OT: NBA television viewership is up 32%
"Between ESPN, TNT and NBA TV, the league’s viewership is up 32% this season and averaging 1.4 million viewers according to Nielsen, the highest start to the season since the 2010-2011 campaign...
Last week’s Golden State Warriors vs. Oklahoma City Thunder game was ESPN's most watched regular season game (3.2 million) since Christmas of 2016. TNT’s opening night broadcast between the Cleveland Cavs and Boston Celtics, while ultimately marred by Gordon Hayward’s injury, was still the second-most watched season-opening telecast in the network’s history with an average of 5.6 million viewers."
Interesting to see, especially given the NFL's concurrent decline in viewership. I know the MGoBoard generally likes to shit on the NBA, but I encourage anyone who hasn't watched recently to give it another shot this year. I can't remember a season with more compelling teams, especially in the East. The Pistons are looking good again. The Bucks have a budding superstar. The 76ers' "Process" is finally starting to show results. The Celtics look like they will give Cavs a legit run for their money. LeBron is back to playing superhero ball without Kyrie.
And even a lot of the recently bad teams have interesting pieces. Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell (of the Louisville squad that we beat to reach the Sweet 16) had a 40 point game and has looked terrific. The Lakers are watchable again (as long as you mute the inevitable pregame and halftime Lonzo Ball discussions) with some promising young talent. The Knicks have another star in Porzingis, and THJ has played some great games for them. The Timberwolves have some really fun players to watch.
Long story long, if you're bored now that the college football regular season has ended, and you haven't enjoyed the NBA in the past, this is the time to give it another shot.
December 5th, 2017 at 4:18 PM ^
seats so you should be able to get them super cheap.
December 5th, 2017 at 6:56 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 9:30 AM ^
into its own grave last night.
December 5th, 2017 at 7:03 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 7:06 AM ^
The league was awful in the early aughts because there were so few good point guards. Now? Goran Dragic is a mid-level starting PG in the league, and I think he's really darn good.
People say you need a point guard to win in college; you need a ball handler for NBA to watchable. Even teams that don't have a great "traditional" point guard will have a sensational ball handler/ playmaker like Jokic or Giannis. NBA Basketball is all about smart players making good decisions at 100 MPH, and man the league is just bursting with these kinds of players these days.
December 5th, 2017 at 7:24 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 8:38 AM ^
He was also a grade A douche, yet even as a Laker-hater, I found myself amazed by the things he could accomplish. He wasn't great for team ball but there was a 5-8 year stretch where every time he shot the ball down the stretch, I dreaded it was going in.
(6 for 24 against the C's excluded, yeesh...)
EDIT: Carmelo would probably beg to differ on the last of that breed, FWIW
December 5th, 2017 at 9:18 AM ^
...was one of the best 15-ish players in NBA history. No denying that. Dude could fill it up with the best of them.
And you're 100% right about Melo.
December 5th, 2017 at 9:21 AM ^
On top of that, the younger generation of stars are finally maturing into quality players thus attracting viewers from a lot of markets.
Allen Iverson is my favorite player but I’m glad the days of iso ball are over. Every team can be fun to watch these days with the offensive schemes that are being run.
December 5th, 2017 at 7:21 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 7:22 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 7:25 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 1:20 PM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 7:44 AM ^
I used to watch the NBA a lot from the early 80s to the mid-aughts. Then I had kids and the Pistons stunk so I didn't watch for around 10 years. Now I started watching again...when the hell did they start playing music DURING the game? It is incredibly annoying, especially when listening on the radio. The games sound like the inside of a Chuckee Cheese.
Yes I'm old.
December 5th, 2017 at 7:46 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 1:28 PM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 7:50 AM ^
Let the lottery for LiAngelo Ball begin. His dad pulled him out of UCLA and also said his youngest son will not play for them either. LiAngelo will not transfer, but will work out for the 2018 NBA draft. So far, there are no NBA reps that have expressed any interest in Ball. Lonzo Ball says his son got better treatment from the Chinese than he did from UCLA (who suspended him and the two other players indefinitely).
What a freaking clown show that family is.
December 5th, 2017 at 8:04 AM ^
But LiAngelo Ball is not a good player and will not get drafted. It is the younger brother that is a top prospect for 2019.
December 5th, 2017 at 1:31 PM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 7:57 AM ^
I absolutely appreciate the NBA game much more than college basketball. If I'm being candid, college basketball is simply boring based on a lack of talent, both individually and from a depth perspective. There isn't much entertainment value from the casual fan's standpoint and the quality of play isn't very good either.
For example, the M/OSU game last night was absolute trash in terms of quality of play. Pathetic offense and defense from both teams for long stretches of the game. No individual stars with great skillsets or athletic abilities. It was unwatchable but for the fact that I'm a Michigan grad, and thus compelled to subject myself to it because I love the team.
Even the lottery bound NBA teams have great individual talent at minimum. It's those guys, with freakish athleticism or elite skill that I love to watch..............because the things they can execute on a court aren't normal in the traditional 'run a down screen and hit a catch and shoot jumper' sense. Those individual talents are what provide the entertainment value and superior competition.
I've never been a huge parity guy, but I can see the appeal that is has. It provides a broader audience with hope, and thus more investment in the sport as a whole. That said, I think dynasties/history rich organizations succeeding at the same time provide more intrigue/drama/interest.
December 5th, 2017 at 8:34 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 8:41 AM ^
Skill level in terms of ballhandling and shooting is so far advanced in relation to 25-30 years that its almost laughable to think otherwise. Footwork/use of pivot by bigs has obviously declined a great deal. Considering that 3 of 5, and in most cases 4 of 5 players on the court at any given time during an NBA game are perimter oriented in nature, I'd say that skill level has increased by a wide margin both individualy, and in terms of the game on aggregate.
Athletically, it's not even close, and I doubt anyone would question that.
Watered down - there is some truth to that, but not entirely. It's watered down at the very bottom of the league, in particular the East, but the top of league, particularly the West is extremely strong.
December 5th, 2017 at 11:56 AM ^
I don't know...I've rewatched some older games and those guys could shoot the lights out. Beautiful rainbow shots that just seem to drop through hoop straight down, almost. I wonder if you could hold a shooting contest with 10 current NBA players and their equivalent from the 70s/80s how that would have played out - just need my time machine and we'll get this argument settled once and for all.
December 5th, 2017 at 1:05 PM ^
You've got it backwards. Expansion in the 1988-95 period (from 23 to 29 teams) watered down the NBA for a long time but now the talent pool has caught up. The 1990s NBA was terrible even if that was Jordan's heyday.
December 5th, 2017 at 8:03 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 8:13 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 8:18 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 8:23 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 10:57 AM ^
"I loved the 90's Bulls"
"I hate all these superstar team ups"
lol
December 5th, 2017 at 8:22 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 9:21 AM ^
...from The Decision went to charity. And LeBron has repeatedly said that, in hindsight, it was a mistake.
December 5th, 2017 at 10:43 AM ^
Charity or not, it was done to feed his ego. If he realizes it was a mistake, good for him, but he's still a very unlikable sports figure. As for me, once you quit caring about something it's hard to get back into it.
December 5th, 2017 at 1:16 PM ^
https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/7hjdtn/bill_simmons_with_tanehisi_coates_lebron_is/
Lebron is a guy who's been a millionaire in the public spotlight since he was a teenager, and the worst thing that anybody can say about him is that he handled a free agency announcement poorly. I very seriously doubt that you, I, or many other people on this board would handle ourselves so well, so consistently.
December 5th, 2017 at 11:38 AM ^
While I thought it was a little tacky, what does his decision to go to Miami have to do with the integrity of the NBA?
December 5th, 2017 at 12:26 PM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 8:25 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 9:24 AM ^
If you think LeBron is losing a playoff series to Kyrie after this past offseason, you're out of your damned mind.
December 5th, 2017 at 8:30 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 10:46 AM ^
I look at it this way ... what's the point of watching the NBA at all? You already know the outcome. It'll be the Lebrons vs. the Warriors again this year because its the most predictable league in sports.
December 5th, 2017 at 10:59 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 8:34 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 8:44 AM ^
Are the soccer threads.
I just wish the people that feel compelled to post in these to tell everybody how much the NBA sucks would be honest for once and say "I havent really watched it in years but from what I read and from what I hear from my buddies It's no defense and nobody really tries till the 4th quarter so I'm going with that opinion."
I dont particulary like soccer so I dont watch it cept for the World Cup (which I wont be watching this year cause no USA) so i DONT POST IN THE SOCCER THREADS CAUSE I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT'S GOING ON AND DONT FEEL COMPELLED TO SHARE MY STEAMING HOT TAKES ON A SPORT I DONT LIKE WITH THE MASSES.
Cause if I did I'd look just as ignorant and ill-informed as the anti-NBA posters do in this thread.
December 5th, 2017 at 11:04 AM ^
NBA threads are better for the only just veiled racial component from Clinton Township father of 4 who hates these super teams but wishes the NHL would let the Red Wings buy Stanley Cups again.
December 5th, 2017 at 12:43 PM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 1:21 PM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 8:40 AM ^
I'd be curious how much Lakers viewership has spiked this season just to watch Lonzo. I'd be surprised if it really went up for the rest of the league overall, but you know that when the Lakers play either the Cavs or the Warriors, everyone is going to be tuning in.
It won't be to really watch the game, though. It will just be in the hopes of watching Lonzo get his ass whipped up and down the court by LeBron and Curry and then racing to twitter to play the "I told you so" game with LaVar.
December 5th, 2017 at 8:47 AM ^
December 5th, 2017 at 8:55 AM ^
Ok, now I need to go kick some kids of my lawn.
December 5th, 2017 at 11:46 AM ^
It's really that you're huffing paint fumes!
December 5th, 2017 at 9:18 AM ^
dry baby dry