what about these guys who prefer college ball to the NBA. In the UK they just got the North American Sports Network and they got thier first doses of NCAA basketball in years. Many of the English basketball fans were excited....until they actually saw it. here is what british hoops fan had to say about the NCAA at www.whatsbev.com (a british based basketball site) "One thing that has suprised me is the standard. Considering for a lot of players, this is the last step before the NBA, i thought the level of play would be much higher. But it is hugely inferior to the NBA. I always thought that the majority of players from the better NCAA D1 college programs went on to play pro at some level but im thinking that's not the case now. How many players from programs like Maryland do go on to play pro somewhere?" In college they miss easy wide open shots, they are slower, can't shoot as well, can't jump as high but for whatever reason people here like it better (despite in the nielson ratings the NBA blows college out of the water). it makes me think there is something else going on here. makes me think there is a reason why some of the people here prefer the NHL over the NBA is for reasons other than sport.
If you like foul shots, time outs and only needing to see the last 2 mins (wrapped around 10 mins of commercials) watch the NBA. If you like hitting, fast passing and skating you watch the NHL.
Wide-open, attacking, offense-minded sport is better than defense-minded sport. Hence, I'd rather watch the Sacto Kings play the Mavs than watch the Devils and Blue Jackets play a hockey game. I'd also rather watch the Red Wings play the Avalanche than watch the Knicks play the Cavaliers. All that being said, I'd watch NHL playoffs over any NBA game.
Team Left-Wing-Lock is playing offensive hockey, then? Then why are they 25th of 30 in the league in goals scored, but have allowed the fewest goals? Now, mind you, I don't dislike Jersey. I spent four very happy years watching John Madden play college hockey, and I hoped someone would appreciate him enough to give him a chance. But their reputation still matches reality, and it won't loosen up once the playoffs start.
Because they can't finish to save their lives. They take a lot of shots, they just have a tendency to make the other teams' goalies look like hall of famers. I can't find team stats for average shots per game but I'm sure they are near the top. They are also very good defensively, but you knew that. Admittedly, this is a poor season for me to be making this argument because the Devils offense has been poor. But over the last 5-6 years the Devils have not been the trap-happy team people have made them out to be. They forecheck as much as anyone. oh, and John Madden is my favorite player.
I've been to 3 NBA games in my life. These were Cleveland Cavaliers games back when they were a reasonably competitive team. It has been a long time ago, they were still playing at Richfield. One of the games was a play-off game. I found that there was absolutely no atmosphere in the arena. People only cheered when the P.A. announcer told them to. Honestly, there is more electricity in the air for your average junior high game than what I experienced at those 3 games. Give me Big Ten basketball over the NBA any day. Perhaps the Cavs are not a good franchise to judge by, but I decided a long time ago that I won't be wasting my ticket dollars on the NBA. Since the Blue Jackets started playing, I go to about 3 or 4 NHL games a year. I always have a good time. I enjoy the games, but I'm still not a "Fanatic". Maybe when the CBJ can make the playoffs I'll get into it more. My problem with both leagues is that the seasons are too long. Give me a sport with a short season. where every game means something. Give me a sport where I can follow every minute of every game for my team, without having to quit my job. College Football, MLS, NFL, College Basketball.
Knicks beat the Cavs 125-93 this season. Not really low scoring or a defensively oriented game. An example of a defensive minded match-up would be the Knicks verus Miami back in the day. Even though there was a lot of defense played, there was a lot excitement, especially in the fourth quarter when it could go either way. I rather watch those games over a Kings-Mavs because the offensive games are usually played without a lot consentration. All they do is dunk, or try to shoot threes from too far out. The ball handling in those games are very poor, thus the several dunks on break aways.
I'm one of those people who prefer college over NBA. Obviously, the players are bigger, faster and more skilled. But better athletes do not necessarily make for a more entertaining product. Take a Champion's League match and a 3rd Division match in England. Sure, the former has better players but at least in the first couple of stages, CL matches tend to be tedious affairs, especially when two teams are evenly matched. And of course TV ratings for NBA is going to be better. Most people follow a single school and/or conference so unless it's a big non-conference matchup, a fan in North Carolina is probably not watching the same game as a fan in Indiana. You're right, there are factors beyond the actual play, i.e. tradition, regional rivalries, school affiliation the pretense of amateurism. But as someone who used to watch every NBA game on the tube, I watch very little pro basketball until the playoffs.
NHL and AHL for me... I can't stand any basketball, whether it's high school, college or pro. It does nothing for me.
The image that comes to mind for me when I here the word "NBA" is of a slow, lumbering, 40-year-old trudging down the court with bad knees and a bad back. He's exhausted from a 4-games-per-week schedule, and his mind dulled by the "medication" he takes to cope with it all. Maybe the image that I have doesn't match the reality, but I don't actually picture them as being better athletes. Here's a visual image for you: Compare an NBA game to the scene in LOTR:Two Towers where the Ents attack Isengard. One of my favorite college athletes of recent years is Scoonie Penn. But a player of his type has no chance to succeed in the NBA because of the amount of physical play that is allowed. Its a shame.