pantalones wrote:So watching the Olympics and FIBA officials made me even more convinced that the NBA is much more of an entertainment product than a true sporting competition. The NBA players on Team USA were utterly shocked when traveling was actually called against them and barreling into a defender with the ball tucked under your wing like a fullback at the 1 yard line was not called a defensive foul; in other words, the calls were actually called as written, regardless of who was committing them and/or playing defense. The NBA has sold "superstar players" as their major brand identity for so long now, that we as fans just accept it; often times we hear, "he's a rookie, he has to earn that call", or "their not gonna call that on him, he's a superstar", why is this acceptable? Why do we as fans put up with this? For all intents and purposes the NBA is WWE with a ball and we just blindly go along with it. It's over 9 months before the playoffs and I can see with almost certainty that it will be GSW and Cleveland in the finals, just as I said this time last year. We all know this because it's what we expect of the NBA, selling, marketing and promoting the teams with the superstars, via officials making subtle, and sometimes not so subtle calls that will favor the superstar teams. last year the 4 division winners in the NFL were not the division winners the year before, due in large part to the NFL actually selling the product on the field and not the superstars inside the jerseys.
Before every MLB, NHL or NFL season fans of almost every team can say, "this may be the year" and they could be right, in the NBA no such hope exists. If you're a fan of Charlotte or Denver, or Indiana, your team has no chance whatsoever of being in the finals in your lifetime, unless they acquire a marketable superstar. So what's the point, honestly? if we say, "because we love basketball", I ask you, is this really basketball? I would argue again, it's more WWE with a ball.
I disagree with this premise. We all hear about "superstar calls" and the like, but I don't believe games are rigged or officiated in a way that only benefits the best players. Generally speaking the best players and teams win. Otherwise, why would the Pistons and Spurs do so well in the early/mid 00's? Those were grind it out, small market teams that were not exactly pleasant to watch and they often won against the more aesthetically pleasing, "star-driven" teams.
There has only been once in my life when I thought officiating actually tarnished a series.. That was Lakers/Kings in 2002. Since Donaghy left, I've had little doubt about officiating. There is so much oversight within the league and from die hard fans that it would be really hard to job a team in a high leverage game without getting killed for it.
I think it's mostly immature fans that complain about calls. Of course officials get plenty of things wrong, but Lebron making 6 straight finals is not a fluke. What the Spurs/Warriors have done isn't a fluke. Cream rises to the top.
As far as motivations to watch this season.... I just love basketball.
I'm fairly confident that we will see Cavs/Warriors III, but nothing is given. Who would've thought the Warriors would lose after being up 3-1?
Beyond that, I'm not a ring or bust fan. The journey is pleasant for me. Seeing Guys like PORZINGIS, Towns, Jokic, Simmons, and others grow is fun for me. Watching the Knicks, Bucks, Celtics, Pistons,Jazz, and other interesting non contenders will be fun.
You can quit watching games if you want, but acting as though the NBA is rigged irritates me.
