NBA Basketball

[Bill Flaig]

I know there are some other threads about specific topics in the NBA but I though I'd start a general thread about it.

Currently watching the first game of the TNT double header (MIA/ORL). So far so good, but fuck Miami.



Finals are gonna be Spurs/Celtics.

[Bill Flaig]

oh and the fact the Kevin Love didn't make the All Star Game? Straight up travesty.

[Awesome_Komodo]

Finals are gonna be Spurs/Celtics.

You don't think the Miami Lebrons are gonna get in?

[deep.BTUz]

Sweet an NBA thread. Man I love KL (and he should have probably made it over CA who is really just hanging in purgatory) but the West is heavy w/ PFs and he is on a 11-37 team so I can see why not. Title still up for grabs, but I think I like the Heat. Mostly because the rest of the contenders are old and I'm not sure they can contend with Miami's athleticism over a seven game series. But don't sleep on the Mavericks. Wouldn't surprise me if Cuban made some major waves before 2/24.

[Into the Void]

May I use this thread to bitch about NBA basketball?

I've been a fan of varying degrees since the mid-90's but over the past ≈ 3 or 4 years my enthusiasm for the sport has been steadily dwindling. Some of my main pet peeves:

1) There are (many) nights where there are, say, eight games scheduled, and not one will interest me. It'll either be great teams that will obviously blow out bad teams, or two mediocre teams that will not hold my attention. Oh great, the Wizards are playing the Pacers tonight! Can't wait!

2) Directly connecting to #1, I feel that there are just too many teams and the talent level is very watered down. Again, who wants to watch the Bobcats play the Raptors? Even their fans don't want to.

3) Inconsistent officiating. I am so fucking tired of watching Kobe or Wade or whoever get touched on his wrist long after the shot is off and getting the call...meanwhile a no name drives to the hoop and gets hammered across the face and there's no call. I don't even think it's some conspiracy thing to make sure the stars get the calls, I just feel the officials are very, very inconsistent, sometime from quarter to quarter. I don't like watching a game and knowing in the back of my mind the refs are going to have a huge amount of influence over the outcome.

4) That brings me to the big one...FLOPPING. The NBA needs to implement rules and then force officials to start consistently calling fouls for flopping. I just cannot stand watching a game and seeing these guys fall over like soccer players. It fucking sucks and makes the game look like a joke in comparison to how it used to be played.

I still love watching great games/teams (I really enjoyed Celtics/Lakers last Sunday), but until some of the above is addressed I'll save most of my watching for the playoffs.

[Bill Flaig]

Finals are gonna be Spurs/Celtics.

You don't think the Miami Lebrons are gonna get in?

We'll see. BTU'z might be right about the athleticism issue because SA and BOS are both old as hell. But I'm a Boston fan.

[Bill Flaig]

1) There are (many) nights where there are, say, eight games scheduled, and not one will interest me. It'll either be great teams that will obviously blow out bad teams, or two mediocre teams that will not hold my attention. Oh great, the Wizards are playing the Pacers tonight! Can't wait!

2) Directly connecting to #1, I feel that there are just too many teams and the talent level is very watered down. Again, who wants to watch the Bobcats play the Raptors? Even their fans don't want to.

so so so true. 30 teams is too many and it drags the league down in general.

[Bill Flaig]

I just cannot stand watching a game and seeing these guys fall over like soccer players.

agreed

I still love watching great games/teams (I really enjoyed Celtics/Lakers last Sunday)

That was a damn good game. Really enjoyable.

[deep.BTUz]

Yeah, it was funny that when LBJ said the word 'retraction' in an interview it became a big deal. I'm all for it but don't think it's going to happen. What I wonder, in terms of parity, if Stern will ever address that location is a major issue, and MIA, LA, ARZ, ORL (ugh urban metropolis w/ warm weather) hold an unfair advantage in terms of free agency. Boston and NYC would seem to be the wild card in terms of this, but still, you wonder how teams like the Pacers, Raptors or the Timberwolves could hope to compete in that sense.

[Into the Void]

Yeah, it was funny that when LBJ said the word 'retraction' in an interview it became a big deal. I'm all for it but don't think it's going to happen. What I wonder, in terms of parity, if Stern will ever address that location is a major issue, and MIA, LA, ARZ, ORL (ugh urban metropolis w/ warm weather) hold an unfair advantage in terms of free agency. Boston and NYC would seem to be the wild card in terms of this, but still, you wonder how teams like the Pacers, Raptors or the Timberwolves could hope to compete in that sense.

I don't think warm weather has as much to do with it as marketing- players want to be in large markets so they can generate more income and get more famous. Chris Bosh made some ridiculous comment after signing with the Heat that "it's all about being on TV." I don't know how the NBA could really stop that. When was the last time the Pacers or Raptors signed a top level free agent? At the same time, organizations like the Spurs and Jazz are always competitive without ever having to do so.

[deep.BTUz]

Yeah, it was funny that when LBJ said the word 'retraction' in an interview it became a big deal. I'm all for it but don't think it's going to happen. What I wonder, in terms of parity, if Stern will ever address that location is a major issue, and MIA, LA, ARZ, ORL (ugh urban metropolis w/ warm weather) hold an unfair advantage in terms of free agency. Boston and NYC would seem to be the wild card in terms of this, but still, you wonder how teams like the Pacers, Raptors or the Timberwolves could hope to compete in that sense.

I don't think warm weather has as much to do with it as marketing- players want to be in large markets so they can generate more income and get more famous. Chris Bosh made some ridiculous comment after signing with the Heat that "it's all about being on TV." I don't know how the NBA could really stop that. When was the last time the Pacers or Raptors signed a top level free agent? At the same time, organizations like the Spurs and Jazz are always competitive without ever having to do so.

You think? I mean the Jazz and the Spurs are two remarkably well run franchises, but still I wonder. Utah hasn't won anything. They had the whole Stockton/Malone era, and then got DW but they never finished. San Antonio is warm weathered, has IMO the nest coach in the league in Pop, and had the absolute good fortune of drafting the mensch (best PF ever) that is Tim Duncan. Whether that hold long term remains to be seen.

[Bill Flaig]

I think it's apparent that TO won't ever have a playoff-worthy team. Who wants to go play in Canada? There's a reason that Vancouver folded.

That being said a small market isn't a 100% death sentence. The love that the OKC crowd shows to it's team is pretty inspiring. It's pretty great how they stand until the first OKC points are on the board. It's like a college crowd.

It can't just be a novelty thing right?

[deep.BTUz]

I think it's apparent that TO won't ever have a playoff-worthy team. Who wants to go play in Canada? There's a reason that Vancouver folded.

That being said a small market isn't a 100% death sentence. The love that the OKC crowd shows to it's team is pretty inspiring. It's pretty great how they stand until the first OKC points are on the board. It's like a college crowd.

It can't just be a novelty thing right?

Oh, I know. But they benefited from Rip City drafting GD, and KD reuping in the face of the CBA. Who knows how it will play out. Blake Griffin is a Sooner ya'know...just saying....

[Into the Void]

That being said a small market isn't a 100% death sentence. The love that the OKC crowd shows to it's team is pretty inspiring. It's pretty great how they stand until the first OKC points are on the board. It's like a college crowd.

What amazes me is that Miami isn't even selling out their games this year. I watched a game earlier this year where they were playing a shitty team and I would say the stadium was maybe 60% full. I know Miami is a party city with great weather but you'd think it would be a bummer playing in front of fans who don't really give a fuck.

[deep.BTUz]

That being said a small market isn't a 100% death sentence. The love that the OKC crowd shows to it's team is pretty inspiring. It's pretty great how they stand until the first OKC points are on the board. It's like a college crowd.

What amazes me is that Miami isn't even selling out their games this year. I watched a game earlier this year where they were playing a shitty team and I would say the stadium was maybe 60% full. I know Miami is a party city with great weather but you'd think it would be a bummer playing in front of fans who don't really give a fuck.

Yeah their 'Fan Up' initiative was pretty funny. I agree, I mean NYC is going nuts for a 50/50 team.

[Bill Flaig]

Yeah MIA is pretty jaded, which is sad because they haven't seen a team of this talent level. But they're just too cool to care about it. But Bron and Bosh and (to a smaller degree) Wade are part of the same culture. They just want to play ball with their friends, party and bullshit, and be a "National Celebrity". Whether or not they're considered a big deal in MIA is inconsequential.

[Bill Flaig]

Yeah their 'Fan Up' initiative was pretty funny. I agree, I mean NYC is going nuts for a 50/50 team.

yeah after they went

.354
.390
.280

the past three years?

gotta be at least a little exciting. Especially with a (potential) franchise guy like Amar'e.

[Bill Flaig]

and who can deny the beard?

[Into the Void]

So...LeBron James is pretty good at basketball.

[deep.BTUz]

and who can deny the beard?

Yes that's a powerful beard. Personally I'm in NBA fan purgatory. I'm 35 and grew up in Baltimore (we don't root for the DC teams period). I'm waiting for the Nets to come to BK officially and then I'm buying season tickets.