I’m not talking to the guys who hate the NBA, but for all others—Sacramento vs LA Clippers last night was the game of the year. Probably the best regular season game in years and years. Definitely worth a watch on League Pass this morning.
This is why all of you no matter if you love or hate the NBA need to spend more time at the track. Horses may or may not let you down. But the drunk fans and bleak, empty stands never will.
I recommend you heed your own advice as well. Everyone loves their glory days, and when things become less relatable our memories and nostalgia play tricks on us lead us to believe things were only good then. I grew up a huge 90s knicks fan, it’s fun to remember what it was like watching them play in rivalries with the heat, bulls, and pacers. I love hearing about the Clyde Frazier and Willis Reed lead Knicks, the ball movement, and team approach but also acknowledge there was a lot less parity, lower concentration of elite talent in the NBA, and less exposure locally and nationally allowed for fewer and better experiences.
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“not talking to the guys who hate the NBA”
Note: Nobody in this thread “hates” the NBA. The terms “unwatchable” and “hate” aren’t interchangeable.
I continue to follow the NBA, but like many others, rarely watch it until (perhaps) playoff time.
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I really enjoyed Kim Stanley Robinson’s “Aurora.”
Cool 
NBA product is great. Night in, night out it is probably the best sports league. The talent is off the charts. And this is coming from a Knicks fan.
Anytime Eddie ever disagrees with a view point I have, I feel even better about it.
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Although these games are unwatchable, some are very bet-worthy! This year, Toronto on the road as a favorite has so far been a VERY BAD bet! And thankfully, that trend continued today.
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Eddie you scamp! You won 9 bucks? I love this!!!
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Thanks to legal spots betting in Ohio (as of Jan 1), a lot of free bonus money became available. I only bet on a few games per week (for fun).
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“For Fun”
Please. You’re dropping $25 on Iona -9.5 hosting Siena today.
Oh wait, that’s me
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$5 is for fun.
$5,000 would be different.
The NBA,post the political ban, is taking in Hundreds of Millions of Dollars from China.
Just sayin.
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Two years later…It appears ratings have worsened!
“Ratings have dropped a staggering 48% since 2012, and this season’s numbers show further decline. TNT games average 1.8 million viewers, while ESPN’s ratings are down 28% from last year, sitting at 1.77 million viewers per game. Even high-profile initiatives like the NBA Cup have failed to captivate audiences, with viewership for the tournament dropping 10% compared to its inaugural season.”
"four of the five lowest-rated Finals in the past 30 years have occurred in the last four seasons, including the 2024 Finals, which averaged only 11.64 million viewers—a far cry from the league’s golden years.”
Still unwatchable…
My reluctant disclaimer:
" The league [signed a $76 billion TV deal incorporating three different networks (technically four with TNT licensing) and two different streaming services. That deal wouldn’t have happened if the ratings dips were that bad of a sign. But it did. You’ll be watching the NBA on Prime and Peacock next year.
The only reason TV ratings exist is for proof of concept. Networks want to know what people are watching to know what to pour their money into. Advertisers want to know where they should be placing their ads. Despite all the doom and gloom, the NBA’s ratings aren’t bad enough to dissuade either of those entities from working with the league moving forward."
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https://x.com/nateduncannba/status/1867940356806877279?s=46&t=ZH1fFGwu8Q0191V3SgsUtQ
This is 100% the main reason people are turning away, while college basketball is a tough team game where defense is played the NBA is the opposite where you just chuck up a 3 uncontested and move on to the next possession
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This graphic tells the story of what has happened to the NBA.
It also speaks volumes of how incentive structures affect behavior.
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Shots charts are the same in college basketball too. Basketball is a solved game, the only thing that’s changed is some coaches have stopped being stubborn enough to admit it’s a simple game, at its core.
Go Cavs!
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Separate from subjective aesthetics of the game, I’d argue a big part of the NBA’s ratings issues are related to the players. The NBA has always been a star-driven league, there are plenty of great active players in the game now but none that have the marketability of someone like prime Jordan or Lebron. Just look at how the WNBA numbers exploded with Caitlin Clark, as much as some idiots out there really want to downplay what she’s done for the league.
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The NBA regular season is basically AAU ball. And not necessarily good AAU ball. I stopped watching regular season a couple years ago. Last season, even the first round was basically uwatchable. I do enjoy the games after the first round as the teams actually play basketball.
A three point contest is not basketball. And no defense. Add to that players who sit out regularly for R&R is a joke. But it adds years to a career which at $20M/yr+ is well worth it to the players. To the fans who miss seeing the best players (LeBron) b/c they are tired, should be banned. Let them sit out home games. Away games fans want to see the best and deserve to instead of seeing a depleted roster due to rest days.
Seventy five 3s in a 48 minute game is not basketball. It’s a 3 point competition.