Why The NBA is Not What It Used to be

Why the NBA is not what it used to be? This is a very common question to NBA fans around the world, and it is a very good question. Why is the NBA not what it used to be. Well, there are a few reasons why it is just not the same.

First off, the defensive intensity is not what it used to be. Back in the late 80’s and the early to mid 90’s, the defense of the NBA was totally different. Back in those days a player could hand check the offensive player which made for better, more intense battles between the offensive and defensive players. It was a man’s league then. Now the refs blow the whistle if a defender looks as if he wants to touch the defender. Another defensive change is the new age acquisition of the zone defense. There was once a time when the zone defense was just a type of defensive used in college and under basketball. Now it is a regular occurrence in todays NBA. It actually seems pretty silly. Please bring back the days when anything remotely close to a zone was properly whistled “illegal defense”.

A second aspect of why the NBA is not what it used to be is the loss of the importance of the jumpshot. Too many players are so concerned with the fancy moves that they lose sight of the important aspects of the game. Sure the killer crossover is nice. The spin move into the lane for a tear drop or an alley hoop is always exciting. And who doesn’t enjoy a good “in your face slam”…..sorry LeBron. Although all those things are exciting, they are not what wins the game for you. The jumpshot seems to have gotten lost somewhere in all the fancy extracurricular aspects of the game of basketball. Listen young players. Being able to dunk is exciting. But being able to knock down the mid range jumper is not only exciting, but it is a skill that can really allow you to make a basketball team. Every team can use a player that can shoot.

Finally, it seems that some players have become mesmerized by the major amounts of money that they get and have lost focus on the game itself. It is true that back in the day players never even imagined that they could make the kind of money that players, not even star players, are making. But those players were making good money for the times and they still managed to play every game like it was their last. The commitment to the game that the players of yester year had has all but disappeared from the game today. We as fans need that intensity back. Come on NBA players….let’s get back to what the NBA used to be.