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  1. #41
    Quote Originally Posted by rsvman View Post
    The problem with the NBA, for me, is that they took everything I love about basketball and took it away. When I was a kid there were offensive sets and plays, players were expected to play as a team. Things took time to develop and it was interesting to watch the plays unfold. All shots were worth the same number of points, which emphasized strategy to get a shot off closer to the basket. Defense was an integral element of the game.

    The NBA just kept shortening the shot clock, emphasizing individual play rather than team play. It became more about the players than about the team or the game. The three-point shot became more and more important. Defense took a back seat. People wanted to see scoring, offense, fast breaks, slam dunks, and great individual play. In short, they tried to take basketball out of basketball.
    The games are boring not because there are too many of them (although that's a huge part of it) but because the game itself has devolved into something that bears very little resemblance to the game I grew up loving.

    There. I said it. Now get off my lawn!
    The NBA shortened the shot clock to 24 seconds in 1954 - you must be really old��

  2. #42
    Quote Originally Posted by rsvman View Post
    The problem with the NBA, for me, is that they took everything I love about basketball and took it away. When I was a kid there were offensive sets and plays, players were expected to play as a team. Things took time to develop and it was interesting to watch the plays unfold. All shots were worth the same number of points, which emphasized strategy to get a shot off closer to the basket. Defense was an integral element of the game.

    The NBA just kept shortening the shot clock, emphasizing individual play rather than team play. It became more about the players than about the team or the game. The three-point shot became more and more important. Defense took a back seat. People wanted to see scoring, offense, fast breaks, slam dunks, and great individual play. In short, they tried to take basketball out of basketball.
    The games are boring not because there are too many of them (although that's a huge part of it) but because the game itself has devolved into something that bears very little resemblance to the game I grew up loving.

    There. I said it. Now get off my lawn!
    There is quite a bit of team play and defense in the NBA, particularly in the playoffs. I do wish the 3-point shot weren't such a dominant part of the game now, but I'm not sure what the solution would be. I don't want to do away with it altogether, and it truly is remarkable how many players can shoot it so well these days. Maybe, they need to make the NBA court bigger than the court for the game at the lower levels so that they can push the shot back farther.

  3. #43
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Chesapeake, VA.
    Quote Originally Posted by arnie View Post
    The NBA shortened the shot clock to 24 seconds in 1954 - you must be really old��
    Don't go ruining a perfectly good rant with facts! Lol

  4. #44
    Quote Originally Posted by rsvman View Post
    The problem with the NBA, for me, is that they took everything I love about basketball and took it away. When I was a kid there were offensive sets and plays, players were expected to play as a team. Things took time to develop and it was interesting to watch the plays unfold. All shots were worth the same number of points, which emphasized strategy to get a shot off closer to the basket. Defense was an integral element of the game.

    The NBA just kept shortening the shot clock, emphasizing individual play rather than team play. It became more about the players than about the team or the game. The three-point shot became more and more important. Defense took a back seat. People wanted to see scoring, offense, fast breaks, slam dunks, and great individual play. In short, they tried to take basketball out of basketball.
    The games are boring not because there are too many of them (although that's a huge part of it) but because the game itself has devolved into something that bears very little resemblance to the game I grew up loving.

    There. I said it. Now get off my lawn!
    I agree in principle. Loved NBA in the 80s and 90s. Haven't dialed my dislike down as directly as you have to the rule changes, but definitely haven't watched nearly as much the last twenty years.

    I have to say, the shooting skill by all players on all teams is mesmerizing. Outside of that, the iso plays are uninteresting to me. There are several current players with insane passing skills, which is fun.

    Probably due to the sports desert we have all recently endured, I'm watching more this year than usual. There's amazing skill on display.

  5. #45
    This day 2 night cap might be really good; Lebron just orchestrated a brilliant 13-1 run to bring the Lakers within 2 with 8 minutes left in the half

  6. #46
    Portland might have this one; great game in the 4th

    I will say that despite the loss, Lebron's precision passing was unbelievably good tonight
    Last edited by subzero02; 08-19-2020 at 12:08 AM.

  7. #47
    Massive 3 pointer by Gary Trent Jr with a minute left in a tight game. Awesome moment.
    Last edited by duke96; 08-18-2020 at 11:54 PM. Reason: Typo

  8. #48
    Quote Originally Posted by rsvman View Post
    The problem with the NBA, for me, is that they took everything I love about basketball and took it away. When I was a kid there were offensive sets and plays, players were expected to play as a team. Things took time to develop and it was interesting to watch the plays unfold. All shots were worth the same number of points, which emphasized strategy to get a shot off closer to the basket. Defense was an integral element of the game.

    The NBA just kept shortening the shot clock, emphasizing individual play rather than team play. It became more about the players than about the team or the game. The three-point shot became more and more important. Defense took a back seat. People wanted to see scoring, offense, fast breaks, slam dunks, and great individual play. In short, they tried to take basketball out of basketball.
    I felt that way about the NBA in the 90’s, and even moreso after Jordan retired. The Knicks in particular were just brutal to watch. The current game emphasizes freedom of movement, though, and rewards great passing and teamwork. Yea they shoot too many 3s and Harden is annoying to watch but overall the game has the best flow it’s had since the 80’s.

  9. #49
    Quote Originally Posted by Matches View Post
    I felt that way about the NBA in the 90’s, and even moreso after Jordan retired. The Knicks in particular were just brutal to watch. The current game emphasizes freedom of movement, though, and rewards great passing and teamwork. Yea they shoot too many 3s and Harden is annoying to watch but overall the game has the best flow it’s had since the 80’s.
    Harden kills me. He's the anti-basketball.

    The threes don't bother me, but the lack of post play is sometimes confounding. If you are a big man without a shot, you have no chance in today's NBA. Strange.

  10. #50
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Quote Originally Posted by Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15 View Post
    Harden kills me. He's the anti-basketball.

    The threes don't bother me, but the lack of post play is sometimes confounding. If you are a big man without a shot, you have no chance in today's NBA. Strange.
    I'd rephrase that. "If you are a big man without a shot or strong defensive abilities, you have no change in today's NBA".

    Gobert, Adebayo, Harrell, etc. They all play great D and all can't shoot. If you don't have a shot, learn to play great D. If you don't, you're not really useful.
    Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill

    President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club

  11. #51
    Quote Originally Posted by flyingdutchdevil View Post
    I'd rephrase that. "If you are a big man without a shot or strong defensive abilities, you have no change in today's NBA".

    Gobert, Adebayo, Harrell, etc. They all play great D and all can't shoot. If you don't have a shot, learn to play great D. If you don't, you're not really useful.
    I’d add our own Mason Plumlee to that list.

  12. #52
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    I may have become a Portland fan.

    There's an ancient bromide that a particular player was a threat as soon as he got off the bus.

    But Lilliard? Darn, he comes close to making that figurative saying a literal truth. Talk about spread the floor. Having to guard someone when they're 40 feet from the basket really opens things up.

  13. #53
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by jimsumner View Post
    I may have become a Portland fan.

    There's an ancient bromide that a particular player was a threat as soon as he got off the bus.

    But Lilliard? Darn, he comes close to making that figurative saying a literal truth. Talk about spread the floor. Having to guard someone when they're 40 feet from the basket really opens things up.
    I've been a fan of Dame for a while, he might be my favorite player in the NBA right now (at least among elite players). Tons of fun to watch.

  14. #54
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Mount Kisco, NY
    Quote Originally Posted by Acymetric View Post
    I've been a fan of Dame for a while, he might be my favorite player in the NBA right now (at least among elite players). Tons of fun to watch.
    Aside from his play, the thing that endears him to me is the way that other players and coaches talk about his leadership. While there is no official survey for such titles, I get the impression that he is considered the finest leader in the NBA and one of the best in all of professional sports.

    Actually...it is a category on the NBA GM survey and he won
    https://www.kgw.com/article/sports/n...7-ebcb89a923fb

    And there are tons of articles on the topic, but here's Zach Lowe from 2018 with the origin story
    https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...il-blazers-nba

  15. #55
    Quote Originally Posted by jimsumner View Post
    I may have become a Portland fan.

    There's an ancient bromide that a particular player was a threat as soon as he got off the bus.

    But Lilliard? Darn, he comes close to making that figurative saying a literal truth. Talk about spread the floor. Having to guard someone when they're 40 feet from the basket really opens things up.
    For those who haven't been watching, Lillard is pulling off an insane high-wire act to keep Portland alive in a series of must-win games.

    Here he is in crunch time, down 7 to the Nets in an elimination game:



    Yes, that's him calmly pulling up with both feet still touching the NBA half-court logo. Here's another look:



    Last night, with the game tied against Lakers late, he pulls this:



    He made these shots, both of which were game-changers in must-win games. It's gotten to the point where teams are doubling him as soon as he crosses half court in the 4th quarter. At some point his magic touch has to run out, but for now the high-wire act continues. How far can he go??

    Get on my lawn.

  16. #56
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Chesapeake, VA.
    Lillard is truly amazing.

    Based on some of the posts on this thread, I'm going to give the "new NBA" another try and start watching a few games. To be fair, I pretty much always watch the finals, and sometimes the conference championship series depending on who is playing.

    I'll get back to you about whether I think the NBA is back to as good as it was when I used to watch Jerry West and the Lakers take on the Celtics back in the day.
    "We are not provided with wisdom, we must discover it for ourselves, after a journey through the wilderness which no one else can take for us, an effort which no one can spare us, for our wisdom is the point of view from which we come at last to regard the world." --M. Proust

  17. #57
    Quote Originally Posted by Duke79UNLV77 View Post
    There is quite a bit of team play and defense in the NBA, particularly in the playoffs. I do wish the 3-point shot weren't such a dominant part of the game now, but I'm not sure what the solution would be. I don't want to do away with it altogether, and it truly is remarkable how many players can shoot it so well these days. Maybe, they need to make the NBA court bigger than the court for the game at the lower levels so that they can push the shot back farther.
    Make it worth 2.5 points?

  18. #58
    Quote Originally Posted by flyingdutchdevil View Post
    Gobert, Adebayo, Harrell, etc. They all play great D and all can't shoot. If you don't have a shot, learn to play great D. If you don't, you're not really useful.
    Jahlil Okafor?

  19. #59
    Quote Originally Posted by rsvman View Post
    Based on some of the posts on this thread, I'm going to give the "new NBA" another try and start watching a few games.
    I beg you not to watch the Houston Rockets.

  20. #60
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Quote Originally Posted by Steven43 View Post
    Jahlil Okafor?
    I assume this is sarcasm? Okafor is about as useful on defense as a bologna sandwich.
    Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill

    President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club

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