Why are people so called "basketball fans" ridiculing the way the Jazz and Spurs play?

Question

First of all the teams that are playing are the ones that deserve to be there.
Second, i guess the general public cannot appreciate the fundamentals that go out the window when you watch And 1 or play jungle ball.

and why do people say there is not enough offense when the are 3rd and 4th in scoring overall in the playoffs?
I get excited when i see blocks.

Answer 1

The simplest answer would be because their team lost. But I think it goes deeper than that. It has to do with the 'me first' attitude that is so prevelant in sports today. Individual accomplishments are more important to most people than winning as a team. Personally, I am really enjoying this series between the Spurs and Jazz. I can appreciate great, fundamentally sound, and defensive basketball. And I don't think that Duncan, and Boozer and their teammates care about people that ridicule their style of play, because their style of play wins.

Answer 2

The NBA is the only sport that the Best team always wins the Championship. The St. Louis Cardinals suck this year and Detroit was the best team last year. The Indianapolis Colts had a great offense, but we all know that New England in the best team. The Spurs and the Jazz are the best teams in the NBA that is why they are in the West Finals and thats why the winner of the series will win the Finals. The first two games on the series were great and enjoyable, maybe a few too many foreign guys, but great basketball. Defense, Rebounding, and not tunring the ball over wins and that is what these two great coaches ( Coach Pop, Sloan ) drill to thier teams and that is why they are the best two teams in the NBA !!

Answer 3

A lot of these answers are all true. Offense is more fun to watch than defense, etc. I don't know that we can automatically assume that the Jazz and Spurs are both better than Detroit; it has been an assumption over the past several years that west is better than east, however, 2 of the past 3 years the east won the finals.

Here's what it comes down to in a nutshell. Yes, fundamentals should be appreciated, but they tend to only be appreciated by a huge fanatic or basketball coach, not by the general public. What it boils down to is that most people just want to watch basketball to be entertained. And a flashy Kobe dunk is usually more entertaining than Duncan's perfect footwork. Also, people like to be entertained by big stars, even if those stars are not on teams that get deep into the playoffs. People buy Yao, McGrady, Shaq, Garnett, Lebron, Dwade, and Kobe jerseys. How many people outside of Utah and San Antonio do you know wear Duncan or Boozer jerseys? I'm not saying these guys don't play as well, I'm just saying that they didn't become as big of stars to the public because their moves aren't as flashy. Sure, it might not seem fair, but take an analogy from movies. How many people watch independent film with actors that are not famous? Some of those not so famous actors are actually very good, better at acting than guys like Keanu Reeves. But more people would want to see a Tom Cruise or Keanu Reeves movie because they've become big stars for one reason or another.

Sadly, most people watching basketball cannot appreciate fundamentals.

Answer 4

The league ruined the game during the Michael Jordan era.

They "adjusted" the rules so that zone defense was not allowed and everyone had to go man-to-man. NOBODY in the NBA during the 90's could handle MJ man-to-man. They banned the hand-check, and it paved the way for smaller, faster guards to be able to penetrate and score at will. With the zone gone, and the hand-check gone, players no longer needed to rely on fundamentals to get points.

With the hand-check gone, virtually any contact was whistled a foul. That is why MJ seemed "unguardable", how the hell were you supposed to guard him if you couldn't touch him?

This is what the younger generation grew up on, and that is what is coached to younger players, that's why nobody appreciates old-school basketball anymore. Its sad, because the teams that dominate in the NBA are the teams that are the most fundamentally sound, yet they get criticized for being "boring" and don't get the recognition they deserve.

Answer 5

Do you really not understand why, after seeing what Robert Horry did to Steve Nash and what Bruce Bowen has done to....well everybody I guess, the general public has a problem with how the Spurs play? I had no problem with them until this season. They were the epitomy of team play and all of their players are selfless, complete players. It just so happens that this year's version also includes a whole lot of dirty, uncalled for play as well. Jungle ball? I challenge you to find another performance (besides Spurs VS Suns) in this year's playoffs that even comes close to matching that description. And for the record, the other teams who were in the playoffs (with the exception of maybe Golden State) also played with exceptional fundamentals, they just play faster. The point is that the Spurs and Jazz don't like to run. They like to slow it down and slug it out (figuratively and now literally) in the half court set, which, to most people, is as fun as watching the 7th inning stretch in baseball...

Answer 6

Offense is more fun to watch for most people... it's that simple.

Compare it to musical tastes. The majority of people are satisfied with a certain type of music, but those who are fanatics about music have a strong preference for certain artists. In the same way, people who are really into basketball prefer games with strong offense *and* defense.

But just like the music market, the basketball market is driven by dollars. Pro basketball is both a sport and a business, and the league and media have to balance both aspects.

Answer 7

Neither the Spurs nor the Jazz have Kobe or someone like him that can be both so loved and so hated at the same time that there's nothing else you can do but watch. That being said, these teams have coaches like Popovich and Sloan who stress good behavior. Maybe if Manu Ginobili or Carlos Boozer got arrested, there would be more people watching. Unfortunately, that's the way the country goes.

Answer 8

whether it's football, baseball or basketball, people naturally enjoy seeing great offensive performances over great defensive performances. That said, 104 points and zero defense will put you in the fishing boat with Kenny & Charles.
AFA the Spurs, I appreciate the lockdown defense almost as much as the 3 (soon to be 4) banners hanging in the AT&T Center

Answer 9

Can't speak for everyone, but the Spurs bore me. And Utah - don't think I've seen them play until the post season. Guess that's my bad.. I'll be outside enjoying the spring weather for the rest of the playoffs.

Answer 10

You actually answered your own question. They're "so-called" basketball fans. They don't know enough to tell the difference between basketball and streetball. Real basketball fans couldn't be happier with this matchup.