Suggested ways to make the NBA better

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

8 hours ago, Another Fan said:

I know there are some basketball fans that use the site.  But even since last year their ratings are down.

 

https://www.outkick.com/sports/mainstream-media-finally-agrees-outkick-nba-ratings-can-not-defended
 

I say :

 

Make the rim at least 1 foot taller

Make a slam dunk 3 points

Make a shot behind half court 4 points 

 

 

I haven’t known what’s gone with the NBA since LeBron left Cleveland the 2nd time.

 

But no way the league can go in like that without evolving a little 

After loving the NBA in the 80s and 90s, I lost interest for a long time. But I really got back into the NBA again about 5-10 years ago or so. Haven’t been watching the last few years as much though.

 

i think the main issue is the players are actually all too good offensively now. Everyone can shoot 3s, even all the 7-footers. The other issue— alluded to in the article— is there are no great rivalries anymore. 
 

I think what the league needs is some new stars, and hopefully ones who will create some legit rivalries, as opposed to everyone wanting to play on super teams.

 

 

[major]

I love 🏀. Agree with what many of you have already shared here: move 3pt line farther back, only have 60 games, raise basket, market younger players (players need to stay somewhere 4 years to develop chemistry and rivalries- too many of the nba stars are 35 and over), nba needs to make players stay after games to sign autographs and take selfies, lower price of tickets to get fans back, give allotment of seats to junior high and high schools to get young people interested, and the NBA needs to market who is the good guy and who is the bad guy (you need a good villain to draw audiences).

[dhg]

Bring back the Buffalo Braves

[Pete]

Give them ice skates, pads, ice, and put in nets.  That would make the NBA a lot more interesting to me 

[Pete]

1 hour ago, dhg said:

Bring back the Buffalo Braves

I grew up going to Braves games, and they were a blast!  McAddo, Sven, Randy Smith, Ernie G.  Then the Braves became the Clippers.  That hurt bad.

 

Years later, I started liking the Seattle SuperSonics.  I have a cousin in Seattle who has been trying to get me out to visit.  She had prime Sonics seats through work, and that was enticing.  I was planning to head out, then the NBA stole the Sonics from Seattle.

 

The NBA stole the Braves from Buffalo.  And they stole the Sonics from Seattle.  ***** THE NBA!  ***** YOU ART MODELL!

[Doc Brown]

Make it a 20 game season with one game per week per team scattered throughout the weekend, contract teams to 28 (get rid of that Canadian team and the Wizards), hard salary cap, keep two conferences but no divisions, six teams with best record in each conference make playoffs, top two teams get a bye, best of three series, and Finals series is a best of five at a neutral location. 

 

You'll make up the revenue lost from the number of games with the TV contracts.  Your welcome.

[SirAndrew]

9 hours ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

After loving the NBA in the 80s and 90s, I lost interest for a long time. But I really got back into the NBA again about 5-10 years ago or so. Haven’t been watching the last few years as much though.

 

i think the main issue is the players are actually all too good offensively now. Everyone can shoot 3s, even all the 7-footers. The other issue— alluded to in the article— is there are no great rivalries anymore. 
 

I think what the league needs is some new stars, and hopefully ones who will create some legit rivalries, as opposed to everyone wanting to play on super teams.

 

 

I agree, the NBA is suffering from the same issue as baseball. They aren’t enough recent star players with name recognition. It seems this has become an issue across the board in sports, but I’m not sure why. The NFL is too big to fail, but even football lacks mega stars outside of the QB position. It’s just not discussed because the game is thriving. 

[ExiledInIllinois]

4 hours ago, Pete said:

Give them ice skates, pads, ice, and put in nets.  That would make the NBA a lot more interesting to me 

The two games are similar.  Basketball just played in the vertical with no goaltending.

 

Maybe allow goaltending in basketball.

 

Bring back the cages too... Stick the players back in their cage and let the fans go wild on the other side.😆

 

https://www.basketball.org/history/cagers/

 

 

 

[US Egg]

The skill level has never been better. There’s no shortage of talent.
 

That said, there’s no wow factor watching a steady slew of 3 pointers and dunks. It’s not a big man game anymore. There’s a ridiculous amount of ticky tack fouls, refs don’t/can’t let them play. Superstars needing routine rest is a con. Too many good teams coast in games and the season. 
 

Their new “in season tournament” adds nothing, and I think is an admittance that there’s a problem.
 

The NBA is not like MLB when it comes to having a variety of options to tweak the game for its betterment.

[That's No Moon]

21 hours ago, Augie said:

Cut the season in half so guys might care at least a little bit. Too many games means they don’t matter very much. 

This. "Load management" should never be a thing. If that is the priority your season is too long. Baseball would benefit from this also. Chop 20 games off the season at least. Baseball should start at least two weeks later and end on Labor Day with the playoffs starting in September and finishing in October.

[US Egg]

4 hours ago, That's No Moon said:

This. "Load management" should never be a thing. If that is the priority your season is too long.

Won’t get rid of the now all to common and convenient “so and so is out of lineup because they felt something, though x-rays proved negative“ excuse.

[Augie]

12 hours ago, Pete said:

I grew up going to Braves games, and they were a blast!  McAddo, Sven, Randy Smith, Ernie G.  Then the Braves became the Clippers.  That hurt bad.

 

Years later, I started liking the Seattle SuperSonics.  I have a cousin in Seattle who has been trying to get me out to visit.  She had prime Sonics seats through work, and that was enticing.  I was planning to head out, then the NBA stole the Sonics from Seattle.

 

The NBA stole the Braves from Buffalo.  And they stole the Sonics from Seattle.  ***** THE NBA!  ***** YOU ART MODELL!

 

Bob Kauffman lived behind us and my sister would babysit their infant, a lot! I guess the wife was going to the games, so I get it. She was very tall, and he was about 6’8” I think. I’m guessing that is one tall human now!  He would goof around with us at the neighborhood basket. Great guy! 

 

At one point my family split season tickets with another family. That’s plenty.  That was back when you could afford to be near the floor, they actually tried their hardest and you could hear the squeaking of the sneakers one the court. Thanks mom and dad, those were awesome times!  

 

EDIT: We had a crazy night out with Sven in Nashville one time. I have only a vague memory of how it happened, but it might have been after a fundraiser and the drinking just kept going. How I ended up going home with a bag of his secret spice rub is still a mystery to me. It felt like a drug deal was going down! 😂 

.

Edited December 27, 2024 by Augie

[Orlando Buffalo]

6 hours ago, US Egg said:

The skill level has never been better. There’s no shortage of talent.
 

That said, there’s no wow factor watching a steady slew of 3 pointers and dunks. It’s not a big man game anymore. There’s a ridiculous amount of ticky tack fouls, refs don’t/can’t let them play. Superstars needing routine rest is a con. Too many good teams coast in games and the season. 
 

Their new “in season tournament” adds nothing, and I think is an admittance that there’s a problem.
 

The NBA is not like MLB when it comes to having a variety of options to tweak the game for its betterment.

I disagree on one major point, the skill level of shooting is far better than 30 years ago but every other skill is worse. Few guys can pass, few guys rebound, few guys are actually good at dribbling, defense is poor on most nights, but why bother because an official will call ticky tack stuff. Teams from the 90s vs teams of today would be uncompetitive depending on which way they called games, either the 90s teams fouls out by half time or today's team is afraid to take the floor by half. 

[Augie]

3 minutes ago, Orlando Buffalo said:

I disagree on one major point, the skill level of shooting is far better than 30 years ago but every other skill is worse. Few guys can pass, few guys rebound, few guys are actually good at dribbling, defense is poor on most nights, but why bother because an official will call ticky tack stuff. Teams from the 90s vs teams of today would be uncompetitive depending on which way they called games, either the 90s teams fouls out by half time or today's team is afraid to take the floor by half. 

 

Was it Kevin Garnett with the Timberwolves who got the big contract, and the owner said “I paid less than that to own the team!”  

 

Things are upside down in the NBA with the players making ridiculous salaries (fair market, not complaining about that) and having too much control (not a fan of that). 

[US Egg]

2 hours ago, Orlando Buffalo said:

I disagree on one major point, the skill level of shooting is far better than 30 years ago but every other skill is worse. Few guys can pass, few guys rebound, few guys are actually good at dribbling, defense is poor on most nights, but why bother because an official will call ticky tack stuff. Teams from the 90s vs teams of today would be uncompetitive depending on which way they called games, either the 90s teams fouls out by half time or today's team is afraid to take the floor by half. 

Magic/Bird blind look, cross court, and passing through players in today’s game are common. Players look like they break  their ankles defending the dribble. Jokic, Davis, Embiid, Sabonis, and a slew of others average 10 rebounds. Guess we all see the game differently. 

2 hours ago, Augie said:

Was it Kevin Garnett with the Timberwolves who got the big contract, and the owner said “I paid less than that to own the team!”  

 

Things are upside down in the NBA with the players making ridiculous salaries (fair market, not complaining about that) and having too much control (not a fan of that). 

Think it’s easier understanding the cosmos than NBA salary equation. Silver is more figurehead than any of the commissioners 

[Orlando Buffalo]

1 hour ago, US Egg said:

Magic/Bird blind look, cross court, and passing through players in today’s game are common. Players look like they break  their ankles defending the dribble. Jokic, Davis, Embiid, Sabonis, and a slew of others average 10 rebounds. Guess we all see the game differently. 

I have not watched a regular season game in two full seasons I think, so it might look a little different than when I watched. One of the games I went to was in Orlando when Russell Westbrook had a 50 pt triple double, which was impressive, but at least half his rebounds came because he was only guy hustling in a game that was one possession in the final seconds. I do appreciate what are saying because players are trying to do what they are told, but the overall game plans are all the same and boring to watch 

[US Egg]

16 minutes ago, Orlando Buffalo said:

I have not watched a regular season game in two full seasons I think, so it might look a little different than when I watched. One of the games I went to was in Orlando when Russell Westbrook had a 50 pt triple double, which was impressive, but at least half his rebounds came because he was only guy hustling in a game that was one possession in the final seconds. I do appreciate what are saying because players are trying to do what they are told, but the overall game plans are all the same and boring to watch 

No argument about game plan mimicking. A few teams, OKC and Houston particularly, are showing defense can work. Boring games are a problem, don’t know what the solution is. There seems to be a significant increase of teams blowing big leads late in the game, that won’t win fans back though. 

[May Day 10]

What i would do for the NBA and nhl would be some drastic steps to increase the gravity of games.

 

I would reel everything in a bit and go to exclusive divisions/conference, much like the old American and national leagues in mlb.

 

Inter-conference games are a meaningless slog.  You don't need Cleveland and Phoenix 2x.  The sabres play Anaheim, Winnipeg, and Minnesota 1x less than toronto or Montreal.  Now the nhl is looking to have 34 teams.  Don't need 34 of the 82 games vs the other conference.  If I want to see mcdavid every year, I can watch him on TV.  

 

Games would mean more and rivalries and familiarity would form.  

 

Also, whoever figures out how to not have commercial breaks during quarters or periods will get a boost.  It would be much more watchable and game flow would be better, and you would cut a good 15-20 minutes from the game length (at least).  

 

I would also like either league to re-seed the final 4 teams.  That would make any finals match up possible

 

 

Edited December 28, 2024 by May Day 10

[Steve O]

On 12/26/2024 at 1:00 PM, Another Fan said:

Make the rim at least 1 foot taller

But no way the league can go in like that without evolving a little 

Have to agree with this one, somehow I think if 8 out of 10 kids in Dr. Naismith's YMCA camp could have dunked the ball he would have risen the peach basket another foot. Also agree with the palming and traveling rules being enforced. I remember 20ish (probably more) years ago ESPN had this vote for play of the week segment. One of the candidates was a guy being double or triple teamed, takes 3 steps around his pivot foot, then pivots on the other foot, and jumps up off both feet for a dunk. I'm thinking this is a play of the week candidate and it was a blatant travel. Stopped watching around that time.

[Big Turk]

Get rid of it.