The Future of Basketball

[muwarrior69]

College Basketball is not boring, the NBA is just a tad above professional wrestling.

A friend of mine will tune into a basketball or football game with 5 minutes left to play and watch only if the game is close otherwise he thinks its a waste of time. I asked him why do you watch so much golf?

[muwarrior69]

If I also told you Goldsberry was the head of statistical analysis for the San Antonio Spurs, would you take "experts" out of quotes?  Or, is this just the standard "agree with me" or ad hominem attack without addressing the issue that is a staple of your posts?

And, for the record, I do think it is boring.  Push the three-point line back and re-introduce a more athletic style of play.

How about making the basketball rim a half inch smaller in diameter.

[Galway Eagle]

How about making the basketball rim a half inch smaller in diameter.

This would be better than extending the line in my opinion as well as stiffer rims.

[The Sultan]

College Basketball is not boring, the NBA is just a tad above professional wrestling.

A friend of mine will tune into a basketball or football game with 5 minutes left to play and watch only if the game is close otherwise he thinks its a waste of time. I asked him why do you watch so much golf?

I just don't find this very accurate IMO.  Especially during the playoffs.

I get that people could get bored with the way the game is played now.  But I think people have an over-romaticized vision of the 80s and 90s.

[MU82]

If I also told you Goldsberry was the head of statistical analysis for the San Antonio Spurs, would you take "experts" out of quotes?  Or, is this just the standard "agree with me" or ad hominem attack without addressing the issue that is a staple of your posts?

And, for the record, I do think it is boring.  Push the three-point line back and re-introduce a more athletic style of play.

Lots of "experts" out there, including all of us on Scoop. Anybody could find any "expert" to help "prove" whatever he or she wants to. Several of us, including me, do it all the time here.

I like basketball.

[MU82]

College Basketball is not boring, the NBA is just a tad above professional wrestling.

When is the last time you watched an NBA playoff game?

[Billy Hoyle]

When is the last time you watched an NBA playoff game?

obviously he did not watch game 6 of the Raptors/Celtics series or the last two games of the Clippers/Nuggets series.

[THRILLHO]

I just don't find this very accurate IMO.  Especially during the playoffs.

I get that people could get bored with the way the game is played now.  But I think people have an over-romaticized vision of the 80s and 90s.

People said things like that back in the 90's too (that the first 3 quarters don't matter and the players only play hard in the 4th quarter).

[GooooMarquette]

That hasn't changed.  The NBA has always been a little more "forgiving."

Always more forgiving than college, sure.

But still, they did call fairly consistently traveling on players not named Erving, Gervin, Havlicek, Robertson and the like.

[muwarrior69]

When is the last time you watched an NBA playoff game?

My team in the NBA is the New York Knicks, I guess that should answer your question. I know just a little hyperbolic commentary on the NBA.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

If I also told you Goldsberry was the head of statistical analysis for the San Antonio Spurs, would you take "experts" out of quotes?  Or, is this just the standard "agree with me" or ad hominem attack without addressing the issue that is a staple of your posts?

It depends on what this thread is about.

If this thread is about statistical analysis in basketball or any similar topic, then Goldsbury is absolutely an expert sans the quotation marks.

My understanding of this thread is that you are arguing that the current style of basketball is boring and the NBA should consider rule changes to force teams to play a style of ball that you find more exciting. If that's the case, then Goldsbury is not an expert, he's not even an "expert." He's a single data point in the question of "is the current style of basketball boring?" His opinion on this topic is as relevant as mine, yours, or that of any other fan/potential fan of the NBA.

[BM1090]

I think moving the line back is a terrible idea. Guys will master that shot and so will the amount of space the defense has to cover.

[GooooMarquette]

I think moving the line back is a terrible idea. Guys will master that shot and so will the amount of space the defense has to cover.

Yep. If they decided to give five points for a shot from the opposite free-throw lane, there would be guys hitting 33% of them within a couple of years.

[dgies9156]

In 1973, Jerry Tagge, Jim Del Gaizo and Scott Hunter tied for the Packers team lead with 2 touchdown passes on the season.  Throw in an option TD from MacArthur Lane, and the team had 7 TD passes for the entire season.

Quite a putrid stretch in games 6-8.  Week 6, they amassed a net 28 yards passing.  Dropped to 3 the next week.  Can't get worse than that?  Week 8, -3 net passing yards against the Bears.  Like something out of the 30's.


The following season they added MVP John Hadl to improve the passing game.   Well, Hadl did throw 3 TD's on the season for Green Bay, but the team only had 5 total for 1974.

In those days, the Packers had an outstanding fullback named John Brockington, who carried the load for the Packers. Lane blocked and Jerry "I'm from Green Bay" Tagge handed off. If Tagge passed, he probably was benched for a week.

The only quarterback every to play the game that was more immobile than John Hadl was Lynn Dickey. The Packers traded away a decade to get Hadl, in what probably was the worst player personnel decision in franchise history. And that includes Tony Mandarich and passing on Ronnie Lott and Joe Montana.

That said, the game evolved. Bill Walsh, Sid Gilliam and even Bill Parcells were geniuses.

Every game evolves. Even baseball, no matter how much the owners and the elders game try to make no change and make it retroactive.

[GooooMarquette]

In those days, the Packers had an outstanding fullback named John Brockington, who carried the load for the Packers. Lane blocked and Jerry "I'm from Green Bay" Tagge handed off. If Tagge passed, he probably was benched for a week.

The only quarterback every to play the game that was more immobile than John Hadl was Lynn Dickey. The Packers traded away a decade to get Hadl, in what probably was the worst player personnel decision in franchise history. And that includes Tony Mandarich and passing on Ronnie Lott and Joe Montana.

That said, the game evolved. Bill Walsh, Sid Gilliam and even Bill Parcells were geniuses.

Every game evolves. Even baseball, no matter how much the owners and the elders game try to make no change and make it retroactive.

Interesting story about the John Hadl trade, including the fact that they actually wanted (and almost got) Archie Manning first:

https://thepowersweep.com/blog/the-john-hadl-disaster

[CTWarrior]

Iverson wasn't a contemporary of Bird and Magic.

But I really don't agree with your premise.  I think the talent in the NBA now is at an all time high.  I think its nostalgia that is putting last generation's players on a pedestal.

I agree with you that talent is at an all-time high. 

I also think Lakers-Celtics basketball in the 80s was the pinnacle of the NBA as an aesthetically pleasing sport to watch.  Lots of running and ball movement.  Then came the Pistons thugball and then Jordan too good and broke the league while winning and dominating the ball and then non-Jordan quality players trying to play like Jordan was not fun to watch for me. Too much pick and roll and especially three point shooting for my tastes now.  My favorite thing to see on a basketball court is the hockey pass that ultimately leads to a layup or dunk.

But that's just it, those are my tastes.  I don't understand, but I am sure many people prefer today's game.

[The Big East]

I agree with you that talent is at an all-time high. 

I also think Lakers-Celtics basketball in the 80s was the pinnacle of the NBA as an aesthetically pleasing sport to watch.  Lots of running and ball movement.  Then came the Pistons thugball and then Jordan too good and broke the league while winning and dominating the ball and then non-Jordan quality players trying to play like Jordan was not fun to watch for me. Too much pick and roll and especially three point shooting for my tastes now.  My favorite thing to see on a basketball court is the hockey pass that ultimately leads to a layup or dunk.

But that's just it, those are my tastes.  I don't understand, but I am sure many people prefer today's game.

I think a lot of people who were around in the 70s and 80s would agree with your opinion.