NBA 2013-2014 Season Thread

[Benjamin]

Yeah, I guess, but I really think that the Rock one and the WM26 one was when people didn't complain about Cena winning, right? I could be wrong, though

Also, I only Tim Tebow as some Christian football guy and I have no idea who Johnny Manziel is

[Meacon Keaton]

Being a Knicks fan, I lost all interest in the playoffs after the underdogs were eliminated last round. I love basketball, but I haven't seen a minute of the Easterm or Western finals. I've seen this show before. There is not a single combination of these four teams that I care to see.

[Maxx]

And UFC fighters can abso-fucking-lutely be boring as shit to watch and be considered the best.

Much like hockey in the mid 90's, the Devils won a lot of games by playing an incredibly boring style that was very off putting for a lot of people and had a hand in shrinking the sports popularity in the US.

It's definitely possible to be boring and unassuming and still be the best at something. Likewise, it's absolutely possible that someone consistently being the best at something can get boring.

It's great if you're entertained by these playoffs, but a lot of people aren't because as Meacon said, we've seen this before. You're sounding like someone who watches March Madness and gets angry if the entire bracket doesn't go chalk. Underdogs are great, the NBA could really use one to break through sometime. It's part of what made the Mavs' title even sweeter. They weren't supposed to be in the finals, and they certainly weren't supposed to beat that Heat team.

[Plubby]

Winning is boring. See everyone and the Spurs.

...Man I love the Spurs. Like, more than everyone that aren't the Knicks >_<

[Plubby]

https://twitter.com/ramonashelburne/status/469851806881681408

Wow. Big 180 by Sterling if this is confirmed.

[Maxx]

Pretty sure when the news that he tried to pay V to say the audio was faked got out, he knew he was fucked and there was really no chance of his lawsuit working out.

[Plubby]

I didn't think whether or not he did it is relevant to his case as I understood it? He wasn't suing because he didn't do it, he was threatening to take it to court over not being shown due process in the act of tossing him out for it.

[gunnar hendershow]

And UFC fighters can abso-fucking-lutely be boring as shit to watch and be considered the best.

Much like hockey in the mid 90's, the Devils won a lot of games by playing an incredibly boring style that was very off putting for a lot of people and had a hand in shrinking the sports popularity in the US.

It's definitely possible to be boring and unassuming and still be the best at something. Likewise, it's absolutely possible that someone consistently being the best at something can get boring.

It's great if you're entertained by these playoffs, but a lot of people aren't because as Meacon said, we've seen this before. You're sounding like someone who watches March Madness and gets angry if the entire bracket doesn't go chalk. Underdogs are great, the NBA could really use one to break through sometime. It's part of what made the Mavs' title even sweeter. They weren't supposed to be in the finals, and they certainly weren't supposed to beat that Heat team.

Lack of annual parity makes the underdogs feel that much more interesting. I don't care about March Madness outside of making predictions since every year a team that has no business being among the best 8 in the country gets there and winds up getting crushed in a hilariously unwatchable game. The first 2 days are fun for upstart schools winning, but that's it. I want the best four teams in the Final Four so I can watch some good basketball. In the NBA the runs of the 04 Pistons, 07 Cavs, 11 Mavs were a ton of fun because nobody thought they would get that far. The Cavs got crushed of course against a superior Spurs team but the other 2 teams beat teams everyone expected were locks to win it all.

Of course, the telling thing about the way basketball works in the national conscience is that none of those Finals are remembered outside of the cities that won and lost. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry of the 80s, the Bulls vs. League MVP series of Finals in the 90s, and the current run of Heat are things that will be remembered for a long time and drew better ratings. Parity works in a lot of ways and having a 16-team playoff should open itself up to a ton of opportunities. The 7-game first round really prevents a lot of upsets from happening. I hate it because it feels unnecessary but they can't go back on it, especially after this year.

Eventually the league will have a hard cap, it's inevitable. This will create a ton of parity among everything but the top 3 or 4 teams, but because of the nature of basketball and the massive talent drop-off from superstars to just regular All-Stars it's not going to solve the problem of there mostly being the same final 3 or 4 teams every year with little turnover. It's a sport people watch for the players and not the teams anyway, at least most of its fans around the world are this way.

[Plubby]

I dunno, I still remember the Mavs win. Whether I will remember that they won a title in ten years or not remains to be seen...and I damn sure won't remember which year they won.

[Rafael]

10 years have passed and a lot of people didn't forget the '04 Pistons.

[Maxx]

I didn't think whether or not he did it is relevant to his case as I understood it? He wasn't suing because he didn't do it, he was threatening to take it to court over not being shown due process in the act of tossing him out for it.

His due process arguements never held water and news that he was actively trying to obstruct the investigation further torpedoes it.

[HC]

10 years have passed and a lot of people didn't forget the '04 Pistons.

I was 9 and I can still name their starting five easily. They were definitely one of the most memorable title teams in recent memory.

[Benjamin]

I don't think Ill forget the Mavs winning that year either. They were seriously well-run, and the abilities of Nowitzski really showed itself that year. That and the hilariously awful clutch ability of LeBron.

Ten years from now, though, nobody is going to remember that year as the year the Mavs were amazing. They're going to remember Dirk being a beast and LeBron being a lamb, it's the way fans of basketball work.

[Cole]

Yeah Dirk proved he was the greatest big man shooter of this generation, and the best european of all time with that playoffs, series, and trophy.

He was just so clutch, no one could stop him.

[Krone]

10 years have passed and a lot of people didn't forget the '04 Pistons.

Ahhh, Ben Wallace. And Rasheed Wallace yoo

[Gazz]

He's no Tony Parker.

[Maxx]

Yeah, he's not a little bitch.

[Plubby]

So envious.

[Cole]

Who does everyone like tonight? Gotta think the Heat take the first game at home, but the spread is +7.

I like the Heat to win straight up tho.

[Tyrone]

Lots of ifs, relating to if George will get a lot of minutes due to his concussion -- and if he's able to get his shot down tonight -- and if David West can stay out of foul trouble. I think Hibbert is finally here to stay, and Stephenson will provide some good energy. Hopefully Scola can play well, also. Every since I started pimping him out in this thread he's been playing poorly The Pacers have been really bleh at home, but terrific on the road so I think they'll take Game 3 tonight. The Heat are a lot hungrier coming off a loss than they are a victory, they won't have the killer instinct tonight. Something tells me that Miami will take 4 and 5, though.