Why do you like/ dislike the NBA?

14Red

Well-known member
The NBA has kind of turned into a all in/ all out for fans. Why is that? Basketball continues to be one of the major sports in the country, in fact, you could say it's second behind the NFL.
 
 
I never got into the NBA mainly because of the way the game was played compared to that of College Ball. I may of caught a few games a year but nowadays I will NEVER watch another NBA game again. That is because I cannot stand the product they put on the court.

As for the NBA being 2nd to NFL..... No Way....... just a matter of time before Soccer takes over.
 
I've disliked the NBA for years. Traveling, banging in the paint, lack of finesse etc. Sure the athletes of today I believe are better athletically but the NBA lacks dscipline of playing within the rules of the original game.
 
The NBA and ESPN killed basketball for people of a certain generation when they were so quick to find new stars after all of the talent from the 80's and mid 90's began to go away that they stuck all of their stock into guys like Allen Iverson.

Iverson was an incredible athlete and ESPN would always show all of his one-on-one amazing plays but they would never show the 65% of the shots he missed or his 6 turnovers. Iverson led the league in scoring one year while shooting .398 from the field. Kids started to play like this. Four guys stand around and watch one guy "do his thing." Jordan spent most of his career around .500 from the field. Even when he avg. 30+ points. And since the game is centered around the 3 point shot and dunks that is all we get anymore.

Things lost on today's game.

Give and go.
Pick and roll.
Someone who was solid from the elbow.
The unblockable bank shot from guys like Tim Duncan.
Team over "getting yours."
Team defense.
 
I never got into the NBA mainly because of the way the game was played compared to that of College Ball. I may of caught a few games a year but nowadays I will NEVER watch another NBA game again. That is because I cannot stand the product they put on the court.

As for the NBA being 2nd to NFL..... No Way....... just a matter of time before Soccer takes over.

Even the college game is starting to get a lil ughh. I think the transfer portal will absolutely kill college basketball. 1 and done plus TP, that's a bad recipe IMO.
 
I never got into the NBA mainly because of the way the game was played compared to that of College Ball. I may of caught a few games a year but nowadays I will NEVER watch another NBA game again. That is because I cannot stand the product they put on the court.

As for the NBA being 2nd to NFL..... No Way....... just a matter of time before Soccer takes over.
They have been saying that for decades in the US, especially since when we hosted it and the women won the gold and that chick took her top off.


I tried to give soccer a go back then. Figured if I could not get into it when we were hosting the Olympics than I never will.
 
Biggest problem, as in baseball is the player movement. Doesn't breed any sense of loyalty in me and the sport itself has become more WWE than basketball. Flips, flops, hollywood and hollywood wannabe fans and also players trying so hard for clicks and endorsements, with little personality or charisma to back it up. Your team is losing so you walk to the lockeroom? smh.
 
People say they hate dynasties, but dynasties are good for sports as you have some love em, and many who hate.

HOWEVER..what fans do not like are the movement of superstars to form super teams.

Free agency isnt the big issue as that has been going on for a long time, it is more of the superstars all going to a couple of places.
 
You could probably make an argument that diehard fans have dwindled as player loyalty died and everyone more or less became a mercenary. Sports today is driven far more by casuals, which is honestly probably a sign of pending decline
 
I enjoyed the NBA the most in the late 80s and early 90s. The Cavs were one of the top teams but never could get by the Pistons or Bulls. I enjoyed 5 players on the court who all had skills that fit their position. You had the point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and center. They had specific jobs and they helped their teams win games even if they weren't the main scorer.

The game now is closer to street ball. The "man" on the team gets the rebound, dribbles around, then breaks loose for an easy shot or puts up a tough contested shot. I enjoyed watching MJ play because he was electric. I watch LeBron and I think of a bull in a china shop. Both great, dominating players and both emblematic of the period they played in. MJ played in the Golden Age of the sport and the NBA execs sadly learned they could market the league based on one player. It worked for a while but the lack of franchise fans is pushing people away from the sport.

Maybe the NBA's push to make it a world sport will work while the American market grows tired. I think this is a failed policy as everyone will eventually grow tired of the sport unless the "next MJ" suddenly shows up.
 
I never got into the NBA mainly because of the way the game was played compared to that of College Ball. I may of caught a few games a year but nowadays I will NEVER watch another NBA game again. That is because I cannot stand the product they put on the court.

As for the NBA being 2nd to NFL..... No Way....... just a matter of time before Soccer takes over.
No, soccer is never taking over.
 
It's become glorified street ball with much less competitiveness
Bingo. It’s an overall sloppy product with occasional flashes of brilliance, but overall boring. The regular season is far too long. The playoffs too. First round should be best of five at the very most. If they want to keep the play-in for the last couple spots, fine, but shorten the first round to five. The quality of play and intensity in the playoffs makes it a better product, but still not enough to really go out of the way to watch.
 
People say they hate dynasties, but dynasties are good for sports as you have some love em, and many who hate.

HOWEVER..what fans do not like are the movement of superstars to form super teams.

Free agency isnt the big issue as that has been going on for a long time, it is more of the superstars all going to a couple of places.
The Nets are a good example. A team that’s hard to like. Not just mercenary stars, but a-holes too.
 
too late.... USA 3 Mexico 2 in OT. It has started.......
US Men have beaten Mexico many times over the years in meaningless play. It would take a miracle World Cup run by the US Men to ever truly generate buzz. As the nation browns (large scale Hispanic, Caribbean, African immigration) and diversifies over decades to come, though, soccer will finally reach true mainstream in the USA and sports like football and baseball will be niche sports or even just old memories.
 
Bingo. It’s an overall sloppy product with occasional flashes of brilliance, but overall boring. The regular season is far too long. The playoffs too. First round should be best of five at the very most. If they want to keep the play-in for the last couple spots, fine, but shorten the first round to five. The quality of play and intensity in the playoffs makes it a better product, but still not enough to really go out of the way to watch.
First round used to be best of five, until an 8 seeded Nuggets I believe with Mutumbo upset the top seed, forget whom.
Believe they went to 7 soon after as they say...the more games in a series the more likely the 'better' team wins.
 
First round used to be best of five, until an 8 seeded Nuggets I believe with Mutumbo upset the top seed, forget whom.
Believe they went to 7 soon after as they say...the more games in a series the more likely the 'better' team wins.
Yep. I still remember the old three game mini-series era.
 
They have been saying that for decades in the US, especially since when we hosted it and the women won the gold and that chick took her top off.


I tried to give soccer a go back then. Figured if I could not get into it when we were hosting the Olympics than I never will.

I was just starting high school when the US hosted the men's world cup and saw first hand the boost that event gave to youth and school soccer. However, for whatever reason that boost has not resulted in any sort of real results when it comes to international competition. I'll watch the world cup every four years but that's about it.
 
US Men have beaten Mexico many times over the years in meaningless play. It would take a miracle World Cup run by the US Men to ever truly generate buzz. As the nation browns (large scale Hispanic, Caribbean, African immigration) and diversifies over decades to come, though, soccer will finally reach true mainstream in the USA and sports like football and baseball will be niche sports or even just old memories.

There's a great documentary about Fordson HS in Dearborn, MI and how when all the Middle east immigrants began relocating in that part of the Detroit metro area the thought was the school would have the best soccer team in the state and would win title after title. The reality became instead those immigrants wanted to play American high school football and Fordson became more known for football than well futbol (they won a couple state football titles in Michigan in the 90s I do believe).



Soccer alludes American athletes because it's a "poverty sport". You don't need fancy equipment to get a game going. Kids in the poorest parts of the world can still work on their skills daily. Also football, baseball and basketball are native sports to the US. We developed those sports whereas the world developed soccer, not us.
 
There's a great documentary about Fordson HS in Dearborn, MI and how when all the Middle east immigrants began relocating in that part of the Detroit metro area the thought was the school would have the best soccer team in the state and would win title after title. The reality became instead those immigrants wanted to play American high school football and Fordson became more known for football than well futbol (they won a couple state football titles in Michigan in the 90s I do believe).



Soccer alludes American athletes because it's a "poverty sport". You don't need fancy equipment to get a game going. Kids in the poorest parts of the world can still work on their skills daily. Also football, baseball and basketball are native sports to the US. We developed those sports whereas the world developed soccer, not us.
Absolutely.
When people want to tout it is the most popular sport in the world it is because of a few reasons:
1. $$. All you need is a ball. Nothing else.
2. Any kid on any talent level can participate and have a little fun.

Watched many a niece hit the soccer fields over the years as kids. They go out, run around, and every once in awhile if the ball gets close they kick it and once that happens they enjoy themselves as they feel some sort of accomplishment and with 22 kids playing at any one given time in a game (and you can even do more) they all feel like a part of the game.

Other sports............you see much more failure with an error, striking out, missing shots, traveling, etc.

A kid with the lack of athletic ability like an Omar can go out and play soccer game and feel like they did something and enjoy it.
 
Absolutely.
When people want to tout it is the most popular sport in the world it is because of a few reasons:
1. $$. All you need is a ball. Nothing else.
2. Any kid on any talent level can participate and have a little fun.

Watched many a niece hit the soccer fields over the years as kids. They go out, run around, and every once in awhile if the ball gets close they kick it and once that happens they enjoy themselves as they feel some sort of accomplishment and with 22 kids playing at any one given time in a game (and you can even do more) they all feel like a part of the game.

Other sports............you see much more failure with an error, striking out, missing shots, traveling, etc.

A kid with the lack of athletic ability like an Omar can go out and play soccer game and feel like they did something and enjoy it.
I don’t know anything about Omar, or the typical tone of the banter between you and Omar, but I must admit the dig in your last paragraph made me laugh.
 
I loved watching the NBA during the Magic & Lakers versus Bird & Celtics rivalry. Also, the Michael Jordan era was fun, but I can't even watch a few minutes of an NBA game today.
 
There's a great documentary about Fordson HS in Dearborn, MI and how when all the Middle east immigrants began relocating in that part of the Detroit metro area the thought was the school would have the best soccer team in the state and would win title after title. The reality became instead those immigrants wanted to play American high school football and Fordson became more known for football than well futbol (they won a couple state football titles in Michigan in the 90s I do believe).



Soccer alludes American athletes because it's a "poverty sport". You don't need fancy equipment to get a game going. Kids in the poorest parts of the world can still work on their skills daily. Also football, baseball and basketball are native sports to the US. We developed those sports whereas the world developed soccer, not us.
This is an awesome story. Being from Toledo I have many Arab friends with family there and football rules.

eastisbest has been to a game up there. Interesting hearing his take even though it almost always centers around food. :LOL:

Like waves of immigrants before, it takes one or two generations removed to become Americanized.
 
I can't watch anymore. Really since the Kobe/Shaq days, maybe the Spurs great run. Anymore it's slot of steps and one dude on each team that dribbles a lot then shoots a fall back 3 a la James harden and Carmelo Anthony. I like guys that play with their backs to the basket and work inside out. I'm sure for me it's a combination of getting older and not having a local team. Also to me the officiating seems about as legit as the WWE officiating.
 
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