Why The NBA Playoffs Are Better Than March Madness?
The NBA playoffs are better than March Madness. Try and debate me. If you have a team of interest in the NBA, then the NBA Playoffs are so much better than the few weeks of March Madness. If you are a basketball fan the playoffs give you the best sample of competition possible. Allow me to rebuttal the anticipated arguments. After deconstructing those oppositions, I will then present the reasons for you to agree with my opening statements.
First round of NCAA> NBA 1st round.
The NCAA is a tournament designed for upsets to happen more frequently. The NBA has seven game series so the BEST team is given the most equal test. In a seven game series we the viewer are able to distinguish which team is truly better. In a one game match up the better team is apt to lose because there is a higher chance of an atypical performance. But what about the upsets Colin? The under dog story is played out. How many of you enjoyed Butler’s horrible offensive display against UConn and Duke in their back to back appearances in the National championship? I want to see the best versus the best. The players want it, so should the fans. The Grizzlies defeated the Spurs last year, and we celebrated. But, the next round proved the Thunder were the superior team, and hence they moved onto the Western Conference Finals.
The NCAA Tournament is more exciting.
The tournament might be slightly more exciting the first day because of the hype surrounding the commencement of the tourney. People fill out NCAA brackets all over the country and this creates a false attachment. You don’t care about the Western Kentucky/Harvard game. Stop lying to yourself. Save the fake agony of defeat when your bracket is busted because Valparaiso made a buzzer beater. Each game in the NBA series carries a heavy weight of importance. The first games are played at the higher seed’s home court, so there’s pressure for that team to “hold” home court. If not, then the tables have now suddenly turned. Need more drama? The player match ups are much more compelling. Dirk vs. Durant. Lebron vs. Carmelo. Blake Griffin vs. Zach Randolph. Those are just a few of the first round match ups.
Derrick Rose tore his ACL. Kevin Durant made the game winner. Orlando upset Indiana at home. The Clippers rallied from 27 down to beat the Grizzlies. Andrew Bynum had a triple double and tied the NBA record for blocks in a playoff game. The Heat won by 33 points. Rondo chest bumped a referee. That was just the first game of the first round. You’re welcome.
The NCAA is more fun to watch.
False. These NBA guys are so good, they make difficult things appear effortless. I want to see Kobe in the 4th quarter. He’s either making unbelievable shot after another or he’s shooting his team out of contention. When I watch NBA players I am disappointed when they miss shot. That cannot be said about a college team. I couldn’t name more than 1 or 2 players on the top 10 teams in college. That’s not an indictment on my basketball knowledge, it proves there’s not enough talent to garner my attention. I’m more intrigued with the story of LeBron James disappearing in the 4th quarter over Kemba Walker running the table in his conference tournament and now leading his team to the Final Four. I want to argue about the Westbrook/Durant dilemma instead of whether or not Kyrie Irving should play in the NCAA tourney.
I concede filling out a bracket. The NCAA wins that one always.
Here are a few reasons I think you should consider when evaluating the NCAA vs. the NBA:
You know you all loved a little Linkin Park back in the early 2000′s. Everyone owned Hybrid Theory, don’t deny it. Guess what, they are back signing about basketball. One shining moment can’t compare.
Charles Barkley.
This man is worth staying up past your bed time. His analysis of NBA games is actually very insightful and he’s not afraid to give his opinion. He provides entertainment both intentionally and unintentionally. I record every episode of Inside the NBA. You should too. I’d rather listen to Sir Charles muddle through highlights than Digger Phelps or Dickie V. Still not convinced?
The NBA Playoffs have more longevity.
Your team gets a minimum of four games to play, unlike the one and done design of the NCAA playoffs. You might not even get a chance to watch your team play in the NCAA because of seeding and time slot. What a waste. The NBA allows fans to watch every minute of their team’s pursuit of a championship. The NCAA loses its luster during the dead time given for teams to rest and travel. Fans are exposed to non stop basketball from Thursday to Sunday and then there is a week long pause for the 3rd and 4th round. The intensity is hard to maintain for the NCAA.
Each game in the NBA is different.
The chess match between the coaches in each game is intriguing. When Dallas became the first team to lose to an 8 seed in a seven game series we saw ultimate gamesmanship. Don Nelson, coaching against his former team, masterly crafted a game plan to defeat Dallas. College coaches aren’t given that opportunity to strategize because as they win a new opponent is now on the horizon. Coaches go from dissecting dribble drive offenses to scheming against 2-3 zones run to perfection. NBA teams get to battle against a familiar opponent each round which provide better story-lines and games.
Fans.
Let’s examine the fans in attendance. College games are played in football stadiums, in predetermined locations disconnected from the universities playing there. The passion in an NBA Playoff game makes college fans look like a JV squad. Orchestrated t-shirts and towels create an atmosphere unattainable in a college basketball game. Faint echoes of cheering can be heard on television during an NCAA tournament game. The same cannot be said of an arena in the NBA Playoffs. Chants of DEFENSE become deafening even when watching the television Growl towels UP! It’s a Grizz thing, if you don’t get it, then you probably disagree with me.
It means more.
Yes. The NBA Championship means more to the city. It generates a buzz around the city unequaled. All people can talk about is the potential chance of winning a championship. People unite and all cheer for the team to continue it’s winning ways. A championship also increases revenue for that particular city. It brings a spotlight to a city for an extended period of time. I witnessed the impact the NBA Playoffs had on Memphis and it was incredible. The Grizzlies were the talk of the town. Almost 3,000 more season tickets were purchased as a result of last season’s short but fun playoff experience. Can you name me the last five National Championship runner ups? I bet you could name more NBA playoff contenders than NCAA teams in the Final Four.
LeBron James.
Lastly, in this exhaustive attempt to persuade you to watch the NBA Playoffs, we have our most compelling argument. LeBron continues to repel and mystify fans and experts. His regular season talent is unmatched, but there is something about a seven game series that makes him seem vulnerable and human. He’s one of the most aware unaware athletes in the history of sports. He knows we are waiting and watching for him to become a hero/savior for the Miami Heat but he continually looks over his shoulder looking for approval for his “smart basketball play”. We want him to be great and horrible at the same time. The NBA Playoffs are about LeBron James and his quest for basketball immortality. Until he wins, James will continue to be the focal point of criticism and the spotlight of attention for fans.
I’ve either convincingly persuaded you to tune into this year’s NBA Playoffs, or completely wasted your time and bored you to death. If I have done one of these I count it as a success because I was able to at least present my reasons for the NBA over the NCAA. Feel free to disagree, my mind won’t be changed but I will gladly entertain your counterpoints. Growl Towels Up!!!
