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Hacksaw’s Great Sports Weekend Podcast
You Tube Channel-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
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“NBA SUMMER LEAGUE-NOT MUCH TO SEE”
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It was an overhyped debut game in the Las Vegas Summer League.

The country wanted to see what Cooper Flagg would look like in his first NBA action, even if it was a meaningless game between the Lakers and Mavericks.

West Coast fans wanted to see the difference between rookie Bronnie James, last year, and the difference with a full off season of weight-nutrition work.

The nation probably came away impressed with the top pick in the draft from Duke.  Lakers fans probably have the same sentiment now as they did last year about LeBron James’ son.

Flagg showed alot of his tools in his 10-point debut.  Thundering drives to the basket.  Turn around jump shots.  Drives, bank shots, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals.

He also learned alot.  He had a fistful of shots deflected and blocked by jumping jack big men, the so called rim protectors.

But he showed alot of power, played with no fear, and ran up alot of on the floor minutes for someone who had just a couple of practices with the other Dallas rookies.

He finished (5-21) shooting in the Mavs win.  There were 6-rebounds, 4-assists, 3-steals and 2-blocks.  Not bad for the first time out.

For Bronny boy, he hit 2-quick jump shots to excite the crowd and then disappeared.

Sat a bunch in the lst quarter, played in the second, a bit in the 3rd stanza and a bunch of minutes in the final quarter, and did nothing.  He finished (2-8), there were turnovers, fouls,  and signs he was overwhelmed by the talent level on the floor.

Considering he was (6-33) shooting in the California Classic games, it is hard to imagine he is any closer to being a trustworthy NBA player in year two than he was as a lost rookie last year.

Flagg’s credentials flashed at both ends of the floor, and the first game will be a learning curve as to what to expect on defense.

For Bronny , is he anything more than a legacy draft pick, who should still be playing for the USC Trojans, instead of taking up the final active roster spot, because he is LeBron’s kid.

Opening night, NBA Summer League, the number 1-pick worth seeing.  The rest on the floor, nah.
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=======Hacksaw’s Thursday Podcast..1-30pm
You Tube Channel-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
Hot Topics on Table..Stay for Fans Forum
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“HAVE YOU SEEN ENOUGH?”
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Random sports questions I want you to answer.

DODGERS..Is Dave Roberts on the hot seat for this wildly erratic season?  Sure seems to be unpopular from some LA fans despite the World Series rings.

DODGERS..Payroll at (338M) and in need of a 3B..Would you be offended if they traded for Nolan Arrenado of St Louis and his big time salary?

PADRES..Sophomore slump-scouting reports figured out Jackson Merrill in middle of a (3-33) slump?

PADRES..Is Fernando Tatis getting by just on athleticism, and where is his baseball IQ these days in the midst of a (.209) average since May 3rd?  Can’t fix his mechanical flaws

ANGELS..Have a very high draft pick come Sunday in the Baseball Amateur draft and likely to take a college pitching star, Liam Doyle-Tennessee.  Do you know since Perry Manasian took over as GM-the Halos have not developed a front line start pitcher yet?  Do you see any of the 21-pitchers they drafted in one draft a couple of years back, doing anything on the major league roster?

Your turn with your answers-now.
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“CLIPPERS-VS-LAKERS…IN SUMMERTIME”
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They won’t play each other till late October when the NBA season starts.

But they go against each other year round, eventhough in the fan’s eyes, the Lakers own the market and the Clippers have not hung any banners in any building.

That being said, you look at the rosters after these off season deals, and you see alot of age, some superstars but a different type of teams.

LAKERS…Can you win in the NBA with 3-and-a half quality players and no consistency beyond that on the roster, on the floor and off the bench?

There is the superstar in Luka Doncic, the historical greatness of LeBron James, and the emergence of a scorer-scrapper Austin Reaves.

One wonders what they are really getting in C-DeAndre Ayton, athlete, scoring talent, and lots of baggage.  More has been said-written about his attitude, work ethic, immaturity, lack of intensity.  The Suns and Trailblazers both dumped him, after he was the #1 pick in the draft years ago.  So what does that tell you about the person rather than the player?

Rui Hachimura returns after being shopped, though you never know what you get one game to the next-we have seen that over two years.  Dalton Knecht has break thru games and then disappears.  Anyone want to see anything more of Jaxson Hayes? Please, end the conversation about Bronny James.   Is there anyone else on this depth chart with upside?

The Lakers keep changing parts, but are still a distant 3rd-4th-5th in NBA West.

CLIPPERS..An active off season so far, and they are not done.  The big issue is advancing age and injury and how much time is left on the clock for their stars.

Kawhi Leonard had a remarkable second half of the season considering the injury history on his resume.  James Harden can still play but always seems a disappointment in post season and he is pushing age-37.

Ivica Zubak has emerged as a complete big man, especially on offense.

The team dealt for jumping jack offensive threat John Collins, younger and more athletic, but it cost them Norm  Powell in the Miami-Utah three way deal.

The one year rental of Brook Lopez via Milwaukee free agency, gives them productivity and experience with the minutes he will get.

They still have cap space to go get another guard, whether that is a final year with legendary Chris Paul, or a rental-at a low price of Brad Beal, there will be a deal shortly to fill out the starting group.

They have youth and some experience off the bench, and the intangible might be depth on the roster too under Coach Tyronne Lue.

The Lakers have spent their money.  The Clippers have space to add one more veteran.

On paper, the Lakers may have banners and two big stars.  The Clippers may have more players and maybe the better coach.

It’s summer time, always time to talk Lakers, what they used to be, vs Clippers, what they are still striving to be.
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Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus PODCAST
You Tube-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
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“DODGERS-JUST ASKING”
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They may be in first place, but they don’t look like they are anywhere near the World Series team we saw last year.

What is familiar is the lengthy list of names on the Disabled List.

What is unusual, all these blowout losses, especially at home at Dodgers Stadium.

So far this season, the Dodgers have had to put 18-different pitchers on the disabled list, and it is only early-July.

Freddie Freeman has been hurt twice.  Mookie Betts was sick and then banged up.  Max Muncy is out 6-weeks with what looked like a serious knee injury.

On Monday, the Dodgers were without 4-infielders as they got blitzed in Milwaukee.

Add on to things you don’t normally see at Chavez Ravine, Dodgers fans booing.

Friday’s 18-1 torch job by Houston, brought out boo-birds en-masse in the middle of a 10-run Astros inning.

This season alone, the Dodgers have been hammered at home by scores:
18-1…16-0..11-1…11-9…and then road losses by scores of 9-1…9-5…and 11-1.

No doubt they can score runs in bunches and put together big win streaks.  But this is the same team that has been smoked more often than not.

No doubt with the trade deadline coming up, LA has the resources, luxury tax be damned, to go get more help.

The injured pitchers are returning right now, but fatigue seems to be setting in on some of these arms too.

A very strange looking Dodgers team, and we are not even to the All Star break.

Just not the style of Dodgers baseball we usually see.

Can you believe it, LA fans booing the team they cheered winning the World Series ring last year?

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Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus Podcast..1:30pm
You Tube-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
Hot Topics on the Table-Stay for Fans Forum
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“BASEBALL NOTEBOOK”
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While I was off last week, the baseball world kept churning.  Some topics, some opinions.

ALL STAR GAME..The votes are in and there will be 19-first time players in this summer’s game, and the country gets to see the vibrancy of Peter Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs and the velocity of Paul Skenes, and the power displays of Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge.

GREAT STORIES..They should get a standing ovation for perseverance, Matt Boyd of the Cubs and Jacob deGrom of Texas.  They both spent more than two years getting off the operating table and the disabled list, and now both are all stars.  The Rangers don’t have a healthy team, but yet deGrom has been dominant when he starts.  Boyd, once seen in Detroit and Cleveland scuffling in his comeback, is one of the reasons the Cubs are where they are in the standings.  These guys deserve this.

WHY THEM..Fernando Tatis, an all star reserve, voted by the players, who obviously don’t read box scores or follow other games.  El Nino at the plate is hitting (.212) since early May and yet he gets players’ votes to show up?  And Julio Rodriguez, who has hit in the (.220s) two years in a row gets to play representing Seattle?  That is weak.

SALUTE THEM…Jason Adam gets the bid to go to the All Star game based on his 1-inning stints as a setup man.  He is on pace for 90-appearances this year.  Still think Nick Pivetta deserves accolades, and he might be an injury replacement.  Bit surprised Robert Suarez’s 34-saves did not get him a berth.

DODGERS…Are they running on fumes as we get to midseason?  Tanner Scott and Anthony Banda have had alot of bad innings over the last three weeks.  Add in the shortage of starting pitchers and the need for more bullpen days, and you get blowouts.  And the Dodgers have been booed really badly at home twice the last two weeks.  Getting beat (18-1) at home by hated Houston really enraged the fans.

ANGELS..You can say they are making progress, this nearly .500-season for the Halos.  Anything is better than last year’s 99-loss season.  But they are still short of big season batting stats from Mike Trout; still short of starting pitching;  And have a bullpen that has withered because of injuries.  Add to that the season ending loss of Manager Ron Washington with serious health problems.  The Angels just cannot overcome all their problems can they?

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