the nba is now losing its ratings, games aren't that exciting they even have a new ball, what do you guys think should be done to put the NBA back on top? what changes should be done if you were in charge?
2006-10-12 04:43:07 · 6 answers · asked by tino r 1 in Sports ➔ Basketball
It was even better in the 80s than it was in the 90s!
I think that what is happening is that the NBA is adopting more and more of a "Globetrotter" style of basketball... lots of slam dunks and 'athletic' plays, but very little in the fundamental department.
More and more players came out of high school (this will change of course, with the age limit requirement), and with few exceptions, they don't know how to play basketball. Players like Lebron James are the exception, rather than the rule.
Even a guy like Jermaine O'Neal, now one of the best players in the NBA, was terrible when he came out of high school, although he has learned how to play a great game over the years... same with Kobe Bryant, and even Kevin Garnett...
I think that the NBA powers that be recognized this, and that's why they are putting in an age limit...
In the 90s, we of course had Jordan and the Bulls, who were a great team to watch (and I stress the word TEAM)... we still had great centers like Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, etc... today, Shaq is the only center in the NBA who's going to make the Hall of Fame (unless we count Tim Duncan as a center... Garnett really plays forward as well, i think). The NBA centers today are atrocious baskeball players. Zdrunis Ilgauskas?? please... (I know I keep picking on him, but dang, he is a horrendous player)...
So in the 90s, we still had a lot of great all around players (Barkley, Stockton and Malone, Drexler, Pippen, as well as the guys mentioned above). But the NBA has moved away from the fundamental style of play.
Certainly, slams can be an exciting play, but only when they're done in heavy traffic... ESPN thinks that a guy slamming at the end of a breakaway is the most incredible athletic feat ever accomplished...it's ridiculous..
You can count on one hand the number of players in the NBA who can hit a 12 foot shot from the baseline... everything is either a 3 point attempt or a dunk attempt... makes for a boring game to watch.
Now, if the NBA chooses to play that style of basketball (i.e. slams and 3 pointers), then that's their choice... but you see the result if you take a bunch of guys who can dunk, and put them in international competition with teams that are fundamentally sound... the result is predictable... the slam dunkers lose every time... witness the U.S.A. performance in the recent World Championship games... other countries are taking the way WE played basketball in the 50s and 60s, and are taking that style of play and using it against us... and the result is, we're getting our butts kicked, but good...
The other reason for the change in style of play is ESPN... ESPN has ruined the way the game is played, because slams and 3 pointers are the only thing they show on Sportcenter...and players want to see themselves on Sportcenter.
2006-10-12 04:58:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I agree with tweety. They have lost a lot of the fundamentals. Not only that, but a lot of the players are starting to be ridiculous with asking/denying fouls that are called. They are becoming unnecessary. And now they are starting to allow instant replay. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not fully against replay, but Michael Jordan, and Larry Bird, and Magic all never had that. I think (my) the next generation shouldn't have it either. Another guess is that the games aren't always close like it used to be. A lot of teams are starting to blow the other teams out. I don't mind seeing a blow out once in a while, but I think it's more exciting when the games are close. Even if my team loses, I still would watch the games. A final point I have is that Michael, Magic, and Larry all had great personalities off the court. Now, the players seem more angry than they should be. With all the salary demands and off court trouble, it makes me wish Jordan didn't really retire. I know, he shouldn't come out of his third retirement. But the players should play the game and have fun doing it - not whining because a foul didn't go his way, or his shot should have counted, or he's not making enough money.
2006-10-12 16:16:47 · answer #2 · answered by Chris 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was going to say something but Tweety said it all. Great answer.
Smitty, I agree that the games are still great. But I don't think they compare to the 90s. I still love watching the NBA and what we can do is hope for the best. There's always room for change. Jordan said there will be another player better than him to come into the league someday. I'm a huge MJ fan... Even if a better player does come into the NBA, ( which I don't believe will ) we can all agree none of them will impact the game like he did... ever. The same goes for Bird and Johnson. I wasn't old enough to see exactly what they did in the 80s so I don't know from personal experience. But I grew up watching Jordan, and I still think he's the best.
2006-10-12 13:31:10 · answer #3 · answered by dadeda2679 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually, I think the 1990's is when you began to see the decline of the NBA.
I keep going back to when David Stern took over as commissioner in the mid 1980's. You only had 23 teams back then, so there were more "great players" per team. And if you even wanted to think about competing for a championship, you had to have at least 3-4 hall of famers on your team. Now, there are 30 teams, with each team having their "one " great player, and any team that has more than one will probably go all the way.
Stern turned the league into the MTV league, in order to appeal to the casual fan. Slam dunk contests, extravagant introductions, and big endorsement contracts took over. The league became so over-hyped, that it couldn't possibly live up to it. Good, sound fundamental basketball made way for flash and dazzle athleticism.
I remember going to games back in the '80's. There were no fancy introductions before games. They weren't needed. We went to see the game. When you have guys like Bird and Magic on the floor, you don't need any promotion.
Now, the league is so pitiful, you almost have to have it in order to get people excited. Its too bad.
2006-10-13 00:50:26 · answer #4 · answered by Hoopfan 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i think the NBA is still great but the 90's was more team basketball, now it is who can get the most stats(i think it is still great to watch)
2006-10-12 23:45:53 · answer #5 · answered by homie G 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The games are still great.
2006-10-12 18:15:00 · answer #6 · answered by smitty 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋