NBA fans?

[Joseph]

I've had a theory about NBA fans and I just want to test that here with a simple poll.

The basis is easy, if you are an NBA fan, please vote as to your age bracket.

[Redsfan320]

I voted not a fan. I occasionally watch a Cavs game, and am a big LeBron fan, but I really can't call myself and NBA fan.

320

[Joseph]

Well thus far my theory is just not holding water. But its an interesting and enlightening discovery.

[TeamSelig]

Do you mind stating what your theory is/was? Just curious as to what it was.

[NJReds]

Over 30 and a Knicks fan. However, if the Knicks aren't playing I really don't watch any games. (And they're really hard to watch, too.) For baseball and football, I can watch any teams play.

[NorrisHopper30]

19, almost 20. Love the NBA.

[Joseph]

Do you mind stating what your theory is/was? Just curious as to what it was.

Basically that the NBA appealed to younger fans and it was something you grew out of as you got a bit older.

[reds1869]

Not an NBA fan. I back up your theory a bit. I was a big Cavs fan growing up but have lost all interest in the NBA, though I respect the players big time.

[dabvu2498]

Basically that the NBA appealed to younger fans and it was something you grew out of as you got a bit older.

[Roy Tucker]

I was a huge Cincinnati Royals fan and kept my NBA fanship alive ever since then.

But I'm probably in the minority.

[texasdave]

Basically that the NBA appealed to younger fans and it was something you grew out of as you got a bit older.

I dont think this poll can tell you what you want to know, because I have the feeling that the ages of the members of Redszone don't mirror the ages of sports' fans in general. I could be wrong.

[texasdave]

I was a huge Cincinnati Royals fan and kept my NBA fanship alive ever since then.

But I'm probably in the minority.

I spent a good many nights down at Cincinnati Gardens. :beerme:

[westofyou]

Basically that the NBA appealed to younger fans and it was something you grew out of as you got a bit older.

Actually I think basketball was a better game in the 70's than it is now.

That's partially why I am no longer interested.

[Kingspoint]

Actually I think basketball was a better game in the 70's than it is now.

That's partially why I am no longer interested.

Each team would have 20-25 turnovers per game, but you didn't care because it was because of the nature of the fast-pace play (the way basketball is best played from a fan perspective). You'd see great "team" play, which is far better to watch than "individual" play. Mix great athleticism in with great "team" play, and you've got a "show", such as the Drexler-Blazers, the Magic-Lakers, the Erving-Sixers, the Dominique-Hawks, the Eddie-Johnson-Suns, the Aguirre-Mavericks, etc.

[gilpdawg]

31, soon to be 32, and a die-hard Indiana Pacers fan. Have been ever since I was little. Also root for Boston because I'm a Hoosier boy and grew up worshiping Bird.

[AtomicDumpling]

I used to be an avid fan of college basketball -- back when the good players actually still played college ball. Nowadays college hoops is uber boring to watch. Nothing but three-point shots from unathletic players that can't drive the ball to the basket nor post up and score.

Back in the day we couldn't wait to see superstar players like Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, and Hakeem Olajuwon take the court. It used to be a star-driven game, which made it tons of fun to watch all the games -- not just your favorite teams. Now the players are mostly faceless, anonymous robots wearing school jerseys. It is now a game driven by your loyalty to your school and the players are secondary. The coaches are the only guys with any name recognition anymore. I bet the average casual sports fan couldn't name three players in all of college basketball. Back in the day everybody knew who the star players were. I miss those days a lot.

So when I need a basketball fix I look for some NBA action. There are still fantastic superstar players in the NBA that can really dazzle the viewer. I wouldn't say I am a huge fan of the NBA, but it sure is a lot more interesting than college hoops.

[RedLakerFan24]

im a die-hard Laker fan, i watch every single lakers game, i dont miss a game, i also dont miss a Reds Game, im problaby the biggest Laker Fan

[Redsfan320]

Lakers. Blech. The Yankees, the Cowboys, of the NBA.

320

[KoryMac5]

I used to watch the NBA a lot in the late 80's and throughout the 90's, can't say I really like the way the game has evolved. Players can't shoot as well as they used to and it seems like every play is an isolation. I blame a lot of it on players leaving college after a season or two. While the talent may be there the coaching that these kids have had is not what it needs to be.

[TeamSelig]

I couldn't find the most updated statistics so this is just up to 06-07...

From 87 to 07, it is just a minor .020% drop in FG%, but a .042% increase in 3PT%.

I think I have a theory why old timers don't like basketball anymore. You have to really strain your brain to think of a white American basketball player that is any good. You won't find a top player.

[westofyou]

I couldn't find the most updated statistics so this is just up to 06-07...

From 87 to 07, it is just a minor .020% drop in FG%, but a .042% increase in 3PT%.

I think I have a theory why old timers don't like basketball anymore. You have to really strain your brain to think of a white American basketball player that is any good. You won't find a top player.

Old timers?

Umm I could care less if the guy is white or orange, I like team basketball, Riley changed the game with it being nothing but a 2 man game.

[TeamSelig]

If you're not an old timer then maybe I wasn't referring to you.

[westofyou]

Depends on what actually the definition of an old timer is?

Old-timer may refer to:

A veteran
An elderly person
A vintage car in Dutch and German as a legal definition (written unhyphenated)
Oldtimers (Pern), a group of dragonriders in the fantasy fiction series Dragonriders of Pern
A line of knives manufactured by Imperial Schrade
Oldtimer Grand Prix, a name of two different historic motorsport events

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old-timer

[TeamSelig]

Sorry, I forgot you were a dragon rider. lol

[Roy Tucker]

I blame it on the Bad Boys era Detroit Pistons. Their sumo wrestling defense destroyed the running game and reduced the game to hand to hand combat.

And then the Riley-era Knicks made it even uglier.

[westofyou]

I blame it on the Bad Boys era Detroit Pistons. Their sumo wrestling defense destroyed the running game and reduced the game to hand to hand combat.

And then the Riley-era Knicks made it even uglier.

valid arguement, google Riley ruined basketball and find this:

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/06/did-the-knicks-ruin-basketball.php

[improbus]

You can "blame" Pat Riley and the Pistons for ruining basketball, but that raises two important questions.

1) What they heck else were they supposed to do against Jordan?
2) Why didn't earlier NBA teams employ a similar strategy?

Question #2 is the more important one. Why is it the modern NBA's fault that '80's hoops involved no tough perimeter team defense until the Pistons. Before the Pistons, teams would have a "defensive specialist" like Michael Cooper or Dennis Johnson. Then the Pistons realized that it might be smart to play multiple defenders at the same time. Now, you can't have more than one or two "defensive liabilities" on the floor (see Phoenix and Golden State for exhibits A and B.)

If you think about it, Jordan was the greatest player in NBA history, but Pippin may have been the most influential on todays NBA. His combination of size, speed, and toughness was never seen before but is now the archetype for wing players.

[Joseph]

There aren't exactly a lot of guys with Pippens ability roaming the court today though. Don't confuse a bunch of guys who don't do any one thing well with a Pippen who did a lot of things well but no one thing better than the others.

[improbus]

There aren't exactly a lot of guys with Pippens ability roaming the court today though. Don't confuse a bunch of guys who don't do any one thing well with a Pippen who did a lot of things well but no one thing better than the others.
I'm not saying that there are Pippin clones, but he is an archetype that didn't exist in 1985. Dr. J and David Thompson created the uber-athletic wing and Jordan perfected it and Pippin created the 6'8'' athletic defender who can guard 3-4 positions. None of them have approximated Pippin's overall game, but here are some examples:
Shawn Marion
LeBron James
Gerald Wallace
Stephen Jackson (prbably the closest overall)
Jeff Green
Josh Howard
Caron Butler
Andre Iguodala
Josh Smith
Danny Granger
Lamar Odom
Wilson Chandler
Andrei Kirilenko
Trevor Ariza
Ron Artest (more 3-4 years ago)
Again, Pippin was a top 15 player all-time, so comparing anyone to him is a tall order. But, teams love the flexibility of guys who can guard all over the floor.

[Revering4Blue]

Why is it the modern NBA's fault that '80's hoops involved no tough perimeter team defense until the Pistons.

I disagree.

Teams in the '80's and earlier simply executed better offensively. Read: Over-dependence on isolations and three-point shots at the expense of the mid-range game bogged offenses down and helped to disrupt the flow of the game.

Factor in over-expansion, shake well, and the result wasn't pretty, for the most part.

Thankfully, the NBA now allows zone defenses, which allows a team to place it's five best players on the court regardless of position, allowing for more mismatches on the offensive end.

The result: Significantly fewer 85-72 clunkers than a decade or so ago.

[Revering4Blue]

I may be entirely wrong--it has happened before:D--but I suspect that most non-NBA fans, even though they may be huge College hoops fans, are big fans of at least two of the following:

1)Golf

2)Tennis

3)NASCAR(motorsports)

4)NHL

Me? I'll continue as both an NHL and NBA fan, which seems to be an anomaly, largely because the first three bore me to tears.

[westofyou]

I may be entirely wrong--it has happened before:D--but I suspect that most non-NBA fans, even though they may be huge College hoops fans, are big fans of at least two of the following:

1)Golf

2)Tennis

3)NASCAR(motorsports)

4)NHL

Me? I'll continue as both an NHL and NBA fan, which seems to be an anomaly, largely because the first three bore me to tears.

Me as well, but I augment my NHL habit with EPL.

[improbus]

I disagree.

Teams in the '80's and earlier simply executed better offensively. Read: Over-dependence on isolations and three-point shots at the expense of the mid-range game bogged offenses down and helped to disrupt the flow of the game.

Factor in over-expansion, shake well, and the result wasn't pretty, for the most part.

Thankfully, the NBA now allows zone defenses, which allows a team to place it's five best players on the court regardless of position, allowing for more mismatches on the offensive end.

The result: Significantly fewer 85-72 clunkers than a decade or so ago.

To a certain degree, you're right. The dangerous combination of Free Agency and Over Expansion really hurt the game. Team are unable to stick together like they used to an gain any real offensive cohesion.

But, in the interest of research, I watched some of 7 of the '84 finals and noticed one huge thing. No one puts any pressure on the ball-handler. The defender is always three steps away from the ball, particularly on the perimeter and this allows the guards to make extremely easy post entries without any denial. Because of this, the offense actually begins at 17 feet, unlike at 25 feet where the modern NBA starts. Part of this is probably due to the lack of fear of the 3 point line. But, it allows the offense to start without any hiccups. In the 90's, it wasn't easy to start the offense with GP or Pippin hounding the ball at 25 feet, so running intricate sets wasn't really very effective.

In a way, you can blame '90's Knick/Heat/Piston ball on the refs. They should have continued to call it tight (like they did in the '80's.) When players realized that they could "hand check" (read: foul) and generally mug players, it made fluid basketball tough to create.

[Captain Hook]

Growing up in the 80s and early 90s I became a big Lakers fan.Nothing was better then Lakers vs Celtics but Lakers vs Pistons was pretty good to.

I admit I lost interest for a few years(probably about the time Jordan retired)but with Lebron and Kobe I think we have our modern day version of Magic and Bird.Nothing sparks interest like a good rivalry.

While NBA action probably isn't the best it's ever been it sure is better then it has been in a long time.Over 30 and I watch bits and pieces of games every night and will settle in for at least 1 full game a week.