Bucci Mane
Years ago

NBL is boring

It's so so boring.

LK has dressed it up but meh.

Was a long time NBL follower but it's too stale and three imports means even more of a revolving door of players which worsens the problem of familiar players of teams and recognisability for casual fans.

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AngusH  
Years ago

Yep, you're right. I mean, it's not even as good as the NBA. Just full of rejects.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

I do agree that the three import rule has been a revolving door but not willing to call it a failure just yet.

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Ricky Diculous  
Years ago

Full court press... and so on and so forth

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Bucci Mane  
Years ago

That's what n00bs to basketball say AngusH. Way to go grouping me into that category.

I'm a huge basketball and NBL fan but I can't watch it anymore. It's just so stale. Sure there is window dressing now with a lot of sponsors and TV coverage but the sporting contest itself sucks.

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AngusH  
Years ago

Well, to each their own. For my money, it's been the most entertaining season since the mid-90s.

Reply #609903 | Report this post


Bucci Mane  
Years ago

I was a true believer, never bailed when everyone seemingly did during the late 90s. After that if you mentioned the three letter acronym to the general public or even ex-fans they would give you a "dafuq you still watching that?" type reaction.

Now 15 years later I find myself on the other side thinking why tf anyone still takes an interest in this league.

Now that LK is in the middle of his plan and he's spruced up the league from an off the court sense in terms of sponsors and TV coverage I've realised the game itself on the court isn't going to get any better.

Back when every management team coming in were a basket case they were what was used an excuse by me to persist and hope one day with decent people in charge the game on court would improve. Now that it's finally happened it feels like an anti-climax.

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XY  
Years ago

What bit of the sporting contest exactly sucks? I ask out of interest to see where this is coming from, because from my perspective the on-court product is better than it has been in over a decade.

Every team has won at least 4 games, every team has lost at least 4 games. The last placed team on the ladders is only 3.5 games behind first place.

Then there are the players - heaps of interest in quality players on every single team. Budding NBA talent, past NBA and Euro journeymen with 10+ years professional experience, pure excitement machines like Randle and others. Young local players taking massive steps up in a more competitive field than ever before (Sobey). In fact, there are so many good players that (unlike the Gaze era) the good players don't stand out from the crowd.

Then there is the controversy. Goodness, has there been some controversy. Great stuff (screw you Perth home cooking!)

It's not even like it has been that ho-hum this year. There are highlights a-plenty, sufficient dunks, good shooters, some gripping low scoring games, exciting high scoring ones etc.

The NBA is boring. Nobody cares what happens during the 1,230 regular season games unless a player or team is breaking some sort of record. No body cares if Harden has a triple double unless he is still averaging a triple double in late February. My only interest in the NBA regular season is to check stats, watch Shaqtin blooper reels or watch the highlights of a record breaking effort.

So if you are a long term NBL fan, I just can't see where you are coming from.

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Train  
Years ago

The amount of games going down to the wire far outweighs the blow outs this year. I've watched probably 90% of games this year and found them entertaining.

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rjd  
Years ago

I felt there was a significant decline a few years ago over several seasons. My interest in the league definitely waned as the standard diminished, crowds were underwhelming and stagnant, coverage was disappointing and frustrating (namely, the old nbl.tv) and teams continued to fold or rename themselves. IMO this season has been part of a huge resurgence. I can't pinpoint the reason, but I have been totally reinvigorated as a fan of the NBL, and this is all while I don't really have my own team to support. It could be the most entertaining season since the 90s, so I don't agree with the OP's assessment.

As far as the revolving door of imports, that was a predictable consequence of the 3-import rule. While imports will be seen to be more expendable, I think it will actually also encourage teams to stick with known and proven imports, so there will be stability within the league in that respect.

Reply #609909 | Report this post


Dave  
Years ago

The quality of the players in the league and quality of games as been pretty top notch in my opinion.

There have been some blow outs but that is because most teams are now capable of playing some great ball when they get on a roll. The standings are pretty much as close as you could ask for and any team could win any game.

I'm not finding too much about this season boring, personally.

Reply #609913 | Report this post


Zodiac  
Years ago

Neither am I there has been a clear upgrade in talent into the league and despite my 36ers being down near the bottom I'm enjoying watching this season more than any since the 90's.

I only wish the Kings or another team had have been able to keep Childress here. He was the best player I've seen in this league since prime Gaze and when healthy was a joy to watch how good he was across a number of areas.

Reply #609918 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

Bucci, which team did/do you support?

Reply #609927 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

I actually agree that this has been the least-interesting season since I first got back into the league in 2011/12.

I've started following the SBL in the off-season, so the NBL is no longer breaking a lengthy basketball drought. NBL TV was much more exciting during the off-season and ended up being a massive disappointment, along with the continued issues with the website, jersey design, court design, etc. Things I could look past last year that I can't really this year; the Kestleman shine is starting to come off and it's looking like a lot of areas actually aren't getting any better. Plenty are getting worse.

On the court, two years ago I finally got to see the Wildcats win a title after missing out on grand final tickets in 2010, and then last season we finally beat New Zealand. To a degree it feels like finishing the main story of a video game, then being dumped back into the world to finish side quests. It can be fun, but it also seems kind of pointless.

I was also super-keen to see Terrance Ferguson and Rotnei Clarke this season, having loved Clarke in 2014. They've both been basically invisible until this past week. Damian Martin not being on the floor makes games significantly less interesting as well.

As great as the even competition is, I also think the past few years benefited from the opening storyline of an undefeated streak (Melbourne 2016, Cairns 2015, Perth 2014).

I think I'm tipping below .500, too. It's not helping.

Reply #609931 | Report this post


AussiePride  
Years ago

Nice Troll. The NBL has been getting better every year for the past 5 in every department. Some of the proof of this is in the quality of the players and the steady improvement in attendance.

If you can't get into it this year you either have problems in your personal life or you don't have a pulse!

Reply #609932 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

It's still interesting enough for you to go on a primarily NBL discussion forum and post...

Reply #609934 | Report this post


ME  
Years ago

I don't completely disagree with the claim that the NBL is boring. I think it certainly can be boring at times when you see the same match ups again and again within a week or two of each other. There are also a few teams that I couldn't care about if I tried - Wollongong, Brisbane and New Zealand: I'm looking at you! But when there is a good match up on, being played close, and when the players on court are hitting their shots and the defense is keyed in, the NBL can be extremely entertaining. The talent on court has improved and will continue to improve. As for the third import slot creating a revolving door, it is just because the NBL now has a higher standard of imports. Guys that were stars just a couple of seasons ago would no longer get a gig here. It is a sign of improvement. I think Larry Kestleman has done a great job trying to create revenue streams for the NBL and we're still yet to see the fruits of those labors. There could be a lot more money floating around the league in the next few years. But I do agree that the NBL could be better than it is this season. There are some games that I purposely sleep on, (for instance, New Zealand vs Illawarra), but all in all it has been a B+ effort from the NBL this year I think

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Andrew  
Years ago

I'm loving this season.

Reply #609940 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

The period from 2009-2011 was certainly a downpoint as teams consolidated financially and a number of players headed overseas.

But since then the league has been on the improve and the fact almost any team could beat anyone else (and this season it is every team) for a number of years makes things very exciting.

I do agree though that the NBL has failed to have a vision for its on-court product. In 2014 there was an emphasis on opening the game for talented offensive players and that was fantastic.

The past three seasons though it's gone back to allowing scrappy defence which drags the spectacle down. I'm sure that contributes to the NBL not being able to attract TV viewers.

As it is I think the quality NBL games are amongst the most entertaining games anywhere in the world, if they can clean it up consistently the product really could be something special.

There aren't many quality leagues around with the attacking offensive mindset the NBL has - probably only the NBA's western conference - and that should be what the league tries to emphasise through how the game is officiated.

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paul  
Years ago

"Guys that were stars just a couple of seasons ago would no longer get a gig here."

Like who?

Reply #609942 | Report this post


AussiePride  
Years ago

Brian Conklin for one.

Reply #609943 | Report this post


ME  
Years ago

"Guys that were stars just a couple of seasons ago would no longer get a gig here." Like who?

Pretty much every import from 2011-2014 would struggle to get a job now bar James Ennis.

Reply #609944 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

Pretty much every import from 2011-2014 would struggle to get a job now bar James Ennis.
You mean guys like Torrey Craig, Kevin Lisch, and Jermaine Beal?

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ME  
Years ago

Well obviously talking about imports that haven't remained in the league. That shouldn't really have needed to be pointed out.

Reply #609946 | Report this post


Train  
Years ago

Ask Rotnei Clarke how much the league has improved in the last couple of years.

Being able to watch every game the last couple of years has had me a lot more interested and engaged. I find myself watching games between two teams that don't involve my team just to see players like Goulding, Lisch, Randle, Craig and Newley.

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paul  
Years ago

"Pretty much every import from 2011-2014 would struggle to get a job now bar James Ennis."

Obviously the imports who are still in the league from that period show this statement isn't correct.

I think you've bought the perception rather than the reality. This year's import crop isn't particularly good, there is a real mix from superstars to role players to deep bench guys.

Guys like Jaron Johnson, Jameel McKay, Eric Jacobsen, Terrance Ferguson, Devin Williams, Ramone Moore, Ben Woodside, Akil Mitchell, Michael Holyfield, Fuquan Edwin and Nnanna Egwu aren't stars in this competition by any means. Some of them are solid but not stars.

The top end of the league hasn't gotten much better - of the top 20 scorers this season only four haven't played in the league in recent seasons - but there are more of the top-end players and more of the top-end teams.

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paul  
Years ago

"Ask Rotnei Clarke how much the league has improved in the last couple of years."

That logic doesn't stack up. You could ask Torrey Craig or Jason Cadee how much worse the league has got. Players having good seasons or bad seasons happens.

I actually think it's a credit to NBL HQ how much they've been able to spread the perception that this year is so much better than previous years.

It's more been a continual improvement from when the Blaze folded and most of their roster remained in the NBL and the money on offer in Europe started to dwindle.

The perception of stability LK has brought has allowed that to grow further and it's a great thing, hopefully people keep spreading the word that the NBL is so much better!

Reply #609949 | Report this post


Lots of great points since Bucci's last points, especially XY, so I'll just add to the list of fans that think the on court product has only gotten stronger this season and moreso across the board...

There's been a couple of games I've dozed off watching, but overall, I've really enjoyed watching most teams' games...

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Want boring, watch the cricket

Reply #609953 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Agree the games are too scrappy why don't they fix it up the refereeing

Reply #609954 | Report this post


Luuuc  
Years ago

The NBL would be ok if it wasn't just full court presses every game in 2016/17 and blowouts every game in 2015/16. I wonder what next season's theme will be.
Well at least they're trying new things I guess. Credit where it's due for that.

Reply #609956 | Report this post


Dazz  
Years ago

So, yet a troll bitching about the league even though they don't watch it???

Anything can be boring if you have no interest. I like watching Basketball and am a long-time Cats fan, so for me the NBL is anything but boring.

I guess if you have no team to follow, or your team has sucked for so long you can't stand watching them, then yeah I guess you turn off and complain its boring.

The Irony is that if anything the changes in the league make it more interesting, not less.

Reply #609957 | Report this post


Bucci Mane  
Years ago

@isaac My team are the Wildcats however I have watched hundreds if not thousands of NBL games not involving them. Basketball/NBL follower since the 80s.

@koberulz yeah I think the word you are looking for is fatigue. We are in the same boat. I've enjoyed live SBL games more recently as well. Can't believe I just said that...

@ME nice to see a post discussing a middle ground, of course not every game is entertaining or boring. But in general I've been bored.

@paul scrappy defense. That's it. Very hard to watch. "NBL has failed to have a vision for its on-court product" - let's hope it focuses on this next!

@Dazz I'm still very much interested in basketball. I'm a lifer. Just not necessarily into the NBL this season.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

The NBL won't seem so boring once the Delly movie has been made.

Reply #609961 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

People naturally come to a sport and drift away at times in their lives. For fans of a particular team, they can be influenced by rosters or by the season-by-season story of their team - did they finally beat their nemesis in a grand final? - or even how that team markets to them.

People obviously can go through lifestyle changes with work, having children and so on. It's easy for your following of something on the side like sport to change with your priorities.

For me personally, I have run Hoops for a period of 10+ years during which my brother has played in the NBL. When he retires, I don't know how my interest level might change. Also during that period I've done work for/with an NBL club and not. I've had children. I feel quite detached from my local team because I think their marketing is abysmal.

My theory is that the NBL is in a transformational period and that during that, it's likely that many people who might otherwise have fallen away quietly, will think about how they feel. e.g., a good number of people might find the season exciting, but if other things have happened in your life and you don't find the season exciting or the nuances of the game no longer appeal, you offer the contrarian view.

Some don't like the grinding game. Some complain about full court presses because they lead to more scoring. Hard to win sometimes.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Full court pressing sound theoretically lead to a faster pace game but teams seem to pull the ball out once they reach half court rather than attack quickly. The average length of possession stats between the NBL and the NBA would be interesting information

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KET  
Years ago

Some don't like the grinding game. Some complain about full court presses because they lead to more scoring. Hard to win sometimes.

You make it sound like it's one or the other when it's not. A grinding game can be fixed to a certain extent by better refereeing in allowing the offense a little bit of space.

A full court press is just a tactic the 36ers have used badly for the most part this year because the opposition beat it allowing themselves wide open shots. An

If the full court press actually worked, it would be fun to watch actually. They usually are.

There can also be good defence without a grinding game and no fullcourt press!

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Wilson Sting  
Years ago

For me the word is not boring but frustrating. Every aspect of the league has improved over the past couple of years except the quality and consistency of refereeing. To see the same calls not being made throughout a game/weekend/season is frustrating. To see make up calls being made is frustrating. to see home-cooking is frustrating. To hear Carfino say 'good no call' is frustrating.

The other frustrating part is the generally low FG%. I suspect this has more to do with only playing once or twice a week, so it's hard to maintain a groove. I'm not talking about low FG% where there's good D and shots are contested, just the wide open shots that there really is little excuse for missing.

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My team is second last (36ers) and I'm still loving this season. Randle is the most exciting import I have ever watched, I call him must watch TV.

As mentioned above the league is very close, plenty of upsets and close games.

I've lost interest in the NBA personally, this whole Durant thing going to the GSW has made me lose interest. To many regular season games featuring mediocre teams, then you have to watch your young starts leave you for a better team once FA arrives.

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Zodiac  
Years ago

Bucci Mane,

Being a Wildcats fan maybe a part of it is that your team has been up for so long winning titles or at least making GF's nearly every year for the last 7 years and this year they are really struggling with injuries. Still doing well win-loss wise but I made the comparison to Hawthorn you could see this season despite all the close wins they just weren't the team they were it happens it's life and they got put to the sword in the Finals and I think a smililar thing will happen to Perth this season. Probably still make the playoffs but not a legit title contender.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Troll is boring, phark off

Reply #609989 | Report this post


LV  
Years ago

Can't agree with the OP.

NBA is far better than NBL, and NBA playoffs is the greatest sports event every year.

But at this time of year my eyes are on the NBL. Example, United are playing for their season every night. But in the NBA, you have another 70 games left so who cares if your team loses a game?

Reply #610077 | Report this post


LV  
Years ago

Games are close and players are competing hard.

That's about half of it for me.

I'm not really an NRL fan but I like watching State of Origin because you can see how much it means to the players. Same thing, sure skill and entertainment isn't as good as NBA, but In the NBA, the coaches put the cue in the rack early in a blowout, cos they're probably playing again the next night or the night after that. NBL coaches are looking for the points split.

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swish  
Years ago

The NBL is certainly not boring. Would love to see it as a viable 12 team comp without dropping in standard becasue I reckon its Australias greatest sports secret, which is why LK is spending so much money trying to give people the chance to see it for next to nothing. Mainstream media will take a lot of convincing because of the checkered past with teams folding all the time, but it is a great league.
I maybe a country basketball hick but I reckon 90% of the time in 90% of NBA games its just not interesting. Players just look like they are doing a job instead of actually caring about the result.
So many uncontested dunks etc, so little defensive effort. The NBA does have sone great athletes and becasue of money it does have the best basketballers in the world BUT they don't play with much effort for most of the season.
NBA teams rarley mix up there defenses compared to the various man to man, zones, full and half court presses we see in the NBL.
To me the NBL seems to have much more player movement off the ball as players try to get free or to free up a team mate whereas the NBA its contant one on one isolations.
I know as basketball fans we are not supposed to question the NBA but there are just so many games that just seem to drag on for ever.
How many players with NBA on their resume struggle in the NBL? They may have the best natural athletes in the NBA but they often play without the intensity I like to see.
I reckon the NBL is a great competition which doesn't get anywhere near the credibility it should.

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Bear  
Years ago

Every week there is something amazing and some huge upset or highlights aplenty.

NBL is anything but boring...

End of thread, cheers!

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Nah it's dull

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ME  
Years ago

I can't believe someone said "The NBL isn't as good as NBA." Well talk about the most obvious statement in history. I mean, who would have thought a league that's full revenue is worth the salary of a single NBA player wouldn't be as good as the NBA?

Like every league, there are some NBL games that are boring, and some I don't bother to watch. However, more often than not, the games are competitive, close, and of a high standard. I defy anyone to tell me that Sydney vs Melbourne last night was boring.

The league has a lot of improving to do but it certainly isn't 'boring'

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LV  
Years ago

This weekend- specifically Melbourne's win and Illawarras win- shows you what's so great about the NBL.

Reply #610133 | Report this post


LV  
Years ago

Oh and how could I forget Adelaides win

Reply #610134 | Report this post


Camel 31  
Years ago

New people running the sixers.
They are not very friendly of course.
The old days are gone forever , the attachment is fading away.
I used to walk down and watch them train , some of the time , not all of the time. But they are frightened of the public going in.
I have lost contact with them.

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Bear  
Years ago

Yes, the NBL have changed, yes sport is evolving and teams in elite competitions sometimes lose sight of the community connections or grass roots level supporter, that is true.

However, based on anything you can compare or present to this argument, the NBL is NOT boring!

The NBL can be judged or an opinion can be cast on many things, good, bad or indifferent, however the competition and the games are not boring.

I don't know how else to put it into words and this will be the last time I post on the topic of this thread because it has been answered in spades...

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ME  
Years ago

The league could use more teams and I think the schedule is a mess with teams playing eachother too close together. Those are my main gripes. If we could have 12 teams, maintain the standard of play, and maybe change the officiating to allow the offense to flourish, I think the NBL would be in excellent shape.

Reply #610175 | Report this post


Bucci Mane  
Years ago

@isaac yes exactly. there are other things in life but apparently if you aren't in love with the NBL it means you are a troll. This transitionary phase with all the window dressing but same play on court has meant the end for me.

@Zodiac not really about the Wildcats or their performance, in recent seasons since full coverage resumed I would watch games between any two teams.

I came on here to discuss why my interest has waned. Great points made by isaac, paul and koberulz amongst the trolls calling me a troll.

Reply #610196 | Report this post


Southern Joe  
Years ago

If a comp is competitive. .. that is excitement. That's what we're getting with the NBL. It's not always about seeing the most skilful players.

My son dropped a bucket load of points 2 weeks ago but I bet there'd be folk who didn't find that game exciting.


You could watch a game between a bunch of no talent hacks.... but if the game is close and you don't know what will happen next. ... that can be just as exciting as a top level game where both teams are loaded with the best players.

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Isaac  
Years ago

Bucci, you mentioned it being stale, but are not a fan of the three imports because it makes for too much roster change. What are you actually hoping to see that isn't stale? Or do you mean something else?

There have been loads of new imports this season and some solid European returnees. Some of the better or at least solid imports have returned (Randle, Jackson, Prather, Clarke, Beal, Craig, etc). The three import thing has been a bit scrappy (Williams, Egwu, Ferguson, Holyfield) but the player mix has been decent. Ware, Stockton, Powell, Blake - they're strong recruits on court or paper.

Reply #610220 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

The NBL has its scrappy and frustrating games and moments, but plenty of NBL games are high speed, high scoring, unpredictable and the results are generally tight.

Good NBL games are as entertaining as any league in the world in the regular season for mine. The NBA playoffs are sensational, but too many of their regular season games are a sleep walk to keep me entertained.

If the NBL cleaned up the way the game is officiated and gave the offensive players more space the product would be consistently high level, as it was for much of 2013/14 once that reffing crackdown settled down.

To me, that's the biggest thing holding the league back at the moment. Crowds around the league are very good, they just need a cleaner product for TV so that if someone switches across they're more likely to see the best side of the NBL than the scrappy side.

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