Whats the reasoning for NBA regular season ratings being in the tank?

[Inimical]

As a lifelong NBA fan I used to laugh at the old guys who dismissed the NBA for stupid ass reasons when I was young. But now I find myself as the old white guy and I can't feel the NBA either, regular season for sure, but for a different reason.

I think a lot of us saw Kevin Durant sign with Golden State and realized that we need to stop pretending this is a sport. All thought of legit competition went out the door. Sure I followed my team as they advanced in the playoffs. But I know damned well the Washington Wizards have zero chance of winning the title even as they advance deep into the playoffs.

In a few weeks we will see Golden State beat the Cavs in the NBA Finals and it holds about as much suspension and drama as the Globetrotters beating the Washington Nationals. We all knew how this would shake out before the first ball was put in play. Who didn't see Cleveland and Golden State in the Finals on November 1? So it's kind of hard to get excited over regular season games when you know damned well who will be there in the end. There is no doubt a lot of people feel this way and it just had to have an effect on the ratings.

I think the Cavs stand a great chance at beating the GSW again. I also dont discount either the Celtics or the Wizards from making the finals. Celtics more likely.

 

[Inimical]

When you see the Lakers and Celtics back at the top you will see the ratings rise. We absolutely hate each others franchise. Lets put Wall on the Lakers along with Draymond Green. Who do you hate most TrojanFan? Thats who we will add. Damn those were great years

The most intense drama filled finals ive seen in the last 15 years.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

I think the Cavs stand a great chance at beating the GSW again. I also dont discount either the Celtics or the Wizards from making the finals. Celtics more likely.

I'd offer to bet but then I'd be forced to root for Golden State. But you have to admit everything looks right on schedule. This just does not happen in other sports. Sure NE is a dynasty but it's not like they win it every year. In other sports we have 5-8 teams that can win it all when the season starts surprises happen all the time. In the NBA it's rarely more than 2-3 teams that have a shot and surprises are extremely rare.

 

[WiggyRuss]

When you see the Lakers and Celtics back at the top you will see the ratings rise. We absolutely hate each others franchise. Lets put Wall on the Lakers along with Draymond Green. Who do you hate most TrojanFan? Thats who we will add. Damn those were great years

Cavs GSW ratings last year beat the last time Celtics Lakers played - -last 2 times they played actually

both times GSW and CLE faced eachother the ratings were higher the last two times the Lakers and Celtics played eachother.

FACT

 

[WiggyRuss]

the last 2 years were the highets rated Finals since 1998

 

[LogicMan]

Nothing in NBA history compares to the Lakers/Celts rivalry. I think they and Sixers/Knicks and Pistons being better would drive ratings up. The bigger markets teams all suck now. Cleveland, SF and OKC are not big markets

 

[trojanfan12]

When you see the Lakers and Celtics back at the top you will see the ratings rise. We absolutely hate each others franchise. Lets put Wall on the Lakers along with Draymond Green. Who do you hate most TrojanFan? Thats who we will add. Damn those were great years

Swaggy P.

Seriously though, my favorite thing about the rivalry is the fact that while both fanbases hate the other team, there is also a mutual respect that makes the rivalry fun.

In the Magic/Bird years, one of my closest friends was a die hard Celtics fan. There was a bar we used to go to for the games where it was all Lakers fans except for 1 table, right in the middle, that always had Celtics fans (and of course my friend who was sitting with me).

There was some epic good natured trash talk that went on all through those games. Women would start showing up towards the end of the game and there was usually a band after.

Great times.

 

[Great Dayne]

Da fuq? Is that % too high or too low for ya?

To low, It should be an black league. That's why it's called the ***** Basketball Association (NBA).

 

[msgkings322]

To low, It should be an black league. That's why it's called the ***** Basketball Association (NBA).

 

[Great Dayne]

It's true though blacks are superior in basketball to any other race. That's just facts. Sure there should be a couple tokens but for the most part blacks are by far the best. Just like Asians are the smartest race according to IQ. It's just pointing out the obvious.

 

[jon2tanman]

1 and done weakens the NBA. An 18yo can't expect to contribute to an NBA franchise. Defense and passing are a thing of the past. People want to watch a good product, and since the product sucks in basic fundamentals, why bother.

 

[LogicMan]

Seriously though, my favorite thing about the rivalry is the fact that while both fanbases hate the other team, there is also a mutual respect that makes the rivalry fun.

In the Magic/Bird years, one of my closest friends was a die hard Celtics fan. There was a bar we used to go to for the games where it was all Lakers fans except for 1 table, right in the middle, that always had Celtics fans (and of course my friend who was sitting with me).

There was some epic good natured trash talk that went on all through those games. Women would start showing up towards the end of the game and there was usually a band after.

Great times.

Question is, did you "enjoy" the ladies afterwards!

 

[msgkings322]

1 and done weakens the NBA. An 18yo can't expect to contribute to an NBA franchise. Defense and passing are a thing of the past. People want to watch a good product, and since the product sucks in basic fundamentals, why bother.

The Warriors say "hi"

 

[trojanfan12]

Question is, did you "enjoy" the ladies afterwards!

 

[trojanfan12]

1 and done weakens the NBA. An 18yo can't expect to contribute to an NBA franchise. Defense and passing are a thing of the past. People want to watch a good product, and since the product sucks in basic fundamentals, why bother.

Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Lebron James (among others) say Hi.

Seriously though, I do agree with you to a point. The way that things used to be done, there weren't a lot of 1 and done type players. If you were good enough to be a one and done player, you were typically drafted straight out of high school (Magic being the exception from the list above). If you weren't, then you typically went to school for at least 2 years.

Now, with the one and done, you have more players declaring after 1 year and many of them, while very talented, just aren't ready for the NBA and could use at least another year in college.

Much of the blame for the lack of fundamentals comes from so many kids playing AAU and club team basketball. Those teams are set up to showcase players rather than teach them fundamentals. Most AAU/club team coaches have more influence on the kids games than their high school coaches.

Then they go to college and there is only so much they can learn from their college coach in 1 season.

The end result is that you now have players going to the NBA needing to be taught fundamentals that used to be taught at the high school and college levels.

Having said that, I still enjoy the NBA, I just enjoy it a little differently than I used to because now I'm not just watching players learn the NBA game, I'm also watching them learn some of the basics too and seeing which ones actually learn them and which ones don't.

 

[jon2tanman]

The Warriors say "hi"

The team is full of one and done? What about the rest of the league?

 

[msgkings322]

The team is full of one and done? What about the rest of the league?

Um, I highlighted what I was responding to. Not the 1 and done part, the no defense or passing part.

 

[tlance]

Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Lebron James (among others) say Hi.

Seriously though, I do agree with you to a point. The way that things used to be done, there weren't a lot of 1 and done type players. If you were good enough to be a one and done player, you were typically drafted straight out of high school (Magic being the exception from the list above). If you weren't, then you typically went to school for at least 2 years.

Now, with the one and done, you have more players declaring after 1 year and many of them, while very talented, just aren't ready for the NBA and could use at least another year in college.

Much of the blame for the lack of fundamentals comes from so many kids playing AAU and club team basketball. Those teams are set up to showcase players rather than teach them fundamentals. Most AAU/club team coaches have more influence on the kids games than their high school coaches.

Then they go to college and there is only so much they can learn from their college coach in 1 season.

The end result is that you now have players going to the NBA needing to be taught fundamentals that used to be taught at the high school and college levels.

Having said that, I still enjoy the NBA, I just enjoy it a little differently than I used to because now I'm not just watching players learn the NBA game, I'm also watching them learn some of the basics too and seeing which ones actually learn them and which ones don't.

You are correct with everything you said about AAU and its impact on young players, but it is even bigger than that.

5 Star Basketball has long been the gold standard when it comes to teaching camps available to kids serious about improving their game. Every camp I have ever attended as either player or coach has a mix of games/contests and fundamental stations where kids actually get to work on skills and learn.

When I went to 5 star as a kid, the camp ran from Sunday night to Saturday morning. They had morning stations every day except Saturday, which was reserved for championship and all star games. They also had their famous "Night Stations" 3 nights in the week. That was a total of 8 2 hour station sessions.

When I went back as a coach a few years ago, they scaled back. The camp was Sunday to Thursday. Their was only 1 night station session and 3 morning sessions. That is literally 50% of the total time spent on stations today as compared to 25 years ago.

Again, this is arguably the premier teaching camp in America, and they spend far less time working on skills. I think there are examples of this everywhere. The best players are often learning their craft at the NBA level.

 

[trojanfan12]

You are correct with everything you said about AAU and its impact on young players, but it is even bigger than that.

5 Star Basketball has long been the gold standard when it comes to teaching camps available to kids serious about improving their game. Every camp I have ever attended as either player or coach has a mix of games/contests and fundamental stations where kids actually get to work on skills and learn.

When I went to 5 star as a kid, the camp ran from Sunday night to Saturday morning. They had morning stations every day except Saturday, which was reserved for championship and all star games. They also had their famous "Night Stations" 3 nights in the week. That was a total of 8 2 hour station sessions.

When I went back as a coach a few years ago, they scaled back. The camp was Sunday to Thursday. Their was only 1 night station session and 3 morning sessions. That is literally 50% of the total time spent on stations today as compared to 25 years ago.

Again, this is arguably the premier teaching camp in America, and they spend far less time working on skills. I think there are examples of this everywhere. The best players are often learning their craft at the NBA level.

Damn. I knew it was bad, but with the premiere basketball cutting the time spent on fundamentals in half, it's even worse than I thought.

 

[LogicMan]

Explains why no one is coming out with any skills like the Jabbar hook or Mchales low post magic. There is no reason kelly O should not have McHales moves