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Friday, August 05, 2011
Half-a-season of NBA? Great idea!
I am not a follower of NBA, having never watched an entire game, ever. I know the stars, and occasionally will watch half a quarter. That’s the extent of my watching the NBA. I should watch more. It’s not that I don’t like basketball. It’s a great game, the rules are simple. When I was a kid, I’d throw garbage into the bin from 10 or 15 feet out. It’s a great game one-on-one, just as it is five-on-five or three-on-three. Just the whole idea of the game of basketball is great. I have watched full games of final four games.
It’s just the whole NBA experience that doesn’t do it for me. I think it’s probably based on the fact that the sport is so dominated by a small group of players, that I’m not seeing the drama needed that makes sports what it is. I’ve argued that a 162-game MLB season (and I have no problem watching full games there) and an 82-game NHL season (again, love watching full games) are equivalent in terms of final standings being linked to true talent. That is, the amount of luck / drama in the standings is equivalent. The equivalent in NFL is 28 games, and only 32 games in the NBA. Thirty two. That means they play an extra fifty games to try to remove as much of the luck / drama in the final standings. Which would be a noble thing if the league leader was crowned champion… but then they got into a 16-team playoffs. It is a huge and enormous overkill.
Now, because of the lockout, there’s a possibility that we’ll have an abbreviated season. The ideal scenario, if they insist on a 16-team playoffs (and, of course, why wouldn’t they, when you consider the money), is probably (taking a decent guess here) a 20-game season. You do that, and then you get drama. You’ll get plenty of good teams rise to the top, but a few good teams that might even miss the playoffs.
Now, I will congratulate those who actively follow the NBA. Good for you. You’re probably looking at the game more myopically, watching the game in a form of one-and-done, appreciating the game for what it has to offer. Great, congratulations to you.
If you over-analyze like I do, realize how much the final standings are a buzzkill, and the playoffs are overkill, then you know that I’m a doomed fan.
When it comes to being a fan, it’s better to remain a fan than be an analyst.
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