why casual NBA fans are sheep

cranrab

Star
BGOL Investor
in the june 25th issue of sports illustrated, writer lee jenkins penned a story around a theme of "the closer" in the NBA.

now, those that watch basketball games already know that it was idiot announcer and current coach (mark) jackson on TNT that created that unfortunate basketball label, due to the heavy advertising rotation of kyra sedgwick's TV series "the closer" that played during commercials of NBA games broadcasts on the TNT network.

lee jenkins spent equal time promoting the false concept and debunking it. lee jenkins should have spent all of his time debunking it.

here are some excerpts:

Synergy Sports defines a clutch situation as the last five minutes of regulation or overtime when the lead is five points or fewer. Using those parameters, the top closer this season was Hawks guard Joe Johnson, with 1.034 points per possession. Durant was second, with 1.012, and James third, with 1.008. As closers, they couldn't have been much closer. Durant shot 42.0%, James 42.2%.

"There are things a closer does other than score," says Heat forward Udonis Haslem. Durant scored more in the clutch than anybody this season, but according to NBA.com, James delivered more assists, snagged more rebounds and had a higher efficiency rating.

James understands the closer phenomenon but laments it. "That's a problem with our league sometimes," he says. "You evaluate the last minute of a game, or the last 30 seconds, and forget this is a complete 48-minute game."

Says Heat forward James Jones, "It's funny because the best plays aren't even at the end. You usually wind up with a lot of long fadeaways and pull-up jumpers
."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1200948/

hopefully BGOL members will spend more time appreciating the GAME as a whole and not just what may occur in the final play or final minute. if they can. i understand some of them are dealing with obstacles of low/limited attention span and severely remedial understanding of fundamental basketball.
 
During the Heat's recent playoff run. I only recall 1 game that came down to a last shot or final possesion. Their 1 game against the Knicks they lost. Outside of that, it was a NON FACTOR. The entire late game last second heroics thing is and has been overblown by casual fans. Most PLAYOFF games dont come down to that.
 
I appreciate the story, especially the comment by Haslem, but there are more clutch plays than even rebounds and assists
Hell there are some clutch plays that don't show up in the box score at all. It's why Wade was so important in the finals
But if I bring him up, all anyone ever does is talk about scoring
 
For years they will say dumb shit such as, "so and so doesn't have any help, that's why they haven't won yet"
Then when a few higher caliber players do show up, they will completely contradict themselves by saying, "so and so put the team on his back and carried them"

It's inevitable and predictable as clockwork
 
Scoring is the most glamorous thing in basketball, because it is ultimately the thing that decides who wins and loses. Technically speaking, no one has to rebound, pass, or play any defense in basketball. However, in order for there to be a winner, someone HAS to score.

I understand the point of this article, but the NBA is selling entertainment to it's fans. Because there are so many fans - casual and otherwise - they try to keep it as simple as possible.

Even the least interested in sports individual in the world knows that the object of any competitive sport is to score more than the opposition. By glamorizing scoring above all else - i.e. keeping it simple - it's easier to generate excitement and bring in new fans.

Only true lovers of the game understand that, while the object of the game is to score more than your opponent, there are other facets of the game that contribute to this desired end.
 
Scoring is the most glamorous thing in basketball, because it is ultimately the thing that decides who wins and loses. Technically speaking, no one has to rebound, pass, or play any defense in basketball. However, in order for there to be a winner, someone HAS to score.

your first sentence is problematic, because it depends on the eye of the beholder, does it not? some might find the act of scoring far less glamorous than the act of finding an open man to receive a pass, or setting a perfect screen to free a teammate, or playing aggressive on ball defense.

if we entertain your position that scoring decides who wins and loses, then we discover immediately that you contradict yourself in the very next sentence: "no one has to rebound, pass, or play any defense in basketball". this is a contradiction because some scoring is the direct result of playing defense, rebounding and passing.

for example, in that specific order, those are the events that occur in a fast break transition opportunity.
 
i also want to provide examples of where scoring is not glamorous:

baskets scored as a result of cherry picking are not glamorous.
baskets scored as a result of a player never crossing half court on D are not glamorous.
baskets scored as a result of a player leaking out instead of playing D or securing a rebound are not glamorous.

tenacious team defense, with players selflessly rotating for their teammate, and moving their feet on the ball is far more glamorous.

entry passes to the low post where the passer creates a passing lane where none existed moments prior are far more glamorous.
 
your first sentence is problematic, because it depends on the eye of the beholder, does it not? some might find the act of scoring far less glamorous than the act of finding an open man to receive a pass, or setting a perfect screen to free a teammate, or playing aggressive on ball defense.

if we entertain your position that scoring decides who wins and loses, then we discover immediately that you contradict yourself in the very next sentence: "no one has to rebound, pass, or play any defense in basketball". this is a contradiction because some scoring is the direct result of playing defense, rebounding and passing.

for example, in that specific order, those are the events that occur in a fast break transition opportunity.

:itsawrap:
 
I appreciate the story, especially the comment by Haslem, but there are more clutch plays than even rebounds and assists
Hell there are some clutch plays that don't show up in the box score at all. It's why Wade was so important in the finals
But if I bring him up, all anyone ever does is talk about scoring

I would give Wade more props on the defensive end in that series than what he did on offense. He was placed on Westbrook many times in that series and lowered his effect on OKC's offensive scheme.

You could say the same thing about LeBron's defense on Durant preventing him from getting the ball early in the game
 
hopefully BGOL members will spend more time appreciating the GAME as a whole and not just what may occur in the final play or final minute. if they can. i understand some of them are dealing with obstacles of low/limited attention span and severely remedial understanding of fundamental basketball.

nah i aint watching all those commercials :lol::lol:
 
i dont care what any of yall say i know the truth... (mario rivera style).... if closing is done right a legend is born. no one closed better than jordan. no one was in the moment more than jordan. jordan proved he could suck the whole game, but when it mattered, his will won. it took him years to develope his uncanny ability to close. closers win games. bird was a closer. magic and kareem were closers. chauncy billups was a closer. robert horry was a closer. kobe is a closer. dirk is a closer. lebron???? ummmm not yet.
 
closers win games. bird was a closer. magic and kareem were closers. chauncy billups was a closer. robert horry was a closer. kobe is a closer. dirk is a closer. lebron???? ummmm not yet.

:lol:

Another MJ/Kobe stan. I never heard people refer to Jordan as a "closer" during his career. The term was created by Kenny Smith in an attempt to dickride Kobe Bryant since he was no longer "the best player in the game" at the time. And then you call Robert Horry & Dirk "closers" over LeBron. What a joke.
 
jamal crawford is making a laughing stock out of all the dumb asses who swallow the make believe about current players who are falsely alleged to have tremendous work ethic:

:lol:

Crawford, who joined the Los Angeles Clippers this offseason, says he has never focused on his shooting form. Let's repeat: The former sixth man of the year, who averages 15.3 points a game for his career, doesn't bother with the same shooting practice every 6-year-old peewee basketball player handles.

"I've never actually been drilled before. Seriously. I told Blake (Griffin) that, and he couldn't believe it," Crawford told the Los Angeles Times.

Why would Griffin believe it? Here's a new teammate who is expected to provide a major boost off the bench telling you about how he's spent 12 years in this league not bothering to improve his jump shot.

The position Crawford plays is shooting guard.

"This summer was actually the first summer I worked on my game. I usually just play off of raw talent," Crawford told the Times. "But I just wanted to work on something and be in great shape coming into camp. I came here right after Labor Day, which is the earliest I've ever gone to any team in the summer, and all the guys were here, committed to getting better.

For his career, he's made 34.8% of his three-pointers.

Crawford led the NBA by shooting 92.7% from the free throw line last season.


:lol:

so jamal crawford, who has never worked on his shot, has a higher career 3FG% than another player who is mistakenly lauded as a supremely talented player?

:lol:

so jamal crawford, who has never worked on his shot, lead the league in FT%, while another player who is falsely credited with a strong work ethic has NEVER done it?

:lol:

some of these clowns on BGOL believe sound bytes on youtube over reality.
 
During the Heat's recent playoff run. I only recall 1 game that came down to a last shot or final possesion. Their 1 game against the Knicks they lost. Outside of that, it was a NON FACTOR. The entire late game last second heroics thing is and has been overblown by casual fans. Most PLAYOFF games dont come down to that.

great post

:yes:

And then you call Robert Horry & Dirk "closers" over LeBron. What a joke

:yes:

I guess if you play enough mediocre basketball all year, people will leave you open often enough to hit big shots, maybe LeBron should try that instead of working hard all year, every game.

I've grown to respect and like Dirk but he's won the exact same number of championships as James and took much longer to do it so how is he a "closer" all of a sudden?
 
So this whole post is making excuses why Lebron can't make game winning shots? :lol: I guess seeing great closers like Jordan and Reggie Miller was just wasting our time and the shots lacked excitement? I guess seeing Kobe and Durant hit game winning shots while Lebron toss the ball to someone else because he knows he only has a 30%chance of making a game winner with his average jumper? I guess Lebron is the only player that plays hard all year so when it comes to the playoffs and it's time to make a big shot he shouldn't have to shoot?
 
So this whole post is making excuses why Lebron can't make game winning shots? :lol: I guess seeing great closers like Jordan and Reggie Miller was just wasting our time and the shots lacked excitement? I guess seeing Kobe and Durant hit game winning shots while Lebron toss the ball to someone else because he knows he only has a 30%chance of making a game winner with his average jumper? I guess Lebron is the only player that plays hard all year so when it comes to the playoffs and it's time to make a big shot he shouldn't have to shoot?

:smh::rolleyes:

I thought Reggie Miller was awesome but how many championships does he have? Couldn't be that great of a "closer". Same with Durant, though it's mad early in his career.
What year did Kobe or Jordan win a ring when they didnt have at least one other in-his-prime all star with him? How many years has LeBron had that same luxury?
 
:smh::rolleyes:

I thought Reggie Miller was awesome but how many championships does he have? Couldn't be that great of a "closer". Same with Durant, though it's mad early in his career.
What year did Kobe or Jordan win a ring when they didnt have at least one other in-his-prime all star with him? How many years has LeBron had that same luxury?

Dude Lebron got 1 championship that the refs helped him win and now you want to keep throwing up this player and that player can't be mentioned with him because they don't have a ring? Yaw make more excuses for this guy than the law allows! In the all star game his jumper was on fire, he tied the record for the most 3 pointers, his team down by 2 he's 1 on 1 with Kobe and the rest of the players spreaded out to give them room and this guy drove hole and passed the ball back out to a guy that was getting checked. Everyone including Kobe was like why didn't u take the damn shot! He didn't pass because he was being a good teammate he pass because he don't want to deal with being the guy that misses the game winning shot. Kobe got 2 rings without him playing with another all star. If you put Lebron on those teams that Kobe won without Shaq I bet he wouldn't have won a ring. He's on the court with 2 other all stars and still needed help
 
Dude Lebron got 1 championship that the refs helped him win and now you want to keep throwing up this player and that player can't be mentioned with him because they don't have a ring? Yaw make more excuses for this guy than the law allows! In the all star game his jumper was on fire, he tied the record for the most 3 pointers, his team down by 2 he's 1 on 1 with Kobe and the rest of the players spreaded out to give them room and this guy drove hole and passed the ball back out to a guy that was getting checked. Everyone including Kobe was like why didn't u take the damn shot! He didn't pass because he was being a good teammate he pass because he don't want to deal with being the guy that misses the game winning shot. Kobe got 2 rings without him playing with another all star. If you put Lebron on those teams that Kobe won without Shaq I bet he wouldn't have won a ring. He's on the court with 2 other all stars and still needed help


What excuses? No player has won championship without an All Star level player with him, not one. Shaq had Kobe then Kobe had Gasol. Jordan had Pippen every year he won and never won without him, ever.
Stop trying to be a mind reader or parroting what someone else said. Passing to the open man is Basketball 101 and it's how Jordan has 6 rings, passing to John Paxson and Steve Kerr in Finals games.
You named players who were supposedly "closers" and I used facts to expose how ignorant that sounds with those same players. Miller hit a lot of big shots at the end of games, where's his championship? He was a "closer" right? He went to the Finals, where's his championship?
Dirk Novitski was in the league a lot longer than LeBron before he won his first championship so did he just become a "closer" or was he one all along and it's just a bullshit term?
The OP is right: casual fans are sheep and their transparent.

:lol:He didn't want the "pressure" in an All Star game?:lol: You people will say anything.
 
What excuses? No player has won championship without an All Star level player with him, not one. Shaq had Kobe then Kobe had Gasol. Jordan had Pippen every year he won and never won without him, ever.
Stop trying to be a mind reader or parroting what someone else said. Passing to the open man is Basketball 101 and it's how Jordan has 6 rings, passing to John Paxson and Steve Kerr in Finals games.
You named players who were supposedly "closers" and I used facts to expose how ignorant that sounds with those same players. Miller hit a lot of big shots at the end of games, where's his championship? He was a "closer" right? He went to the Finals, where's his championship?
Dirk Novitski was in the league a lot longer than LeBron before he won his first championship so did he just become a "closer" or was he one all along and it's just a bullshit term?
The OP is right: casual fans are sheep and their transparent.

:lol:He didn't want the "pressure" in an All Star game?:lol: You people will say anything.

Actually Dirk didn't take too much longer than Lebron to get his ring and he didn't get it until he became an excellent closer. Gasol was and is still soft and when is the last time he made it to an all star? Artest is nothing more than a average player so where is these super players he played with? Reggie miller and a whole lot of other hall of famers never got that ring because no team could beat Chicago. I seen so many excuses made for Lebron but this is pitiful. He can't finish and people comes up with some CRAZY excuses! P.S Jordan won 6 rings but gave 2 passes in 2 games and this is the example you came up with? Turn the ESPN off
 
What excuses? No player has won championship without an All Star level player with him, not one. Shaq had Kobe then Kobe had Gasol. Jordan had Pippen every year he won and never won without him, ever.
Stop trying to be a mind reader or parroting what someone else said. Passing to the open man is Basketball 101 and it's how Jordan has 6 rings, passing to John Paxson and Steve Kerr in Finals games.
You named players who were supposedly "closers" and I used facts to expose how ignorant that sounds with those same players. Miller hit a lot of big shots at the end of games, where's his championship? He was a "closer" right? He went to the Finals, where's his championship?
Dirk Novitski was in the league a lot longer than LeBron before he won his first championship so did he just become a "closer" or was he one all along and it's just a bullshit term?
The OP is right: casual fans are sheep and their transparent.

:lol:He didn't want the "pressure" in an All Star game?:lol: You people will say anything.

So everyone wanted to see him go 1 on 1 with Kobe including you Lebron fans so why did he pass the ball? Did Kobe intimidate him or did he just not want to shoot up a brick with all of demz eyes on him. Do all Lebron fans get together and see who comes up with the best excuses?
 
Actually Dirk didn't take too much longer than Lebron to get his ring and he didn't get it until he became an excellent closer.

That doesn't even make sense. He won because he got a better team around him including three former All Stars (Kidd, Butler, Marion) and one of the best defenders in the league (Chandler). When he finally got some help, he won a championship, the same as Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen.


Gasol was and is still soft and when is the last time he made it to an all star? Artest is nothing more than a average player so where is these super players he played with? Reggie miller and a whole lot of other hall of famers never got that ring because no team could beat Chicago. I seen so many excuses made for Lebron but this is pitiful. He can't finish and people comes up with some CRAZY excuses! P.S Jordan won 6 rings but gave 2 passes in 2 games and this is the example you came up with? Turn the ESPN off

I didn't ask your opinion on Gasol or Artest because it doesn't matter. The truth and facts are they were All Star players and Kobe didn't win jack after Shaq left until he got those other guys. So was he not a "closer" for a few years and then became one again?
Wait a minute. Reggie was a "closer" remember? You're excuse doesn't even make sense because they rarely ever met the Bulls in the playoffs. He didn't close out the Sixers or the Nets or the Lakers so what happened?
It took Jordan 6 yrs to win a championship and it took LeBron 8, not really that big of a difference, much closer than the 13 it took Dirk.
Oh yeah, Gasol's been an All Star the last 4 yrs, including his entire run in LA.
Dude, you just don't know what you're talking about but you're quick to parrot back some foolishness you heard from some other clown who didn't know what he was talking about.
Casual fans shouldn't ever come to the Sports board.
 
That doesn't even make sense. He won because he got a better team around him including three former All Stars (Kidd, Butler, Marion) and one of the best defenders in the league (Chandler). When he finally got some help, he won a championship, the same as Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen.




I didn't ask your opinion on Gasol or Artest because it doesn't matter. The truth and facts are they were All Star players and Kobe didn't win jack after Shaq left until he got those other guys. So was he not a "closer" for a few years and then became one again?
Wait a minute. Reggie was a "closer" remember? You're excuse doesn't even make sense because they rarely ever met the Bulls in the playoffs. He didn't close out the Sixers or the Nets or the Lakers so what happened?
It took Jordan 6 yrs to win a championship and it took LeBron 8, not really that big of a difference, much closer than the 13 it took Dirk.
Oh yeah, Gasol's been an All Star the last 4 yrs, including his entire run in LA.
Dude, you just don't know what you're talking about but you're quick to parrot back some foolishness you heard from some other clown who didn't know what he was talking about.
Casual fans shouldn't ever come to the Sports board.

You do remember how everyone was saying the lakers need to get rid of gasol bc he as getting bullied and shutdown in almost every game after joining the lakers?

The fact is Lebron came in as the bigest hype of all time and he could never live up 2 it. He ran to Miami and joined what was suppose to be a super team that lost because of him choking.(remember dallas doubling wade and leaving lebron wide open and he refused to shoot) Then the NBA got involved and decided to help him win last year. Lebron is a little over average of a player but Lebron fans make crazy post like this 1 to convince themselves that he's not. Then you got the nerve to say everyone that don't think being a clutch shooters is a big deal is sheep? If the great Dirk wouldn't have hit all of those CLUTCH shots in the post season that year Dallas wouldn't even came close to being in the championship. PS it's a lot of fowards that didn't get a ring during those Jordans years that I consider to be a lot better than your hero Lebron
 
You do remember how everyone was saying the lakers need to get rid of gasol bc he as getting bullied and shutdown in almost every game after joining the lakers?

Irrelevent what "everyone" says, the Laker management wanted him, kept him and they ended up going to two Finals and winning a ring, something they had not done since Shaquille O'Neal left.
Also, the point remains, he was/is an All Star.

The fact is Lebron came in as the bigest hype of all time and he could never live up 2 it. He ran to Miami and joined what was suppose to be a super team that lost because of him choking.(remember dallas doubling wade and leaving lebron wide open and he refused to shoot) Then the NBA got involved and decided to help him win last year. Lebron is a little over average of a player but Lebron fans make crazy post like this 1 to convince themselves that he's not. Then you got the nerve to say everyone that don't think being a clutch shooters is a big deal is sheep? If the great Dirk wouldn't have hit all of those CLUTCH shots in the post season that year Dallas wouldn't even came close to being in the championship. PS it's a lot of fowards that didn't get a ring during those Jordans years that I consider to be a lot better than your hero Lebron

Seems like the facts are on my side and the excuses on yours. So the NBA helped him?:rolleyes:
Seeing him win a couple MVPs, a Rookie of the Year, have stats not seen since Oscar Robertson, and finally to win a championship, he has lived up to all reasonable hype. When he got the same level of help as Jordan, Magic, Bird, and later guys like Kobe and Shaq, he won a championship just like them.
The people that ran around like he was going to be the greatest player to ever touch a basketball (while he was still a high school player) were only doing what the media does: build guys up to tear them down.
I dont really who or what you consider. I'm not having an opinion debate with you, I'm stating indisputable facts to counter the crazy stories people have made up to discredit James (not my "hero" btw, I'm a grown man).
 
Irrelevent what "everyone" says, the Laker management wanted him, kept him and they ended up going to two Finals and winning a ring, something they had not done since Shaquille O'Neal left.
Also, the point remains, he was/is an All Star.



Seems like the facts are on my side and the excuses on yours. So the NBA helped him?:rolleyes:
Seeing him win a couple MVPs, a Rookie of the Year, have stats not seen since Oscar Robertson, and finally to win a championship, he has lived up to all reasonable hype. When he got the same level of help as Jordan, Magic, Bird, and later guys like Kobe and Shaq, he won a championship just like them.
The people that ran around like he was going to be the greatest player to ever touch a basketball (while he was still a high school player) were only doing what the media does: build guys up to tear them down.
I dont really who or what you consider. I'm not having an opinion debate with you, I'm stating indisputable facts to counter the crazy stories people have made up to discredit James (not my "hero" btw, I'm a grown man).

I agree that the refs help certain teams win championships. The last year the Lakers won they played the Kings in the playoffs and the refs blatantly helped the Lakers win that series by keeping C Webb in foul trouble. The year Denver with Melo and AI were about to beat the Spurs and they kept Melo in foul trouble the last 4 games of the series. Melo and Lebron stats were almost the same except melo took a sorry team to the playoffs in the WEST while Lebron took his team to the playoffsin the sorry East so I'm thinking Melo deserved the rookie of the year. I also think Durant should have gotten the MVP the last 2 years considering how him and Lebron had Identical stats except while Lebron was choking all year Durant was hitting the so called overrated clutch shots. You do agree they were letting Lebron wrestle Durant out on the 3 point line like they were in the paint right? You do agree they kept calling petty fouls on Durant to keep him out of the game because the refs couldn't control the game because Durant was fucking unstoppable in the 4th quarters? That whole series was a joke but Miami fans were looking at some other game(denial). I hope they both are in the Championship this year and the refs just let them play because after that Laker and Kings series I stopped looking and basketball for a while.
 
I agree that the refs help certain teams win championships. The last year the Lakers won they played the Kings in the playoffs and the refs blatantly helped the Lakers win that series by keeping C Webb in foul trouble. The year Denver with Melo and AI were about to beat the Spurs and they kept Melo in foul trouble the last 4 games of the series. Melo and Lebron stats were almost the same except melo took a sorry team to the playoffs in the WEST while Lebron took his team to the playoffsin the sorry East so I'm thinking Melo deserved the rookie of the year. I also think Durant should have gotten the MVP the last 2 years considering how him and Lebron had Identical stats except while Lebron was choking all year Durant was hitting the so called overrated clutch shots. You do agree they were letting Lebron wrestle Durant out on the 3 point line like they were in the paint right? You do agree they kept calling petty fouls on Durant to keep him out of the game because the refs couldn't control the game because Durant was fucking unstoppable in the 4th quarters? That whole series was a joke but Miami fans were looking at some other game(denial). I hope they both are in the Championship this year and the refs just let them play because after that Laker and Kings series I stopped looking and basketball for a while.

The only thing in that I agree with is that Melo had a strong argument for being Rookie of the Year.
 
the los angeles clippers had an arbitrarily historic month (undefeated december) and established a franchise win streak milestone (17 wins).

bravo.

but should clippers fans (and NBA fans in general) be excited? or should NBA fans actually be disappointed, as this achievement is mostly byproduct of a diminished, marginally talented league and fortunate scheduling?

of the seventeen wins, ONLY THREE were against teams over .500

wins are always good, and a streak cannot be wholly disregarded, but eh...
 
You think so? I thought they had a pretty decent 2nd unit.

keep in mind i pointed to the backcourt play of the 2nd unit.

eric bledsoe, high TOs for minutes played, loves the 3 FGA.
jamal crawford, not a source of many assists, loves the 3 FGA.
matt barnes
lamar odom
rony turiaf
ryan hollins

combine that with matt barnes who also loves the 3 FGA, and there's trouble brewing.

one thing that is incredible about the clippers is that NONE of them are averaging 14 or more FGAs per game.

3rd highest assists in the NBA, no primadonna starters, everyone sharing the ball.
 
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