The Official NBA Season Thread: Terry Rozier Under Investigation

[dman14]

Outside of the warriors and maybe some big time matchups, I cannot sit through a whole game like I use to. For me, the reg season turned into baseball. Too long, and it just doesn't matter with play in spots and guys sitting out.

Usually, storylines and drama could sell the games, but NBA doesn't even have anything cooking like that. League needs a dominant team/dynasty and player that you either want to hate or root for.

 

[JMB10215]

Why do y’all care so much about casual viewers?

Because I care about the overall health of the league.

 

[JMB10215]

That OKC vs Hou did not meet expectations. I love Mil and OKC but I’ll be interested in the viewership of the Cup final

 

[elpablo21]

Big Neilsen Thread

 

[B Sox]

Because I care about the overall health of the league.

And it’s doing great.

 

[ALNotSure]

Took a trip down memory lane, because people are complaining so much about ratings and how the NBA sucks compared to 20-30-40 years ago. Well, lemme tell you about a little 7-game series between the Nets and Pistons on 2004, the same year the Pistons destroyed the Lakers in the Finals. You know, a team that had Shaq and Kobe.

These were the results of that Pistons-Nets series:

Whoooooo, boy, that 56 point effort by the Nets in Game 1 sure would have sent the national audience into a tizzy! Especially with established superstars of....Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace, and Jason Kidd (who literally nobody liked). So exciting to watch that! Who needs scoring anyway? But wait, it got better! Game 3 had the Nets holding the Pistons to 64 points. Man, I'm sure that was exciting as hell! The Lakers surely have this whole thing wrapped up because the East sucks, and they're getting every call in the West, right? The Nets are up 3-2...wait, what's that? Game 4 ended 127-120? How does that happen? Did everyone forget to play defense and punt to the next game? Do the Pistons suck now? Nope. They won the next two games, and beat the Pacers the next series and curb stomped the Lakers. Again, the Shaqobe Lakers.

My point is, ratings don't matter. You can make all the rule changes you want. The NBA is what it is. The TV deal proves that networks believe it's worth it. And, whenever people tell me "oh, the NBA was so much better when they played defense, or when Larry Bird played", I can just easily point to this nonsense and say "WAS IT?"

The point is, the NBA was legitimately awful to watch for a long period of time. FIFTY-SIX POINTS in a second round game, by a team coming off a Finals appearance, and with Kidd still being an All-NBA first team guard?

The NBA has a talent boom it's never experienced in its history. David Stern would have green lit expansion yesterday, but Adam Silver is such a wimp that he won't even commit to Vegas and Seattle, while the NHL has lapped him in terms of expansion. Silver is a terrible commissioner, and is still dining out on the Sterling thing. Stern would never have let Gary Bettman get the upper hand on TWO major markets.

I see your point and nice post. The Pistons were a defensive team. You were not dropping 120 on the pistons lol. Also while overall scores were higher in the 2000s than the 1990s our expectations were different in the 80s and 90s. A 100-96 game was amazing back then lol. The 3 point shot was effective but not a serious part of an offense where a center or power forward still was. Centers and power forwards slow an offense down. Coaching was different too.

Yall correct me if I am wrong but wasn’t D’Antoni the first guy to say screw defense and let’s run and gun? They basically out scored you with no true center. Not sure of their 3 point usage. Obviously it didn’t win a chip but maybe we don’t point to that as a major pivotal point?

 

[dman14]

I see your point and nice post. The Pistons were a defensive team. You were not dropping 120 on the pistons lol. Also while overall scores were higher in the 2000s than the 1990s our expectations were different in the 80s and 90s. A 100-96 game was amazing back then lol. The 3 point shot was effective but not a serious part of an offense where a center or power forward still was. Centers and power forwards slow an offense down. Coaching was different too.

Yall correct me if I am wrong but wasn’t D’Antoni the first guy to say screw defense and let’s run and gun? They basically out scored you with no true center. Not sure of their 3 point usage. Obviously it didn’t win a chip but maybe we don’t point to that as a major pivotal point?

nelly did it with the run TMC warriors
doug moe with the nuggs in the 80s
still had the center position

now every team is trying to play this style, but when they don't have the pieces or if the three ball is off, it is bad ball and product on the floor

 

[JMB10215]

And it’s doing great.

In what sense? Because that’s not the consensus chatter among people right now. So why is perception that much different than reality.

 

[had pants]

 

[ill steelo]

The presentation is just so bad by the league and it's media partners.

This is actually unbelievable

Shai will be 1st team all NBA for the 3rd straight year and AT THE MINIMUM the Thunder are going to be winning 55+ games and in the 2nd round for the next several years.

They look like they’re winning 65+ games this year, which should give Shai the MVP.

They need a marketing push. Flat out. They’re gonna be here for a while.

There is absolutely nothing to gain by acknowledging you want the more popular players to be on that stage Unreal. They’re nearing retirement anyway. Prep the casuals for the next generation.

 

[QU!K]

Hol up, Nuggets were 6th seed in '22?! What was the overall Jokic MVP justification?

Something like he’s putting up better stats than last year.

But the history of the mvp award has never been individual stats driven and team record has always been a factor

Okc was 6th when Russ won

Statpadding mvps

 

[lawdog1]

In what sense? Because that’s not the consensus chatter among people right now. So why is perception that much different than reality.

Because narratives get pushed by people who don’t have a deep understanding of the entire situation.

Example, my little brother. Hasn’t watched more than a handful of Lakers games per season (except for thier championship runs, when he paid more attention) for like 30 years. Has nothing to do with the NBA product; just his personal preference. Not going to change. But I saw him yesterday at a birthday party for my nephew and he brings up the NBA ratings. It’s just a narrative that’s out there and being pushed in certain circles, so it’s an easy topic for casual conversation.

My brother doesn’t really care that much and isn’t going to change his viewing habits no matter what the NBA, but is still talking about the ratings because narratives.

 

[B Sox]

In what sense? Because that’s not the consensus chatter among people right now. So why is perception that much different than reality.

They signed an 11 year $76B rights deal just 5 months ago.

Teams getting valued over $4B with 2 more expansion teams coming within the next couple years.

Players getting paid more than ever.

All time greats like Joker and The Greek Child putting together absolutely incredible seasons.

Younger stars like SGA and Tatum just entering their prime and leading the best teams in the league.

Crop of younger guys that are exciting to watch like Wemby, Lamelo, Paolo, etc.

This “consensus chatter” didn’t seem to bother ESPN/ABC/NBC/Amazon whatsoever.

 

[QU!K]

22' Suns, last year Celtics

Every guy you named didn't win MVPs simply being the best player with the best record

Whole reason why they used to vote that way was because most voters didn't or couldn't watch as much as they do now and just standings watched

It’s not a simple or perfect equation, I’m saying it should be a factor.

Westbrook and Jokic ‘22 MVPs are shambolic.

Harden should have won over Westbrook in ‘17

An example of where the best player on the best team that was wrong is D. Rose over LeBron

Harden should have won over Curry in ‘15

Win shares should also come into account

SGA should win this year

 

[Coupé It]

I was with Dennis Shroeder and some other mutual friends the other day.

Look for him to be a Warrior or on the Heat by the deadline.

Sam > Shams

 

[Coupé It]

QU!K

No player had revolutionized the game more ever than Steph.

 

[frshstunna]

Rockets going to be out in the first round. Not a bad thing

They need a consistent bucket getter on the perimeter

Green got the tools but idk if he’ll ever put it together to be that guy

 

[lawdog1]

This is actually unbelievable

Shai will be 1st team all NBA for the 3rd straight year and AT THE MINIMUM the Thunder are going to be winning 55+ games and in the 2nd round for the next several years.

They look like they’re winning 65+ games this year, which should give Shai the MVP.

They need a marketing push. Flat out. They’re gonna be here for a while.

There is absolutely nothing to gain by acknowledging you want the more popular players to be on that stage Unreal. They’re nearing retirement anyway. Prep the casuals for the next generation.

This, IMO, is the only real “problem” with the current NBA. The ineptitude that exists with marketing the game, both in terms of philosophy and execution.

It really started to irk me most with how the NBA - and its broadcast partners in particular - reacted to the Jokic’s ascension. Instead of embracing this guy who was doing amazing things in a different way, you had clowns like Nick Wright outright diminishing it or other people acting like Joker was doing it with smoke and mirrors. Antithesis of promoting the game.

 

[lawdog1]

They need a consistent bucket getter on the perimeter

Green got the tools but idk if he’ll ever put it together to be that guy

Doesn’t feel like Ime really trusts him to be the guy like that and he himself seems uncertain to me at times about when he should try to get his and when he should defer.

I feel like, with someone like him, if you think he can be the guy, you gotta just give him the keys and let him go for it. He showed signs he could do it last year when guys were out.

 

[8pm at msg]

The amount of love SGA gets from casuals who like fashion, pushing him as a face of the league should be easy. Half the work is already done by people on social media.

Ant is the only guy who really gets a strong push and all of that is done by Adidas.

 

[frshstunna]

Ratings talk going into 2025

The league is good tho, they still king on social media and keep growing internationally…It’s been dead for them TV ratings wise going on at least a decade plus now, n it’s a lot of reasons for that that have nothing to do with the on court product or players in the league

 

[dman14]

 

[frshstunna]

Doesn’t feel like Ime really trusts him to be the guy like that and he himself seems uncertain to me at times about when he should try to get his and when he should defer.

I feel like, with someone like him, if you think he can be the guy, you gotta just give him the keys and let him go for it. He showed signs he could do it last year when guys were out.

It seems like he can only cook if Sengun is out, that’s a trend that carried over from last season…I figured he wasn’t gonna be on fire like he was to end last year

 

[ALNotSure]

nelly did it with the run TMC warriors
doug moe with the nuggs in the 80s
still had the center position

now every team is trying to play this style, but when they don't have the pieces or if the three ball is off, it is bad ball and product on the floor

Thanks for jogging my memory. Correct they can’t shoot lol….

So are the current Celtics running something like this?

 

[ALNotSure]