Best NBA season in a long while?

I think it's instantly made college basketball better overall and more compelling. It's too early to tell IMO on the pro level, though clearly they are weeding out the kids that would have no business being drafted. Those high school kids who could fool scouts now get exposed, for better or worse, in their one year in college.

One thing that was written about following this All-Star weekend in a few places, though I remember Bill Simmons specifically writing about it, is that this crop of stars are much more likable than the crotch-grabbing, trash-talking stars of the '90s. Obviously that's a generalization, but there is little not to like about guys like Howard, Paul, D. Williams, Bosh, etc.

 

I guess this belongs on the NBA thread, but to follow up BM's post, anyone else just see that interview with Oden, and his new Mohawk?

If people didn't know what a great sense of humor this guy has from the ESPN the magazine commercial, they do now. That was fantastic.

 

High-scoring games get very, very boring, IMO. Sure, the Celtics might be ranked high in defense, but did you see their last two games against Western Conference teams? They lost 128-114 to the Nuggets and 119-117 to the Warriors. How is that for defense?

 

Warriors-Celtics: 166 field goals attempted between the two teams. That's 3.5 FG attempts per minute. You get bored by that sort of game? 87 free throws attempted between the two teams, mostly because both teams were attacking the rim throughout.

That's the sort of game I want to see.

 

Where's the strategy. I could get a team of area street ballers out there against the Warriors and tell them to keep heaving up shots. Sure, they might get blown out, but it would be the same game.

 

The Warriors strategy dares opposing teams; 'Hey, you think you can run with us? Prove it.'

The Celtics made the poor decision to do so, and lost. If Boston tries to slow the game down, and get Golden State out of its run-and-gun rhythm, it probably wins. But as some have been pointing out for ages, strategy isn't Doc Rivers' strong suit.

 

Is Rumple Dr. Z? I don't think I've ever heard of anyone complaining about too much offense in the NBA. The time that most point to as the glory years, in the 80s, featured run-and-gun, high-scoring basketball. It's when the slow down, defensive minded teams like the Spurs and Pistons started reaching championships that fans checked out. I know the casual fan shouldn't be the measuring stick for sports, but I've rarely, if ever, heard anyone longing for some good old defensive 87-82 games in the finals.

 

Of course, the Celtics beat Denver 119-93 and Golden State 105-82 at home back in November.