The second annual NBA Cup is within the books. How are we feeling about it?
There appears to be numerous handwringing and brow-furrowing in NBA circles about doubtlessly waning curiosity of their product. With TV rankings in freefall forward of a brand new multi-billion-dollar broadcast deal, occasions such because the NBA Cup tackle outsized significance. Not solely does it must ship the products as an on-court product, it additionally has to assist restore the sport of basketball on the forefront of the worldwide consciousness.
Did it succeed on these phrases? No, as a result of nothing might. Did it succeed as an entertaining and (sometimes) thrilling framework for the most effective basketball league on earth? Sure – largely.
Let’s Siskel and Ebert our approach by way of the 2024 NBA Cup.
Thumbs up: It’s completely different!
The NBA common season is a methodical and grueling take a look at of endurance, roster building, and psychological/bodily wherewithal. It’s the most brutal basketball take a look at recognized to man. Whichever workforce finally ends up surviving that take a look at – plus one other couple months of extra-brutal playoff basketball – to win the championship completely, positively, unequivocally deserves it.
However even probably the most die-hard NBA followers would admit their curiosity within the product tends to wane through the extra laborious parts of the schedule.
Have you ever ever watched a marathon on TV? Maybe you tuned into the Olympic race, or you understand somebody who certified for Boston or New York. Typical marathon viewers get excited to see the beginning of the race, the leaders, the individuals they could know, after which they try for some time till the leaders strategy the end line. It takes a particular sort of viewer to observe mile six with the identical depth as mile 24.
The NBA Cup is just a strategy to make miles 6-8 of the marathon a bit extra attention-grabbing.
The NFL dominates informal discourse due largely to the shortage of their product. The NBA can by no means compete on that stage, so it should introduce selection. Occasions such because the NBA Cup are at all times going to have their detractors – armchair quarterbacks who exist solely to criticize something new – however a sports activities league can’t evolve with out taking a number of probabilities. The NBA Cup is convoluted, certain, however so is professional sports activities. It means no matter you need it to imply. These 82 video games are taking place with or and not using a Cup – why not change the context?
Thumbs down: Las Vegas
Look, everyone knows why they maintain the NBA Cup semifinals/finals in Las Vegas. It’s equal elements a take a look at run for the eventual growth workforce and a nod to the myriad playing sponsors who preserve this league and several other others swimming in money. Las Vegas is uniquely located as a location that may host a significant occasion at a second’s discover, whatever the individuals. It is smart on paper.
Sadly, the environment sucks.
With no precise followers in attendance – simply individuals searching for one thing to do – the video games simply really feel, properly, off. These video games are presupposed to be an enormous deal, however they’ve the group vitality of a random summer season league sport. Casting the group in an ominous shadow (prone to disguise the variety of empty seats) doesn’t assist both.
The NBA lucked out in final yr’s inaugural in-season match with the Los Angeles Lakers. Not solely is Los Angeles shut sufficient for rich Laker followers to journey, the Lakers are a public workforce with probably the most well-known American athlete. The vitality was there as a result of the Lakers and LeBron James have been concerned.
The Bucks, Hawks, Thunder, and Rockets – as enjoyable as these groups are – can’t generate the identical stage of informal curiosity. Giannis Antetokounmpo made probably the most unbelievable performs a human could make to helps seal his workforce’s win over the Hawks within the semifinal. Trae Younger (who had a powerful match in his personal proper) threw an excellent lob to Clint Capela, and simply as he was about to slam it down, Giannis met him on the peak and turned him away. Giannis makes the unbelievable appear routine, however this play was outstanding even by his requirements. The group reacted as if it was a facet out-of-bounds play.
If the league desires these video games to really feel necessary, take them out of Las Vegas. The workforce with the higher document hosts the sport. Actual followers get to attend and make noise. Easy.
Thumbs up: Pool play
I like all of the issues the NBA does to set these video games aside. I’m on board the particular courts (even the ugly ones). I like how sure nights within the schedule are put aside as Cup Nights. I’m on board with all of it.
However at no level am I ever going to concentrate to which workforce is in what pod and what these standings are.
As you may need gathered by way of earlier editions of Elevator Doorways, I’m obsessive about the Denver Nuggets. That is my workforce. I’ve been with them for the reason that LaPhonso Ellis days. I used to be watching when Dikembe Mutombo clutched the ball in his fingers and almost cried after the Nuggets upset the Seattle SuperSonics. I used to be watching these ill-fated Nikoloz Tskitishvili video games. I used to be there for the 17 wins in 2002-2003 when the franchise was tanking for LeBron however ended up with Carmelo. I’m presently savoring each magical second Nikola Jokic bestows upon us.
And I had no concept who was in Denver’s pod. I actually had no clue what this workforce wanted to do to advance within the match. Level differentials are concerned? At no level am I ever going to concentrate to the machinations of this factor. Inform me who wins. Inform me who performs who when.
It is a function, not a bug.
I’m a fan of something that has a “select your individual journey” component to it. If you wish to dive absolutely into the weeds and get into pool play and level differentials, that’s there for you. Should you simply need to watch the video games, that’s there for you too. It’s how I approached “Sport of Thrones.” I watched the whole HBO run and loved a strong 80% of it. I by no means learn any of the books and have no real interest in any spinoff reveals. However I like realizing it’s there.
Thumbs down: The officiating
I hate complaining about officiating. It’s a lazy and sometimes biased airing of grievances. These complaints by no means change something, and NBA officers get it right a lot extra typically than they get it flawed.
However once they get it flawed, hoo boy.
I suppose I do not know what a unfastened ball foul is. Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga acquired whistled for a “accurately assessed” private foul name in a scrum state of affairs with Houston’s Jalen Inexperienced within the Rockets eventual win over the Warriors. The decision got here with 3.5 seconds left in a one-point sport. I’ve by no means – not as soon as in my life – seen that decision happen, particularly one which fairly actually determined the end result of that sport.
After all, Golden State blew that sport six alternative ways past that decision, however the name stands out, particularly given what occurred early within the third quarter of the Thunder/Bucks NBA Cup last. Earlier than the sport devolved right into a blowout, the sport was separated by solely 5 factors. Lu Dort managed a unfastened ball earlier than Giannis belly-flopped onto his again, dislodging the ball and forcing a bounce ball. Dort was fairly pissed off with this non-call, as was OKC coach Mark Daigneault. Each have been assessed technical fouls. After Lillard cashed every foul shot, the Bucks managed the bounce ball and Lillard drilled a deep three. This five-point swing began the tidal wave that led to Milwaukee’s dominant victory.
The Bucks earned this win. They have been the far superior workforce. OKC missed 27 of its 32 3-point makes an attempt (yuck). However that sequence robbed followers of what might have been a extra aggressive last. What a disgrace.
Thumbs up: Giannis
Holy moly.
It wasn’t that way back when this OKC protection bottled up Luka Doncic. The Thunder have so many younger, athletic, lengthy, swarming, feisty defenders that play fantastically related protection. If any workforce might determine a strategy to decelerate the Mediterranean Monster (making an attempt out some new Giannis nicknames, bear with me), it will be OKC.
They didn’t. Not even shut.
Giannis racked up one other triple double (26/19/10), however that doesn’t come near telling the total story. Ever for the reason that notorious 2-8 begin to the season, Giannis has determined he’s personally uninterested in the nonsense. He has all however stopped taking jumpers and as an alternative barrels towards the basket with relentless fury. Seems no person has any solutions for “Giannis drives to the basket.” His passing has at all times been nice, nevertheless it has ascended to a different stage. He’s passing guys open – not simply passing to open guys (massive distinction).
He was the apparent MVP of this convoluted, anticlimactic, sometimes unbelievable midseason occasion. Let’s positively do that once more subsequent yr, and the yr after that. Lengthy reside the NBA Cup, warts and all.
