NBA PLAYOFFS Blowouts? Does the NBA have problem?

[Time for Change]

You guys are just missing LeBron in the playoffs

So many years rooting against the guy that you forgot how to appreciate anything. Hate on Luka or something.

/Greenfont

It’s true, the main villains this year were the Lakers and Nets. The Lakers didn’t make it and the Nets only lasted 4 games.

[sp6r=underrated]

It’s what happens when teams put up 40-50 3’s a game, guys go cold and game gets out of hand

The three point era has been in full affect for 7 plus years never have we've seen scores like these in the playoffs.

The 3 Point Rate in the 2015 playoffs was .302. So far this year it is .406. That is a 33% difference which is a massive change

The Maverick/Suns series is wild. It should have been the most exciting thing of the playoffs. A 7 game series with superstars and the two best teams(of the 2022 calendar year). Yet no game was really that compelling. Every game was over before crunch time and most of the games were flat out blowouts.

I thought Game 7 of Mavs/Suns was VERY compelling. Sorry Suns fans but no one will ever forget it.

Not a Suns fan or Mavs fan. Most people find blowouts boring unless their team is invovled

[Joao Saraiva]

You guys are just missing LeBron in the playoffs

So many years rooting against the guy that you forgot how to appreciate anything. Hate on Luka or something.

/Greenfont

It’s true, the main villains this year were the Lakers and Nets. The Lakers didn’t make it and the Nets only lasted 4 games.

Yeah it's partially true. For some guys I really believe that. For others... I hope not.

I always watch the playoffs regardless of who advances and usually find someone to root for. But ultimately I just wanna watch good basketball.

I think the Celtics play this year has been super entertaining. I'm also liking to watch Luka and Jimmy... so for me it's been ok.

[sp6r=underrated]

Some stats below. You'd need to look at a lot of years to confirm a trend but there does seem to be a lot of blowouts this year.

There have been 71 playoff games so far

1 OT
16 games decided by 4 or less points
34 games decided by 9 or less points
20 games decided by 20 or more points.


In 2012 through the first 71 playoff games we had
4 OTs
24 games decided by 4 or less points
39 games decided by 9 or less points
7 Games decided by 20 or more points

[LofJ]

The 3 point spam era has run its course. Now that Curry is close to the end of his career it's time for the league to make a change.

[DoctorX]

been watching since 95 and im 31 , yea the excitement just isnt there any more. The storylines aren't there anymore. Lebron chasing kareem and the 76ers /nets choking , along with chris paul never getting a ring. Other than that is been kinda dry for me.

It's just the blowouts. Both game 7s were blowouts. Now both conference finals games have been blowouts. I think if it went down to the wire and we got some buzzer beaters we would be excited. Some of the early 2000's playoff games were also boring with the low scoring grind it out ball in the eastern conference back then.

I loved the early 2000 playoffs. Duncan, Kobe, Shaq, Wallace and Wallace...

Interior play just requires more nuance than shooting 50 3 pointers.

The current game can still be exciting, but it's so difficult to play good defense now with the rule interpretations and amount of space that players need to cover which leads to all these high variance 3pt fests.

Agreed. I never liked college basketball growing up due to the heavy reliance on the 3 point shot which made the game boring in my eyes. Now the NBA pretty much resembles college basketball which makes it boring and dull.

[TravisScott55]

blame the trey ball

[DoctorX]

It’s what happens when teams put up 40-50 3’s a game, guys go cold and game gets out of hand

The three point era has been in full affect for 7 plus years never have we've seen scores like these in the playoffs.

The 3 Point Rate in the 2015 playoffs was .302. So far this year it is .406. That is a 33% difference which is a massive change

The Maverick/Suns series is wild. It should have been the most exciting thing of the playoffs. A 7 game series with superstars and the two best teams(of the 2022 calendar year). Yet no game was really that compelling. Every game was over before crunch time and most of the games were flat out blowouts.

I thought Game 7 of Mavs/Suns was VERY compelling. Sorry Suns fans but no one will ever forget it.

Not a Suns fan or Mavs fan. Most people find blowouts boring unless their team is invovled

Agreed the only time fans enjoy a blowout outside of seeing their teams do it is when they get to see a team they hate get blown out. In my case I didn’t hate the Suns even though they are not my team so I didn’t enjoy the blow out they suffered in game 7. It was pretty disappointing since I expected a close game.

[Stan]

OP like 50 Cent asking 21 questions.

[Bobbymcgee]

The three point shot has ruined the game.

Also, I don't get the fascination or love for the three point shot from the fans. Like, during the Jordan era would you of rather watched Craig Hodges shooting threes all game instead of watching Michael Jordan do his thing.

Because that's pretty much what the game has devolved into, a bunch of Craig Hodges running around shooting threes over and over. Today's game is just sooo freaking boring.

[sol537]

Solution...

-> 2 shots on a fouled 3pt attempt
-> remove corner 3's

Post-ups and mid-range would go up in value and we'd get a better spread of shots and less reliance on 3pt shots all the time.

[Sothron]

It's been a problem for several years. It's only getting worse as more teams adopt the 3 or die strategy.

It also makes the game less interesting to watch. Maybe it's just me, but watching guys shoot long jumpers all game isn't very entertaining. Luckily I'm a Warriors fan, and we're about the only team in the NBA who actually run an entertaining offense that highlights a variety of skills on the court.

I feel the same way. I’m 42 and grew up on dominant big men in the post.. I miss that.

Now everyone plays the same exact way and just hoists 3’s. It’s not entertaining to me

I spend as much time if not more watching 80's, 90's and all eras up to about 2010 games than current games. The variety of offense is completely gone except for a handful of teams with a great center and even then they don't spend as much time in the low post as they should.

[Irabrahamt]

They call 2 many fouls now so you cant tighten up on defense get physical and come back. once your behind you just have to throw your hands up and hope they miss because refs wont let you get away with any kind of contact with the offensive player.

[ATRAIN53]

Tough to say because the final 5 minutes of close NBA games used to take FOREVER

There were like 20 time outs
A ton of fouls and free throws and not much action on the floor.

You knew it as it got late.
You were tired but you stayed up extra late to watch the game get decided by a missed FT or bad defensive play.


Was that more exciting that watching teams chuck up missed 3 after missed 3 like Dallas last night.
and then pull the starters with like 8 minutes to go in a freaking Conference Finals game?

I turned it off and went to bed instead of watching Reggie Bullock and crew miss a bunch of more horrid 3 point attempts from way beyond the arc where they have no business shooting it to begin with.

The league average is still you miss 7 out of 10 3 point shots.
Very few teams win games hitting like 10 3 point bombs in a row to close out a game.
We see more James Harden type performances than Curry/Klay going off.


I think I like the Jimmy Butler attacks the basket style of play more.
Look at how they shelved their best 3 point shooter when the playoffs started and play PJ Tucker more.

I like to watch great defense in the playoffs.
So I'd say the blowouts are a problem if I'm turning the game off before it's over.

[Drakeem]

The three point shot has ruined the game.

Also, I don't get the fascination or love for the three point shot from the fans. Like, during the Jordan era would you of rather watched Craig Hodges shooting threes all game instead of watching Michael Jordan do his thing.

Because that's pretty much what the game has devolved into, a bunch of Craig Hodges running around shooting threes over and over. Today's game is just sooo freaking boring.

So you're saying all Embiid did was launch threes? Butler? Giannis? Luka? Most of the top stars in the league are not simply "Craig Hodges" shooting threes.

[Bobbymcgee]

The three point shot has ruined the game.

Also, I don't get the fascination or love for the three point shot from the fans. Like, during the Jordan era would you of rather watched Craig Hodges shooting threes all game instead of watching Michael Jordan do his thing.

Because that's pretty much what the game has devolved into, a bunch of Craig Hodges running around shooting threes over and over. Today's game is just sooo freaking boring.

So you're saying all Embiid did was launch threes? Butler? Giannis? Luka? Most of the top stars in the league are not simply "Craig Hodges" shooting threes.

I would prefer that Embiid or Giannis didn't shoot threes at all. Imagine the great centers of the 90's shooting threes instead of battling in the post. That was my point. Let big men get back to battling in the post. I just don't get why people defend the three so much in this era of basketball. If there are more threes being attempted than two point field goals in a game by a team then the game is broken.

[dhsilv2]

been watching since 95 and im 31 , yea the excitement just isnt there any more. The storylines aren't there anymore. Lebron chasing kareem and the 76ers /nets choking , along with chris paul never getting a ring. Other than that is been kinda dry for me.

It's just the blowouts. Both game 7s were blowouts. Now both conference finals games have been blowouts. I think if it went down to the wire and we got some buzzer beaters we would be excited. Some of the early 2000's playoff games were also boring with the low scoring grind it out ball in the eastern conference back then.

I loved the early 2000 playoffs. Duncan, Kobe, Shaq, Wallace and Wallace...

Interior play just requires more nuance than shooting 50 3 pointers.

The current game can still be exciting, but it's so difficult to play good defense now with the rule interpretations and amount of space that players need to cover which leads to all these high variance 3pt fests.

Of course Duncan didn't play in the 2000 playoffs, so you know...he sometimes lost stars back then too

[dhsilv2]

It's been a problem for several years. It's only getting worse as more teams adopt the 3 or die strategy.

It also makes the game less interesting to watch. Maybe it's just me, but watching guys shoot long jumpers all game isn't very entertaining. Luckily I'm a Warriors fan, and we're about the only team in the NBA who actually run an entertaining offense that highlights a variety of skills on the court.

I feel the same way. I’m 42 and grew up on dominant big men in the post.. I miss that.

Now everyone plays the same exact way and just hoists 3’s. It’s not entertaining to me

The top two guys for MVP both are dominate post guys who also can do things elsewhere...the league now goes to the post when they have a legit great post scorer. They don't post up Rik Smiths or Otis Thorp...I think we'll all live!

[Hes_On_Fire]

I know that any time someone criticizes the game today they get called an old man yelling at clouds and such but it's true the league is way worse now than it was even a decade ago.

The 3 point barrage and lack of defense (the rules play a big part in this) have killed competition. Seeing routine 160-155 scores is just dumb. Seeing people hype up 20 ppg scorers in a league where teams are putting 130 ppg is also dumb. Guys routinely have 50 point games now. They make everything look easy and it doesn't even feel competitive.

[CM17]

There were already some games with record deficits in RS.
And it's always the same - one team shoots less than 25% 3p and the other close to 50%. And when the one team is down 20 points it can't do anything else but attempt more 3s.