I hate to admit this but warming to the NBA

[olivecourt]

Just for context, check out the NCAA stats on 3 pointers made and attempted on the year. Northwestern shot 858 of them in 34 games, which comes out to 25 attempts per game. (And that's a 40 minute game, not 48). And they were by no means an exception to the rule, or even the worst offenders. Boston College was over 800, Duke shot 778. Our buddies at Iowa State shot 747 in just 31 games. VMI shot 979 3s, also in 31 games!

Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage - NCAA.com

 

[EddyP]

I had a Tomlin avatar for a longtime, but changed it back in november when the Steelers got smoked by new england. Not sure if you are referring to me or not.........regardless these playoff games have been entertaining.

Yeah it was you. Like your new one. I was a quasi sixers fan back in the day with Doc, Moses, Cheeks, Chocolate Thunder, oh and the white dude Bobby Jones. I still think the Bird/Tragic days were the hay day and then MJ came along a little later. They do have some really good players now and it has been fun to watch. My son is addicted to watching sports on t.v. now(my fault I know), so we've been watching it about every night.

 

[DuffMan]

No one said you had to like the NBA, but it would make sense to not like them for reasons that were real and not just your perceptions, which as many have pointed out are not based in reality.

 

[JHHawk]

As the cover article on SI this week points out, there was clearly a change in the style of NBA ball starting in the 04-05 season when the hand-check rules were changed,allowing for more free flowing forays to the hoop from the perimeter. Along with the 3pt shot,and some zone elements, these factors all have had a cumulative effect on the game...and basically introduced a new element to the game...the game-shaping point guards. Small ball is gaining momentum,with star pgs popping up all over,led by Derrick Rose,Chris Paul,Deron Williams ect. In 36 drafts before Rose was taken #1, only Iverson was the only player taken # 1 who was under 6'6''. Since Rose, John Wall,and this year Kyrie Irving are #1. It is fun ball.

 

[Hawkeye11en1]

No one said you had to like the NBA, but it would make sense to not like them for reasons that were real and not just your perceptions, which as many have pointed out are not based in reality.

I got shown shot charts in which a majority of the teams have 20-25% of their shots coming from range. To me, that is quite a bit. The games in which I watched feature a lot of pick and rolls (Orlando, for example) or one on one style of play (Knicks). I said that not ALL teams are like this (Celtics), but there is a majority of them that are.

It isn't my perception. You guys like the style of play, I don't. I would much rather watch an early to mid-80's style of basketball. More points, less 3's. That seems to be a reality to me.

 

[IAJay]

playoffs are only time worth watching the nba the rest of the season is a joke

I am shocked that a wrestler doesn't like the NBA. I am sure there are some 5'5 guys to watch somewhere around the world.

I am proud of the NBA fans in this thread, good stuff fellas. OKC is kicking Denver right now. It is pretty cool to watch a college crowd at an NBA venue. Those fans really get into the game.

 

[WhiteThunder]

I got shown shot charts in which a majority of the teams have 20-25% of their shots coming from range. To me, that is quite a bit. The games in which I watched feature a lot of pick and rolls (Orlando, for example) or one on one style of play (Knicks). I said that not ALL teams are like this (Celtics), but there is a majority of them that are.

It isn't my perception. You guys like the style of play, I don't. I would much rather watch an early to mid-80's style of basketball. More points, less 3's. That seems to be a reality to me.

The first problem with enjoying that style is it doesn't win so teams don't play it. As I said before the Suns and Warriors love to get up and down the floor and score well over 100 per game, but they don't win.

Secondly, there are so many pick and rolls and isolation because players are supremely talented and it gets results. I don't like Carmelo any more than you, but when he is shooting 50% from the field and taking 10 free throws I would keep giving him the ball too. Jared Jeffries might have been decent at Indiana, but no one in the NBA wants him shooting the ball consistently.

You are certainly welcome to not enjoy the style, but there is a reason the game is played that way.

 

[WhiteThunder]

I also feel like I should defend Orlando as probably their only fan around here. They have the best center in the league surrounded by 4 shooters at all times (unless Brandon Bass is playing). Of course they are going to shoot a lot of 3's when Howard is doubled in the post. That's called spacing the floor. If teams choose not to (the Hawks in the first two games) he is going to score 30 or 40 points. Running some sort of motion offense is only going to clog up the middle for their best player. Again, it goes back to 'he's our best guy, let him take the most shots'.

They probably aren't going to win the title or anything, but their strategy is solid.

 

[HawkeyeMike23]

The first problem with enjoying that style is it doesn't win so teams don't play it. As I said before the Suns and Warriors love to get up and down the floor and score well over 100 per game, but they don't win.

Secondly, there are so many pick and rolls and isolation because players are supremely talented and it gets results. I don't like Carmelo any more than you, but when he is shooting 50% from the field and taking 10 free throws I would keep giving him the ball too. Jared Jeffries might have been decent at Indiana, but no one in the NBA wants him shooting the ball consistently.

You are certainly welcome to not enjoy the style, but there is a reason the game is played that way.

Not sure how you can say the Suns don't win, I guess if you're saying there's only one team that wins each year, then they don't. But that's a pretty tough standard. The '04-'10 Suns won 54 or more games every year but one, made the Western Conference Finals three times and probably should have won a title if not for some absolutely horrible luck in the playoffs. They also had some solid defensive teams during their run. They shouldn't be compared to the Warriors.

 

[Hawkeye11en1]

I also feel like I should defend Orlando as probably their only fan around here. They have the best center in the league surrounded by 4 shooters at all times (unless Brandon Bass is playing). Of course they are going to shoot a lot of 3's when Howard is doubled in the post. That's called spacing the floor. If teams choose not to (the Hawks in the first two games) he is going to score 30 or 40 points. Running some sort of motion offense is only going to clog up the middle for their best player. Again, it goes back to 'he's our best guy, let him take the most shots'.

They probably aren't going to win the title or anything, but their strategy is solid.

I am an Orlando fan, by the way. They are NOT playing anything like they used to play. I get that Dwight is getting his, but this team is nothing like it was when they played the Lakers in the final. They used to give it to him in the post, and then when he got doubled they would swing it around the outside (usually making the extra pass) for an open lane to drive or an open 3. They seem to be doing a lot more pick and rolls out top, and have him drive to the lane where he waits for like 5 seconds and never gets it. Saw him get 2-3 lane violations in their second game.

Hedo is slow, takes off-balance shots and will end up costing them in the playoffs. He shouldn't be bringing the ball up the floor. He doesn't end up giving it up half the time. 2 years ago he was solid in all aspects.

BTW, Phoenix nearly made the finals with that style. If they would have kept that team together, I don't see any reason why they couldn't have won the west this year.

 

[HawkeyeMike23]

I am an Orlando fan, by the way. They are NOT playing anything like they used to play. I get that Dwight is getting his, but this team is nothing like it was when they played the Lakers in the final. They used to give it to him in the post, and then when he got doubled they would swing it around the outside (usually making the extra pass) for an open lane to drive or an open 3. They seem to be doing a lot more pick and rolls out top, and have him drive to the lane where he waits for like 5 seconds and never gets it. Saw him get 2-3 lane violations in their second game.

Hedo is slow, takes off-balance shots and will end up costing them in the playoffs. He shouldn't be bringing the ball up the floor. He doesn't end up giving it up half the time. 2 years ago he was solid in all aspects.

BTW, Phoenix nearly made the finals with that style. If they would have kept that team together, I don't see any reason why they couldn't have won the west this year.

This Orlando team is a mess. Hedo is nowhere near the player he was in '08, Arenas is terrible, Richardson hasn't played near as well as he did last year. They are going to blow up that team this summer, they've got one year to convince Dwight that they can put together a contender or is else Howard is headed elsewhere.

 

[trj]

Yeah it was you. Like your new one. I was a quasi sixers fan back in the day with Doc, Moses, Cheeks, Chocolate Thunder, oh and the white dude Bobby Jones. I still think the Bird/Tragic days were the hay day and then MJ came along a little later. They do have some really good players now and it has been fun to watch. My son is addicted to watching sports on t.v. now(my fault I know), so we've been watching it about every night.

Lol, when the sixers cut Greg Stokes I lost interest. The 80's were the heyday for me too. I rooted against the bulls in the 90's being a contrarian was kinda cool. 98-04 the NBA was unwatchable it was just a bad product, but rule changes, likeable stars, have got me caring again. I'm not the guy watching games in the middle of January, but I am a playoff guy always have been probably always will.

 

[Igothawked]

Charlie Villanueva(sp) says otherwise

I kind of left old Charlie off the list because I think he has a disease. I am pretty sure he has halopecia(sp?), where all of his hair on his body falls out. He is an ugly dude, but he can't do much about it. The Birdman chose to make himself that ugly. Which to me give him the edge.

 

[trj]

No one said you had to like the NBA, but it would make sense to not like them for reasons that were real and not just your perceptions, which as many have pointed out are not based in reality.

What is disheartening are people who you would think ought to know better..... are guilty of what you just described. i.e. people in the media.

 

[trj]

The reality is many people in the midwest struggle watching the NBA because people are threatened by, or can't relate to, the overwhelmingly black and affluent players.

It does seem to be the pink elephant in the room. I don't think there has been a prominent white american born star since Stockton retired. I dunno, since the 70's the league has always been dominated by African-Americans, but you always had white American stars up until this last decade or so.

 

[WhiteThunder]

You are right about Phoenix, comparing them to the Warriors probably isn't fair even if the style is the same. They had a lot of success, but couldn't get over the top. FWIW I have really enjoyed watching them over the last few years.

Hedo is terrible for sure and I'm not entirely sure why they made that trade. Carter is done but at least his contract was up at the end of the year. Maybe Earl Clark can turn into something?

 

[racerhawk]

The reality is many people in the midwest struggle watching the NBA because people are threatened by, or can't relate to, the overwhelmingly black and affluent players.

Meh, I don't know about that. I'm not at all threatened by black people who are affluent. However, irregardless (homage to OK4P), some of these players exhibit a stunning lack of humility, and are just annoying to watch. Their egos are out of control. I respond by not watching them. Also, both baseball and basketball play around 9 billion games per year, so if I miss most of them, I can always catch one if I'm that bored.

 

[trj]

Meh, I don't know about that. I'm not at all threatened by black people who are affluent. However, irregardless (homage to OK4P), some of these players exhibit a stunning lack of humility, and are just annoying to watch. Their egos are out of control. I respond by not watching them. Also, both baseball and basketball play around 9 billion games per year, so if I miss most of them, I can always catch one if I'm that bored.

Let me guess, hockey players and Nascar guys are the ones with their ego in checked.

 

[ibahawkeye]

I really thought that Memphis could give San Antonio a great run and maybe make it a 7 game series but I never could have imagined the way they dominated the Spurs tonight to go up 3-1 in the series.

 

[CAARHawk]

I really thought that Memphis could give San Antonio a great run and maybe make it a 7 game series but I never could have imagined the way they dominated the Spurs tonight to go up 3-1 in the series.

Just got home from the Fed Ex Grind House! Insane, just insane! I had season tickets to the Lakers in the old Forum during the Showtime years and when the team was rocking that place rocked. I also had tickets on call for me when I wanted them at Arco when the Kings were rolling. That place got loud too. But have to say the Grind House was the loudest NBA arena I have been in for the last 2 games. When you consider this team is playing without Rudy Gay, it really is impressive.