2024-25 NBA Thread

[wadesworld]

Good thing Dame "load managed" just to make a first round exit in the 3 point contest, allowing Tyler Herro to advance.

[PGsHeroes32]

Good thing Dame "load managed" just to make a first round exit in the 3 point contest, allowing Tyler Herro to advance.

And win.

Did Badgers seed line drop for letting him get away?

[wadesworld]

Chris Paul is somehow going to make Wemby into a soft loser. Have some pride at least. Just admitting you aren't good enough to win a stupid Skills Competition without being soft.

[Not all scoop users are created equal apparently]

Chris Paul apparently managed to Chris Paul you

[PGsHeroes32]

They gotta end this sh it. Its so bad

McClung tryna single handedly hold up the dunk contest and the dude isnt even in the league

No studs wana do it.

The guys that do it, are doing dunks that I could potentially do.

[BM1090]

Chris Paul is somehow going to make Wemby into a soft loser. Have some pride at least. Just admitting you aren't good enough to win a stupid Skills Competition without being soft.

Don't think it'll happen with Pop and Fox there, but it sure won't be from lack of trying. CP's attitude is so weird sometimes.

[MuggsyB]

Nm

[JWags85]

They gotta end this sh it. Its so bad

McClung tryna single handedly hold up the dunk contest and the dude isnt even in the league

No studs wana do it.

The guys that do it, are doing dunks that I could potentially do.

I'm not meaning it to be a complete hater, but a HUGE reason the Dunk contest is toast is Lebron.  No matter what anyone says or tries to spin, he and Maverick were always terrified of his reputation being diminished by him losing, so he never participated.  It still retained some juice with Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin winning it after his injury comeback.  But Lebron set the stage for true stars to avoid it and it started to lose momentum.  It officially died with the controversy over that Gordon/Lavine duel.

[cheebs09]

The guys that do it, are doing dunks that I could potentially do.

......Ners?

[The Sultan]

The Slam Dunk contest was declining long before Lebron entered the NBA. It was even removed from All Star weekend for a season or two in the late 90s it had gotten so underwhelming.

[HutchwasClutch]

Why would anyone waste their time watching any of All Star weekend?  The 3 point competition is all that's remotely real or interesting.  The game itself is a farce and embarrassment to basketball.  Rising Stars game is marginally better at best. The dunk contest as Fluffy pointed out hasn't been any good in about 30 years.  The celebrity event is completely cringe worthy. 

[The Sultan]

Why would anyone waste their time watching any of All Star weekend?  The 3 point competition is all that's remotely real or interesting.  The game itself is a farce and embarrassment to basketball. The dunk contest as Fluffy pointed out hasn't been any good in about 30 years.  The celebrity event is completely cringe worthy. 

As I posted above, it's a relic of a bygone, pre-social media era. I think the NBA, including its players, all know this but they have no idea how to make it better. They can't really get rid of it, but what do you do?

The NFL is struggling with this too. The NHL is at least onto something with this Four Nations thing...but that can't happen every year or it will lose its magic.  MLB has actually done OK, but have no competition for eyeballs.

But all star games in general, which were fun when I was growing up because you rarely saw some of the games' stars, don't make a ton of sense when you can scroll X and see the big plays instantly. Or head onto Youtube the next day and see a three minute summary of the games.

[Uncle Rico]

As I posted above, it's a relic of a bygone, pre-social media era. I think the NBA, including its players, all know this but they have no idea how to make it better. They can't really get rid of it, but what do you do?

The NFL is struggling with this too. The NHL is at least onto something with this Four Nations thing...but that can't happen every year or it will lose its magic.  MLB has actually done OK, but have no competition for eyeballs.

But all star games in general, which were fun when I was growing up because you rarely saw some of the games' stars, don't make a ton of sense when you can scroll X and see the big plays instantly. Or head onto Youtube the next day and see a three minute summary of the games.

Bingo.  But it has created a cottage industry of complaining about them

[The Sultan]

A lot of the complaining about the NBA today reminds me of the complaining about the NFL back in the day.

"The players used to go both ways!"  "Deion isn't that good because he can't tackle!"

Of couse people can say what they want, but ultimately it just makes you sound old and out of touch.

[Uncle Rico]

A lot of the complaining about the NBA today reminds me of the complaining about the NFL back in the day.

"The players used to go both ways!"  "Deion isn't that good because he can't tackle!"

Of couse people can say what they want, but ultimately it just makes you sound old and out of touch.

You hit it on the head.  We have so much more access to highlights and games in general, seeing players isn't as special as it once was.

Also, with player movement in all sports, the rivalry between conferences doesn't resonate at all anymore.  This ties in with money, too.  Players don't need that extra bonus anymore that came with winning these games.  MLB players of yore often said things about money in these games being a driving motivator.

I don't think there is much these leagues can do to fix it.  It should be a celebration of the sports but instead, fans complain ad nauseam about the events.

[cheebs09]

Same reason Sportscenter has basically evolved into mindless debates. That used to be THE place to get highlights. Now you really don't have to wait to find any highlight. Plus more things are televised nowadays.

[forgetful]

The Slam Dunk contest was declining long before Lebron entered the NBA. It was even removed from All Star weekend for a season or two in the late 90s it had gotten so underwhelming.

With McClung in it, they should just fully embrace professional dunkers taking over the event.

NBA players are not professional dunkers. McClung at this point is. He get's a coffee cup in the NBA each year so he can take part.

It would be more exciting, and if an actual NBA player wanted to compete they still could.

[Pakuni]

If you watched the NBA events last night instead of the Four Nations, you only have yourself to blame.

[StillAWarrior]

With McClung in it, they should just fully embrace professional dunkers taking over the event.

NBA players are not professional dunkers. McClung at this point is. He get's a coffee cup in the NBA each year so he can take part.

It would be more exciting, and if an actual NBA player wanted to compete they still could.

I agree.

McClung is great to watch. He's so good that nobody has a leg to stand on to say he shouldn't win. While I think he's single-handedly "made" the dunk contest the last few years, he's also killing it because nobody wants to lose to a 6' G-leaguer.

But damn, his dunks are incredible.

I agree that if the NBA stars aren't going to compete, they might as well just invite the pro dunkers in and let all the NBA All-Stars just roam the sidelines and give reaction shots. Aside from Mac's great dunks, that's all it is now anyway (although Castle had a couple nice dunks too).

[MuggsyB]

If you watched the NBA events last night instead of the Four Nations, you only have yourself to blame.

Exactly.  That was a fantastic event.   

[JWags85]

The Slam Dunk contest was declining long before Lebron entered the NBA. It was even removed from All Star weekend for a season or two in the late 90s it had gotten so underwhelming.

Yea, but then after the lock out, you had the the most iconic Dunk Contest since MJ with Vince Carter in 2000 and the Jason Richardson wins were pretty electric 2 years later right into Lebron entering the league. Regardless, its never gonna be a marquee event ever again.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Yea, but then after the lock out, you had the the most iconic Dunk Contest since MJ with Vince Carter in 2000 and the Jason Richardson wins were pretty electric 2 years later right into Lebron entering the league. Regardless, its never gonna be a marquee event ever again.

I was fortunate to attend the 2000 contest because my client (the shoe brand Vince wore) spent money with Turner Sports and at the time they did a trip for all NBA advertisers.  One of the most electric events I've ever been to.   

[MU82]

Yea, but then after the lock out, you had the the most iconic Dunk Contest since MJ with Vince Carter in 2000 and the Jason Richardson wins were pretty electric 2 years later right into Lebron entering the league. Regardless, its never gonna be a marquee event ever again.

You're really blaming LeBron for any of this?

Anyhoo ... all I know is that I miss Juan Anderson!

[Pakuni]

Saw this floating around the interwebs:

The three-hour broadcast of the NBA all-star game included 42 minutes of basketball.
Intro (with ads): 30 min
Pre-Game Talk: 10 min
Game 1 (Kenny vs Chuck): 12 min total (10:07 of actual game time)
Mr. Beast Challenge: 5 min
Game 2: (Shaq vs Rising Stars): 16 min total (12:54 of actual game time)
Music Performance: 6 min
Inside the NBA Tribute: 9 min
Game 3: (Chuck vs Shaq): 14 min total (10:40 of actual game time)
Post-Game: 6 min
Analyst Desk/Game Intros/Segments (total): 22 min
Ads (total): 80 min

[PGsHeroes32]

Saw this floating around the interwebs:

The three-hour broadcast of the NBA all-star game included 42 minutes of basketball.
Intro (with ads): 30 min
Pre-Game Talk: 10 min
Game 1 (Kenny vs Chuck): 12 min total (10:07 of actual game time)
Mr. Beast Challenge: 5 min
Game 2: (Shaq vs Rising Stars): 16 min total (12:54 of actual game time)
Music Performance: 6 min
Inside the NBA Tribute: 9 min
Game 3: (Chuck vs Shaq): 14 min total (10:40 of actual game time)
Post-Game: 6 min
Analyst Desk/Game Intros/Segments (total): 22 min
Ads (total): 80 min

NBA All star game is brutal. No matter the tweaks they try.