is the nba a good product?

[detroitdavid]

ive been watching the nba since 1961 (yea i'm old 58 in april), and i feel this year is 1 of the worst years i've ever seen as far as talent goes. i can't believe how many missed free throws i've seen. how many teams have scored 13 to 19 points in a quarter. yesterday the magic 8 points in the second quarter vs boston at home is unbelievable. yes boston is the best defensive team in the nba, but this team settles for too many 3's. these are a few things i'd like too say, and if you agree or not, i'd like too read your comments.

1. the 3 point shot is killing scoring in the nba. yesterdays games for example had these numbers.
heat 2-12 16.7%
knicks 5-28 17.9%
celtics 4-15 26.7%
magic 5-26 19.2%
cav's 7-18 38.9% pretty good there
lakers 5-18 27.8% decent
clippers 4-19 21.1%
suns 12-24 50% exceptional
nuggets 5-15 33%
blazers 11-21 52.4%
teams just seem to be settling for the 3 and they just can't hit them. i would rather see more players taking the ball to the hole and hit the shot get the foul and a ft.

2. where are the big men? most team don't really have a big center. i don't see a lot of post play. so many things can be done from in front of the basket. yet most teams play small ball. pistons use a 3 guard offense and look at their record.

3. what ever happened to the outlet pass? i remember watching bill russell and the celtics in the early 60's. he'd grab a rebound throw a perfect outlet pass to k.c. jones and bang they had a 2 on 1 or a 3 on 2 fast break. other notable players who could throw a great outlet pass, dave cowens and wes unseld. these guys made a living out of rebounding and making the outlet pass. that would lead to more scoring.

maybe the game has changed, maybe the players are better athletes, but i don't really think the talent is there like it was in the past. outside of kobe, lebron and a few others, most of the players i watch are mediocre at best. teams don't have great benches either ( which is why we see such low scoring 2nd quarters), clippers reserves scored 16 4th quarter points last night. team ft averages are terrible with only 3 teams averaging over 80% ( magic 70.7% and bobcats 71.9% hold up the rear). maybe players should start working on the basics like we did when i played in school. i still love the game, but i wish players would put in a better effort and a better work ethic.

detroitdavid

[Larry29]

You're right about the quality of the game today compared with the 60's and 70's. The main reason is there are twice as many teams now so the talent pool is diluted. They also play more games now. The NBA has become more like baseball and less like the NFL. Some teams are allowed to accumulate big name players, while other teams take what's left. The bench play is pathatic because those players wouldn't even have been on teams 40 years ago. The NBA is boring to watch except some of the playoff games because nobody gives a 100% all game long, thus the big point turnarounds we're witnessing today. Until the fans demand better, things will never change. Why would anybody pay to watch their home teams lose with inferior talent.

I do think a team can win playing small ball, but the end result should be a layup and posible foul shots. If a team plays good defense, the 3 point shot percentage would never be 30% and thus a bad percentage shot. Defenses are lazy and play for the rebound and then like you said, don't push the ball up court for the easy, high percentage layup.

Thanks for the write up.

Larry

PS College basketball is a lt more interesting to watch. The kids seem to play hard the whole game because they're having fun.

[metsfanwalt]

was at the magic game yesterday 8 pt second quater it is sad no inside play at all! just 1missed 3 after another. old school bb where did it go!

[jordanrules23]

ive said this for years...................
this is the worst product in any of the major sports!!!!!!!!!!!!
terrible just terrible
and its proven to be fixed

[weazel079]

It's become a huge entertainment business. They advertise their superstars by force feeding them down your throat. Lebron, Howard, Kobe. They special foul treatment on the court. Seems like the Cavs are on national television twice a week. They really hype their superstars way more than any other league and takes away from the team aspect of basketball. Fouls are too touch in this league and that takes away from defense. College basketball way better product to watch.

[Eliminator]

I agree wit everything you guys say...I dont watch it anymore, nor do I bet on it!!!

[trick4]

Major games are fixed They will do anything to market their product and superstars including picking the refs they want to fix games!

[ChitownZ]

I do know one thing...the NBA is as crooked as a corkscrew !!!

[ChitownZ]

And I would watch a soap opera before I would watch the No Betting Allowed league !!!

[ToDaClub]

David, you mention 60's, saw very little. The 70's were great and the 80's were awesome. 90's very good, after that I lost it. Maybe it's time to reduce the amout of teams, IDK. I was a t-wolves fan, always thought they would do something with Garnet, they traded him and then the wolves were done. I gave up on them after they gave up. I miss the great games between Dr. J, Bird, Magic, Jordan, the Detroit nasty boys etc. They had great players around them. It's not the same, and I watch it very little. The NCAA game has taken over for me.

[Chado1]

Totally agree with the comments in here..

[detroitdavid]

thanks for all the replies. after watching the new orleans hornets score 51 first half points vs the bulls saturday and then scoring 9 points in the 3rd quarter i've come to one conclusion, the nba needs a major overhaul starting with david stern. then the rules commitee better take a look at the 3 point line. these guys need to get back to basic basketball.

[ToDaClub]

thanks for all the replies. after watching the new orleans hornets score 51 first half points vs the bulls saturday and then scoring 9 points in the 3rd quarter i've come to one conclusion, the nba needs a major overhaul starting with david stern. then the rules commitee better take a look at the 3 point line. these guys need to get back to basic basketball.

I played High Scholl b-ball before the 3 point came to high school. I believe it has ruined the high school game and the developement of kids wanting to play. Go to a gym and watch young kids shoot baskets, they sit outside the 3 point line and chuck em from their hip. Drives me nuts. But that's me. If you can't dunk or make a 3, they think they can't play. Basketball has changed.

[Powerplaypicks]

Its the money that these players make!! Why should they care about winning or losing when they are Guaranteed $20 mil a year and even the scrubs make 4 to 5$ mil a year!! Thats what ruined the game Too damn much money they make!! Not the 3 point line!!

[ToDaClub]

these guys need to get back to basic basketball.

Its the money that these players make!! Why should they care about winning or losing when they are Guaranteed $20 mil a year and even the scrubs make 4 to 5$ mil a year!! Thats what ruined the game Too damn much money they make!! Not the 3 point line!!

I'm not saying get rid of the 3 point line in college and NBA, high school, yes. I'm saying that kids need to learn the basics of the game. I go to high school games and I don't see the good old basic fast break, outlet, box out rebounding, pick and roll etc. And that has become the NBA now, same thing, they don't play as a team. I think back to Boston Vs. Lakers.(Bird/Magic) 2 different styles, set offense vs. fast break, that was basketball! But it was done correctly and at a very high level. And yes the money has killed the game because of the 3 and the dunk, it'a not we, it's ME.