Kevin Durant broke the NBA

[trojanfan12]

The NBA has never had competitive balance.

^^^This^^^

All of this talk about competitive balance is pretty hilarious, imo. The NBA has always been a league where 2-4 teams have a shot at the title and everyone else is playing catch up.

The only thing that has changed is that now the 2-4 teams aren't the ones that we are used to seeing.

The best thing about the NBA (and the sport of basketball in general) is also the worst thing about it. 1 guy can literally make or break a team.

It's why a team can be in the lottery 1 season and in the finals the next. It's also why the NBA typically has the most interesting off season of all of the major sports.

 

[Clayton]

Has the NBA ever actually been this unbalanced, though?

Writing the same two teams into the Finals every year is a little on the boring side even if with Durant we are seeing a truly great team.

 

[DJ Fieri]

The NBA has always been this way. From 1980-2014 the same 6 teams won 31 of 35 titles. And go back beyond that and you'll find the majority of the titles were won by either the Lakers or the Celtics. This is nothing new.

You're missing the point.

The Lakers had the Celtics, Sixers, and Pistons to test them in the Finals during the 1980's....

The Bulls had the Jazz to test them in the Finals....

Etc.

 

[DJ Fieri]

This past season was the most dominant Finals since the Lakers swept the Nets.

 

[Clayton]

If people are saying the NBA has always been this way then maybe they need to get rid of half of the teams in the league to make sure there aren't so many bad teams.

 

[trojanfan12]

Has the NBA ever actually been this unbalanced, though?

Writing the same two teams into the Finals every year is a little on the boring side even if with Durant we are seeing a truly great team.

Yes. It's been awhile, but yes. There were times in the 60's and 80's where you could literally just write in the Celtics and Lakers.

Most years, you can pretty much write in at least one of the finalists.

As the NBA is (hopefully) learning, because of the nature of basketball and because 1 guy can make so much difference, there really isn't much they can do to "legislate" competitive balance.

Also, as far as boring, it depends on how you look at it. The best teams generally become villains to most of the rest of NBA fans. Having a team to root against is almost as much fun as having 1 to root for. It's definitely better and more interesting than a bunch of 41-41 teams.

 

[trojanfan12]

If people are saying the NBA has always been this way then maybe they need to get rid of half of the teams in the league to make sure there aren't so many bad teams.

Why? Are people not watching? Not buying gear?

The NBA is arguably as, if not more popular, than it's ever been. Worldwide, only soccer beats basketball as a spectator sport. Here in the US, if I recall what I read correctly, only the NFL is more popular.

 

[SJ76]

Says the Spurs fan.

Dynasties aren't bad for the NBA. I think the problem is that this is the greatest team ever assembled. Fans take 1 of 2 viewpoints. Either they dismiss the Warriors greatness, or they do exactly what you are doing here. They lament.

The NBA has never had competitive balance. If they took away the roadblocks, perhaps someone would be able to assemble a roster to challenge them. GS had a made roster and nobody is catching up in part because of the CBA.

Geez. LOL

 

[Clayton]

Yes. It's been awhile, but yes. There were times in the 60's and 80's where you could literally just write in the Celtics and Lakers.

Most years, you can pretty much write in at least one of the finalists.

As the NBA is (hopefully) learning, because of the nature of basketball and because 1 guy can make so much difference, there really isn't much they can do to "legislate" competitive balance.

Also, as far as boring, it depends on how you look at it. The best teams generally become villains to most of the rest of NBA fans. Having a team to root against is almost as much fun as having 1 to root for. It's definitely better and more interesting than a bunch of 41-41 teams.

Rooting against the favorite is fun but there is definitely a curve to it. The Patriots are a good example of an obvious favorite that could totally lose with their stars still playing at a decent level just simply because of single elimination. Hence, March Madness.

The Warriors are only going to lose if someone major gets hurt.

 

[SJ76]

It's like a bunch of kids trying to out Superteam the current best Superteam. When/How does it stop?


The league has never been so top heavy. Look at the playoffs - GS loses ZERO games going into the Finals and the Cavs lost 1 in a very weak Eastern conference. Be great to see a little balance at the top.

No competition = snoozefest

 

[Clayton]

Why? Are people not watching? Not buying gear?

The NBA is arguably as, if not more popular, than it's ever been. Worldwide, only soccer beats basketball as a spectator sport. Here in the US, if I recall what I read correctly, only the NFL is more popular.

I thought it was 5th in America behind NFL, college football, MLB and NASCAR

 

[gordontrue]

harder they fall

 

[SJ76]

And the Bulls could be in this position after next year. I think they'll have alot of money to spend and I'd rather see them bring in young serious talent than throw 3 superstars together and go compete against other Superteams. My opinion of course, but I'd rather see the evolution of a team from young to old.

 

[SJ76]

I thought it was 5th in America behind NFL, college football, MLB and NASCAR

Would not doubt this at all. College football is the shiz. LOL if Nascar or the MLB > NBA. I can take some serious weekend naps watching golf, NASCAR or the MLB.

 

[trojanfan12]

Rooting against the favorite is fun but there is definitely a curve to it. The Patriots are a good example of an obvious favorite that could totally lose with their stars still playing at a decent level just simply because of single elimination. Hence, March Madness.

The Warriors are only going to lose if someone major gets hurt.

True. However, the Warriors are a bit of an outlier. It was literally a perfect storm of circumstances that allowed them to put the team together. It's unlikely that we will ever see anything like it again.

You had a star player or 2 on a championship contending team, who were still on "team friendly" deals at the same time that there was a huge jump in the salary cap and a top 5 player in the league available via FA. That allowed a 1 off-season window of opportunity that the Warriors were able to exploit.

Even with that, guys had to take less than they could have gotten elsewhere this off-season to keep that team together.

The closest I've ever seen to this (and it wasn't that close) was when the Lakers, who were already a playoff team, had the #1 pick in the 1980 draft when they got Magic. Then a few years later had a another #1 pick when they were already a contender with a couple of titles and got James Worthy. Don't recall that happening before or since.

In short, we just need to be patient, wait for the Warriors players to get older and/or start moving on and just enjoy watching something historic happening while we can.

 

[black francis]

"nothing i hate more than players who want to win."

 

[SJ76]

^^^This^^^

All of this talk about competitive balance is pretty hilarious, imo. The NBA has always been a league where 2-4 teams have a shot at the title and everyone else is playing catch up.

The only thing that has changed is that now the 2-4 teams aren't the ones that we are used to seeing.

The best thing about the NBA (and the sport of basketball in general) is also the worst thing about it. 1 guy can literally make or break a team.

It's why a team can be in the lottery 1 season and in the finals the next. It's also why the NBA typically has the most interesting off season of all of the major sports.

If my memory and math serves me right, the NBA has never had a top 5 player jump ship and join a championship team. All that does is make an unbalanced league even more unbalanced.

I'll give KD props - he looked great in the Finals and the pay cut is team oriented. But why couldn't he get it done with Russell up 3-1? That's the weakest part of what he did.

But to use "league has always been unbalanced" is pretty funny. Not this unbalanced. OKC went from being legit opponent in the West to a joke.

All these superstar players leaving weaker teams to join up on "super" teams is just leaving the weaker team even more pathetic which = a watered down/top heavy league.

 

[shopson67]

Garnett and Allen didn't help, either...

Blame it on Lurch. He's the one that traded Garnett to the Celtics despite having better offers.

 

[shopson67]

It's like a bunch of kids trying to out Superteam the current best Superteam. When/How does it stop?


The league has never been so top heavy. Look at the playoffs - GS loses ZERO games going into the Finals and the Cavs lost 1 in a very weak Eastern conference. Be great to see a little balance at the top.

No competition = snoozefest

It has made it easier to deal with the Lakers losing though, knowing it's a rebuilding process for once. Any team they could've forced together wouldn't have been a contender anyway, so tank/rebuild.

 

[shopson67]

"nothing i hate more than players who don't want to put in the work to win."

FIFY