The few I have watched are all blow outs. I hope it gets more competitive.

I watched 3 quarters of the first game (two LA teams) and only a few minutes of various games

I probably won't watch much more until the finals

There may not be a finals (or semifinals, etc).

I don't get how anyone who loves basketball doesn't love the NBA.

Without question the best league in the world (or so I see it).

I was a Warriors fan until they signed Kevin Durant and became unquestionably the most talented team in the league, at which point I started to cool on them. Decades of being a Cal fan have made it impossible for me to root for a dominant team. That sounds really weird, doesn't it?

HoopDreams said:

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south bender said:

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I don't get how anyone who loves basketball doesn't love the NBA.

Without question the best league in the world (or so I see it).

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for me, I have to be a fan of a team

I am not a fan of any pro sports team (although I'm a bandwagon warriors fan during the play offs)

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Its not like watching cal when you live and die with every possession. I do watch the warriors playoffs.

oskidunker said:

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HoopDreams said:

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south bender said:

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I don't get how anyone who loves basketball doesn't love the NBA.

Without question the best league in the world (or so I see it).

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for me, I have to be a fan of a team

I am not a fan of any pro sports team (although I'm a bandwagon warriors fan during the play offs)

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Its not like watching cal when you live and die with every possession. I do watch the warriors playoffs.

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that's a good way to put it. after I cal win I relive the entire game and it changes my mood. when we lose it definitely changes my mood.

when the warriors win, I think ... that's good. it will help the Oakland businesses ... when they lose, I just turn off the TV

"...when the warriors win, I think ... that's good. it will help the Oakland businesses.."

Except for the part where Lacob refuses to honor his agreement to reimburse the Town for costs of the Championship Parade.

Big C said:

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I was a Warriors fan until they signed Kevin Durant and became unquestionably the most talented team in the league, at which point I started to cool on them. Decades of being a Cal fan have made it impossible for me to root for a dominant team. That sounds really weird, doesn't it?

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No, it doesn't at all.

I have always wondered if Cal or my Padres (and previously, before I hated the MFers, the Chargers), ever won anything, if it would somehow lessen my relationship with the team. To some extent, I think the answer is "yes."

The first time is always the best. And, winning brings annoying accusations of being bandwagon from others, and also brings having to be surrounded by actual bandwagon fans. I suspect both of those would by slightly annoying. And, winning brings raised expectations, which might be the sinister part of this. If you only win once, and then performance falls off again, how would you respond?

A great model would be Leicester in the Premier League. After such a magical season in which they won the title at incredible odds, it would be interesting to interview their fans to get their thoughts.

In the end, you have to enjoy the journey. Because the destination, or the journey following the destination, might not be as enjoyable as the foreplay.

Eff the NBA, by the way. The last team I cared about was the Trailblazers in the 1980s and mid-1990s. RIP Cliff Robinson. I also enjoyed watching Jordan. But I find the modern day NBA incredibly boring. The fact that the Lakers -- a team I hate -- can just go out there and buy two superstar players makes me sick.

The actual game is what I love, without caring so much for one team or specific players.

Can anyone not marvel what Doncic, for example, can do, without particular speed, reflexes, leaping ability? So young and he does with skill and amazing smarts.

Closer to most us geographically, who cannot also marvel at Steph's skill, hustle, and smarts?

LeBron's refined game that offsets his older body?

I could mention dozens more.

It's possible to love the game without living and dying with one team and with loving both NBA and collegiate play.

Caltag is right. The NBA sold its soul to Communist China long ago. Why not go all the way and move to the country you're in bed with??The Beijing boppers??

America has done more to mitigate its past sins than any other country on earth. We have largely reached the point where meritocracy has surpassed patronage. The NFL, NBA, and MLB are examples of meritocracy at its finest. My point, which stands, is that more and more folks are being turned off my pampered, millionaire athletes who pretend they have a firm grasp on politics and culture when, in reality, they know very little about those subjects. Many folks also have an intuitive understanding of ingratitude and know it when they see it. Thankfully, more and more folks are pushing back against folks who have the temerity and effrontery to lecture them about subjects about which they know very little. In other words, stay in your lane. Folks will listen to a basketball player talk about basketball for obvious reasons. it's when those obscenely rich players try to lecture folks about other areas in life not in their purview that pushback becomes a counterpoint. There are reasons why attendance for the NBA and NFL are heading south. These folks who are leaving are not "racists"{ ( the default position for more and more folks who offer very little except the race card) but, rather, they are folks who are "voting with their feet."

wifeisafurd said:

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I normally would be watching the NBA playoffs and discussing with friends.

Friends are not watching. I mean nada. The abbreviated start back and the playoffs reeked of getting playoffs in to try get ratings and retrieve some money. Reminds me of the dumb idea to have Pac 12 play five games in Spring . I don't care who wins their bubble. I might tune-in to watch the finals in order to watch some good basketball, assuming that is what is played. At this juncture everything is so politicized, I may just watch more 007 instead.

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Exactly. tired of all the stuff.

The virtual fans Thing makes it worse.
.

I would be much more into it if the Warriors were playing, since I'm a fan, but I've enjoyed watching the NBA playoffs. As Southbender says, the basketball is at a high level and I like it. I wonder if the people who dislike it so much enjoy the sport more for the competition than for the beauty of the sport itself.

oskidunker said:

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The virtual fans Thing makes it worse.
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I think it would be more fun if the other teams were in the audience, cheering, jeering, adding some excitement.

I never really likes baseball but find I am enjoying it more than the nba. Not sure why.

oskidunker said:

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I never really likes baseball but find I am enjoying it more than the nba. Not sure why.

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I think it is because the crowd reaction is not as important to the play by play for baseball as it is to football and basketball. Soccer is similar. Big celebrations after scores, but scores are infrequent.

I have been watching NBA Inside Stuff just to see the antics of Shaq, Charles, and Kenny, but I have not watched any actual games.

Baseball, what's that?

dimitrig said:

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Baseball, what's that?

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It's the American pastime, adored by liberals like Ken Burns and conservatives like George Will alike. Check it out.

Civil Bear said:

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dimitrig said:

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Baseball, what's that?

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It's the American pastime, adored by liberals like Ken Burns and conservatives like George Will alike. Check it out.

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Thats all I am watching. The only normal game being played. And I am not a real baseball fan

Big C said:

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I am usually a pretty big sports fan, in general. For some reason, I have ZERO interest right now in the MLB that's going on, the NBA that's happening, or the possibly-impending NFL. I suspect it's the "pandemic blahs", plus the fact that the Warriors are out of it and the Giants are boring and lousy. The MLB/NBA stuff seems very contrived.

No Cal Football and possibly/probably no Cal Basketball have just left me shell shocked about sports.

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The Giants have actually improved quite a bit as the season has gone on. Also, they can actually hit and score runs this year! Pitching is still kinda suspect.

HoopDreams said:

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Fun to see Jaylen's excelling in top tier NBA playoff games!

He has improved tremendously from his Cal days.

Thanks for posting this, HD!

Jaylen had a great game 6, and boston was leading by 5 in the 4th, but then the flood gates opened

Iggy back in the finals to defend LeBron

calumnus said:

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helltopay1 said:

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don't you love it when NBA players complain of systemic racism in this country when 90-95 % of the athletes are black??It'sa gotten to the point where NBA teams have to have 1-2 whites in order to comply with reverse affirmative action. Ditto NFL terms. The Whites are usually the grunts in the offensive line whereas all the skill positions are totally dominated by blacks. I guess systemic racism doesn't apply to the NBA or NFL. And, in baseball, hispanics and blacks make up a large portion of the teams. want to know the real reason Colin knelt??He was suddenly second-string and in serious danger of being cut. by kneeling, he was suddenly in the limelight again and the left press ate it up. I saw that kneeling coming a mile away. and, now, everyone is terrified not to kneel. God---what a scam!!!!NBA attendance is way down. Good.. The last thing many fans want to see is a bunch of privileged billionaires pretending that they are disrespected while they play a children's game . Play the damn and shut up. and be grateful you live in a country where playing a Childs' game allows you to have untold money, fame, fortune, cars, girls, endorsements, etc. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you...ungrateful athletes who probably would spell cat with a k. it's called 'virtue-signaling, boys and girls." ignorant and offensive on a Cal board.

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htp, you are too much! You don't like NBA players complaining about racism, but yet you assume that since the league is made up of 90 to 95% of black athletes that they would probably spell cat with a k. And you wonder why they are making a statement?

BTW, maybe the reason NBA attendance is way down is because they are not allowing fans into the game.

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