+1Does anyone really still care about the NBA? I myself hate watching the NBA now. I use to enjoy it but not anymore.
Yes some people do.Does anyone really still care about the NBA? I myself hate watching the NBA now. I use to enjoy it but not anymore.
You could say that about any sport college or pro in most years, pencil Alabama to the playoffs or the Patriots to the Super Bowl, etc.GS vs. Houston
LeBron vs. Boston
That was the "d'uh" scenario since the summer. Just like last season, everyone could have skipped the 82 regular season games and the first 2 rounds of the playoffs and jumped right to the "final four".
NBA should consider reducing to a 50+/- game regular season across roughly 4 months and tighten the playoff schedule too...eliminate days between games when not traveling, or make them all 5-game series instead of 7.
Same for NHL as well.
Both have marathon seasons that stretch out longer than MLB. I realize baseball doesn't put quite the same physical toll on players as basketball or hockey, and thus it allows for much greater frequency of games on consecutive days. The flow of the playoffs in MLB keeps me more dialed in if I care to be (depends on teams playing). Two full weeks to play a 7-game series in the other two is too long.
I think you forgot 1 VERY, VERY, VERY important thing.
Considering the regular-season ratings hit a four-year high, and the tickets for the Western Conference finals are selling for almost $1000 - by far the highest in a decade - I'd say yes.Does anyone really still care about the NBA? I myself hate watching the NBA now. I use to enjoy it but not anymore.
The intensity of the playoffs is impressive. These guys are really getting after it.
The negatives in my view are really related to how the style of the game has evolved. The inability to lay a pinky on the ball handler, constant moving screens and the ability to carry the ball has made the game essentially an on the ball screen, drive and swing pass fame. There is very little off the ball screening or traditional post play. So the game now is disproportionately is tailered to ball handlers and shooters.
I’d like to see refs call illegal screens and carries.
Cleveland transformed their team in the middle of the season. It's impressive that all those new players were able to gel as quickly as they did. Although I expected that they would be better defensively as a result of who they acquired.that's kind of the point. Cleveland was 4 but they go on to sweep the #1 seed. Cleveland sleep walks thru the last 4 regular seasons...all the fans bitch all year long about how bad they are(trust me I hear it first hand)... and here we are 4 wins away from yet another finals appearance.
I'm just surprised Lebron insisted on playing all 82 games. the cavs have been sitting guys for rest for years. because it's meaningless. that's my take.
No coaching and no defense = NBAThe unfortunate aspect of the NBA is really how the game is marketed...they have no concept or value of coaching, despite the fact that you can learn a lot of concepts that cross over into college. The entire league has evolved into isolating the opposing teams worse defensive player and/or trying to create a switch on defense..... where a guard can get by a bigger defender or is quick enough to create space to score.
It's actually more intriguing because i watch the Celtics Brad Stevens run concepts of offense and other coaches who have double the talent, do less with it.
Why football is king and will remain that way is because coaches and concepts (Head Coaches and coordinators) actually generate the excitement....the players are not any more talented now than 15-20 years ago, but the coaching is significantly more valued in football than basketball right now.
NBA coaching is about trying to minimize your defensive weaknesses and providing the best options to get your best players to score....why the league has "stagnated" is because of the lack of coaches at an NBA level....i could argue there's better college coaching than NBA...in the NFL, even a mid level or non coordinator NFL assistant can turn around a normal college program as an assistant coach, not even a head coach.
There are fans that believe Jay Wright would not have lost if he was Philly's head coach vs Boston.....if you are the NBA and Brad Stevens is viewed in less than 5 years time as one of the best minds in the sport and he wasnt coaching at a major program (Butler), the NBA has a problem...it's not talent....
No coaching and no defense = NBA
This is true with rare exception.
Houston = no defenseno defense in NBA?? I suppose if you watched two bad teams in a meaningless late season game you could conclude that, but in the playoffs, there is incredible defensive intensity
Houston = no defense
GS = no defense
Boston = some defense, but only in the 4th quarter
Cleveland = one man team, LeBron plays defense only when needed (i.e., last few mins of the game)
Please don't confuse the fact that current NBA players, with rare exception, can't shoot well with actual defense.Clueless. NBA playoff games are very intensive and have strategy. Golden State plays defense. Wins championships because of their explosive offensive players but also because of playing defense when they want to.
Best of Luck,
Groz
GS vs. Houston
LeBron vs. Boston
That was the "d'uh" scenario since the summer. Just like last season, everyone could have skipped the 82 regular season games and the first 2 rounds of the playoffs and jumped right to the "final four".
Houston = no defense
GS = no defense
Boston = some defense, but only in the 4th quarter
Cleveland = one man team, LeBron plays defense only when needed (i.e., last few mins of the game)
Please don't confuse the fact that current NBA players, with rare exception, can't shoot well with actual defense.
Three of the teams in the remaining four utilize off-ball screening.The intensity of the playoffs is impressive. These guys are really getting after it.
The negatives in my view are really related to how the style of the game has evolved. The inability to lay a pinky on the ball handler, constant moving screens and the ability to carry the ball has made the game essentially an on the ball screen, drive and swing pass fame. There is very little off the ball screening or traditional post play. So the game now is disproportionately is tailered to ball handlers and shooters.
I’d like to see refs call illegal screens and carries.
Golden State has been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA for the last 5 years. Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant are among the best defenders in the NBA. Boston is an excellent defensive team. They defend the 3 better than just about anybody in the league. It's amazing what can be observed by actually watching the games.Houston = no defense
GS = no defense
Boston = some defense, but only in the 4th quarter
Cleveland = one man team, LeBron plays defense only when needed (i.e., last few mins of the game)
Yeah, that's why they gave up the more points per game of all but two other playoff team (14th worse defense out of 16th).Golden State has been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA for the last 5 years. Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant are among the best defenders in the NBA. Boston is an excellent defensive team. They defend the 3 better than just about anybody in the league. It's amazing what can be observed by actually watching the games.
You kinda of make the point that the nba regular season is pointless. Cleveland could sleepwalk and get a 4 seed and still make the finals. The NBA is an awful product with the lack of parity.Pointless NBA season? That could be the best hot take I've read or heard this week.
Boston and Cleveland aren't even the top two seeds in the east. Most people expected Philadelphia to beat Boston in 6 possibly 5 games. Corrado was the number one seed in the east.