What is wrong with the NBA

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Look at the score from last nights game. Most of the games look like they ended after the 3rd quarter. Does the NBA think this what fans want. Thank god for the Mavericks who actually *gasp* score points.

 

Here's what I think are the problems.

 

-Overcoaching. Today head coaces just have to get involved in every little aspect of the offensive playcalling. All this does is force players to take off balanced shots from 23 feet away.

 

-Not enough shots taken in a game. 10-15 years ago. 100 shots was the norm, today 70-80. This once again falls back on coaching. Instead of holding the ball until there's only 3 seconds on the shot clock, take a shot with 13 seconds. You"ll get more shots in a game and you'll score more points.

 

-The loss of the jump shot. Today it's all about who can dunk. The fault for this goes back to the head coach.

 

-Players not ready for the NBA. Here's what I would do. A player is allowed to come straight from H.S., if you haven't enrolled in college you shouldn't have to go. But once you start school...you have to stay for 3 years. I'd have no problem giving the players' some sort of an allowance. If the coaches can make money off of shoe deals the players should be able to make at least something.

[Guest Leena]

I have to add that players today must not practice free throws very much. There was many players with 50% or worse, and there's no reason for that whatsoever. Free throws are all practice, and they aren't doing that. That alone knocks 5 points from games.

 

I don't think the loss of the jump shot is a bad thing, however. They're supposed to try getting the high percentage shot, and that takes more time.

[Guest razazteca]

maybe alot of the players either do not practice enough on the NBA style or they are tired from the international tournments from the last few months. Also that the Spur are more of a defensive team that like to kill clock time. Then there are the Wizards who are without any true ball hog scorers besides Stackhouse and Jordan, and even they miss gimme lay-ups.

[Guest phoenixrising]

I feel that the decline of scoring in part was caused by the Chicago Bulls teams of the 1990's and today's LA Laker three-peat team. Both used the triangle offense that has the team make several passes in order to find the open man. This usually wears down the clock. Here the NBA becomes like the NFL. If your opponent doesn't have the ball they can't score. Since coaches are conservative by nature they run some form of this system. Mike Fratello and his "ultra slow-down" offense also proved that holding the ball could be effective. In 1995 the Cavaliers made the playoffs despite several injuries and only averaging about 86 points a game. How? Fratello put in an offense where the Cavs miked the clock for all 24 seconds before shooting. They did this on every possession. It contributed to the record 85 ppg average the Cavs allowed on defense.

 

Pro sports teams play not to lose rather than playing to win. Again I draw a football comparison. Several college teams average more than 40 ppg, whils the highest pro average ever is around 36 or so. Sure the talent is more equal, but also teams with big leads in the NFL also go ultra-conservative with runs and five-yard passes. Same with basketball. Once there's a sizeable lead, it's dribble up the court, bounce it around, pass it a little...oh there's the clock, gotta shoot.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

The whole Sprewell thing completly killed the NBA for me.

 

He should have been kicked out of the league, and charged with a hate crime and either assualt or attempted murder.

 

It's not like he attacked his coach and left...he attacked his coach, left, and came back to do it again, that's premeditated.

 

If anyone had done this to their Burger King boss they would be in prison.

 

[/rant]

 

That was really the last straw for me with the NBA...if they're going to let pieces of shit like that represent them then I don't want to be a part of it.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

I understand where your coming from YNA. Of the major sports Basketball has the most overpaid prima donnas. It bugs me that Shaq waits until September to have surgery he could of had immediatley after the season, because he doesn't want to play the first month of the season. Can anyone imagine Barry Bonds, Brett Favre, and Patrick Roy waiting a month before the season starts to have surgery they could of done 3-4 months prior.

[Guest Smark Hammill]

Look at the score from last nights game. Most of the games look like they ended after the 3rd quarter. Does the NBA think this what fans want. Thank god for the Mavericks who actually *gasp* score points.

 

Here's what I think are the problems.

 

--The loss of the jump shot. Today it's all about who can dunk. The fault for this goes back to the head coach.

 

-Players not ready for the NBA. Here's what I would do. A player is allowed to come straight from H.S., if you haven't enrolled in college you shouldn't have to go. But once you start school...you have to stay for 3 years. I'd have no problem giving the players' some sort of an allowance. If the coaches can make money off of shoe deals the players should be able to make at least something.

I agree with these points. Pro basketball, not necessarily college, has become almost an entirely inside game. If an outside shot is taken, it's a three pointer.

 

Also, way, way, way too many players not ready for the NBA actually playing in the NBA.

[Guest razazteca]

too many High School kids in the league

[Guest Smark Hammill]

Another problem with the NBA is that it's getting hard to identify with the players. It doesn't seem like a "team" game anymore.

 

IMO, and this is just my opinion, but the NBA has become rich celebrities playing street ball with other celebrities and rich corporate types spectating in a dead quiet, gigantic corporate arena.

[Guest razazteca]

the NBA has become rich celebrities playing street ball with other celebrities and rich corporate types spectating in a dead quiet, gigantic corporate arena

the NBA is not the AND1 Mix Tape tour yet, but with ball hogs like Allen Iverson, I can see your perspective.

 

There are some bright spots like the Mavericks and the Kings who are offensive teams with owners who where fans before joining the Corporation.

[Guest JHawk]

I stand by one solid rule when it comes to basketball. There is no excuse for not averaging one field goal per minute.

 

High school teams (at least in Ohio) should score about 64 points.

 

College teams should score around 80.

 

If NBA players can't score 96 points as a team in regulation, I don't see how they can call themselves "professionals".

 

And remember, I'm saying an average of a field goal a minute. Two points. You have 24 second shot clock. That means a minimum of five shots have to go up every two minutes between the two teams. OK, you'll have a streak where you go cold from the floor (especially if the pace picks up or the defense is killer or whatever), but between getting hot from behind the three point line and free throws you should be able to make up for it.

 

I'm not saying every game needs to be a scoring clinic (hell, my Cavs have no shot in hell if every game turns into a 122-120 nailbiter), but I saw a game a couple of days ago where both teams were tied at 90 with 30 seconds left in regulation and went "Wow, they must be shooting well tonight." That is sad.

[Guest Leena]

74-72 game tonight with my Clips... that's just sad. My Clips won though, so I don't care.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

This is the worse I've seen maybe ever. Games in the 70's. Toronto only scored 6 points in the 4th quarter. Good college Basketball teams score more points.

[Guest phoenixrising]

And we're not even getting into Miami Heat games where the point total for both teams is around 120 or 130 points.

[Guest DrTom]

The real problem with the NBA is that the game has become about individual superstars, not teams that play well together. It started happening in the 80s, and the NBA has done everything possible to keep it that way ever since. In terms of marketing and money, it worked. The problems, though, are now being seen: a generation of youngsters learned to play by watching ball hogs and prima donnas, instead of watching teams that execute the fundamentals. Those youngsters are now playing in the NBA, and are spreading their horrible influence to the next generation of kids, who think a dunk is the highest achievement in basketball. The NBA has no one to blame but its commissioner.

[Guest MrRant]

Depends on the team. The Sonics are a very team and fundamental orientated team. Part of that is that Nate McMillian believes in that type of coaching and the amount of European players on the team that are taught them from the beginning.

 

I think soon kids will have to start learning fundamentals again or risk not being drafted because of a European player who can do it all is available in the draft as well.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Just move in the 3-point line AGAIN and that will fix everything...

[Guest Smark Hammill]

The real problem with the NBA is that the game has become about individual superstars, not teams that play well together. It started happening in the 80s, and the NBA has done everything possible to keep it that way ever since. In terms of marketing and money, it worked. The problems, though, are now being seen: a generation of youngsters learned to play by watching ball hogs and prima donnas, instead of watching teams that execute the fundamentals. Those youngsters are now playing in the NBA, and are spreading their horrible influence to the next generation of kids, who think a dunk is the highest achievement in basketball. The NBA has no one to blame but its commissioner.

You are absolutely, 100% dead on. I know the media LOVES David Stern, but I actually don't like him. He's the one responsible for this MTV-ized NBA.

[Guest ant_7000]

I mean I like the NBA its my fav sport and all, but there are problems:

 

1. Too many high school ballers and college underclass men coming in the league too early. Most of the high school players that has came out have been good, but it takes them like 3 or 4 years to be ready. The next high school baller thats coming out next year is LeBron James which everybody saying he's the next Kobe.

 

2. Owners and GM's who draft players who are not ready. Banking on potential for the future instead of then someone thats ready to contribute to the team at the present time. Owners and GM's always say that players should stay in school for the 4 years then when a player that does play 4 years then they say that he won't getting any better then what he is now, so they turn around and draft a underclass man or a high schooler.

 

3. Players relying on atheleticism than fundamentals.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

The NBA needs to look at the 80's. That's when the game was up tempo with scoring, when the Lakers vs Celtics, and Celtics vs 76ers drew the interest of the fans.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

The simple fact is that no one has a jump shot. If you add all the open jumpers that people clang off the rim, teams would be averaging 90 points a game.

 

What they should do is get rid of the 3 point line completly. That would force people to

 

A. Be tall.

or

B. learn to hit a jumper.

not

C. Stand on the 3 point line and wait for someone to throw you the ball when the other team decides to quit guarding you, since you're not, you know, moving.

[Guest razazteca]

WTF was wrong with the Spurs tonight they are losing by 16 points in a low scoring game at the SBC Center.