The NBA is predictable. The talent is too diluted. And there are only four teams that have a chance at being champions.
How is this fun exactly?
As the NBA mid-season shortly passed by, The Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, and Cleveland Cavaliers are the only teams in the league who are playing at a championship level. They are the only teams who have the horses, chemistry, experience and toughness to win it all.
The three other contenders you may be thinking of don’t have a chance: The Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks.
The Spurs “senior citizen” issues have been somewhat fixed by their bench, who leads the league in scoring. Still, there not your nephews Spurs. Although they are seventh in the league in defense they just don’t “D” it up like they use to. Manu Ginobli is a shadow of himself. Tim Duncan rests on back-to-back nights. They can’t beat the Lakers in a seven game series. Like Adrian said to Rocky before he fought the Russian, “You can’t win.”
I actually thought the Denver Nuggets would be the heavy favorite to win the West before the season. But I also thought they needed home-court to beat the Lakers. They can score with anyone, and they play with that cocky chip on their shoulder. They have the league’s best record against teams at .500 or better at 21-8, but because of their mental lapses they have lost to woe teams like the Bucks, Clippers, Timberwolves, Pistons twice, Bobcats, Kings, and 76ers thus far. Something tells me the Nuggets just can’t get it right consistently to win it all.
The Hawks are having a cute run. They have a boat load of young talent. They have some scorers. They play D. We know they can beat Boston. But can they beat the Magic and Cavs? Not with the big men that they have. Josh Smith and Al Horford are their “ Big’s” but neither really plays with their back-to-the basket. They will probably try to cause mismatches by bringing their low post guys away from the paint and shoot from the outside in the playoffs. But how long can you have success playing that way?
Even if those three teams are contenders, that only leaves, at most, seven teams that can contend. The Mavericks, Jazz, Rockets, Trailblazers, Raptors, Heat and Suns just don’t have enough in the tank.
Please.
Some say it’s exciting to have a few power house teams, like in the eighties when the NBA peaked.
Wrong.
True, the eighties was the one of the best decades for the NBA. And there was also only a handful of teams who had a shot in those years. Two men named Magic and Larry, whose teams played in a combined 12 NBA finals in the decade, led the show. Fans flocked to games. Cable TV programs began airing NBA games live, and the leagues popularity was at an all time high. But in the years leading into the eighties, the NBA was struggling with an image problem. Players at insurmountable rates were getting into legal trouble and NBA games were not even televised live. At that time the league needed a rebirth. Magic and Larry brought it. Two great teams, with two of the game’s best, were enough.
But these times are different. We had a guy named Jordan pave the way. We have great players. The image of the league is not nearly as bad as it was back then. The NBA doesn’t need a rebirth. What they need is more good teams who have a shot.
Major league baseball and the National Football league have plenty of it. Don’t think so? Than who is going to win next year’s World Series?
The Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, Cardinals, Phillies, Indians, Rays, Dodgers, Cubs, Giants, Mariners, and Mets all have a chance. And there is always some team that finds a way to get into the mix once the season starts. Barely does that happened in the NBA and this year is no exception.
Check out the NFL. Before each season most fans could pile up a number of teams that can win the big one. It wouldn’t even be crazy to pick the defending champions to win the Super Bowl and them not even making the playoffs that year ( See 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers)
Not so in the NBA, where half of the teams in the league make the postseason.
And maybe that’s the solution. I’ve said in previous blogs that the NBA needs to shorten up its playoff schedule. Allow fewer teams to make it. Make the series shorter and maybe than we could see some upsets.
It doesn’t look like anything will change any time soon.
David Stern, the NBA commissioner, was forced to shell out millions of dollars to over 15 teams in the NBA last year who were hurting financially, which means the teams with the rich pockets and star players ( yes, like the Lakers, Celtics and Magic) will continue to push the little guys around. The little guys just can’t afford to go after the star name free agents. Some people have even suggested that the NBA employ what the NFL calls “ Team revenue sharing” which allows the weaker teams in the league to draw from a small well of cash to help them sign players.
Like Stern would ever go for that.
But I’m just a reporter who writes about sports. I don’t have all the answers. But I can choose to watch if I want.
Wake me up in May.
The Nuggets show that they feed off of their offense, and that is definitely a reverse style of thinking. Last night before the 4th quarter against the suns they were trailing by 14. George Karl at the interview in between quarters, which is entirely retarded anyway, said that if they are able to pick up on offense, then their defense will respond as well. Ahem, are you retarded? And YOU are coaching the WEST ALL STARS? Result: LOSS.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there are only 4 teams that have a legit shot at the title, but I'm also sliding toward only two: Lakers and Cavs. The Celtics are always, "if they're healthy" which they never are completely, and the Magic got Vince Carter to push them over the edge, hes averaging a career low 15 ppg and shooting a miserable 38% from the floor. Realistically, its the Lakers and Cavs in the finals. Its exactly like the 80's now, except next season, as we all know, could bring huge change to the face of the NBA with many stars hitting free agency.
Lets face it though, David Stern elongated the playoffs about ten years back (guessing?) where the first round used to be best of 5.
Theoretically, the first round should be One game.
Second round, three games.
Third round, five.
Finals, seven.
That makes it more interesting leading up to the Finals in that you need to bring it every night and the players feel the sense of urgency right off the bat, instead of sitting up at the podium saying "Well, the series isnt over."
Stern will keep the 7 games each round because that way the NBA still makes money, especially when teams like Bulls and Celtics last year, battle every single game and the fans will sit and drool over a first round series, where both teams didnt have a shot at winning it all (C's didnt have Garnett).
The NBA does suck, and it has sucked for a few years now. The last championship that 'slightly' came out of nowhere was the Pistons in 2004. Since then, the better teams have always been predictable, and the eventual champions have always had a household NBA all star name. Duncan, Kobe, Wade (& Shaq), Garnett Pierce and Allen.....I mean, whichever all star will produce the highest ratings will be there.
To make a long story short, you hit it on the button Rob. I agree, but who knows maybe the dark horse Memphis Grizzlies will shock the NBA world!! Or maybe thats just wishful thinking. Yeah. It is.