It's a humble experience for every sports fan recuperating from the the greatly depressing World Series between the Cardinals and the Tigers, but your misery is officially over. You can now sit back, relax, and enjoy LeBron, Kobe, and Dwyane.
By the way, if you are voting tomorrow, leave a note that you want David Stern in 2008. Trust me, I have my reasons.
Well, we are now a week (a week!) into the 2006-2007 NBA season, and if you are not watching the games, then shame on you. You have already squandered the opportunity to witness what could be the highlight of the regular season — the defending champions Miami Heat losing their opener to the Chicago Bulls by (put your guess here and then look below).
Not just lost. Beat. By 42 points! That's four times ten plus two, folks. That's an achievement which is insured against all odds, even the acts of terrorism (and by the way I was going through my new home insurance policy and I noticed something that I didn't notice before; which is, my apartment is not insured against terrorism or anything related or remotely related to it and the insurer gave a damn fine definition of terrorism too — but that's a different post altogether).
Kudos to Pat Riley and his boys, because not always you can end your previous season and begin your new one poles apart from one another.
At this point you can almost start feeling sorry for those hapless (and whining) Dallas Mavericks fans who took the pain to watch the Heat-Bulls game and felt the pinch one more time. It's one thing to watch the Bulls dismantling the Heat — and it's another thing to watch the Bulls dismantling the Heat and realize that the Bulls' game is clearly where the Mavs' are ostensibly better.
Yes, the Mavs came close to winning it all, but the truth be told, (if you missed it last year), the Heat were clearly the better team (for the record I picked Heat in six) in the 2006 finals.
Article comments
1 - Matthew T. Sussman
The reason I can't watch the NBA regular season is I don't necessarily have a favorite team. Sure, I'll keep tabs on the Cavs and Pistons, and that's about it.
At least with the NFL the product is so polished that it doesn't matter which teams I'm watching, it's a fun game. The NBA doesn't have that. In the NBA you have to have the right two teams. Hence my interest peaking in the playoffs.
2 - Q Bit
Suss:
The problem that I was having regarding posting comments seems to have resolved itself.
The reason I can't watch the NBA regular season is I don't necessarily have a favorite team. Sure, I'll keep tabs on the Cavs and Pistons, and that's about it.
It's not necessary to have a fav team as there are only 33 teams in the NBA and for any randomly picked basketball fan, chances are small that his/her city hosts a pro team.
For example, after I moved out of Los Angeles, I never stayed in a city having a pro basketball team but that didn't stop me watching basketball. I suppose for most fans out there it's the game that matters.
Compared to other pro-sports, of course, you have to take into account other factors, but looks like, more often than not, it's a matter of taste (as you pointed out for NFL), and understanding the nuances of the game. It took me years to start appreciating ice hockey (can't say about curling though). May be you still have time for regular season NBA!!
Now while watching any random NBA game ...
If it's between Dallas and San Antotnio--which team would you root for? Probably neither in your case and it sucks away all the fun as a sports fan. In my case it's easy to pick Spurs simply because I hate the histronics of Mark Cuban.
I admit, following that routine is difficult when it comes to Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors :-)
I agree playoffs are more exciting and for good reasons too. And good luck with your teams, Cavs and Pistons, but don't count on the Pistons--they are done. Cavs are looking good but they are only good enough for another semifinal elimination.