The NBA

[Michael K.]

As much as I miss my Sonics, watching the Houston Floppers play basketball makes me wonder if I would even want an NBA team here. Is this really what the NBA has become? Houston is disgusting to watch, and now without KD I assume my basketball watching is over until the Huskies play again. I can't stomach to watch Harden and Paul. Ick.

[DavidGee24]

If you'd watched the Blazers/Nuggets quadruple overtime game the other night you'd have seen an entirely different game. I had little stake in that game (was pulling for the Blazers) but was glued to my seat. Great basketball. Nobody flopping, just guys playing 50-60 minutes and still hustling, making plays, and making big shots.

If we ever do get another Sonics team, we're going to be seeing an entirely different NBA than the last one we saw. Every time shoots a ton of threes now, and it's because there are a lot of guys, including seven-footers, who can knock them down at a 40-45 percent clip. And it isn't just the threes, there are a lot of really talented players and scoring is way up. It might seem like they're not playing defense, but it's just that there's so much offensive talent now, especially with the influx of top European players.

[JAWA]

I can't stomach to watch Harden and Paul. Ick.

Well, it's much better than watching Westbrook and George lead the Blunder on a playoff run. I'd rather watch the Rockets over them ANY day of the YEAR. Thank god the Blazers took care of the Team Formerly Known as the Sonics, and in dramatic fashion no less!

[DavidGee24]

I think the correct term is Zombie Sonics. Bill Simmons came up with that one, as in the Sonics are dead but they got re-animated.

[glenstar]

The Blazer series is fun to watch. It is probably the best series of all. Go Blazers!

[JAWA]

Great to see KD and the Warriors movin' on to the Western Conference Finals YET again! Meanwhile, Okies are getting that familiar sick feeling in their guts as well and I don't think it has anything do with their nasty ass fecal invested river

[JAWA]

Congrats to KD and the Warriors on reaching their fifth consecutive NBA Finals! I'm very happy for them, unlike those in a certain panhandled-shaped state in the middle of the country

[SpokaneCoug]

Random old guy rant (sorry in advance)

Remember when we were younger and watched a helluva lot more NBA in the Magic/Bird/Jordan years and traveling (3 steps) wasn't called back then? It's like the players in this era have double-downed and said "3 steps ain't enough - we need 5!!".... I was SHOCKED when the ref called traveling on Stephen Curry last night with 10 seconds left in regulation and EVEN MORE SHOCKED that Stephen Curry argued the call. THE DUDE TOOK 5 EFFING STEPS TO GET BACK TO 3 POINT LAND!!!!!!!!!! Why don't they EVER call this shit? I don't get it. It's like the NBA isn't even basketball anymore.

Ugh - back to drinking and yelling at kids to get of my lawn.

-Old Man WoodinvilleCoug

[XpertDBA]

Random old guy rant (sorry in advance)

Remember when we were younger and watched a helluva lot more NBA in the Magic/Bird/Jordan years and traveling (3 steps) wasn't called back then? It's like the players in this era have double-downed and said "3 steps ain't enough - we need 5!!".... I was SHOCKED when the ref called traveling on Stephen Curry last night with 10 seconds left in regulation and EVEN MORE SHOCKED that Stephen Curry argued the call. THE DUDE TOOK 5 EFFING STEPS TO GET BACK TO 3 POINT LAND!!!!!!!!!! Why don't they EVER call this shit? I don't get it. It's like the NBA isn't even basketball anymore.

Ugh - back to drinking and yelling at kids to get of my lawn.

-Old Man WoodinvilleCoug

I totally agree with this post. I haven't watched an entire NBA game start to finish since the Sonics left town, but I have been sitting at a restaurant or a bar, and occasionally glance up at a random NBA game from time to time. I simply can't fathom how the NBA players of today get away with such obvious traveling and palming the ball infractions. When guys come around a pick and are receiving a pass, they always end up taking at least 3 steps before establishing a pivot foot. If I could have gotten away with 10% of what these guys get away with while I was playing high school ball, I would have been a legend. It's really not too hard to beat a defensive player when you can palm/carry the ball for so long while making moves.

I remember the late 1970s Sonics teams, and the Celtics/Lakers teams of the 80s and it was all about LEGAL ball movement, passing, flow.....it was a beautiful game to watch. Bird, Magic, Stockton/Malone.....hard to beat that era. Then the Bad Boy Pistons came around and it was all about (very questionable) toughness, physicality and trash talking. That was the beginning of the end, although there were exceptions. The 90's Sonics teams bucked the trend and played beautiful basketball both offensively and defensively.....Payton to Kemp just never got old. Then Shaq came into the league and took physical and lack of real basketball talent to a whole different level. Now it seems to be just continuous 3-point shooting, traveling, palming and lack of creativity in the passing game. I really don't miss anything I've happened to see with the current NBA these days.

[rockycola]

Random old guy rant (sorry in advance)

Remember when we were younger and watched a helluva lot more NBA in the Magic/Bird/Jordan years and traveling (3 steps) wasn't called back then? It's like the players in this era have double-downed and said "3 steps ain't enough - we need 5!!".... I was SHOCKED when the ref called traveling on Stephen Curry last night with 10 seconds left in regulation and EVEN MORE SHOCKED that Stephen Curry argued the call. THE DUDE TOOK 5 EFFING STEPS TO GET BACK TO 3 POINT LAND!!!!!!!!!! Why don't they EVER call this shit? I don't get it. It's like the NBA isn't even basketball anymore.

Ugh - back to drinking and yelling at kids to get of my lawn.

-Old Man WoodinvilleCoug

I totally agree with this post. I haven't watched an entire NBA game start to finish since the Sonics left town, but I have been sitting at a restaurant or a bar, and occasionally glance up at a random NBA game from time to time. I simply can't fathom how the NBA players of today get away with such obvious traveling and palming the ball infractions. When guys come around a pick and are receiving a pass, they always end up taking at least 3 steps before establishing a pivot foot. If I could have gotten away with 10% of what these guys get away with while I was playing high school ball, I would have been a legend. It's really not too hard to beat a defensive player when you can palm/carry the ball for so long while making moves.

I remember the late 1970s Sonics teams, and the Celtics/Lakers teams of the 80s and it was all about LEGAL ball movement, passing, flow.....it was a beautiful game to watch. Bird, Magic, Stockton/Malone.....hard to beat that era. Then the Bad Boy Pistons came around and it was all about (very questionable) toughness, physicality and trash talking. That was the beginning of the end, although there were exceptions. The 90's Sonics teams bucked the trend and played beautiful basketball both offensively and defensively.....Payton to Kemp just never got old. Then Shaq came into the league and took physical and lack of real basketball talent to a whole different level. Now it seems to be just continuous 3-point shooting, traveling, palming and lack of creativity in the passing game. I really don't miss anything I've happened to see with the current NBA these days.

Can you imagine the creativity and skills we'd see if the 3-point line was eliminated, dunking was an offensive foul and steps/palming were called? Won't ever happen but it would be a fun game. A lot less beer and sneakers would be sold, too!