The NBA is a farce

[shawn_200m]

The Celts/Knicks series has been outstanding so far...reminds me of the Celts/Bulls series from 2009. Intense defense, and clutch offense. I'm a die-hard Celts fan, but that performance by 'Melo last night was unbelievable. If you couldn't enjoy/admire that effort then you simply can't appreciate basketball.

[HFCS]

The "NBA plays no defense" crowd is really just horrible at math and logic.

Take even the most boring teams in college basketball, let's say Wisconsin vs. Butler.

Let's say one of their snoozer games full of DEFENSE is 52-50.

1. First off, they have to play this snoozer basketball for 8 more full minutes, now the score is something like 61-59.

2. Every NBA roster is filled with guys who can knock down open shots, there are a few bad shooters on NBA teams for various reasons, but the average NBA journeyman vet is light years better shooting the ball than the average college player. Way too many college players clang open bunnies. By drastically improving the quality of shooters now that score is something like 70-68.

I won't mention that NBA defenders are more skilled because it's offset by better athletes on offense, but knocking down open shots DEFINITELY makes for higher scoring in pro ball than college. This difference is just as glaring between US college ball and a top European leagues like Spain's.

3. Saved the biggest math idiocy for last - 24 seconds vs. 35 seconds. Add on about 33% because they'd take 33% more shots in the same amount of time for this one change. Now the score of these two teams, the lowest scoring teams in college hoops is 93-90.

The rules are different, the athletes are drastically different quality, the game clock and shot clock are COMPLETELY different. The NBA season is 82 games, can be well over 100 games including playoffs and preseason. Sure there are some players who don't go 100% through all 82 games, but there are still some major games being played by the top teams on the defensive end. The defense in the NBA playoffs is light years more intense than anything in the college game.

[drednot57]

The season is too long for basketball. April should be the month in which the final two rounds are played, not the first round. I'm especially annoyed that the NBA playoffs run almost to the MBB All-Star break. The NBA playoff season needs shortened.

[CycloneYoda]

This threads are funny to me, considering we run a very NBA-like offense with Fred... If you hate the NBA, you will probably hate Iowa State basketball in the coming years.

Outside of moments when DG called something for himself as the clock was winding down, ISU concentrated on creating shots through BALL SCREENS and MOTION, not isolation plays and pick 'n rolls. The simple fact that you cannot tell the difference leads me to believe that you are not quite an expert on the subject.

[CycloneYoda]

Amen to this. Talked to Craig B. when he was back. He went to practice and said Fred runs a practice exactly like a nba practice.

Having a professionally run practice doesn't translate into the offense being a NBA-style offense, which it isn't.

[cycloneSOULja]

Outside of moments when DG called something for himself as the clock was winding down, ISU concentrated on creating shots through BALL SCREENS and MOTION, not isolation plays and pick 'n rolls. The simple fact that you cannot tell the difference leads me to believe that you are not quite an expert on the subject.

They ran it like that because of the lack of athleticism on the team. Also, we didn't run motion, and the ball screens will be minimal when we have more guys that can drive. The bread and butter of the team was pick and pop, and shooting 3s in transition. 3s in the future we be more based on driving and kicking out when we have guys that can do that. We didn't roll on the high post picks because the guy rolling would be Jamie.

Fred is telling all these guys he can get them to the NBA. Do you think he won't run an NBA-like offense when he actually has athletic players?

[IcSyU]

The NBA playoffs suck from start to finish. Maybe they should try and stretch them out another month or just add one more round to get every team involved.

[TxCycloneFan]

I agree, Charles Barkley sucks.

[Bipolarcy]

You either don't watch the NBA or don't know anything about basketball.

While neither one is 100 percent accurate, the first would probably be closest to being true. I can't stand to watch bad basketball where two people play one-on-one while everyone else watches. But I do watch it for as long as I can stomach it, which is like 2 minutes tops.

You NBA freaks HAVE to admit that the game barely resembles the college one. They ramp up the shot clock so it's a faster-paced game, but that just encourages more one-on-one play, which is completely anathema to the college game that I love to watch.

[CycloneYoda]

They ran it like that because of the lack of athleticism on the team. Also, we didn't run motion, and the ball screens will be minimal when we have more guys that can drive. The bread and butter of the team was pick and pop, and shooting 3s in transition. 3s in the future we be more based on driving and kicking out when we have guys that can do that. We didn't roll on the high post picks because the guy rolling would be Jamie.

Fred is telling all these guys he can get them to the NBA. Do you think he won't run an NBA-like offense when he actually has athletic players?

When ISU was in a half-court set, and Scotty would run from one wing off a screen, come of another screen, while Ejim or Godfrey moved towards the high post to free up JVB. All the while jake is moving away from the ball towards his spot on the far wing. In this time span a least 3 passes were made. If the open shot didn't develop, DG was given the keys to break it all down. It is indeed a motion with set plays.

Yes, the bread & butter is transition, no doubt. But this doesn't translate into a NBA-Style offense. Name me one coach on any level that DOESN"T want easy baskets in transition.

[CycloneRulzzz]

The season is too long for basketball. April should be the month in which the final two rounds are played, not the first round. I'm especially annoyed that the NBA playoffs run almost to the MBB All-Star break. The NBA playoff season needs shortened.

I like the NBA being extended into June as it's another sports viewing option. Sorry but I can't stand baseball 24/7.

[cycfan1]

When ISU was in a half-court set, and Scotty would run from one wing off a screen, come of another screen, while Ejim or Godfrey moved towards the high post to free up JVB. All the while jake is moving away from the ball towards his spot on the far wing. In this time span a least 3 passes were made. If the open shot didn't develop, DG was given the keys to break it all down. It is indeed a motion with set plays.

Yes, the bread & butter is transition, no doubt. But this doesn't translate into a NBA-Style offense. Name me one coach on any level that DOESN"T want easy baskets in transition.

Greg McDermott, Todd Lickliter

[imnclone]

The Celts/Knicks series has been outstanding so far...reminds me of the Celts/Bulls series from 2009. Intense defense, and clutch offense. I'm a die-hard Celts fan, but that performance by 'Melo last night was unbelievable. If you couldn't enjoy/admire that effort then you simply can't appreciate basketball.

I watched heat/76ers and knicks/celtics today. Throughout the game I see some great athletic plays. I can't say that either game was very exciting (knicks making big run now, but I expect them to still lose) or had much drama. The first round is what it always is.........predictable

The thing that always bugs me about the nba is how the refs bail out the offensive player when they initiate contact. The nba is what it is...the stars need to preform when the spotlight is on and the refs know this too. This is how the product is marketed.....nothing new from the late 80's or 90's when I watched a ton of games

It can be good entertainment. take it for what it is worth. I went to many suns games and it was always better in person even when they were bad. Walter Davis was just amazing as times.

[CyJack13]

Outside of moments when DG called something for himself as the clock was winding down, ISU concentrated on creating shots through BALL SCREENS and MOTION, not isolation plays and pick 'n rolls. The simple fact that you cannot tell the difference leads me to believe that you are not quite an expert on the subject.

You use realize the pick and roll is a ball screen right?

[mwitt]

The amount of NBA hate around here is incredible. It's like we're talking about soccer. I had to drive across the entire state of Iowa Thursday evening during the Bulls game, and I couldn't even find the game on the radio until I was east of Iowa City. Is central Iowa really that bad of a market for the NBA? I like both college and pro basketball, but I just don't understand comparing a league of such high quality to a brand of basketball that sometimes features such unathleticism.

This is as marketable as the NBA has been since Jordan. Out of the top 15 players in the league, how many are over 30? Kobe and Dirk?