***2021-2022 NBA Season Thread***

[Warhead36]

There is a long layoff until Game 3. That will do wonders for Curry's health.

[Going Commando]

So... How come the NBA didn't have their draft lottery tonight?  Prime time TV night with nothing but a hockey game on.  The NBA is run by stupid people.

[Renegade7]

17 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

So... How come the NBA didn't have their draft lottery tonight?  Prime time TV night with nothing but a hockey game on.  The NBA is run by stupid people.

https://contact.nba.com/contact-nba/

 

Do it.

[skinfan2k]

34 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

So... How come the NBA didn't have their draft lottery tonight?  Prime time TV night with nothing but a hockey game on.  The NBA is run by stupid people.

No one would watch the lottery with nothing on.  They did it perfect last night before the cavs game. 

 

[Going Commando]

49 minutes ago, skinfan2k said:

No one would watch the lottery with nothing on.  They did it perfect last night before the cavs game. 

 

Make it an event.  You can get 35 minutes of good TV out of a preview/post drawing reaction and make the lottery itself 5 minutes.  I guarantee people would watch if they did an NFL-style presentation of it.  A literal lottery drawing to determine which sad-sack team gets to be good for the next ten years is gold.  The NBA just has to mine it.

[Going Commando]

It's a crime against sports entertainment that Luke Donkic is the best European prospect ever and I've never seen him speak on TV before.  There should be hour long path to the draft programs that profile each of these kids airing on TV for a month before the draft, hyping them up and familiarizing the NBA fanbase (which is pretty casual) with them.

[Destino]

1 hour ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

It's a crime against sports entertainment that Luke Donkic is the best European prospect ever and I've never seen him speak on TV before.  There should be hour long path to the draft programs that profile each of these kids airing on TV for a month before the draft, hyping them up and familiarizing the NBA fanbase (which is pretty casual) with them.

Might want to wait until he commits before sending the ESPN crews out to Spain.  

 

Luka Doncic undecided on joining NBA next season

 

[Going Commando]

4 minutes ago, Destino said:

Might want to wait until he commits before sending the ESPN crews out to Spain.  

 

Luka Doncic undecided on joining NBA next season

 

 

He'll still get drafted though.  Ricky Rubio went top five even though teams knew he wasn't coming over for a minute, and Donkic is a lot better than him.

[Destino]

1 hour ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

Make it an event.  You can get 35 minutes of good TV out of a preview/post drawing reaction and make the lottery itself 5 minutes.  I guarantee people would watch if they did an NFL-style presentation of it.  A literal lottery drawing to determine which sad-sack team gets to be good for the next ten years is gold.  The NBA just has to mine it.

One of the things I hate about the NFL is how bloated it's become.  Everything is longer than it needs to be and entirely too much time is spent listening to people talk about football rather than actual football.  The draft is the best example of this.  They've absurdly stretched it into several days of the most boring sports television imaginable.  OK I'm lying, the combine is worse, so lets go with second worst. 

 

The most annoying thing on the internet is a short video that you want to watch, that forces you to watch a long commercial before letting you actually watch it.  That's essentially what the entire NFL has become. 

 

The NBA should embrace the future and focus on efficiency.  People want to be engaged but they don't want to commit too much time to every single thing.  Shorter is better in an increasingly mobile world.  Deliver better content, in a shorter time frame, and provide optional additional materials that can be viewed online.  

 

 

7 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

He'll still get drafted though.  Ricky Rubio went top five even though teams knew he wasn't coming over for a minute, and Donkic is a lot better than him.

I think there's a law that prohibits Wizards fans from mentioning that particular draft pick without cursing Ernie Grunfeld. 

[Going Commando]

2 minutes ago, Destino said:

The NBA should embrace the future and focus on efficiency.  People want to be engaged but they don't want to commit too much time to every single thing.  Shorter is better in an increasingly mobile world.  Deliver better content, in a shorter time frame, and provide optional additional materials that can be viewed online.  

 

You mean why would the NBA want to make tons more money and become a lot more popular and have more of their content consumed?

 

I think you're completely wrong about the NFL draft, and NFL programming in general.  People devour their content and they absolutely love their draft season, as well as their draft itself.  The worst part of the calendar for the NFL and NFL fans is between the draft and training camp, when there is nothing new happening.  There is no problem with oversaturation of their product.

[Kosher Ham]

NBA will not make money from folks watching the stupid lottery. They really don't at all now. Compared to the costs. 

I agree 100% with Destino about the NFL draft problems. It is an absurd length of time. Truly the only ones that watch the entire thing are the teams and the ones in the sports journalist positions. 

 

The first day is a party, the rest is a silly obnoxious circus that probably 90% of the world couldn't care less about (outside of checking on the teams and players that your favorite team picks or where your favorite college players went). Hell, the commissioner isn't even there after the longest day in all of sports.

NBA lottery will always be boring. 

 

 

[Warhead36]

The NFL Draft is just a lot more interesting. Nobody cares about the NBA Draft because the vast majority of the picks are role players or nothing players outside of the top 5. There really is no such thing as a "draft class" in the NBA because you're drafting two guys most of the time and one of them is a 2nd rounder which is equivalent to a 6th-7th rounder in the NFL.

[Destino]

1 hour ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

You mean why would the NBA want to make tons more money and become a lot more popular and have more of their content consumed?

 

I think you're completely wrong about the NFL draft, and NFL programming in general.  People devour their content and they absolutely love their draft season, as well as their draft itself.  The worst part of the calendar for the NFL and NFL fans is between the draft and training camp, when there is nothing new happening.  There is no problem with oversaturation of their product.

I don't think it makes sense for the NBA to try to be the NFL.  The NBA needs to capitalize on this era of basketball by focusing on growing internationally.  That's their biggest advantage over the NFL and they'd be fools not to make the most of it.  Big and bloated doesn't work as well when you're trying to break into sports countries used to far less commercial interruption of their sports. 

[Kosher Ham]

54 minutes ago, Warhead36 said:

The NFL Draft is just a lot more interesting. Nobody cares about the NBA Draft because the vast majority of the picks are role players or nothing players outside of the top 5. There really is no such thing as a "draft class" in the NBA because you're drafting two guys most of the time and one of them is a 2nd rounder which is equivalent to a 6th-7th rounder in the NFL.

 I disagree with most of that. Hell, your boy Arenas was a second round pick. 

 

53 minutes ago, Destino said:

I don't think it makes sense for the NBA to try to be the NFL.  The NBA needs to capitalize on this era of basketball by focusing on growing internationally.  That's their biggest advantage over the NFL and they'd be fools not to make the most of it.  Big and bloated doesn't work as well when you're trying to break into sports countries used to far less commercial interruption of their sports. 

Flip side, I agree with most of this.  Sabonis is the greatest international player to ever grace the NBA. 

They have no advantage over the NFL. NBA needs fans. We are headed back to the dark days... The few real superstars we have had over the past decade are not enough. They need the next Magic/Bird situation or the next player unnamed against a dominant conference. 

That is like saying that MLB is still the national past time. 

 

Unlike steve though, I believe a 4 point play for a dunk is the most absurd way to improve the game. I would stop watching. 

[Going Commando]

6 hours ago, Destino said:

I don't think it makes sense for the NBA to try to be the NFL.  The NBA needs to capitalize on this era of basketball by focusing on growing internationally.  That's their biggest advantage over the NFL and they'd be fools not to make the most of it.  Big and bloated doesn't work as well when you're trying to break into sports countries used to far less commercial interruption of their sports. 

 

Producing more content, especially content involving European players, would only help them market the game in Europe.

 

The NBA will never be the NFL, it simply can't draw in flyover state and rural whites like the NFL does, even though both games are played by black athletes.  Not without completely changing what it is.  But they can and absolutely should be stealing ideas from the NFL's playbook.  The NFL is the height of professionalism in sports entertainment production.  They are brilliant and innovative at presenting their product.  And they are king.  There is no reason why the NBA can't steal the NFL's model for presenting their draft and do it better.  The presentation would already be streamlined by being just two rounds, and the kids in their draft classes have much bigger potential star power than the football players entering their drafts.  Everyone in America watches the March Madness tournament, and with the proper programming, you can make the best non-NCAA players household names too.  NBA players are the biggest stars in American sports.  Basketball is super accessible.  It's the favorite sport of young people, who consume tons of content.

 

The NBA is doing so much less with more than the NFL is.  It's a niche, mom & pop sports league compared to the NFL even though it's the pro-league for America's favorite sport to play, and for the world's second most popular sport.  The Wizards vs Redskins is the perfect microcosm of this dynamic.

[Bozo the kKklown]

9 hours ago, Destino said:

I don't think it makes sense for the NBA to try to be the NFL.  The NBA needs to capitalize on this era of basketball by focusing on growing internationally.  That's their biggest advantage over the NFL and they'd be fools not to make the most of it.  Big and bloated doesn't work as well when you're trying to break into sports countries used to far less commercial interruption of their sports. 

The other big advantage the NBA has is that they are the best league with regards to social media. They allow anyone to post their highlights.

 

The youth are into the NBA because their highlights can be instagrammed.

2 hours ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

It's a niche, mom & pop sports league compared to the NFL

Just not true.

2 hours ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

It's a niche, mom & pop sports league compared to the NFL even though it's the pro-league for America's favorite sport to play, and for the world's second most popular sport.  The Wizards vs Redskins is the perfect microcosm of this dynamic.

Just not true.

 

Also, the Wizards vs. the Football team is more down to the Wizards not being a serious franchise. If the Wizards ever became serious contenders, the dynamic would change. The Wizards had a bigger appeal than the football team did in the 70s.

 

Also, and actually living in the DC area, I am not sure the football team has as much cache with younger fans than it did when I was younger.

[Bozo the kKklown]

9 hours ago, Warhead36 said:

The NFL Draft is just a lot more interesting. Nobody cares about the NBA Draft because the vast majority of the picks are role players or nothing players outside of the top 5

the vast majority of the NFL draft wont even play in the NFL. What are you saying here?

[Going Commando]

28 minutes ago, BenningRoadSkin said:

Just not true.

 

The NFL took in almost three times as much revenue as the NBA in 2016 and 2017.  The NBA hit four year highs in viewership this season while ratings in the NFL declined, and yet NFL viewership is still 12 times higher on average.  The NBA can't hold a candle to the NFL right now.  They're far closer to the NHL than they are to the NFL.

[Bozo the kKklown]

1 minute ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

 

The NFL took in almost three times as much revenue as the NBA in 2016 and 2017.  The NBA hit four year highs in viewership this season while ratings in the NFL declined, and yet NFL viewership is still 12 times higher on average.  The NBA can't hold a candle to the NFL right now.  They're far closer to the NHL than they are to the NFL.

As they should, they have a huge TV contract.

 

Football has become America's past time because it satiates our love of gladiator spectacles. The NBA will not be able to compete with that until football is forced to change to remove most of the violence (which is coming soon). (Also, I believe the NFL peaked and is on the decline. The Seattle/Green Bay MNF game in 2012 was the day it peaked, imo)

 

The NBA right now is in a great place and they are fighting the battle for the future, not today. Making the draft and draft lottery is not going to change that. It will satiate hoop nerds like you, but a lot of hoop nerds (like myself) really don't care. 

[Going Commando]

Two more changes I would make if I had total control over the NBA:

 

1 - Move the Clippers to Seattle and rename the team the Sonics.  This just makes too much sense for it to not have already happened.

 

2 - Move the Nets to Kansas City.  Or anywhere else that's a decent basketball market without a team really.  They deserve to lose the Nets for turning the franchise into a ponzi scheme to get the Barclay Center built with a ton of public money.  And no NBA city needs two teams.

[Momma There Goes That Man]

People also care about college football a hell of a lot more than college basketball. that alone makes the NFL draft more exciting since fans have seen those players for several years in college and gotten to know them and their ability a bit.

 

The best college basketball players play one season, are rarely nationally televised until the tournament and then move on to the draft where nobody knows them. Part of that is due to what Steve mentioned but part of it is just the way the sport is. I obviously hate college basketball but I can't think of a college player since Durant that actually resonated nationally

[Mr. Sinister]

Football's indisputable cult like grip on rural/small town America has made the NFL bulletproof. With the way it's owners etc behave and the way it operates, and the ideals it latches onto, it should not be what it is, but that's what will keep it there

[Bozo the kKklown]

1 minute ago, Momma There Goes That Man said:

I obviously hate college basketball but I can't think of a college player since Durant that actually resonated nationally

This is a great point.

 

Trae Young had 2 months this season that felt like that, but then it all fell apart. Ben Simmons had hype, but his team was garbage and he clearly checked out.

 

Blake Griffin, maybe?

 

I really cannot think of the last national college basketball player. And with the NBA allowing HS players back into the draft, that will probably extinguish those types.

[Dont Taze Me Bro]

3 hours ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

 

Producing more content, especially content involving European players, would only help them market the game in Europe.

 

The NBA will never be the NFL, it simply can't draw in flyover state and rural whites like the NFL does, even though both games are played by black athletes.  Not without completely changing what it is.  But they can and absolutely should be stealing ideas from the NFL's playbook.  The NFL is the height of professionalism in sports entertainment production.  They are brilliant and innovative at presenting their product.  And they are king.  There is no reason why the NBA can't steal the NFL's model for presenting their draft and do it better.  The presentation would already be streamlined by being just two rounds, and the kids in their draft classes have much bigger potential star power than the football players entering their drafts.  Everyone in America watches the March Madness tournament, and with the proper programming, you can make the best non-NCAA players household names too.  NBA players are the biggest stars in American sports.  Basketball is super accessible.  It's the favorite sport of young people, who consume tons of content.

 

The NBA is doing so much less with more than the NFL is.  It's a niche, mom & pop sports league compared to the NFL even though it's the pro-league for America's favorite sport to play, and for the world's second most popular sport.  The Wizards vs Redskins is the perfect microcosm of this dynamic.

 

The NFL draft format sucks now.  Why in the world would anyone want to watch two days of the NBA draft?  If anything, they need to move the lottery to a Friday night and actually reveal the ping pong balls being picked live.  They won't do that because they can't rig it if needed, but it would be better for TV and the fans.  Then they need to hold the actual draft on a Saturday starting at 1:00 pm, pre-draft coverage starts at 11am or noon.  

 

This would allow for draft parties or cook-outs, which makes the experience a lot more fun than during a week night.  Now, I can personally say that I've never heard of anyone having a NBA draft party.  But hell, it might catch on.  It certainly wouldn't be any worse than it is now.  I actually miss the old NFL draft format, it was fun when it was on Sat./Sun. and I'd have over a bunch of friends, grill out, drink, etc.  Goodell ruined that when he changed the format to three days.

[Momma There Goes That Man]

I dont think they can televise the lottery because its anticlimactic. There are so many balls in there that the same team's ball probably pops up over and over after it's been selected and its like "well let's try again"