Recap 10/13/10
The NBA has done something extremely interesting by playing a number of preseason games across seas – not only between NBA teams, but also against professional teams in Europe. Here are the good and bad sides of the issue:
The good side: This is great promotional advertising for a league that for all intents and purposes is 3rd most popular in the United States, but gaining rapidly on soccer everywhere else in the world. Baseball doesn’t have this luxury, with exception to Latin America, and American football is essentially seen as barbaric in the eyes of the rest of the world. This is a great way for the NBA to get their name out to the rest of the world and put their label in peak position for merchandising (Re: incredibly successful NBA Store on 5th Ave that has about 50% of its purchases made by international fans). Great work on behalf of Commissioner David Stern and a great move all around for basketball.
The bad side: If you are going to brag about your product and the strength of the NBA, you have to actually win the games you play against international teams. Last week, the Los Angeles Lakers made a presence in Spain but fell apart in the end and ended up losing to FC Barcelona. Hello!? These are our defending champions!? At least make the league look reasonably talented!! Granted, Kobe Bryant was nursing an injury and it was our preseason – but come on! Our B-Team was able to win the World Basketball Championship, our top collective team can take care of some Spaniards (considering we had their best player in Pau Gasol). Pitiful performance by the Lakers – absolutely demeaning to the whole league. Next year Stern better consider who he sends overseas (if anyone) that can actually show the league in a positive, talented light.
Recap 10/6/10
The NBA preseason has officially begun and the Heat already have to face injury problems. Talk about poetic justice. Nothing would be better than seeing Wade have to face a season ending or straining injury, making LeTraitor have to carry the team by himself. Where have we seen this before!? Expect the Heat to still carry the highest regular season win percentage, then blow it in the playoffs with LeTraitor at the helm. He went to someone else's team because he couldn't win a championship by leading, and now he has to do it again! Don't expect a Heat presence in June....
In other basketball news, the NBA ran some preseason games in London. While the concept itself is good, who in the world wants to watch the Minnesota Timberwolves play basketball!? And considering the Lakers played them without Kobe Bryant contributing at all (3 mins, 0-3 shooting), they might as well have sent the L.A. B-Team Clippers to London. All in all, I see it as a slap in the face to Europeans: We know you're interested in the NBA so we're gonna go ahead and send you our JV squads. Just warming up for your Olympics...
Recap 10/1/10
Let's establish something right from the start: There are other talented teams in the league aside from the Miami Heat. The Celtics will still contend in the East, the Bulls are looking stronger, and the Magic always seem to outperform what people think they should because, lets face it, Stan van Gundy looks like a disheveled Michael Moore. Let's not forget that LeTraitor still has to prove himself in the playoffs as well...not to mention the Lake Show on the other side of the country. Kobe is arguably the best in the league, Pau Gasol can take down Chris "I look like a Raptor" Bosh, and Ron Artest can defend the last of the "Miami Heat Elite." Why won't SportsCenter cover any other team...this is getting redundant. But here's to a new upcoming season!
