ESPN spectators say defense is boring

[magnificent]

too many complaints about the 2005 NBA finals and the 87-85 spurs win over dallas in game 1 in the 2006 nba semis. why does everyone hate defense? yes the point of watching basketball is to see the ball go in the hoop, but i like watching players being challenged. watching them earn their 2 points. and in the midst of that you see great passes and crossovers and facials. i think if every team in this league played like the suns i'd be depressed.

[Nazr For 3]

Originally Posted by magnificent

too many complaints about the 2005 NBA finals and the 87-85 spurs win over dallas in game 1 in the 2006 nba semis. why does everyone hate defense? yes the point of watching basketball is to see the ball go in the hoop, but i like watching players being challenged. watching them earn their 2 points. and in the midst of that you see great passes and crossovers and facials. i think if every team in this league played like the suns i'd be depressed.

I agree. Why do you think no one cares about Arena Football? Because scoring is easy. I personally thought the Wiz/Cavs games were pretty boring aside from the GW shots. Even then, I can just tune into the highlights to see that. Not worth watching the whole game.

[jackc852]

The same fans are prolly the same ones who say they follow college ball more because the NBA is too predictable. Team gets ball, ball goes in hoop. They actually play D in college.

[Matias]

ESPN spectators who said so are stupid.

[Alka-Seltzer]

I think there's at attitude and an aptitude that exists now that in order to play great defense, you have to be a poor offensive team. Or, rather that great offensive teams cannot play great defense.
The thing is, I recall the Lakers/Celts of the 80's - both teams were fantastic offensive machines and were able to play great D.
Maybe what we're seeing now is a lack of imagination, and the results of a watered-down league. I don't think we'll ever see lineups so stacked with talent as those teams were again.

[Nazr For 3]

Originally Posted by Alka-Seltzer

I think there's at attitude and an aptitude that exists now that in order to play great defense, you have to be a poor offensive team. Or, rather that great offensive teams cannot play great defense.
The thing is, I recall the Lakers/Celts of the 80's - both teams were fantastic offensive machines and were able to play great D.
Maybe what we're seeing now is a lack of imagination, and the results of a watered-down league. I don't think we'll ever see lineups so stacked with talent as those teams were again.

Well, there's a lot more parity between teams and players now. That is to say that the difference between a guy who really sucked back then and a guy who was a legend back then was much larger back then than it is now, where the league's crappiest scrub and the league's best player, while clearly at different levels, aren't quite as mismatched as say a Jack Haley covering a Michael Jordan.

Virtually every player in the NBA now grew up being the s*** and was exposed to the AND1, McDonald's All-American Culture.

Back then? Totally different. The league's players are more evenly talented from top to bottom and conversely the teams are more evenly talented, therefore less "stacked" than those Celtics and Lakers dynasties with respect to their respective opponents.