LeBron responded:

“I mean, I think you guys know Nick Saban more than me from a media perspective. You guys know Nick Saban more than I do, so that’s exactly what I would think he would say. I built Uninterrupted for a reason and for us athletes to have a platform to be able to speak about whatever we want to talk about. I respect him as a coach, but I’ll be damned if I’ll allow someone to use our platform or try to do the same thing we’re doing and just think it’s OK.

Yikes. Spurs fans have had enough kawhiet drama around here this season. Do we really want the loud, ego-maniacal drama that follows LeBron everywhere he goes as well? Besides, if LeBron thinks he’s the inventor of barber shop talk, he’s sorely mistaken.

Have a good one!

Source: Pounding The Rock