Ideas to Fix the NBA(Not that its broken)

[Big C-Dub]

you can't just change an image of someone. calling any player with tattoos a thug (or a wanna be thug) is just ignorant. this post sucks, please never post anything again.

[SuperNova854]

you can't just change an image of someone. calling any player with tattoos a thug (or a wanna be thug) is just ignorant. this post sucks, please never post anything again.

Then you sir, are a hypocrite. You said calling a person with tattoos a thug is ignorant. Yet, you say his post sucks, referring to him being a thug. Therefore, you sir are ignorant. Your post sucks. Please never post again.

[SuperNova854]

4. No goaltending once the ball is rolling on the rim.

This one is stupid. Nobody would be able to score then, resulting in very low scoring games.

[SuperNova854]

Anyways nice read, I liked it.

[Big C-Dub]

Then you sir, are a hypocrite. You said calling a person with tattoos a thug is ignorant. Yet, you say his post sucks, referring to him being a thug. Therefore, you sir are ignorant. Your post sucks. Please never post again.

what are u talking about, how am I being a hypocrite? who am I referring to being a thug? All I'm saying is you can't stereotype people based on their appearance, how is that ignorant?

[NAHSTE]

I love 7 game playoff series and never want to see a 5 gamer again. Then we see awful shit like the 8-seeded Knicks running through the EC playoffs, only to get handled easily by San Antonio. More games ensures the best team moves forward. I agree though about too much time between games. They play back to backs in the regular season when it doesn't matter, but they need 3 days of rest for a playoff game when their focus and adrenaline should be through the roof?

I like your idea of one day having a champions league, but don't think we're there yet. Maybe in 10 years we'll be able to watch competitive basketball between teams like the Lakers and Cavs vs. Barcelona/Olympiakos whatever but none of those teams at present are complete enough to go to battle with the best NBA teams. One day though....

[dell71]

Hear me out, I am not saying anything is wrong with the NBA, I just want to make it better. With every sport there are problems, Lerts fix em..

1. Make the first two rounds of the NBA Play-offs best of 5. They are too long and they also have too many days in between.

I'm okay with changing the first round back to best of 5, but that's it. As far as the days in between, yes I also find it ridiculous. Teams should play every other all the way through the playoffs. When going from one round to the next, the teams that are to matchup should play 2 days after the previous series of the last winner ends, no matter what. None of this predetermined date crap for the start of round 2 or later.

2. Time-outs should not warrant a team with a throw-in at half-court. For example, if a team is down by 2 with 4 seconds left and they call time-out, they should get the ball wherever the time-out was called. A team at the far end of the court shouldn't be able to call time and be at half-court.

I might be alone, but I actually like this idea as well. Calling a TO should only result in stopping the clock, not advancing the ball.

3. Introduce a new competition called the NBA Challenge Cup. It will be a way to bring in foreign teams to face the West and East Conference Champions. European big dogs such as Barcelona and Olympiacos would play Los Angeles and Orlando and it would be a precursor to a FIBA Champions League..

This is dumb and should never happen. Leave that for the World Championships & the Olympics.

4. No goaltending once the ball is rolling on the rim.

Bad idea, scoring would plummet.

5. Get rid of any NBA referee that even had a hint of a conection to the refereeing scandel a couple years ago.

Good idea in theory but implausible. See TrickyRicky's post.

6.- Change the way refs, well, ref.

Seriously, how obvious does this have to get? Kobe walks. D-Wade walks. LeBron walks. On defense, Kobe hacks. D-Wade hacks. LeBron hacks. But if any one of them is thrown off in the slightest- losing the ball, falling off balance, getting a defender's hand placed in a close proximety to their hand? Two shots, no question. And everyone has accepted that this is how the NBA works. This NEEDS to change for basketball to be played again, not just a big entertainment show that takes place on a basketball court.

Basketball has always been reffed this way, this isn't new. Whether right or wrong, players who are aggressive/successful get the benefit of the doubt. As far as walking goes, it's not called as nearly as purists think it should at any level. Fact is, the hop step that players take when jumping off two feet is accepted as one step, not two. Therefore, the stars aren't the only one to benefit. Also, what constitutes palming (or carrying) has changed as well. As long as a player doesn't actually put his hand underneath the ball (& parallel to the floor), nothing is called. If either call is made the old textbook way the game will be set back 40 years.

7. Change the image of the players.

Not NFL-style, where anything can warrant a fine or a suspension, but rather make honest approaches to help guys become better. Sure, we all know that athletes are immature. But it's getting ridiculous. Allen Iverson, Stephen Jackson, Carmelo Anthony, Ron Artest, Kobe, J.R. Smith, etc. etc. etc. Now I really don't have all that big of a problem with any of those guys, but how consistent do NBA players have to pretend to be thugs (none of them are) before things change? Seriously, what is a dress code gonna do? And why is everyone so anti-friendly? If you twitter Kevin Durant, he can at least send you back a message! If you wait for an hour to try and get an autograph of Mo Williams, he can sign your photo!

NBA players have been largely under the radar the last few years. Their players don't have nearly the image problems NFL players have. This thing with Michael Beasley is the worst story about an NBA player in a good while. However, since the stretch from the late 90s to the early 00s were so bad, people ignore the strides the league has made in this area. And to be honest, if your panties are in a bunch cuz Kevin Durant didn't twitter you back you need to get a life.

8. Change the favoritism.

Why is college basketball great? Upsets. Why are the NFL playoffs fun? Upsets. What do the NBA playoffs lack a ton of? Upsets. And why is this? Because the NBA doesn't let it happen. If there ever is a close game between the Bobcats and the Celtics when it means anything, guess who will be getting the calls? Down low to Okafor...looks to pass...he's knocked over by Garnett...and then pushed by Paul Pierce...he walked! Celtics ball, baby! The NBA gets what the NBA wants...and if they don't get it, they make sure they don't go down without a fight. Don't believe me? Let's take a look back at the a couple of recent years. Duncan or Amare? Who means more to the league? Horry pushes Nash, Parker hits Nash, Stoudemire is suspended, etc. San Antonio wins. LeBron! We need LeBron! LeBron needs to be in the Finals! San Antonio-Cleveland for the title. The Lakers are reborn! Kobe has to get there, and a rivalry needs to happen! The Celtics can do it, with KG! Lakers-Celtics! Lakers-Celtics! Boston-Los Angeles for the title. Kobe needs to get back! The Lakers need rings! But it's gotta be Kobe-LeBron! LeBron has to make it! Well, who else saw how atrocious the reffing was in the Orlando-Cleveland series? Luckily, the Magic wouldn't let it happen. But the Finals were too much, Kobe needed his ring.

Like TrickyRicky said, upsets aren't as apt to happen in a series as they are in a one-game elimination contest. I don't think upsets are stupid, I rather like them myself. However, I definitely don't want the playoffs to have fewer games just for the sake of having more upsets.

9. Superstar fouls are done. Not exactly a rule change, more a change of emphasis on the existing rules. Unless a ref sees such an egregious foul committed that he cannot NOT blow the whistle he lets play continue. Every time LeBron, Kobe, Wade or another high profile player drives the lane, it automatically results in either

a) a basket
b) free throws
c) both a) and b)

It is not humanly possible for someone to, gasp, actually defend the play under the current foul structure of the NBA. It's atrocious. Someone crashes to the floor and it is assumed that SOMEONE must have done SOMETHING. And it's never that the ball handler just leaped into the air awkwardly and threw up a shot that had no prayer of going in just because he KNEW he'd be bailed out when he landed and rolled around on the ground for a few seconds.

Already covered the superstar stuff. I see what you're saying but it happens at every level. I live in NC & watched a ton of Tar Heel games. Tyler Hansbrough was the beneficiary of a lot of falls called after he went barrelling into the defender. That said, I agree when a defender is standing there with his arms straight up & the shooter jumps into him because he knows he either doesn't have a chance at making the shot or the shot clock is running down or both should be a no call.

[Argath]

Reffing in the NBA is the hardest basketball level to ref. Everyone is extremely fast. Everytime I watch a game, a ref will make a call that I didn't think actually happened until I saw the replay. It's rediculous how good they have to be. Not to mention they run up and down the court with the players and they don't get subbed out, do you know how tiring that is?

I reffed 5th grade basketball 2 years ago. Even then it was tiring and hard to see all the fouls. I'm sure there were calls that I missed.

With all that said, I'm sure the whole superstar treatment is true, but I don't think it will ever change. You could ref the games yourself, your always gonna have favoritism towards one team or one individual. It's human nature. You'll be rooting for a team if you didn't konw it, and you'll start favoring them in your calls. It's one of the reasons why there are 3 refs out there instead of just 1.

Basically, after reading your post, it seems to me you want someone to invent a robot ref to ref all of the NBA games.


Also, about the whole "image," I'm pretty sure NBA has a rule which states players must show up for games in a suit and tie. They're one of, if not the, only league to have this rule. NFL states you just have to wear reebok attire. The NBA image of everyone being a "thug" is just bullshit and a lot of it does stem from racism. People who make this claim are usually also the people who generalize all black people as being gangbangers and pimps. Just because a player grows up in Coney Island or other low-income areas does not mean they are thug. The reason a lot of NBA players are from low-income areas is because basketball is one of the few things they can actually do. A lot grew up in homes where they couldn't afford the 50" TV and the Xbox or PS3. A lot couldn't play football because usually there's not a big enough field around. Couldn't play tennis, a lot couldn't afford the tennis racket and continually buying tennis balls. Certainly couldn't play golf. Baseball requires you to buy a bat, have something for the bases and a couple of baseballs. Basketball is the least expensive sport to play by far. Basketball courts are already established, all you need is to buy a basketball.

[Big C-Dub]

if it ain't broke don't fix it

[IamMedellin]

celts/bulls is the exception that proves the rule...

heat/hawks was god awful....1st round needs to go baq to best of 5

[Senser81]

I'm all for changing the NBA. Its basically unwatchable as a team sport. The only time people actually tune in is if its a player vs. player matchup (like Kobe v. LeBron). Here are my changes:

1) Teams can call 3 successive timeouts and automatically get 2 points.

*This not only will get rid of the gluttony of timeouts, it will also increase scoring.

2) Create a new NBA high school league. Send all high school draft picks to this league so the real NBA isn't burdened with the Kwame Brown's of the world.

3) Make it mandatory so 1 white player has to be on the court at all times. This mandatory is increased to 3 when playing in Utah and Boston.

4) Eliminate all NBA refs. Players call their own fouls.

5) Eliminate 16 teams. Make only the top 4 teams in each conference play in the postseason.

6) Eliminate the WNBA.

[Argath]

I'm all for changing the NBA. Its basically unwatchable as a team sport. The only time people actually tune in is if its a player vs. player matchup (like Kobe v. LeBron). Here are my changes:

1) Teams can call 3 successive timeouts and automatically get 2 points.

*This not only will get rid of the gluttony of timeouts, it will also increase scoring.

2) Create a new NBA high school league. Send all high school draft picks to this league so the real NBA isn't burdened with the Kwame Brown's of the world.

3) Make it mandatory so 1 white player has to be on the court at all times. This mandatory is increased to 3 when playing in Utah and Boston.

4) Eliminate all NBA refs. Players call their own fouls.

5) Eliminate 16 teams. Make only the top 4 teams in each conference play in the postseason.

6) Eliminate the WNBA.

Already done.


And1 Basketball

[Bear Pand]

The NBA gets what the NBA wants...and if they don't get it, they make sure they don't go down without a fight. Don't believe me? Let's take a look back at the a couple of recent years. Duncan or Amare? Who means more to the league? Horry pushes Nash, Parker hits Nash, Stoudemire is suspended, etc. San Antonio wins. LeBron! We need LeBron! LeBron needs to be in the Finals! San Antonio-Cleveland for the title. The Lakers are reborn! Kobe has to get there, and a rivalry needs to happen! The Celtics can do it, with KG! Lakers-Celtics! Lakers-Celtics! Boston-Los Angeles for the title. Kobe needs to get back! The Lakers need rings! But it's gotta be Kobe-LeBron! LeBron has to make it! Well, who else saw how atrocious the reffing was in the Orlando-Cleveland series? Luckily, the Magic wouldn't let it happen. But the Finals were too much, Kobe needed his ring.

This isn't even true. It's one of those things where you decide the NBA is rigged / shows favoritism, then you look for evidence until you find it.

Why would the NBA want a San Antonio - Cleveland Finals? No one watched that series. Everytime the Spurs make the finals, depression and suicide rates go up. You're telling me the NBA didn't want the exciting Suns in the finals? Or was it just that they were soft, played faggy euro ball and didn't understand the concept of defense?

Another example is the Cleveland - Orlando series. The series where I remember the refs finally calling Lebron on some of his late game traveling. The series where the Cavs only won 2 games and one of those wins was incredibly lucky. Yeah despite all those Kobe - LeBron commercials, and the huge ratings the NBA would've gotten, they made calls that went against the Cavs and let them get run over in that series. They also let Wade disappear from the playoffs quietly when they would've gotten big ratings off a Heat-Cavs series, compared to the boring ass Cavs-Hawks one.

Keep believing the NBAs favors certain teams tho. Sometimes they make bad calls, and they're horribly inconsistent when it comes to who they suspend...but that's about it.