Niners Fan in CT Posted December 25, 2016 Share Posted December 25, 2016 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted December 25, 2016 Share Posted December 25, 2016 My hierarchy has been NCAAF > NBA > NFL for years 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgundy LaRue Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 NBA has really picked up over the past few years. Not that it was ever as bad as some would suggest, but it's got more good energy surrounding it. NFL has become a chore: boring games, complete disregard for the rulebook, totally inept commissioner. NBA has gotten it mostly right with controversial subjects, NFL is beyond obtuse. Yeah, NBA >>>>>>>>>> NFL. By a healthy margin, too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 NFL is still my #1 but college football and NBA are right there. The quality of play in the NFL has suffered from rule changes to inept quarterback play. It's terrible. Injuries are always an issue but this year especially, who can care about the Raiders now that Carr is out. NBA meanwhile is loaded with unbelievable talents. Even teams like the T'Wolves are must watch because of Towns and Wiggins and that young core. Bucks because of the Greek Freak. Etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabremike Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 I find college games (particularly lower level ones) to be far more entertaining than the NBA mainly because of far less commercial stoppages and time outs. Between add breaks and time outs it feels like the final minute of an NBA game that isn't a blowout lasts as long as a cricket test match. Just so awful and tedious. If I were NBA commissioner the first thing I'd do is forbid ad breaks in the final minute and during OT and make all time outs in that timeframe 20 seconds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_MJ_ Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 I can't fully commit myself to college basketball anymore. The play is so much worse as a whole than most NBA games. Yes, it obviously can be highly entertaining when the elite teams play each other, and the tournament is always going to produce a couple of dramatic moments even if the majority of the games aren't high quality. However, it's hard for me to take someone seriously if they say college basketball produces better play than the NBA. You say you're more invested in the college basketball games, specifically the ones involving your Alma mater? Fine. I get it. You think the college atmosphere~ and passion of the fans heightens the drama and intensity of the college games? Okay, I guess...I'll let you have it. When someone starts mentioning the quality of play though, I usually start rolling my eyes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabremike Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 Where the hell did I mention the quality of play? Of course college isn't nearly the level of the NBA but I find the pace of play to be way better without a million stoppages and games that drag close to the 3 hour mark. Same reason I usualy have a better time at club college hockey than an NHL game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 Honestly, I kinda fucking hate the modern college basketball. To restrained by what defenses can do, to much grinding, not enough back movement. Way to many talented but clueless freshmen trying to iso against semi-zone defenses. Then of course something like the NCAA finals happen and none of what I said matters at all because holy fuck dude Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 They got very lucky with that final. The tournament was "ok" before that.. I guess, lots of terrible low scoring games, obviously winding down the clock, it's hard to watch. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_MJ_ Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 15 hours ago, sabremike said: Where the hell did I mention the quality of play? My college basketball quality post wasn't directed at you specifically, which is why I didnt quote you. My post was directed more toward the general sentiment I've heard from some people I've known, and sort of an outloud justification of my NBA over college choice to myself. Ha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zimbra Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 The poor on-court product and the NCAA being the worst have killed most of my interest in following college basketball. Going to Badger games is fun, and I still watch KU when I can but I have no real investment outside of that. I have resigned myself to the fact that the Bucks will never get rid of Greg Monroe, but I haven't really made peace with it yet. I'm still hoping he'll decline his option for next year, but it's hard to see him leaving $17M on the table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabremike Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 9 hours ago, _MJ_ said: My college basketball quality post wasn't directed at you specifically, which is why I didnt quote you. My post was directed more toward the general sentiment I've heard from some people I've known, and sort of an outloud justification of my NBA over college choice to myself. Ha. OK fair enough! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 The NBA has the best athletes in America and possibly the world playing basketball at its highest possible level. College basketball doesn't have the same quality. If it did, there would be a major problem. But a good college basketball game has the best atmosphere of any sporting event in the US, except for playoffs. I will take any meaningless Big 5 game between Philly schools at The Palestra over any other live sporting experience. I was at a La Salle/Butler game a few years ago in a crappy 3,000 seat gym in North Philly on a Tuesday night. People (myself included) were CRYING after La Salle pulled the upset on the number 10 team in the country. As much as I love the Phillies, I only got super emotional in the regular season when they clinched the playoffs or for Halladay's perfect game. And none of them were anything close to a crappy mid-major basketball game where not one player on the floor has logged one second of NBA time. (Although I did sit 20 feet behind Brad Stevens.) Also, the NCAA Tournament is and always will be our best sporting event. Just this year alone had the insane Nova finish and the back-to-back Northern Iowa games. It also doesn't hurt that it's perfect for gambling. But on a very pretentious sounding note: College basketball is truly the only sport in America that's a national sport. Every state but Alaska has at least one team that's represented. Every type of college -- wealthy elite schools, big state monoliths, commuter schools, Catholic universities, HSBCs -- is represented. When La Salle made the Sweet 16, a Catholic school in North Philly whose student base are middle class kids from Philly and surrounding areas played Boise State (former commuter school turning into a regional destination in a supposedly cool city), Kansas State (the agricultural/engineering school of Kansas), Ole Miss (bastion of the Old South) before losing to Wichita State (commuter school that's the center of a small city). You can't get that anywhere else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Uh, James Harden just put up what might be literally the best stat line in NBA history... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawful Metal Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Harden is GOD. 53 points, 17 Assists, 16 Rebounds. How do you get your career high in points AND assists in the same damn game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Ties Wilt for most points in a triple double, and is the first 50-15-15 ever. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabremike Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 10 hours ago, Lawful Metal said: Harden is GOD. 53 points, 17 Assists, 16 Rebounds. How do you get your career high in points AND assists in the same damn game? Play the Knicks. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Some folks including myself were a little early on the Westbrook for MVP campaign. Harden is probably the favorite right now given that the Rockets have a better record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_MJ_ Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Remember: at one point OKC had Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden on the same team. The current leading (outside of Lebron) contenders for the MVP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Man Known as Dan Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Serious question to those who watch more basketball then I: How seriously should we consider Anthony Davis (29.6 PPG, 11.6 Rebounds, 2.6 Blocks, 1.6 steals Per) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (23.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks pe game) as MVP candidates? I'm guessing what Westbrook and Harden are doing is just too insane to give them full credit, but god damn those are numbers that 10 years ago would be unanimous MVP without thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 FWIW, Basketball-Reference's MVP tracker, which is based on a formula of past winners and both stats and team record has the Greek Freak 10th and Davis not in the top ten (team record holds them both back tremendously) Harden tops the list with Durant, James, Westbrook and Kawhi rounding out the top five. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 It's absurd how high the skill level is in the NBA that Anthony Davis' season isn't in the top 10 for projected MVPs. Giannis is incredible. My favourite player right now and I look forward to watching him, Parker and hopefully Middleton develop together. They need some help though. The rest of that team stinks outside of a few decent bench players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 14-21 will do that to you 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Dudes with skill sets like AD and The Greek Freak are just crazy, inhuman, shit we've never really seen before. Westbrook is in that class too. Harden is ridiculous and in the perfect system, I don't want to seem like I'm slighting his athletic abilities. Of course, Barkley today said the NBA is the worst it's ever been so there's an alternative view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thibs Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Not that it'll change anything for the Bulls but... Butler went ahead and dropped 52 on Charlotte last night. Topped it off with 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 1 block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts