Why are NBA TV ratings down so much?

[logic]

There’s trolls on all the boards after all.

Not the Politics Board. There's nothing but thoughtful and courteous discourse there.

 

[logic]

I believe the fundamental problem is pretty simple.

I am 46 years old. I played basketball most of my life and actually coached high school for about 15 years. So I have experience playing in the 90s era and coaching in more modern times.

As a high school player, I along with just about everyone else near my age and older were programmed the same way. We need to work the ball inside to get layups because those are the best shots. Closer is better.

If you had a good post guy, that was the easiest way to score in the paint. But no matter what, closer is better in terms of shot selection. 3s were a total after thought and a shot you took only if you couldn’t get a better opportunity first.

As coaches have learned more and the sport has advanced, we can now prove that an open 3 is actually one of the best shots you can get to. An open 3 is better than a contested shot at the rim. So why would any decent shooter ever pass up an open 3 early in the shot clock?

They shouldn’t.

When people from my generation watch this, all they see is “bad basketball” because of how they were programmed. They see 3 point attempts in transition and early offense and think players are just “chucking up 3s.”

But the problem is the way they were programmed flies in the face of logic and is actually incorrect.

And damn I wish I could have hot tub time machined my way to play today. Because I was shooter. And instead of getting benched for pulling up and making 3s in transition (yes, I said making) coaches today would actually understand the value in a skill set like mine.

And the game would have been a lot more fun for me.

So I am happy that the game has progressed to where it is now and feel sorry for those who can’t appreciate it.

I do fully understand and appreciate this. However, it works only if you have the good shooters taking the shots. When you have teams hitting 25% of their 3s continue to jack them up the logic of it goes out the window and it is just bad basketball.

 

[tlance]

I do fully understand and appreciate this. However, it works only if you have the good shooters taking the shots. When you have teams hitting 25% of their 3s continue to jack them up the logic of it goes out the window and it is just bad basketball.

Of course

But that logic also doesn’t apply to 1 game samples.

Shooters need to keep shooting.

But yeah, if a player can’t hit over 30% they shouldn’t be taking 3s.

 

[logic]

Of course

But that logic also doesn’t apply to 1 game samples.

Shooters need to keep shooting.

But yeah, if a player can’t hit over 30% they shouldn’t be taking 3s.

It certainly can apply to 1 game; as a shooter you know there are just off nights.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

He likes long walks in rainy weather, ball licking and peckers

Ha! Me too!

 

[tlance]

It certainly can apply to 1 game; as a shooter you know there are just off nights.

Not for real shooters.

Any player who believes that previous misses make the next shot any less likely to go in is not a real shooter.

And any coach who instructs a real shooter to stop shooting after a couple misses is a bad coach.

The best shooters hit about 40% of their 3s. Over time, there are going to be small samples of a lot more misses than makes.

But the only way to get out of a slump is to shoot your way out of it. Passing up open looks doesn’t accomplish that.

Take good shots, but don’t stop shooting.

 

[logic]

Not for real shooters.

Any player who believes that previous misses make the next shot any less likely to go in is not a real shooter.

And any coach who instructs a real shooter to stop shooting after a couple misses is a bad coach.

The best shooters hit about 40% of their 3s. Over time, there are going to be small samples of a lot more misses than makes.

But the only way to get out of a slump is to shoot your way out of it. Passing up open looks doesn’t accomplish that.

Take good shots, but don’t stop shooting.

Over the long haul this is certainly true, that is how statistics work. But I have seen too many good shooters have bad nights all game long or even go in multi-game slumps to agree with you 100% here.

 

[tlance]

Over the long haul this is certainly true, that is how statistics work. But I have seen too many good shooters have bad nights all game long or even go in multi-game slumps to agree with you 100% here.

And I have seen many good shooters start off a game 0-7 and then catch fire in the second half.

Yes. Bad games are going to happen to the best of the best.

But for a real shooter? They have to trust the work they have done and the time they have put in and believe that the next shot is going in.

As soon as they stop believing? Then it probably isn’t going in.

That is why good coaches and good teammates always need to be supportive of a shooter in a slump and let them know they need them to keep shooting.

Nothing erodes confidence in a shooter faster than a coach telling them to stop shooting.

And I’m not talking about proven bad shooters like Russ. I am talking about a good shooter on an off night.

 

[msgkings322]

Ok. I will counter.

His explanation is trash.

Wemby might legitimately up being the best defensive player of all time. He moves like a guard and is able to defend in space and he also blocks everything because he is 7’5” with great timing. That by it self makes him not a bust.

On the offensive end?

Yes. He needs to attack the rim more. He has a lot of growth to go on that end. But not if it means making him a post player.

Post occasionally in switches? Sure.

But that isn’t his game. He is developing into a do everything type offensive player and he will be the best player in the league before too long.

Giannis locked him up good on defense last night, I agree Wemby will be best in the league someday (or close to that) but it was impressive how good Giannis was defending him. We forget Giannis might be the best player in the league now still (or close to it). Wemby made him look short too LOL

 

[chappee11]

I know this post is a few months old now,but I'm with you,watching Lakers/Celtics/Bulls of the 80s into the 90s was the best basketball ever......
I can't even bare to watch this product they put out anymore,I try,but it's not anything I get excited over like back then.......
I've tried keeping an eye on Ant Edwards,Lamelo and now Wemby,but it's boring.....

Lamelo is always hurt,and Edward's is suppose to be a a player that drives to the basket for dunks and jumpers,not the shoot 3s time after time.....boring!
The great Mount Zion,what a bust.....
Same as Wemby,I know he is a walking stick,but why is he not posting up inside for some easier shots rather than settle for all those 3s.....??

Seems like that's where the NBA is these days,who can shoot the most 3s......

Too live back in the 80s and 90s to watch MJ,Magic,Bird Dr.J,Kareem would be fun again.......and not watching LeBron run around to different teams looking for rings......

NBA sucks.

Beautifully said!

 

[trojanfan12]

^Someone is jealous

 

[trojanfan12]

Same as Wemby,I know he is a walking stick,but why is he not posting up inside for some easier shots rather than settle for all those 3s.....??

Well, that's certainly a take one could have.

Not anyone intelligent mind you...but it's a take alright.

 

[trojanfan12]

You agree with the "trash."

Way to sugar coat, but your bullshit doesn't go far here.

lol

The only bullshit that doesn't go far here is yours.

Your bullshit is so bad, you're like an angry version of HurricaneDij.

 

[trojanfan12]

Of course

But that logic also doesn’t apply to 1 game samples.

Shooters need to keep shooting.

But yeah, if a player can’t hit over 30% they shouldn’t be taking 3s.

Over the long haul this is certainly true, that is how statistics work. But I have seen too many good shooters have bad nights all game long or even go in multi-game slumps to agree with you 100% here.

Players, even shooters, need to let success be their guide. If the shot is falling, by all means, keep shooting it.

If it's not, start driving to the hoop or shooting mid-range shots, then go back to it later...sometimes a shooter just needs to see the ball go through the hoop on a few easier shots to get his 3 to start falling.

Too many players/teams will just keep shooting it which becomes unwatchable.

 

[gohuskresurrected]

I don't know about other people but I just don't find the NBA regular season that interesting anymore and I'm at a loss for why. Maybe it's the skill level is so high that outlandish plays just seem ordinary. Like a windmill dunk is a yawner (not because that happens often, just a hypothetical example) because hey, that's only 2 points though. Or maybe the season is just too long. When I was watching in the 80's they'd have huge regular season matchups and the teams were actually trying to make a statement, like some Celtics/Lakers game or a little later with a Pistons/Bulls game where you could really see that the teams were looking to gain some sort of psychological advantage. That just doesn't exist anymore. At this point I'm not going to start caring until the playoffs.

 

[logic]

I don't know about other people but I just don't find the NBA regular season that interesting anymore and I'm at a loss for why. Maybe it's the skill level is so high that outlandish plays just seem ordinary. Like a windmill dunk is a yawner (not because that happens often, just a hypothetical example) because hey, that's only 2 points though. Or maybe the season is just too long. When I was watching in the 80's they'd have huge regular season matchups and the teams were actually trying to make a statement, like some Celtics/Lakers game or a little later with a Pistons/Bulls game where you could really see that the teams were looking to gain some sort of psychological advantage. That just doesn't exist anymore. At this point I'm not going to start caring until the playoffs.

I think this was due to scarcity. Back in those days the NBA (and all sports except weekly football) were just not on TV as much. Only the high profile games made it to the airwaves. So, yeah, the games were more watchable because only playoff quality games were aired except your local team maybe on a local station. You didn’t have the opportunity to witness New Orleans vs Brooklyn on. Tuesday night; you only had the option of seeing OKC vs Cleveland which was a great game.