My version of it anyway: 1. Abolish conferences and divisions: This basically makes it an even playing field for all.. None of the imbalances we see in the league today. Have each team play every other team 4 times (3 would be ideal, but then you have the problem of home/road).. Which would extend the regular season significantly, which leads to.. 2. No best of 7 series: ..A shorter and more exciting postseason. The longer regular season means people WILL want to do well because home-court advantage is more pronounced in the 5-game series (HHRRH).. As a lot of people have noticed, the first-round games have been difficult to watch. No upsets means no fun. Many say that the better team will always win a 7-game series, but the better team should win a 5-game series as well. I don't see a problem with that. The last thing we need is having to watch the Indiana Pacers cream the Celtics for one more game than necessary. 3. Instant Replay: The NBA has been pretty backwards about this. Get with the times! We have the technology to make sure each game is officiated to perfection. It isn't realistic to ask that every play be reviewed obviously, but adopt a rule similar to the NFL's-- allow each team an allocation of "Reviews" to use, at the cost of a full timeout or something similar. The fact that a game-breaking play that happens 5 seconds before the game ends can't be reviewed and one that happens as the buzzer sounds can is pretty stupid. 4. Backup Referees: Self-explanatory. Ref's are people too, and they can get hurt. The game should not suffer for that. This years' playoffs provide exactly why we need them. 5. Allstar Weekend: Dunk contest needs some love. What moron decided they needed RULES for this thing? I don't think players should be penalized for misses at all (well okay, fine,.. give them 5 tries for every dunk). Don't even get me started on the so-called "rules" currently in place (only 1st-3rd yr players, only allowed to enter thrice?).. Make it less about contest and more about showmanship! You won't need to increase the prize money to get people to play if it just straight up looks fun. 3-Point shootout is what it is; I wouldn't change a thing really. That celebrity/legend atrocity needs to be changed or removed. I want an NBA player. Not a WNBA player. Not an old guy. Not Justin Timberlake. An NBA player. The whole playmaker bit with the hoops and cones wasn't very entertaining to meeither, but whatever. I wouldn't know what to replace them with either. Possibly a halfcourt shot contest (I think I read about this on ESPN) or some kind of one-on-one contest (although I'd imagine that not many big stars would be interested since it involves risking their ego).. The rookie games have been dunkfests which is something you can't really help with young players.. A lot of these guys hardly get to play in the regular season and just want to get on a highlight reel. If anything the selection process needs some work (Utah got snubbed).. Allstar game is the only time East/West conferences would be considered. People talk about raising the stakes and whatnot to get people to play harder, but shoot this isn't the playoffs. I watch allstar weekend to see T-Mac throw it off the backboard and dunk it, not a grind-it-out defense that I'm sure the Duncan/KG/Shaq frontcourt is capable of. 6. Remove Doc Rivers as a TV analyst. Case in point-- 1st quarter: "This is interesting they're putting Artest on Hamilton and this works for Detroit because Hamilton plays off the ball--he runs off screens and just catches and shoots, whereas Artest is a great on-ball defender" 3rd quarter: "See the Pistons are going to Hamilton and letting him take Artest off the dribble because that's his game" 4th quarter: "And now Hamilton is scoring again since he's not trying to take it off the dribble. That's his game." I can live with Walton's ridiculous verbiage, Charles kissing a donkey, and Stephen A yelling everything he says (hell I've come to love all three), but having to listen to this raspy-voiced has-been go on about players and "their game" while making critical comments towards other coaches ("they need teamwork to win, and it begins in the locker room") despite getting fired for losing 10 games in a row in the worst division in the conference with arguably the best player in the East.. He apparently cant make up his mind about things either. Fire him please. 7. NBA League Pass: is a rip off. Give me every game and include NBA TV in the package. Many thanks to ESPN writers for pushing to have this fixed. I think that's it for now
well, the main reason they have conferences is to cut down on travel...I think if they abolish the conferences and play everybody the same amount of games, that might cause a lot of strain amoung the players
NBA players are paid millions upon millions of dollars to play basketball for what, 7 months of the year? 6 if they skip the preseason. 9 if they make it all the way to the Finals. If a surgeon can work nearly everyday all year long and still be able to do his job well, an NBA player that gets paid 10 times as much should be expected to. They are also (supposed to be) very well conditioned since that's basically all that their job demands apart from playing the actual game.. So physically it should be no problem. Even if there is a so-called "toll" on the players, it will only serve to encourage teams to be more well-rounded. A 10-man rotation like Hubie's Grizzlies would fare much better than the starter-dependent Lakers. Depth becomes more important, which is a good thing if you ask me. EDIT: Also to add.. I don't know the history of the game very well but would it be a stretch to assume that the travel issues that caused conferences to be set in place had to do with like.. actual limitations (not enough plane flights or teams dont have private jets)? These days I would think that players have no problem getting around the country, and the amenities that they have at hotels basically means they have all the comforts of home..
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting panfolk:</div><div class="quote_post">Why is NBA League Pass a ripoff? Detail please. Do you know if it coould work with tivo?</div> NBA League Pass is a subscriptional service through your cable company.. Runs around $200 I believe, depends since they offered discounts a few times this year. It essentially advertises that you'd be able to see every game in the regular season. Instead, there are "NBA TV Exclusive" games that aren't shown on League Pass (which isnt really it's own set of channels like NBA TV.. basically you watching LP is like seeing games from local TV.. for example, for us WA residents, Komo4 shows our Sonics games when they aren't on national TV). NBA TV requires another (seperate) fee; in fact Comcast didn't even HAVE the channel this year, so if we wanted to see those NBA TV games, even if we would shell out the extra bucks, we couldnt. ESPN describes the whole shebang as a bait-and-switch. At least one writer complained very vocally about it to David Stern and as a result NBA TV had a promotional free period towards the end of the season, with availability dependant on region. Edit: And I don't have Tivo so I honestly don't know
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting tradebark:</div><div class="quote_post"> It essentially advertises that you'd be able to see every game in the regular season. Instead, there are "NBA TV Exclusive" games that aren't shown on League Pass (which isnt really it's own set of channels like NBA TV.. basically you watching LP is like seeing games from local TV.. for example, for us WA residents, Komo4 shows our Sonics games when they aren't on national TV). NBA TV requires another (seperate) fee; in fact Comcast didn't even HAVE the channel this year, so if we wanted to see those NBA TV games, even if we would shell out the extra bucks, we couldnt. </div> See this is your problem, I have IO digitial Cable & they give NBATV free (all season long)along with my League Pass package(no extra charges). The only problem I have with league Pass is that during the regular season,when games are on ABC during the weekend they dont show any of the games around the league that are on at that same time. So its like the NBA is forcing us to watch the ABC games. But the purpose of League Pass is to be able to watch any game we want. I know it probably has to do with the NBA contract with ABC but still.....
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting eginobili20:</div><div class="quote_post">Man that must cost a fortune?!</div> Not really it cost $179 for the entire season. And if you buy it for the 2nd half of the season at the all-star break its $99
cool, u lucky guys, i only getto see nba every night for 10 minutes and two days aweek a hole game (on one sports channel (china )
I dont agree with the divison cutting. I like it how it is. AS for Doc Rivers, I agree 100%. Good coach, bad analasyst. I cant stand his voice either.
I think the only thing wrong with the NBA is that the 16 best teams never make the playoffs. There are always crap Eastern teams with sub-.500 records that make it over Western teams with better records. That's my main problem. Cause, yea, I just don't like seeing teams 8 games below .500, for example this years Celtics, in the playoffs. It's crap.
The Western Conference is too stacked... I dunno if they could do something about it, but it would be nice if the Eastern Conference could be just as good as the West.
i hate it when a defensive player steps in like 1/10th of a second before an offensive player gets to his spot, and gets the charging call... thats not "pure" basketball imo. if you have already established position and u get run over, thats one thing. but to step in front of a guy when hes already up in the air, then flop when u get the least bit of contact and get the charging call, i think that's a cop-out play. they need to keep the charging rule, but put some restriction on it, such as the defensive player has to have established position for at least a whole second or two. too many vlade and fishers in the league now.
It's funny how Basketball, specifically the NBA, is the only sport that people demand to be changed in every aspect. Is it so flawed compared to other sports or what?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Henacy:</div><div class="quote_post">See this is your problem, I have IO digitial Cable & they give NBATV free (all season long)along with my League Pass package(no extra charges). </div> Indeed it is, and it is for thousands of other people as well. I have no idea what IO is and unfortunately for me and people in my area, Comcast is the only service available other than sattelite.
"No best of 7 series" Understandable argument. Yea, better teams should be able to clinch the series in a 5-game series but UPSETS are prone to happen in such series which will make people watch more and will be more fun. But a 5-game series for NBA Finals? Don't know about that one.. In many sport, (MLB, NHL) Game 7 has a nice ring to it, you know.. Like ...2 outs, 2 strike in 9th inning in GAME 7. If it was game 5, then...the drama or "fun" factor would largely be diminished.. But I get your point and I would suggest NBA going BACK to the way it was for first-round series to be 5-game series. I'm sure there are NO ARGUMENTS THERE. whew~ next, "Instant Replay" I would say Instant Replay should be applied in 4th quarter with 2:00 remaining. This is a MUST! last 2:00 can decide a tightly played game (you know, one of those 18 ties, 21 lead changes games..) "Backup Referees" Makes sense.. "Allstar Weekend" Ok. All star weekend.. SOMETHING.....S-O-M-E-T-H-I-N-G must be done, changed, improved, revolutionized, whatever you wanna call it. It's just damn boring as hell. I mean I never watch those stupid celebrity/WNBA/Legend game (with P.Diddy and Justin (black wanna be) Timberlake as COACHES?!?) I mean it's just waste of time. If the League has enough money to throw away like that, they must have enough for using it for improvement. "Dunk Contest" You are absolutely right. DON'T.. I repeat , DO NOT make this a too crazy event where it gets too techinical.. Make this fun, for the fans and players. How? I don't know.. Add MORE players, not just 4. There are PLENTY of high fliers in NBA. "One-on-One" Now, there is a thought. How great would it be for us to see Kobe vs. Tmac (Probably not going to happen for the first few years but down the road, its possible). "3-Point shootout is what it is; I wouldn't change a thing really. " Couldn't agree more.. "That celebrity/legend atrocity needs to be changed or removed. I want an NBA player. Not a WNBA player. Not an old guy. Not Justin Timberlake. An NBA player." YUP.
Well case in point is this year and the last 3-4 years.. 7 game series doesnt mean anything other than dragging the beatdown out.. Personally I have no interest in "ensuring the best team wins," because if they were really that much better than the other team, they'd win a 5 game series too.. As for the nice 'ring' to it, well, the Superbowl is arguably the biggest night in American sports and that's because it's a do-or-die game. The shorter the series the higher the drama. I like the idea of Instant Replay allocations.. Let it be used at the coach's discretion. After all, a game-breaking play doesnt HAVE to happen in the last 2 minutes, although one would naturally think that coaches would save their "reviews" for the last few plays, yes. If you forced an instant replay for every play in the closing minutes though, that would bog the game down too much..
The perfect NBA for me would just to have at least 10 outta what, 30 teams to avg a 100pts and up. Not just 2 or 3, I wanna see some baskets man. Anyways, that's a start back in the right direction in IMO. Players gotta learn how to hit a open shot a bit more.
Haha oh man I agree.. I dont know how to realistically fix that though :] Although if each team played every other team 4 times, that means all the playoff teams would have that many more chances to up their scoring average, hehe..
I don't know what can be done about it, but I'm pretty sick of the "smart foul." It's irritating to slow down games, lower scores, and risk benching players just to avoid a bucket or two. If you are nine points behind and there's a minute left hacking players for free throws shouldn't be an option. Also when they hack just to avoid the easy finish on a break. That's some annoying stuff.
