ESPN bumps Lakers-Rockets for Suns-Timberwolves

[Jims_Doors]

Los Angeles and Houston are obviously bigger markets than Phoenix and Minnesota. And, as their Christmas game with the Heat showed, the Lakers can still compete with teams like the Rockets.

But Kobe will still be injured Jan. 8, and with him sidelined, the appeal is obviously much lower.


The Cavaliers and Wizards also lost their ESPN matchup Feb. 7, according to J. Michael of CSN Washington.

Cleveland and Washington didn’t do too much wrong to get booted. As both teams hoped, they’re squarely in the playoff race, though in the Eastern Conference, that means both have losing records.

Instead, the Pacers and Trail Blazers, who will get the Feb. 7 ESPN game, just made their matchup irresistible. Each team leads its respective conference, and though few are predicting an Indiana-Portland NBA Finals, the regular-season bout should definitely draw viewers.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

The Lakers vs Rockets would have brought more viewers than the Wolves vs Suns game.

 

[BOTSLAYER]

I can not understand the LA-HOU game, the Cavs Wiz game I can not believe was to be shown to begin with.

 

[Jims_Doors]

The Lakers vs Rockets would have brought more viewers than the Wolves vs Suns game.

If the game was being played in LA then they probably would not have moved it. LA vs Dwight has already happened once this season @ Houston.

Kevin Love is having a MVP type season currently avg. 26-14(leads league in rebounds) It's a good time to get the T-Wolves some national spotlight. Add that with Phoenix having a nice quiet start.... looks to be a more interesting game to watch between 2 teams who rarely get national televised games

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

You have the Lakers, one of the biggest fanbases in the world( shit, not just the city, the world Craig). You have the Rockets who has a large fanbase. You have star players in Howard and Harden. You have Howard playing his old team and all that drama. You have the Lakers haters who love seeing them lose.

But you replace it with wolves vs suns?

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

If the game was being played in LA then they probably would not have moved it. LA vs Dwight has already happened once this season @ Houston.

Kevin Love is having a MVP type season currently avg. 26-14(leads league in rebounds) It's a good time to get the T-Wolves some national spotlight. Add that with Phoenix having a nice quiet start.... looks to be a more interesting game to watch between 2 teams who rarely get national televised games

Yes, Love is having a great season and the suns are surprising us right now, but you think thats enough to beat out a Lakers vs Rockets game?

 

[bksballer89]

No big deal imo. Only if it was in LA I would take issue with this. ESPN gotta start removing the bulls,Lakers, and nets from all these national tv games they have scheduled

 

[Jims_Doors]

Yes, Love is having a great season and the suns are surprising us right now, but you think thats enough to beat out a Lakers vs Rockets game?

w/o Kobe and being played in Houston.....yes.

Both Lakers and Houston have probably already been nationally televised 6x a piece (just guessing w/o looking it up) I think NBA fans who don't root for either LA or Houston would rather see Love + Rubio (even though he's been awful this year) plus a young upcoming Suns team. Two teams most have probably not seen play this year.

 

[wings-pens2166]

Now, I'll admit I'm not exactly the biggest (and therefore most knowledgeable) fan of the NBA, but I have a hard time believing a Suns-T-wolves game will draw bigger ratings than a Lakers-Rockets game....and isn't the highest ratings possible what you're after? I'm sure that's what your advertisers are concerned with.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

w/o Kobe and being played in Houston.....yes.

Both Lakers and Houston have probably already been nationally televised 6x a piece (just guessing w/o looking it up) I think NBA fans who don't root for either LA or Houston would rather see Love + Rubio (even though he's been awful this year) plus a young upcoming Suns team. Two teams most have probably not seen play this year.

You dont think you understand the attention the lakers and the Rockets bring to tv than what the Wolves and suns bring.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

No big deal imo. Only if it was in LA I would take issue with this. ESPN gotta start removing the bulls,Lakers, and nets from all these national tv games they have scheduled

Its no big deal, but its weird that espn would shoot for a game that would give them less viewers.

 

[RoboticDreams]

No big deal imo. Only if it was in LA I would take issue with this. ESPN gotta start removing the bulls,Lakers, and nets from all these national tv games they have scheduled

Because recent success wipes out historical success?

NBA Championships: Summary of Winners

There, now maybe you will grasp reality. Newer teams don't really garner the historic appreciation.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Maybe ESPN looked at the numbers that TNT got when they played each other on Nov. 7th and weren't that great?? Now they're rolling the dice to see what Minny and PHX can draw.

LA doesn't have the star appeal w/o Kobe and are under .500. Minny is under .500 but has the star appeal and Phoenix is just the opposite of Minny.

It may backfire in their face....who knows??

 

[RoboticDreams]

Maybe ESPN looked at the numbers that TNT got when they played each other on Nov. 7th and weren't that great?? Now they're rolling the dice to see what Minny and PHX can draw.

LA doesn't have the star appeal w/o Kobe and are under .500. Minny is under .500 but has the star appeal and Phoenix is just the opposite of Minny.

It may backfire in their face....who knows??

Why are your teams so spread out? Do you root for teams or individual players? I hope you don't rep California.

 

[LAKERSUSCBAM]

Two of the smallest markets in the league, NBA will lose on this switch.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Cavs, Suns, Wiz and T-Wolves are on the rise. Watch out MFers!

 

[BOTSLAYER]

You have the Lakers, one of the biggest fanbases in the world( shit, not just the city, the world Craig). You have the Rockets who has a large fanbase. You have star players in Howard and Harden. You have Howard playing his old team and all that drama. You have the Lakers haters who love seeing them lose.

But you replace it with wolves vs suns?

From a money making standpoint it makes not so much sense, from a basketball standpoint it makes me think the NBA is going to drown out some of that he said she said BS and actually focus on basketball.

 

[BOTSLAYER]

Its no big deal, but its weird that espn would shoot for a game that would give them less bull shit story lines and house wive gossip for their bitchy little company.

FIFY

 

[RoboticDreams]

From a money making standpoint it makes not so much sense, from a basketball standpoint it makes me think the NBA is going to drown out some of that he said she said BS and actually focus on basketball.

And lose money? No matter how irrelevant the Cowboys are they still garner money. Maybe that's why the NBA is 3rd in popularity.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Why are your teams so spread out? Do you root for teams or individual players? I hope you don't rep California.

Teams.....and no I don't rep Cali. You can sleep better now.

Do you ask those who rep. Cali if they were born there and how long they've been Lakers fans?

Are those not born in Cali. but live their allowed to have the Lakers or Clippers or Golden St. as their favorite team in your book?