I really could of answered the poll both ways depending on various points during the season.
The load management issue needs to be addressed by the league and the players. I only go to a small amount of games in person, but this affects me as a League Pass subscriber. You see an interesting game on the schedule and plan on watching that when you get home from work that night, only to find one or both teams are impacted by key players sitting out. I then choose to watch or do something else instead. The more times this happens, other habits start to get formed and I become less connected to the NBA as a fan.
Also, they need to make League Pass better. You shouldn’t have to sit through a 30 second advert as a paid subscriber to watch a game or replay. That doesn’t even happen on You Tube.
These little things all add up to make an avid fan lose interest.
I agree with most of the commenters that the trend toward greater offense has gone too far. When 40 point games are no longer special, there is to me a loss of excitement. Also, while others may see things differently, I have always liked the fact that basketball results have tended not to be random, as they are for example in baseball, where you can hit the ball hard or make good pitches and still get beat; generally in basketball the team that plays better on both sides of the ball in a particular game will win that game. Currently, though, a flurry of three pointers that hit at an above-average rate can overcome big deficits and poor overall play. Some folks might find that exciting, but to me that’s like flipping coins, which I don’t find appealing. But I agree with you, Marc, that artificially limiting the number of three-pointers seems crazy. How about keeping the three point line at a uniform distance, thereby effectively eliminating the corner three?
Also, I was intrigued by the suggestion a few years ago by an analyst on (I think) The Athletic that all shooting fouls be awarded only two shots; given the high success rate of free throw attempts, the expected value of three free throws compared to the expected value of a three point attempt is out of whack with the expected value of two free throws vs. the expected value of a two point attempt. What are your thoughts on this, Marc?
Great article. I think the answer to all the offense is the latest trends in refereeing.
I was heartened at the start of the season with the rules committee (or maybe just by unspoken agreement) and refs seemed to be allowing a little incidental, body-to-body contact by the defense on the way to the basket. But, the players quickly adjusted by ubiquitously cradling the ball like a running back and taking an extra half-step. At one time cradling the ball was double-dribble.
Plus, there are the shuffles: The joke was that the NBA always allowed traveling, but now players' quick mini-step!step!step!s (on both step-back threes and drives to the basket) are ignored. Would it really be so impossible to enforce those rules? Maybe if they did, we'd see a return to some back-to-the-basket skills being emphasized, he said wistfully.
IMO, they should go back to allowing impeding the dribbler's movement. That's what Jordan had to deal with. Nowadays players drive and kick with impunity. It makes the action repetitive and reductive.
I surely enjoyed the season. Lots of truly great players. More than in any other sport incl. soccer. I do not understand why NBA gets so much criticism because of so called political statements. Why are they not entitled to say BLACK LIVES MATTER ? Is Amercica really that polarised because of a certain Republican? Hope TV ratings will be huge. This sport deserves it.
I loved the season. The things other people tend to complain about don’t bother me, I guess. Load management makes sense to me and I love the stories about guys who finally make it to the league. I also like younger players getting minutes to develop, so we get a glimpse at the future. Like Shaeden Sharpe this year. I’d support a 72-game season, but I still enjoyed this year immensely. There are so many incredible players right now, teams have to develop their styles based on those incredible players and I love every second of it. The Kings were a fun story this year, the Griz were a fun story last year and the Suns were a fun story two years ago. The Knicks resurgence and Jalen Brunson’s effect was fun to watch. Yeah. I guess I’m just not in the “load management and 3-pointers have ruined the game” camp. I am just excited to see how teams adjust and the next evolution in the game.
Reason 1 for No: This is my last year for NBA League Pass. I live in Pittsburgh and League Pass blocks Cavs games in Pittsburgh. I understand this is an issue across the country...but it is shameful that the NBA allows th to continue. Reason 2 for No: Still way too much load management going on along with injuries to key players.
I am sure you have done this in the past and if so - can you post this again? I am very curious how the league schedule was created this year. There seems to be alot of opportunities to improve (comments on back to backs this week as one example).
I thought the schedule was created for ease of travel and to provide more development opportunities. This doesn't seem to be happening (defense trend).
I loved my NBA League Pass so much this season. Every team has at least one immensely watchable player. I get into arguments with my friends about this, but there are dozens of players now who are far better than a very good player like, let's say, Joe Dumars. I also think one of the most entertaining passes in basketball history (as done most regularly by Luka and LeBron) is the pass through traffic to the three-point shooter in the opposite corner
Count me as one of those who did not enjoy watching the season, and it’s more than just having to watch this maddening, roller-coaster Lakers season.
It just seems like games come down to who hit the most threes, and while sometimes, that can be exciting, especially in crunch time, watching a 3-point shooting contest over 48 minutes and during a season-long worth of games becomes very underwhelming.
I’ve said it before but the aesthetics of basketball peaked for me watching the 2014 Spurs take down the Heat in the Finals. They had the right ratio of threes taken to two-point shots, and they only shot around 24 three point shots per game, while making about 45% of them.
When you combine that efficient shooting, with the ball movement and spacing principles, that team played exactly how I wish the game was played today.
Now, threes make up a larger percentage of the shot profile and they just become aesthetically and emotionally “numbing” to me.
I need battles in the paint, one-on-play. There’s more drama and entertainment within each possession that way. And, thus, the viewing experience is enhanced.
Much like baseball eliminated the shift, I wish the NBA put a cap on three point attempts. It would force teams to strategize when to use them and also, who shoots them. That proposal may seem radical, but with the ratings in the toilet, the league should do like baseball and start proactively looking to upgrade its product. Heck, while they are at it, maybe make the quarters 10 minutes long, instead of 12 minutes, too. That, alone, would shave off 30 minutes a game, and make the pace & drama more exciting.
Alas, I know none of these things will happen, but they could be rules implemented in the mid-season tournament games and tournament, itself, to help distinguish those games from other ones.
And over time, they could just phase those changes into all games.
I really could of answered the poll both ways depending on various points during the season.
The load management issue needs to be addressed by the league and the players. I only go to a small amount of games in person, but this affects me as a League Pass subscriber. You see an interesting game on the schedule and plan on watching that when you get home from work that night, only to find one or both teams are impacted by key players sitting out. I then choose to watch or do something else instead. The more times this happens, other habits start to get formed and I become less connected to the NBA as a fan.
Also, they need to make League Pass better. You shouldn’t have to sit through a 30 second advert as a paid subscriber to watch a game or replay. That doesn’t even happen on You Tube.
These little things all add up to make an avid fan lose interest.
I agree with most of the commenters that the trend toward greater offense has gone too far. When 40 point games are no longer special, there is to me a loss of excitement. Also, while others may see things differently, I have always liked the fact that basketball results have tended not to be random, as they are for example in baseball, where you can hit the ball hard or make good pitches and still get beat; generally in basketball the team that plays better on both sides of the ball in a particular game will win that game. Currently, though, a flurry of three pointers that hit at an above-average rate can overcome big deficits and poor overall play. Some folks might find that exciting, but to me that’s like flipping coins, which I don’t find appealing. But I agree with you, Marc, that artificially limiting the number of three-pointers seems crazy. How about keeping the three point line at a uniform distance, thereby effectively eliminating the corner three?
Also, I was intrigued by the suggestion a few years ago by an analyst on (I think) The Athletic that all shooting fouls be awarded only two shots; given the high success rate of free throw attempts, the expected value of three free throws compared to the expected value of a three point attempt is out of whack with the expected value of two free throws vs. the expected value of a two point attempt. What are your thoughts on this, Marc?
Great article. I think the answer to all the offense is the latest trends in refereeing.
I was heartened at the start of the season with the rules committee (or maybe just by unspoken agreement) and refs seemed to be allowing a little incidental, body-to-body contact by the defense on the way to the basket. But, the players quickly adjusted by ubiquitously cradling the ball like a running back and taking an extra half-step. At one time cradling the ball was double-dribble.
Plus, there are the shuffles: The joke was that the NBA always allowed traveling, but now players' quick mini-step!step!step!s (on both step-back threes and drives to the basket) are ignored. Would it really be so impossible to enforce those rules? Maybe if they did, we'd see a return to some back-to-the-basket skills being emphasized, he said wistfully.
IMO, they should go back to allowing impeding the dribbler's movement. That's what Jordan had to deal with. Nowadays players drive and kick with impunity. It makes the action repetitive and reductive.
Windhorst jokes about this all the time on his pod. The Nuggets games are not shown in Omaha.
I surely enjoyed the season. Lots of truly great players. More than in any other sport incl. soccer. I do not understand why NBA gets so much criticism because of so called political statements. Why are they not entitled to say BLACK LIVES MATTER ? Is Amercica really that polarised because of a certain Republican? Hope TV ratings will be huge. This sport deserves it.
I loved the season. The things other people tend to complain about don’t bother me, I guess. Load management makes sense to me and I love the stories about guys who finally make it to the league. I also like younger players getting minutes to develop, so we get a glimpse at the future. Like Shaeden Sharpe this year. I’d support a 72-game season, but I still enjoyed this year immensely. There are so many incredible players right now, teams have to develop their styles based on those incredible players and I love every second of it. The Kings were a fun story this year, the Griz were a fun story last year and the Suns were a fun story two years ago. The Knicks resurgence and Jalen Brunson’s effect was fun to watch. Yeah. I guess I’m just not in the “load management and 3-pointers have ruined the game” camp. I am just excited to see how teams adjust and the next evolution in the game.
Reason 1 for No: This is my last year for NBA League Pass. I live in Pittsburgh and League Pass blocks Cavs games in Pittsburgh. I understand this is an issue across the country...but it is shameful that the NBA allows th to continue. Reason 2 for No: Still way too much load management going on along with injuries to key players.
Marc
I am sure you have done this in the past and if so - can you post this again? I am very curious how the league schedule was created this year. There seems to be alot of opportunities to improve (comments on back to backs this week as one example).
I thought the schedule was created for ease of travel and to provide more development opportunities. This doesn't seem to be happening (defense trend).
I loved my NBA League Pass so much this season. Every team has at least one immensely watchable player. I get into arguments with my friends about this, but there are dozens of players now who are far better than a very good player like, let's say, Joe Dumars. I also think one of the most entertaining passes in basketball history (as done most regularly by Luka and LeBron) is the pass through traffic to the three-point shooter in the opposite corner
Count me as one of those who did not enjoy watching the season, and it’s more than just having to watch this maddening, roller-coaster Lakers season.
It just seems like games come down to who hit the most threes, and while sometimes, that can be exciting, especially in crunch time, watching a 3-point shooting contest over 48 minutes and during a season-long worth of games becomes very underwhelming.
I’ve said it before but the aesthetics of basketball peaked for me watching the 2014 Spurs take down the Heat in the Finals. They had the right ratio of threes taken to two-point shots, and they only shot around 24 three point shots per game, while making about 45% of them.
When you combine that efficient shooting, with the ball movement and spacing principles, that team played exactly how I wish the game was played today.
Now, threes make up a larger percentage of the shot profile and they just become aesthetically and emotionally “numbing” to me.
I need battles in the paint, one-on-play. There’s more drama and entertainment within each possession that way. And, thus, the viewing experience is enhanced.
Much like baseball eliminated the shift, I wish the NBA put a cap on three point attempts. It would force teams to strategize when to use them and also, who shoots them. That proposal may seem radical, but with the ratings in the toilet, the league should do like baseball and start proactively looking to upgrade its product. Heck, while they are at it, maybe make the quarters 10 minutes long, instead of 12 minutes, too. That, alone, would shave off 30 minutes a game, and make the pace & drama more exciting.
Alas, I know none of these things will happen, but they could be rules implemented in the mid-season tournament games and tournament, itself, to help distinguish those games from other ones.
And over time, they could just phase those changes into all games.