The Flagrant 2’s Year in Review: 2016 Got Us Feeling

Photo Cred: Sacramento Bee

2016 in general kind of sucked…. We don’t really need to get into why it sucked.We feel like some of you can read between the lines for why we disapproved of 2016 but basketball in general did not suck. A lot of great stuff happened in 2016 for basketball fans at all levels. As we do with most things, the Flagrant 2 sits down and hammers out some of our favorite stuff that happened in 2016.

The Showman:

For me, 2016 will always be known as the year we started this journey as the Flagrant 2. It has actually been a pretty enjoyable time attempting to break into the NBA Internet Community. When I look back on what really made me love basketball for 2016, it will always start with the Boston Celtics and end with the Celtics but there is a lot more to my fandom then that team in Green. I promise to only mention one Celtics storyline as a 2016 favorite:

• Kobe Scoring 60 in his Last Game:
  Seriously, the most Kobe thing ever would be to take 40 shots in a game and score 60 points to end his career. This was great, and for all those people who want to point out flaws in this performance can go straight to Russia. Being that person who over-analyzed the last game ever of a Top-10 guy of all time is a little bit ridiculous and could be a good measuring stick for people with a little too much time on their hands.That game is the epitome of Kobe Bryant, and regardless if you liked his style of play or not, him going out like that is just awesome. I am not the biggest fan of retirement tours, mostly due to the increase of ticket prices but Kobe’s farewell tour was pretty epic. From all the cool gifts he gave guys like Tony Allen or Devin Booker, it really showed that he was just a fan of the game just like us.
• The Ben Simmons College Hype Train:
  The train left the station in late 2015 but man did it pick up steam at the start of 2016. It was an absolute blast watching Simmons do some of the things he did last year, it was really pretty epic. Outside of guys like Kevin Durant, or Michael Beasley there hasn’t been many college freshmen that have made me sit in awe like Simmons. Each game it seemed like he would make a ridiculous pass that would leave you speechless. It sucks that his 2016 ended prematurely, but at least we got some Summer League Simmons to hold us over until his 2017 domination. The Ben Simmons 2017 ReBirth will hopefully be just as fun as the 2016 Hype Train.
• The Last Few Minutes of the 2016 NCAA Title Game:
  Feel like what we watched was something out of a movie. From that ridiculous shot made by Marcus Paige to the buzzer-beater by Kris Jenkins, everything was just pure cinematic beauty that needs someone like Christopher Nolan to tell the tale. The fact that it was UNC and Villanova made that much more enjoyable for me. When I think of College Hoops, both UNC and Nova are in the top ten of most iconic teams. I am an east coast biased basketball guy, and the tradition that both programs have is just fucking awesome.
• Isaiah Fuckin Thomas:
  This needs to be talked about ….. Isaiah Thomas is fucking awesome. On a level of pure joy to watch play, Thomas is Top-10. The stuff he is doing at 5’9 is incredible and leaves me in awe after each game. Do I think the Celtics can win a title with him as their Go-To scorer.? No, but right now I am 100% cool with him dropping 20+ and being suave as hell while doing it. Every time I watch the Celtics, the idea of what would it be like if they had someone who wasn’t 5’9 as their leading scorer and then it quickly vanishes as I watch him drop 30 while being guarded by John Wall. I understand his limitations and it is 100% warranted, but for now I don’t really care. He is so enjoyable to watch that while I wait for that Top-10 superstar, I will sit back and enjoy what Thomas is doing.
• The Late 2016 DeMar DeRozan Revenge Tour:
  Joining NBA Twitter taught me one thing early on, and that is people really dislike DeRozan. Obviously fans from Toronto will defend him to the death, and they should but those internet weirdos need to pump the breaks just a little bit. DeRozan is a monster, and I don’t really care if he can’t hit 3’s. The guy even attempted a 360 dunk on some poor dude from the Chinese National Team. That alone should make him a fan favorite, but seriously, you have to have pretty big balls to do something like that in a game. The level of disrespect shown to a far less talented team is hilarious and amazing. Long Live the 2016 DeMar DeRozan Revenge Tour
• Finally Calling James Harden a Point Guard:
  This needed to happen and I am so glad that it did. I have said it on Podcasts multiple times and will say it again here, James Harden has been playing at about 85% his entire career waiting for someone to label him a PG. Now that D’Antoni gave him that title, Harden has been an absolute monster since the start of the season. He has always been a favorite of mine, and watching him with the ball in his hands brings more joy to me than watching a relative’s baby laugh.

legiNdary:

• The Year Of The Greek Freak:
  The last few seasons have been a bit of a science experiment for the Milwaukee Bucks and their young stud, Giannis Antetokounmpo. This will, undoubtedly though, go down as the year of the Greek Freak. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves and proclaim he’s a finished product, because he certainly is not. There are still flaws in his game. Despite this, he has improved dramatically. His jump shot is on its way, he is a nightmare to guard and his intensity is exciting to watch. Plus, who doesn’t love a 6’10 (maybe taller) point guard? This Jason Kidd concoction in his lab in Milwaukee has thus far been terrific. Boasting averages of 23 points 9 rebounds 6 assists and nearly 2 blocks and 2 steals a game, The Freak has a chance to put up historic numbers. He will undoubtedly notch his first all star appearance, which we love. No one will mistake him for Magic Johnson, but this is the year that he started to take “the leap.”
• DeMarcus Cousins Is Forever Fascinating:
  DeMarcus Cousins, no matter what he does, is must see tv every night. Whether it be calling out referees incessantly, getting technicals every night, or draining 3’s at a surprising rate, we can’t get enough of this guy. You can call him a bad teammate, or a coach killer, but one thing you can say: The dude puts up gaudy numbers. At a shade under 30 points and 10 boards to go along with an impressive 3.5 assists a night, Boogie has elevated to another level. As NBA enthusiasts, we hate to see Boogie’s prime wasted. Unfortunately, it is. DMC is spending his greatest years in an NBA waste land that is Sacramento. The tricky part is how to handle his one remaining years in purple. I personally think you should trade him now, while his stats are at an all time high, for risk of getting nothing in return. However, this is the Kings we’re talking about. Nevertheless, 2016 Boogie was phenomenal and we hope to see more of it next year.
• We Trust The Process:
  No one has had more fun with the dysfunctional Sixers misery than Joel Embiid. At just under 25 minutes a game, Embiid is putting up genuinely astounding numbers. Even with that dreaded minutes limit, he is averaging just under 19 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. If you extrapolate that to a normalized star minutes (let’s say 36 minutes a game) Embiid would be around 36 points and 15 boards a game. So, basically, downright ridiculous. Even the usually grumpy DeMarcus Cousins gleefully played slap ass with Embiid. This was the year we finally saw him play, and it’s been awesome. Equipped with Fantastic Hakeem-The Dream-esque post moves and a surprisingly smooth jumper, we officially trust The Process.