Around The NBA : 2023-24 Season #3

[Bullflip]

Worst Finals ratings since 07, excluding the covid years.

The series opener averaged a 5.7 rating and 10.99 million viewers on ABC, per Sports Media Watch, making it the least-watched NBA Finals Game 1 since the league hit its ratings nadir with the 2020 and 2021 Finals. Beyond those two, 10.99 is the league's lowest number since 2007.

I was surprised since both teams have huge markets. I guess it's really about star power. Luka isn't a household name yet, and I guess Tatum/Brown aren't superstars at least by media standards.

NBA has always been popular when there are superteams and dynasties. The last time the NBA had a comparable era of parity was in the 70s. And it wasn’t popular. NBA got revived with the Magic-Bird rivalry of the 80s

[jc23]

I prefer parity unless the super team is Chicago. So i will always prefer parity.

[DuckIII]

Worst Finals ratings since 07, excluding the covid years.

The series opener averaged a 5.7 rating and 10.99 million viewers on ABC, per Sports Media Watch, making it the least-watched NBA Finals Game 1 since the league hit its ratings nadir with the 2020 and 2021 Finals. Beyond those two, 10.99 is the league's lowest number since 2007.

I was surprised since both teams have huge markets. I guess it's really about star power. Luka isn't a household name yet, and I guess Tatum/Brown aren't superstars at least by media standards.

It’s because of Brown and Tatum. You’ll almost never see the best team in the NBA be led by two less “capture the public attention” stars than Brown and Tatum. Don’t really know why. I have the same reaction to them as well.

[sco]

Worst Finals ratings since 07, excluding the covid years.

The series opener averaged a 5.7 rating and 10.99 million viewers on ABC, per Sports Media Watch, making it the least-watched NBA Finals Game 1 since the league hit its ratings nadir with the 2020 and 2021 Finals. Beyond those two, 10.99 is the league's lowest number since 2007.

I was surprised since both teams have huge markets. I guess it's really about star power. Luka isn't a household name yet, and I guess Tatum/Brown aren't superstars at least by media standards.

It’s because of Brown and Tatum. You’ll almost never see the best team in the NBA be led by two less “capture the public attention” stars than Brown and Tatum. Don’t really know why. I have the same reaction to them as well.

They aren't flashy or controvercial. Guys like LBJ and Steph are flash. Guys like Giannis and Joker can do freakish things for their size.

[MrSparkle]

Honestly? I didn't watch it because the schedule break is insane. I can't keep track of games that happen a week later (from a game 7 WCF) or 3 days between each game in the series. All momentum is lost. I've moved on emotionally, and I'm not invested in either team. Make the games every other day. I'm busy most nights, and trying to catch a random game every 3 days at 8PM is too difficult.

Wolves/Nugs and Wolves/Mavs were the climax series. The East was a joke due to injuries, and Boston's way too stacked for Dallas' 2-man show.

[samwana]

Honestly? I didn't watch it because the schedule break is insane. I can't keep track of games that happen a week later (from a game 7 WCF) or 3 days between each game in the series. All momentum is lost. I've moved on emotionally, and I'm not invested in either team. Make the games every other day. I'm busy most nights, and trying to catch a random game every 3 days at 8PM is too difficult.

Wolves/Nugs and Wolves/Mavs were the climax series. The East was a joke due to injuries, and Boston's way too stacked for Dallas' 2-man show.

Right on, draft is next!

I agree the breaks between the games are crazy. Every 2nd day and with travels very third would be just tolerable.

[kodo]

Wolves/Nugs and Wolves/Mavs were the climax series. The East was a joke due to injuries, and Boston's way too stacked for Dallas' 2-man show.

Especially with Luka injured, he's may not even play in G2. I probably won't even bother watching if Luka is done for the series.

[Ice Man]

It’s because of Brown and Tatum. You’ll almost never see the best team in the NBA be led by two less “capture the public attention” stars than Brown and Tatum. Don’t really know why. I have the same reaction to them as well.

The "why" is answered by their numbers. To take one of all-in-one statistics at random, Tatum was 10th on VORP this season and Brown was 70th. (They don't do better on other statistics either.) To be sure, the people don't follow VORP, but intuitively they realize that Tatum is just another All Star rather than an all-time great, and Brown is less than that.

The other reason that interest in the Finals is down is that the league is suffering from the lack of a dynasty. This year's winner will be the 6th different winner in 6 years, which hasn't happened since the late Seventies, and that time is not fondly remembered. As we all know, it took Magic/Bird to help build two dynasty teams to jolt the league out of its lethargy.

[DASMACKDOWN]

Gotta give the Mavs credit. They did change their gameplan and guys have stepped up. I give them a better chance.

[jc23]

none of you are authorized to read this forum!

[Ice Man]

So far, Boston's defense is looking like what Minnesota's was supposed to be.

[jc23]

Boston is like a modern day 2004 Detroit Pistons; they win by committee and defense. I dont see them as a dynasty because i dont think they will be able to keep the roster together long term. And i doubt they get a break in the East the way they did this season. Having a healthy and rested Porz for the finals is not happening again.

[Ice Man]

Boston is like a modern day 2004 Detroit Pistons; they win by committee and defense. I dont see them as a dynasty because i dont think they will be able to keep the roster together long term.

Boston is sitting on a $183 million payroll! But at least it's getting its money's worth. The good news for Boston is that all of its 6 main guys are signed through next year. After that, White and Horford drop off. So maybe a repeat?

[ChiefILL53]

IDK what Kidd is saying in those huddles or when he's gameplanning, but this Mavs team has been looking HORRIBLE. Their bigs arent rolling hard enough after the screen and when they are, Luka wasnt looking for them. There's also no ball movement or action, so Luka dribbles the air out of the ball and settles for a jumper. When Porg came up gimpy, instead of attacking him, Luka settled for a 3 he missed lol. They're not even trying to hide a very clearly injured Luka on defense either and letting boston constantly attack him. This series is over man lol.

[kodo]

So assuming Boston wins this, is Jaylen Brown is going to be a Finals MVP when he didn't even start for the ASG.

[kodo]

IDK what Kidd is saying in those huddles or when he's gameplanning, but this Mavs team has been looking HORRIBLE. Their bigs arent rolling hard enough after the screen and when they are, Luka wasnt looking for them. There's also no ball movement or action, so Luka dribbles the air out of the ball and settles for a jumper. When Porg came up gimpy, instead of attacking him, Luka settled for a 3 he missed lol. They're not even trying to hide a very clearly injured Luka on defense either and letting boston constantly attack him. This series is over man lol.

Agreed and the team has reverted back to the earlier rotation because Lively & Kleber can play, and look worse for it. During the Minny series where DAL looked so good, it was primarily Gafford as the roll man and he's both an amazing lob finisher & shotblocker. They're now back to a 3 man C rotation so Lively can play and also squeezed for minutes by Kleber. Neither Lively or Kleber try to go for lobs on the p&r, Lively tries to always pass out (and DAL shooters aren't hitting) and Kleber pops and tries to shoot 3s when healthy but in the POs he doesn't do anything. He said in the Minny series he still can't shoot from his shoulder separation. Gafford is scoring at 72% TS, Lively 40% and Kleber 20%.

Lot of Mavs fans complaining about it in on socials. But I don't think people are really paying attention to the C situation because the main topic is Kyrie's performance.

[drosestruts]

I don't subscribe to all cliches - but I am a believer in "a series doesn't start till a team loses at home"

Boston did what they were supposed to do and won at home.

The big question now is can Dallas even this up with two at home and turn this into a best of 3 series?

I still cannot believe Milwaukee traded Holiday and everything else for a washed-up Lillard and may have inadvertently created a dynasty in Boston by doing so.

[MrSparkle]

I personally think the Nuggets are the best team in the NBA, so I don’t see Celtics repeating (and yes I’m shoeing them into this year’s chip, barre some crazy injuries), but having Murray play his worst post-season (due to injury, probably?) and having a bench drop off (by exactly 1 key rotation player) did them in. Also, they caught a red hot Ant, whereas the Mavs did not.

The Mavs to me are like, a top-8 team that weaseled its way to the finals… Kinda like last year’s Heat. Celtics are def a top-3 team, but I think Nuggets or even the Wolves, Thunder or a healthy Embiid/Jimmy would’ve given them a much tougher series than the Mavs.

They’ve got 2 home games to balance the series, but it’s far-fetched that they come back. PJ, Josh Green, DJJ, Gafford and Lively are some of the sorriest offensive players to play in a finals series in a long time. I’m getting Iverson/Sixers 2K vibes. Luka is a magician (as is Kyrie), but the number of open bricks is to be expected with this cast. It’s 2-on-5 basketball on one end.

Honestly, I kind of see a 4-0 sweep. Maybe 4-1. But it’s feeling like Lebron/Cavs vs Spurs in 07.

I do think the Celtics are stacked. But with Porzingis’ recurring injuries, and the MVP/superstar with the excellent cast almost always trumps the good ensemble (without a top-5 player). If Luka had 3D players around him, it’d be a different story. But he has GBD roleplayers (garbage-bucket & defense).

Would be cool if Luka went completely bananas (50/10/10 something) and made this a 6 game series. He’s capable… you just can’t win a playoff series like that.

[kyrv]

The Score said Woj said Hurley not taking Lakers job. Hilarious. Reddick likely next choice. Even more hilarious.

I like watching Boston play, the team led by 2 2-way wing players remind me of a similar team aet up, obviously these two are nowhere near the caliber.

[kodo]

Jaylen Brown, Finals MVP just has a weird ring to it compared to all the other great names that held that title.
Can he dribble left yet?