NBA Rivalries...

[GR8Life]

The NBA and it's failure to move the viewers with emotion is going to be it's demise. The only emotion I feel is based on whether I've covered the spread. If placing a wager was not an option I would not watch the NBA, would you? The NBA does not have any players that transcend the game itself and this causes the void where there used to be rivalries. You guys remember the days when the NBA had great rivalries such as Bird, Magic, Russell, Wilt and Dr. J. College Football, Basketball and even the NFL with all it's faults has rivalries. What happened to the NBA?

[bobt]

GR8Life,

I agree with you 100%. If it wasn't for the gambling aspect, why would I watch 10 over-priced, drug-addicted men, or kids depending on what team your watching, run up and down the court, focused solely on how many defenders I can dribble through to make a layup or 360-dunk before I lose the ball, and how MY stats are instead of playing team basketball. This years' playoffs have been the worse I have ever seen. I don't even want to go into the scheduling part of the playoffs, thanks to the NBA office.

GL watching the finals with teams shooting 28% from the field and 6-15 from the free throw line. Just the way Naismith wanted it to be.

[GR8Life]

Bobt

They have been the worst games to this point I have watched in my life. I really could care less about any players and that is not the way they intended this game to be played. awful!!!!!!!

[bobt]

Curious to see what other people think about Shaq's 28% free throw shooting percentage for the playoffs or the Nets performance the other night.

Granted Shaq is not going to win any free throw shooting contests, but 28%, I can make 28% left handed.

GL

[GR8Life]

Has the game changed so much that the players can no longer score? It's not the defense that's causing this problem. How can the NBA continue to put this product on the floor and expect us to give a damn.

[savage1]

I go back to the Celtics and NBA of the fifties and watches.
Then it was really a team oriented and great game.
Today, it is more of an ego filled, poor shooting, for the most part not too bright players, many of whom would not have even got into college if it was not for that basketball ability.
The lowlifes and terrible role model players like Iverson were unknown back then, and as stated, you could actually watch a lot of NBA games without a wager on them.
There are a few class teams and players left like San Antonio and Tim Duncan, and I admire that.

[hazsupport]

Playing field

More than anything else the playing field needs to be enhanced or enlarged. And that might mean larger courts and a taller hoop if the game is going to resemble what it was in the past. Todays player are just so much larger that the game is played to much around the hoop and not enough outside shooting. Teams like New Jersery have little chance of winning when they aren't capable of shooting a higher percentage and making apponents respect that capabilitiy. The players size to me has made the biggest difference in how the game is played to day!! Just my opinion. hc

[bobt]

Savage1,

This current brand of NBA is worthless, IMO. Can you believe the Knicks are going to raise ticket prices next year, using the fact that they made the playoffs as an attempt to gain fan attraction.

What did they show when they made the playoffs, no heart and no intensity. They didn't belong in the playoffs to begin with, and the ultimate class act, Tim Thomas, a thug in street clothes, calling out the team publicly while he's on the bench, "injured"?

[GR8Life]

I am a hugh sports fan. It's sad to know it's playoff time and I do not feel like there is a game I have to watch, but when Bird and Magic played you could'nt miss those. I am talking about not only Bird and Magic but all those great teams from the past, you felt like you had to watch them play. I hate the game has come to this whatever this is.

[hazsupport]

Sparky Anderson

Just a side note i remember Spark Anderson being asked what the biggest difference was in baseball today. Ane even though its a different sport i beleive it to apply here also. What he said was that todays athlete is isn't as sound fundalmentally. Before, a player would pay his dues in the minors and hone his skills before being called up to the big show. And of course there are always exceptions to the rule. But a much larger majority spent time performing their craft @ a lower level first. This allowed for more player developement and the chance to mature mentally. I saw last night where there is something like 10 high school kids this year who are applying for the draft. Labron James is the exception! I would like to see all professional sports tighten their belts and apply stricter guidelines on when individuals were allowed to participate @ the higher levels of competition. hc

[savage1]

All of you make great and valid points.
To take it a step further, to me (and some of you might disagree) the worst bastardization(is that a real word) of any sport is arena football, where scoring here means about as much as "scoring" with a prostitute if you get my drift.
God I personally turned it on one or two times, and all I could think of was roller derby and pro wrestling-uninteresting and unexciting.
Perhaps I am not the first one to term the phrase for this pseudosport, but original or not I call it DI ARE(N)A Football because the points flow like you know what when you have the runs.
This sport is like selling your soul to the devil.

[GR8Life]

Haz & Savage

Haz-Great Point!

Savage- You and I have talked about the AFL before and I agree with you. I guess my point is not just the scoring in the NBA but the overall quality of play leaves alot to be desired. I cannot watch the AFL but I have wagered on it, and the same is happining with the NBA.