The NBA is becoming a joke. The commentators have given up trying to pretend that the finals aren't all but certain at the start of the season. What's the point?
The problem is that the NBA will never become competative as long as their is colusion between the coaches to limit foul calls in the playoffs. The unstated factor is that super stars can score when fouled. Everybody else gets bothered when they are fouled, so "let them play" gives superstars an advantage even if calls are done equally. Tightening up defenses always helps the teams with the most superstars.
If fouls were called like in the pre-Chuck Daly era; teams like the Heat would risk having everyone foul out. But Stern has bought into the status quo and carries on the party line that all this contact is just fine.
At least when JC was involved in the rule writing process, the game briefly got away from the grab and hold idiocy we are forced to live with.
With the negotiations on a new CBA coming up, the owners are going to to have to face up to the sad reality: there is only a tiny number of superstars. If the game is turned over to these guys, they can extort the limit and give a one finger salute to the owners and indirectly the fans. Really good players in a good system have no chance.
The problem is that the NBA will never become competative as long as their is colusion between the coaches to limit foul calls in the playoffs. The unstated factor is that super stars can score when fouled. Everybody else gets bothered when they are fouled, so "let them play" gives superstars an advantage even if calls are done equally. Tightening up defenses always helps the teams with the most superstars.
If fouls were called like in the pre-Chuck Daly era; teams like the Heat would risk having everyone foul out. But Stern has bought into the status quo and carries on the party line that all this contact is just fine.
At least when JC was involved in the rule writing process, the game briefly got away from the grab and hold idiocy we are forced to live with.
With the negotiations on a new CBA coming up, the owners are going to to have to face up to the sad reality: there is only a tiny number of superstars. If the game is turned over to these guys, they can extort the limit and give a one finger salute to the owners and indirectly the fans. Really good players in a good system have no chance.
