Why Do You Follow The NBA?

[Darrell Green Fan]

I'm not here to troll or stasrt a big show, I honestly want to understand

When I was young I used to laugh at old guys who trashed the NBA, saying stupid stuff like they only tried in the last 2 minutes etc. I thought they were idiots for missing out on the greatest athletes in the world.

But now I find myself as one of those old guys but for different reasons. While I still believe they are the best athletes in the world there is absolutely no reason to follow a league where the finish is all but pre-determined. I mean it may as well be pro wrestling.

Still struggling to understand why a fan of the Blazers or Raptors has a reason to believe his team has any chance at competing for a title. Every year that list consists of 2-4 teams, this year it's more like 2. Why in the world would I care who won between Atlanta and Boston? It means absolutely nothing, neither has a chance. And those are 2 decent teams.

 

[trojanfan12]

I'm not here to troll or stasrt a big show, I honestly want to understand

When I was young I used to laugh at old guys who trashed the NBA, saying stupid stuff like they only tried in the last 2 minutes etc. I thought they were idiots for missing out on the greatest athletes in the world.

But now I find myself as one of those old guys but for different reasons. While I still believe they are the best athletes in the world there is absolutely no reason to follow a league where the finish is all but pre-determined. I mean it may as well be pro wrestling.

Still struggling to understand why a fan of the Blazers or Raptors has a reason to believe his team has any chance at competing for a title. Every year that list consists of 2-4 teams, this year it's more like 2. Why in the world would I care who won between Atlanta and Boston? It means absolutely nothing, neither has a chance. And those are 2 decent teams.

In short, because it can still be a fun game to watch.

I've been a Lakers fan since 1970 and have seen more than my fair share of titles and great players. I'm watching this current team that, as of now, is unlikely to make the playoffs, let alone win the championship, because they are a young, developing team that is fun to watch grow. They also have the youngest HC in the league and it's fun watching them all learn together.

They have some games where they play to the level of their talent and look very good, and others where they play to the level of their experience and don't look so good. Sometimes, it happens in the same game.

Also, with free agency and trades, basketball is the one sport where adding 1 or 2 players can dramatically change a teams course. The Cavs literally went from the lottery to the finals in one off season by adding Lebron and Kevin Love.

Plus, for true NBA fans, if nothing else, there is always the opportunity to watch great players that aren't on your team. Whether I like them or hate them, it is still great to see the skills and talent of Lebron, Durant, Curry, Westbrook, etc., etc. even when they are using that skill and talent to try to beat my team.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

In short, because it can still be a fun game to watch.

I've been a Lakers fan since 1970 and have seen more than my fair share of titles and great players. I'm watching this current team that, as of now, is unlikely to make the playoffs, let alone win the championship, because they are a young, developing team that is fun to watch grow. They also have the youngest HC in the league and it's fun watching them all learn together.

They have some games where they play to the level of their talent and look very good, and others where they play to the level of their experience and don't look so good. Sometimes, it happens in the same game.

Also, with free agency and trades, basketball is the one sport where adding 1 or 2 players can dramatically change a teams course. The Cavs literally went from the lottery to the finals in one off season by adding Lebron and Kevin Love.

Plus, for true NBA fans, if nothing else, there is always the opportunity to watch great players that aren't on your team. Whether I like them or hate them, it is still great to see the skills and talent of Lebron, Durant, Curry, Westbrook, etc., etc. even when they are using that skill and talent to try to beat my team.

And for a Lakers fan that makes perfect sense, as you said you had a great run. But what about the guy in Memphis? Watching great athletes is fun but not close to watching your team playing big games and actually believing they have a chance to win a title. You can do that with many teams in every other sport. In the NFL maybe as many as 1/3 of the teams can make an argument that they have at least a chance at some point in the season, and that list moves a bit. In the NBA it's 2 teams, that's it that's the list.

 

[Heatles84]

I'm not here to troll or stasrt a big show, I honestly want to understand

When I was young I used to laugh at old guys who trashed the NBA, saying stupid stuff like they only tried in the last 2 minutes etc. I thought they were idiots for missing out on the greatest athletes in the world.

But now I find myself as one of those old guys but for different reasons. While I still believe they are the best athletes in the world there is absolutely no reason to follow a league where the finish is all but pre-determined. I mean it may as well be pro wrestling.

Still struggling to understand why a fan of the Blazers or Raptors has a reason to believe his team has any chance at competing for a title. Every year that list consists of 2-4 teams, this year it's more like 2. Why in the world would I care who won between Atlanta and Boston? It means absolutely nothing, neither has a chance. And those are 2 decent teams.

The NBA has always been like this every season. Every year there's always 2-4 legit contenders in the NBA that could win the title. This year it's the Cavs, Warriors, Clippers and Spurs. People still care just to be a fan. It's just more one-sided this year given some of the super teams that are forming/formed.

 

[trojanfan12]

And for a Lakers fan that makes perfect sense, as you said you had a great run. But what about the guy in Memphis? Watching great athletes is fun but not close to watching your team playing big games and actually believing they have a chance to win a title. You can do that will many teams in every other sport, in the NFL we have seen maybe half the teams actually have a chance. In the NBA it's 2 teams, that's it that's the list.

Memphis has had contending teams before. They still have a decent team now. Several players on their current team were part of the team when they were in the mix. They are getting a little old and may have missed their window with this group. But again, it's basketball. so signing the right FA. making the right trade, etc. can turn a team around quickly.

Also, there are more than just 2 teams with a chance. The Western Conference has about 3-4 teams with a real chance and a couple more with a "punchers chance." Barring injury, I doubt anyone other than Cleveland comes out of the East, but even at that, there are a couple of teams who can push them and if they get pushed to a 7th game, anything can happen.

 

[antone112]

I don't

 

[lebron23james]

The NBA has been pretty boring this year

 

[Mecca]

I'm not here to troll or stasrt a big show, I honestly want to understand

When I was young I used to laugh at old guys who trashed the NBA, saying stupid stuff like they only tried in the last 2 minutes etc. I thought they were idiots for missing out on the greatest athletes in the world.

But now I find myself as one of those old guys but for different reasons. While I still believe they are the best athletes in the world there is absolutely no reason to follow a league where the finish is all but pre-determined. I mean it may as well be pro wrestling.

Still struggling to understand why a fan of the Blazers or Raptors has a reason to believe his team has any chance at competing for a title. Every year that list consists of 2-4 teams, this year it's more like 2. Why in the world would I care who won between Atlanta and Boston? It means absolutely nothing, neither has a chance. And those are 2 decent teams.

Because you still have to play the games.

Championships are not decided on paper.

2016 Cavs is the latest example. But, there are more.

2011 Mavericks, 2006 Heat, 2004 Pistons, 1995 Rockets......

None were supposed to win. But, they did.

Every Team is One injury, or one team catching lightning in a bottle, away from surpassing expectations or becoming the latest/greatest choke job.

 

[bksballer89]

The NBA has been pretty boring this year

It will be this way until May/June.

 

[Wamu]

Because you still have to play the games.

Championships are not decided on paper.

2016 Cavs is the latest example. But, there are more.

2011 Mavericks, 2006 Heat, 2004 Pistons, 1995 Rockets......

None were supposed to win. But, they did.

Every Team is One injury, or one team catching lightning in a bottle, away from surpassing expectations or becoming the latest/greatest choke job.

The '77 Blazers & '70 Knicks could be added to that list as well.

 

[Duckboy33]

It's called being fan. Maybe your team doesn't have a good chance to win a championship this year but that's what makes it even sweeter when they do win.

 

[wildturkey]

Because basketball is awesome

 

[tlance]

I am a Wizards fan. Aside from a brief glimmer of hope a couple seasons ago, my team's fate has been predetermined for the last 30+ years.

What it comes down to is whether or not you enjoy the game. Just because my team sucks does not mean that I can't appreciate good basketball. In some ways, it makes watching the playoffs more enjoyable because I have zero expectations for my team.

I think that is the key. If your expectations are realistic or even pessimistic, then the margin for error on the team's actual performance is usually to the good side. Because mine are low, I can be pleasantly surprised when the team plays well and still appreciate watching the good teams play when mine plays poorly.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

Because you still have to play the games.

Championships are not decided on paper.

2016 Cavs is the latest example. But, there are more.

2011 Mavericks, 2006 Heat, 2004 Pistons, 1995 Rockets......

None were supposed to win. But, they did.

Every Team is One injury, or one team catching lightning in a bottle, away from surpassing expectations or becoming the latest/greatest choke job.

Yeah but every one of these teams were on the short list of contenders going into the season from what I remember, were they really big surprises the way the Giants were when they beat the 18-0 Patriiots? We see last to first stories in the NFL virtually every year. Unlike the NBA NFL fans of bad teams can always have hope. Nobody saw the 2010 SF Giants winning the World Series going into that season. 8 seeds have won the Stanly Cup. When was the last time an NBA team really surprised? Denver went all tbe way to round 2 as an 8 seed a generation ago right?

 

[tlance]

Yeah but every one of these teams were on the very short list of contenders from what I remember, were they really big surprises the way the Giants were when they beat the 18-0 Patriiots? We see last to first stories in the NFL virtually every year. Unlike the NBA NFL fans of bad teams can always have hope. Nobody saw the 2010 SF Giants winning the World Series going into that season. 8 seeds have won the Stanly Cup. When was the last time an NBA team really surprised? Denver went all tbe way to round 2 as an 8 seed a generation ago right?

If parity is the most important thing to you as a fan, then the NBA is probably not for you. The NBA does not have any parity for 2 reasons:

1) a legit superstar has more impact here than any other sport. 1 man can't carry a football or baseball team like they can in the NBA. Teams that do not have a superstar have virtually no chance.

2) free agency assures that the rich will continue to get richer

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

If parity is the most important thing to you as a fan, then the NBA is probably not for you. The NBA does not have any parity for 2 reasons:

1) a legit superstar has more impact here than any other sport. 1 man can't carry a football or baseball team like they can in the NBA. Teams that do not have a superstar have virtually no chance.

2) free agency assures that the rich will continue to get richer

Yep this sums it up for me. And make no mistake I had been an NBA fan since the 1970. And as a fan of lottery lifers I was well aware of how one player can chage a team, of course the Wiz never get that player. I guess I'll never understand how the rich getting richer, at the expense of the fans of 30 other teams, can ever be considered a good thing.

 

[tlance]

Yep this sums it up for me. And make no mistake I had been an NBA fan since the 1970. And as a fan of lottery lifers I was well aware of how one player can chage a team, of course the Wiz never get that player. I guess I'll never understand how the rich getting richer, at the expense of the fans of 30 other teams, can ever be considered a good thing.

I don't think that the rich getting richer is a good thing, but I do think that doing away with free agency would be really unfair to players.

I am not sure what the answer is here. Football and Baseball both have structures that work for their respective sports. The NBA structure actually encourages extreme parity. Not only do contending teams get to sign vets on the cheap, but bad teams are clearly incentivized to get worse in an effort to land that illusive franchise changing superstar. 2nd tier teams have to base their future plans on clearing enough cap space to sign that game changing free agent.

A more owner friendly labor structure could help change some of this, but frankly I don't think the owners deserve better terms.

All that said, the NBA tends to market to younger fans. Young fans tend to follow front running teams. It could be that more parity is NOT in the best interest of the league given their target demographic.

I was introduced to the NBA by my dad, who used to be a huge basketball fan. He lost interest in the league in the early 2000s when the Shaq/Kobe Lakers were dominating. I think that is pretty typical based on other people I know and responses from average fans on here. Older fans tend to be disillusioned by the NBA because they think the old ways were better. I think this has more or less always been true, however. People were having the same conversations in the 80s and 90s. As styles of play change, the older generations tune out because it is not the game they remember.

I don't think young fans want parity. The league needs the young fans.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

I don't think that the rich getting richer is a good thing, but I do think that doing away with free agency would be really unfair to players.

I am not sure what the answer is here. Football and Baseball both have structures that work for their respective sports. The NBA structure actually encourages extreme parity. Not only do contending teams get to sign vets on the cheap, but bad teams are clearly incentivized to get worse in an effort to land that illusive franchise changing superstar. 2nd tier teams have to base their future plans on clearing enough cap space to sign that game changing free agent.

A more owner friendly labor structure could help change some of this, but frankly I don't think the owners deserve better terms.

All that said, the NBA tends to market to younger fans. Young fans tend to follow front running teams. It could be that more parity is NOT in the best interest of the league given their target demographic.

I was introduced to the NBA by my dad, who used to be a huge basketball fan. He lost interest in the league in the early 2000s when the Shaq/Kobe Lakers were dominating. I think that is pretty typical based on other people I know and responses from average fans on here. Older fans tend to be disillusioned by the NBA because they think the old ways were better. I think this has more or less always been true, however. People were having the same conversations in the 80s and 90s. As styles of play change, the older generations tune out because it is not the game they remember.

I don't think young fans want parity. The league needs the young fans.

Good post. But being a big fan back then I can't really identify with the 80's as the golden years when it was pretty much a 2 team league. I remember rooting desperately for Dallas jist so we coukd see some drama and something different.

 

[Eugene Baker III]

I'm not here to troll or stasrt a big show, I honestly want to understand

When I was young I used to laugh at old guys who trashed the NBA, saying stupid stuff like they only tried in the last 2 minutes etc. I thought they were idiots for missing out on the greatest athletes in the world.

But now I find myself as one of those old guys but for different reasons. While I still believe they are the best athletes in the world there is absolutely no reason to follow a league where the finish is all but pre-determined. I mean it may as well be pro wrestling.

Still struggling to understand why a fan of the Blazers or Raptors has a reason to believe his team has any chance at competing for a title. Every year that list consists of 2-4 teams, this year it's more like 2. Why in the world would I care who won between Atlanta and Boston? It means absolutely nothing, neither has a chance. And those are 2 decent teams.

Why Do You Follow The NBA?


Because they are fighting to preserve the true meaning of the Second Amendment.

 

[Eugene Baker III]

Why Do You Follow The NBA?


Because they are fighting to preserve the true meaning of the Second Amendment.

Oh?......My bad.