The NBA Game is Flawed

The "Basketball for Thought" is a commentary by Kris Gardner.

August 30, 2004

I am not going to discuss my disappointment by Team USA's men's basketball team because I've already "been there and done that". I am not going to discuss my feelings about the piss poor job the USA Basketball selection committee did in assembling the men's team. I am not going to heap huge amounts of praise (at least not yet) on Team USA's women's basketball team winning its third straight gold medal. Instead, I'm going to discuss the continued erosion of American basketball; and, specifically, the NBA as it becomes more and more concerned about marketing to the masses instead of the poor quality of the product the league is too busy promoting.

I am not a numbers cruncher; but, I did calculate a few things to further prove a point I've been hammering for years: scoring in the NBA continues to decrease because of poor shooting; poor fundamentals and too much coaching. In the 2004 Olympics, Team USA's men's team played 8 games and won a bronze medal. International basketball games are 40 minutes long compared to the 48-minute NBA games. In the 8 games, despite all of its flaws, averaged 88.125 points per game which is about 2.2 points per minute. Team USA's opponents averaged 83.5 points per game (that's including the puny 53 points scored by Angola) which averages out to 2.08 points per minute. Multiply the two points per minute numbers by 48 and the average score is 105.75 (Team USA) to 100.2 (opponents). Now, contrast that score to the point totals from NBA clubs in the 2003 - 2004 season: only 7 of the 29 teams averaged more than 96 points per game (2 points per minute) while just 11 of the 29 teams allowed more than 96 points per game.

NBA coaches and analysts will cite "great defense" and "improved scouting" for the low scores in NBA games. I say that's a bunch of nonsense. Numerous proponents of the 2004 Team USA's Men's Team stated (incessantly, mind you) the team needs to spend more time together in order to develop good team chemistry which will allow them to perform better on the court. I won't argue the point; however, despite playing together for a short period of time, the team scored 80 plus points (2 points per minute) the last 6 games of the Olympics. If that poorly assembled squad of players can reach a simple points per minute average despite being together for less than 2 months, why can't NBA teams which spend months (and years) together score like that? Answer: the NBA game is flawed.

Coaches call plays every time down the court. The fast break has gone the way of the dinosaurs. Teams do not force the pace and push the ball up the court. Player movement is non-existent. Ball movement. What ball movement? Players are content to watch their star teammates dominate the ball on offense while they wait for a pass which may never come.

A few NBA purists hope more NBA teams will emulate the style of play the champion Detroit Pistons play which is solid defense; ball movement; transition baskets; mid-range jump shots; etc. However, it's very ironic the Pistons received copious amounts of criticism for their style of play when they battled the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals and "the first team to 70" was the winner. (It's amazing what a butt-kicking of the Los Angeles Lakers can do to change national perception.)

I know "defense wins championships"; and, I realize the importance of defense. However, the point I've been preaching for years is too many people are crediting good defense in the NBA instead of criticizing the poor offense.

Answer this simple question: is it good defense if a player misses a wide open shot?

Too many of today's NBA players cannot make wide open shots and that's a huge problem. It's way past time to fix it.