"The Golden Age" of basketball is said to be the 1980s when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson raised the NBA to a national stage, and this is when basketball really started to become popular in America. Now they handed the baton off to Michael Jordan and he took the game further than it has ever gone before. Jordan's departure from the game left many with a void in their basketball watching experience. The league really was dealt a painful blow when Michael first retired in 1999. His retirement along with a lockout being the owners and the player's association over a new collective bargaining agreement (the NFL is currently having the same CBA problems) is was led many people to stop watching basketball.
Basketball was in a recession from that point on but with the amount of talent the NBA has today, it looks like we are digging out of that recession.The NBA is finally rising in revenue instead of dropping, more viewers are watching as well as TV ratings are up. NBA basketball is returning towards being one of the top entertainment choices in America. A lot of the resurgence can be attributed to the amount of star power the league has today. With so many nationally recognizable players the NBA has more star power than any other sport does. Players like Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Shaquille O'Neal, Rajon Rondo, John Wall, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Amare Stoudemire, Derrick Rose, and Brandon Jennings to name a few all have nationally televised commercials for their individual endorsements. This all attributes more recognition to the NBA and it makes these star players more attractive to watch. Another huge reason why the NBA is popular again is because the game is faster and more athletic than ever before. This brings more excitement and energy to NBA games, which is what many people want to see. I don't think we are at another "Golden Age" of basketball yet, but a "Silver Age" may be closer than you think.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The New Chicago Bulls
The Baby Bulls, as they were nicknamed a couple of years because of their age and lack of consistent play, are all grown up now. The team is the best it has been since Jordan left and that is primarily because the team has grown up and acquired a few notable additions. The younger players on the Bulls such as Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Taj Gibson have reached their potential fast, and they are still getting better.
Derrick Rose has quickly become quite possibly the best point guard in the league overnight. While everyone knew he would be a great player someday not many thought that it would be this soon. Watching him last year there were so many holes in his game. He could shoot from the outside consistently, he didn't play defense, he wasn't an efficient enough number 1 scoring option, and he didn't lead his team the way great point guards do. Now to be fair Rose was just a second year pro last year. All of the sudden though, Rose has played phenomenal this year to the point that he has not only entered, but he may be at the top of the best point guard conversation in only his third year. He has corrected all of his problems in one off-season and has enhanced his game-play incredibly. Joakim Noah has also developed his game quite quickly as well, the young center is one of the top rebounders in the game and is also one of the best defenders as well.
The additions have also helped the team play as good as they are playing. The key addition has been Carlos Boozer who is coming from the Utah Jazz. He is one of the best post scorers in the game and he is also a terrific rebounder. Another key addition was new coach Tom Thibideau. He was an assistant for the Boston Celtics, and like his predecessor, Vinny Del Negro, he is more of a defensive coach. Some of the other more under-the-radar acquisitions included Kyle Korver, Ronny Brewer, and C.J. Watson. Korver and Watson help fill the Bulls void for 3 point shooting which was a main weakness just a year ago, while Brewer is an athletic wing player who can slash and play good defense. All in all the bulls have gone from an overachieving fringe playoff team to a legitimate championship contender, and i promise you no one is calling them "Baby Bulls" anymore.
Derrick Rose has quickly become quite possibly the best point guard in the league overnight. While everyone knew he would be a great player someday not many thought that it would be this soon. Watching him last year there were so many holes in his game. He could shoot from the outside consistently, he didn't play defense, he wasn't an efficient enough number 1 scoring option, and he didn't lead his team the way great point guards do. Now to be fair Rose was just a second year pro last year. All of the sudden though, Rose has played phenomenal this year to the point that he has not only entered, but he may be at the top of the best point guard conversation in only his third year. He has corrected all of his problems in one off-season and has enhanced his game-play incredibly. Joakim Noah has also developed his game quite quickly as well, the young center is one of the top rebounders in the game and is also one of the best defenders as well.
The additions have also helped the team play as good as they are playing. The key addition has been Carlos Boozer who is coming from the Utah Jazz. He is one of the best post scorers in the game and he is also a terrific rebounder. Another key addition was new coach Tom Thibideau. He was an assistant for the Boston Celtics, and like his predecessor, Vinny Del Negro, he is more of a defensive coach. Some of the other more under-the-radar acquisitions included Kyle Korver, Ronny Brewer, and C.J. Watson. Korver and Watson help fill the Bulls void for 3 point shooting which was a main weakness just a year ago, while Brewer is an athletic wing player who can slash and play good defense. All in all the bulls have gone from an overachieving fringe playoff team to a legitimate championship contender, and i promise you no one is calling them "Baby Bulls" anymore.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
The San Antonio Spurs
Before this season started no one thought the San Antonio Spurs had a chance to win the NBA Championship. Almost no one even had them in their top 5 teams to start off the year. Not above the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, or even the Chicago Bulls. To be honest many might not even of had them in their top 10 considering they finished 7th place in the Western Conference for the first time since the 1996-1997 season. The Spurs, known recently for winning 4 NBA Championships in a 9 year span that lasted from 1999-2007, were getting old. Known as a modern dynasty for their achievements many had began to write the team who had the same 3 main pieces since 2003. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili were know as the "Big 3" in San Antonio. Many were saying that while Parker was still in his prime, that the other two were beginning to age. Ginobili had been struggling with knee and ankle injuries for the last 2-3 years, and Duncan was just getting older. So naturally everyone believed this team was done and needed to start rebuilding.
The Spurs, however, believed differently because they have the best record in the NBA right now and are off to the best start they have had in their franchise history. Most analysts credit Coach Greg Popovich's decision to switch the teams style from a slow pace inside out style to a fast pace guard oriented style. While this has helped the Spurs tremendously this year, I believe the real reason they are back and off to a great start is because they are healthy. Ginobili seems back to full strength for the first time in a long time and Duncan hasn't been fatigued this year. If they can stay healthy and rested for the rest of the year another NBA Championship might be in there future. For more information about the San Antonio Spurs click here.
The Spurs, however, believed differently because they have the best record in the NBA right now and are off to the best start they have had in their franchise history. Most analysts credit Coach Greg Popovich's decision to switch the teams style from a slow pace inside out style to a fast pace guard oriented style. While this has helped the Spurs tremendously this year, I believe the real reason they are back and off to a great start is because they are healthy. Ginobili seems back to full strength for the first time in a long time and Duncan hasn't been fatigued this year. If they can stay healthy and rested for the rest of the year another NBA Championship might be in there future. For more information about the San Antonio Spurs click here.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
The Carmelo Anthony Situation
Carmelo Anthony is in the final year of his contract with the Denver Nuggets, and as most of us know by now he will not be with the team past this year. This is normally not an uncommon situation in the NBA, where players leave teams via trade and free agency every year. So what makes this instance so different? It's Carmelo Anthony that what makes it so different. He is widely considered one of the top 5 scorers in the entire league. He is so good that he has become too expensive for the Denver Nuggets. Everyone knows all of this, the real question is where will he go next.
Carmelo is easily one of the top 5 scorers in the league as well as one of the top 10 players in the NBA, and at the age of only 26 he is someone that many teams would love to have on their roster. After a stellar high school career at Oak Hill Academy, one of the most prominent basketball high schools around the country, he had a short but unbelievable college career at Syracuse. In 2003, his freshman year, he led Syracuse to their first National Championship, and he was awarded the Most Outstanding Player in the tournament. He was then drafted number 3 overall by the Denver Nuggets in 2003 and he has been the leader of the team ever since.
Carmelo is wanted by many, but the New Jersey Nets and the New York Knicks are the teams pursuing him most heavily right now. The Nuggets have to trade him by the late February deadline or they will receive no compensation for him. They team he wants to go to the Knicks, doesn't have the players that the Nuggets want in exchange for him. The team that does, the Nets, has recently pulled out of the Carmelo sweepstakes, saying it has become too expensive for them. Will he be traded by the deadline, or will we have to wait till the off-season to find out where Carmelo, will be headed.
Carmelo is easily one of the top 5 scorers in the league as well as one of the top 10 players in the NBA, and at the age of only 26 he is someone that many teams would love to have on their roster. After a stellar high school career at Oak Hill Academy, one of the most prominent basketball high schools around the country, he had a short but unbelievable college career at Syracuse. In 2003, his freshman year, he led Syracuse to their first National Championship, and he was awarded the Most Outstanding Player in the tournament. He was then drafted number 3 overall by the Denver Nuggets in 2003 and he has been the leader of the team ever since.
Carmelo is wanted by many, but the New Jersey Nets and the New York Knicks are the teams pursuing him most heavily right now. The Nuggets have to trade him by the late February deadline or they will receive no compensation for him. They team he wants to go to the Knicks, doesn't have the players that the Nuggets want in exchange for him. The team that does, the Nets, has recently pulled out of the Carmelo sweepstakes, saying it has become too expensive for them. Will he be traded by the deadline, or will we have to wait till the off-season to find out where Carmelo, will be headed.
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