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It is 39.8 miles from the David O. McKay Events Center in Orem, Utah to the Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. For a fan, that journey takes 45 minutes (if you drive the speed limit). For a Utah Flash basketball player trying to work his way into the NBA, that journey can take most of a young lifetime. I invited a young high school basketball player I know to attend last night’s game between the Utah Flash and the Idaho...

If I had seen the final score of tonight’s D-League game between the Iowa Energy and the Utah Flash, (Iowa 126, Utah 112), without seeing the game, my first thought would have been, “Overtime?” Then, upon seeing that the Flash gave up 126 points at home in regulation, my next thought would have been, “Wow, the Flash were about as attentive on defensive as a couple of Northwest Airlines pilots bound for Minneapolis...

On January 25, 2010, the Utah Flash hosted the Maine Red Claws. The Red Claws ended up thumping the Flash handily, but I thought the way this game played out provides some excellent insights on winning and on losing. Here is the scoring by quarter: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Total Red Claws 29 15 27 36 107 Utah Flash 22 24 12 26 84 Check out the points scored by each team in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. Wow, huh? A game like basketball has...

First, I would like to thank the young man with the Utah Flash who handed out stats during halftime of tonight’s game. They really make a difference in understanding what is going on, and focus attention on the game. Thanks again. Today the Albuquerque Thunderbirds avenged their New Years Eve loss with a 109 – 103 win over the Utah Flash in Orem. Credit Thunderbird Head Coach John Coffino and his team for learning from their...

Unlike the rest of the world, I was actually a bit surprised by NBA Development League President Dan Reed’s apology “for a Utah Flash promotion that never should have happened.” Why was I surprised? Well, because as a Utah Flash season ticket holder, I was there. On Monday, December 7, 2009, D-League commisioner Dan Reed was in Orem, Utah. We don’t usually see Reed in Orem at Flash games, but on that night in...

On December 26, 2008 a scorekeeper in Colorado incorrectly disqualified a Utah Flash player claiming he had 6 fouls when he only had 5. At the time, the score was tied at 102 with 25.2 seconds left to play. Ten days earlier, an Atlanta Hawks scorekeeper did the same thing to Shaquille O’Neal with 51.9 seconds left and the score at 111-112. The NBA and NBA Development League front offices ordered the endings of both games to be...

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It sure would be easy to blame today’s loss by the Boston Celtics to the Chicago Bulls, both of game 1 and home court advantage, on the fact that Kevin Garnett wasn’t playing due to injury… easy, but not ENTIRELY correct. Certainly if Garnett had played, the Celtics would have won, however, the Celtics still had ample ability and opportunity to win this game but failed to step up. For example, __ Ray Allen definitely...

By now you have probably read articles that Kevin Garnett may not be back to the Celtics on time for the playoffs. So, if you are a Celtics fan, the bad news is Garnett may be out… but the good news is last year Paul Pierce made quite the miraculous recovery, didn’t he? Pardon my skepticism, and this is in no way shape or form to be construed as an anti-Celtics post… But given the recent history with this team (see clip...

The Utah Flash had their first home game of the season hosting the undefeated Bakersfield Jam. Flash fans got a GREAT preview of the promise their team holds for them this season as this game against a very good team went to overtime, and was in doubt right down to the final ticks of the clock. But first, let’s get the negative out of the way so that we can enjoy the rest of the game analysis. It’s one thing to write,...

Before I start, I’d like to propose a new NBA rule: players are NOT to make ANY contact with any player of an opposing team AFTER a whistle has blown. If there are players that need separating, there are 3 referees and 4 teammates on each side that can do the job, so there is no need for a player to pose as a “peacemaker” by making contact with or restraining an opposing player. As often as not, that just further provokes...

Today the Rio Grande Vipers drafted Smush Paker. There are 16 teams in the d-league, and Parker went at #14. That boggles the mind. Thirteen teams would rather take a chance on an unknown talent, then acquire a very known quanity in Smush Parker. Once the starting point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, sharing the back court with the venerable Kobe Bryant, Smush Parker averaged 11.1 points per game, 2.8 assists, and 2.5 rebounds…...

Greed.  It is why there is a real estate crash.  It is why there is a banking crisis.  It is why there is a taxpayer funded bailout.  It is why OPEC is trying to raise oil prices again by cutting back production. Greed is also why Kobe Bryant is injured.  Hopefully greed won’t be why the Lakers will not be in next season’s NBA Finals. Playing in a preseason game against the Charolette Bobcats, Kobe Bryant left the game with...

I’ve been rewatching Olympic Men’s Basketball, wishing the NBA preseason were already here. To keep from going crazy, I’ve decided to list out 20 things I wish the NBA would do to improve itself. Nearly all of these ideas are whimsical, nevertheless, I’d like to know what you think about them. And what are some of your own ideas? So, in no particular order, where is some of my wish list for the NBA… 1 –...

redeem (verb) – to do something that makes other people have a better opinion of (you), especially after you have behaved badly or failed at something. — Cambridge Dictionary of American English. Whoever first coined the phrase, “The road to redemption” must have understood that redemption is almost never a single act or gesture. Redemption is a road that, like all roads, must to be traveled a step at a time. Today...

If you are a fan of USA basketball, this was a great game, but two numbers indicate Team USA wasn’t yet tested where it is weakest: inside. Those two numbers are 28 and 64. Twenty-eight. Spain committed 28 turnovers versus the United States. For perspective, Spain committed 8 turnovers in their previous game against Greece. Sixty four. USA shot 7 of 11 (64%) from the arc in the first half. For perspective, that is better than...

The first quarter was tense. In the first minute and a half, Jason Kidd picked up 3 fouls, none of them would have been fouls in the NBA. Enter Chris Paul, and he turned the ball over on his very first pass. Add bogus foul calls on Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant, (not to mention the fouls that weren’t being called on Greece), and in the first 2 minutes of play, Team USA found themselves with a 5 to 0 foul disparity, a starter on the...