Printable View
(I didn't want to drop this in the playoff thread, and it isn't a criticism of the playoffs or anything.)
I love b-ball. Used to play. Used to watch, too, but I just can't watch much anymore...and judging by the great decline in viewership over the last decade+ others obviously feel the same way.
But WHY? What's happened?
Players' abilities too much for the court size, as some have suggested?
Player attitudes too much for people?
What???
At one point or another, the players transcended the game. It's not about basketball anymore. It is about getting in, getting rich, getting as many tattoos as possible, getting as many endorsement deals as possible, getting the ball as much as possible, as young as possible. With only 5 guys on the Court, and coaches needing the wins to keep their jobs, this stuff proliferates.
Have you watched an NBA game recently? Nobody can hit a basic medium range jump shot, only a couple of players on every team can be trusted to pass the ball and the most common play is a one-on-one isolation down low. Basically the fundamental skill level has gone way down while the salaries have gone through the roof. And with guaranteed contracts how many players really give it their all? They don't want to risk getting injuried because they'll be free agents in a couple of years and can sign another contract for stupid $$$.
One word: hoodlums
Charles Barkley had a quote about middle class white folks not wanting to go see thugs play ball as a reason for the decreased interest in the NBA. I looked on Google but couldn't find it. I would guess that is part of it.
I also think they use the NBA to develop the high school players too much. We generally see a high school kid enter the NBA and spend his first few seasons averaging 4, 5, 6 points a game. A small percentage will become solid players. It seems like in the past you'd have guys come into the NBA after 4 years of college and they'd be better players, contributing right away and making a difference. Sure you have the KGs, Kobes and Lebrons, but for the most part those highschoolers don't make it very far.
But, according to a lot of people, thug culture is a big part of it. The NBA All-Star weekend was a disaster in Vegas this year. Jason Whitlock had a good article found here http://sports.aol.com/whitlock/_a/ma...20103009990001
I also used to be interested in the NBA but haven't watched a game all season. I'll watch some playoff games and the last few games of the Finals, but that's probably it.
You haven't been watching the Warriors have you? They've been raining 3's like mad.Quote:
Originally Posted by sftc
I think when players dog the entire season then all of a sudden see their PPG almost double in the post-season with usually better accuracy, how can anyone take the regular season seriously?
And the play is horrendous these days. Since the 1988-1989 season, of the top 50 teams with the best overall shooting percentage, ONLY ONE team from 1999 and on (04-05 Heat) made the list.
Too many games and too many teams in the playoffs. The game is too physically demanding to play all out for 82 games, especially at the NBA level. And with 16 teams making the playoffs and lack of parity, you can tell most of the teams that will make the playoffs before the season ends. If the season was 20 games shorter and only 8 teams made the postseason, you would see a much more competitive league. The expansion teams have also led to a less competitive league.
This is why I enjoy watching the Air Force Academy play college ball. They play old school fundamental basketball and still beat alotta bigger teams. To them, it is all about physical conditioning and running the plays on both sides of the court.
I think the last part is key and goes along the same with baseball where the expansion of teams has been significantly greater than the pool of world-class athletes available to the sport in recent years. Before the season begins, you can pretty much pick out the playoff teams in these sports, whereas in football, the disparity of playoff contenders is a lot higher and far more unpredictable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Plakespear
And the NBA team that at least attemped this have won a few of the most recent championships- Detroit and San Antonio.Quote:
Originally Posted by 72Twenty
They're a bunch of Fckn gangsters.
What's wrong with NBA basketball? Too much Horry, not enough Nash.
Quit being a faggot. Dumb bitch.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cliff Huckable
geeezzz....yer a real fag chaser huh?Quote:
Originally Posted by Hurricane
who cares. I think that the Utah-Warriors series is one of the most interesting that I've seen in a while. Too bad there won't be a game six.
Agreed. Seen from Europe that's exactly the trend : No team play but athletic show-offs. As the result the game is getting boring and the US is getting humiliated in international comps (see the last olympicxs or WC defeats. That would have been unthinkable 15 or 10 years ago when the 'dream team' came in Barcelona to school the rest of the world).Quote:
Originally Posted by sftc
It has to do both with the NBA rules (timing, zone defence...) and players atttitude I guess.
Hey we suck but we're better than France at least.
probably.
Since when is a 3 a medium range jump shot?Quote:
Originally Posted by Arty50
Thats whats really wrong with the NBA--not enough jump shots?
Its surprising to see people who claim to want to see great basketball bitch and moan during the heart of the playoffs. The best basket ball you will see on this continent is being played right now. The warriors - jazz and suns - spurs series have been awesome so far. Chicago - Detroit is just about to get interesting too.
That does not say a lot...Quote:
Originally Posted by iceman
(Those who speak french may like that take...)
Flashback to 1997 western conference finals, Utah Jazz vs. Houston Rockets:
Is Joaquim Noah French? I don't know myself. I just know that I would like to bang his mom. She's hot!Quote:
Originally Posted by iceman
this doesn't help the nba a bit. helps the spurs plenty.
Stoudemire, Diaw suspended for 1 game; Horry for 2.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...v=ap&type=lgns
The suspensions of Diaw and Stoudemire are a travesty. They didn't do shit. The coaches held them back and they were nowhere near the altercation. The Spurs lose Horry who doesn't play that much and the Suns lose two of their best players. Fucking retarded. Totally fucking retarded.
Great replies here. Can NBA ball get back to what it was - or to something watchable? I'm not dissing the playoffs, I mean in general.
72Twenty's post got me hungry for some real old-school ball. I'm gonna check Amazon for DVD's of NBA games from the 70's...*crosses fingers, hopes they exist*
Quote:
Originally Posted by spook
I was just reading an article 2 days ago by Wilbon of the Wash post. He was pointing out how the spurs are the most boring and one of the lowest teams in the league in terms of TV ratings. the cynic in me says enforcing the suspensions now during the playoffs is part of the NBA trying to up the ante and make the series more theatrical and interesting.
except that these suspension are a near death sentence for this series, which is by far the most entertaining.Quote:
Originally Posted by tromano
between the refs and the nba, one need not work too hard to develop conspiracy theories (especially former blazer fans). that joey "hack" crawford was suspended from the playoffs for an apparent grudge against duncan makes this turn of events even more interesting.
the spurs may be "boring" (i don't agree--i appreciate relentless team execution and defense), but they are also generally perceived by the public to be good apples (compared to the "gangsta" issues noted earlier). i don't think the rest of the players necessarily see it that way (bowen, horry as dirty players, etc.). if you're the nba trying to rehabilitate an image, the spurs are not the worst you can do.
i've only seen a few games of this series, but at the end of a close game 3 nash was clearly hacked at least twice by bowen, resulting in turnovers and no fouls were called.
it's hard not to believe there are not desired outcomes in most bigtime for-profit sports. watching florida's run through the ncaa tourney raised similar sentiments. as did italy's win over australia in the world cup.
the good thing for the suns is that they still can find a way to win two games.
the bad thing is that a few phantom fouls can kill all hope.