Even Charles Barkley thinks fans should watch NHL playoffs

[mjlee]

https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2017/05/09/charles-barkley-nhl-nba-playoffs

Following the Warriors sweep of the Jazz with a 125-91 win, Barkley didn't try to sugarcoat the state of the NBA's postseason, which has lacked major excitement thanks to blowout after blowout.

"Thank God for the NHL playoff," Barkley said on the NBA on TNT postgame show. "That's what I be watching in the back instead of these blowouts."

A clearly unamused Ernie Johnson must have been thinking about the league and the TNT higher-ups because he simply responded to Barkley with, "Well, whatever."

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[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

It's true. The first two, and sometimes three, rounds are pointless in the NBA. There's much less variance in an NBA game and parity is much less effective.

 

[TNT87]

He's right.

 

[Knave]

I don't want to throw it too off topic but yeah - the Warriors and Cavaliers are dominating... what else is there?

It's why I wonder what the Raptors will do - they don't have someone to match against LeBron (who does, really?). I didn't think they'd get swept but I wrote them off. Do they rebuild? Keep trying until LeBron retires?

 

[Joey Bones]

NCAA basketball is more fun to watch over the NBA.

Ice Hockey and American Football over basketball entirely, though.

 

[Machinehead]

The Conference Finals and Finals are very good in the NBA but it's unwatchable before that.

 

[c9777666]

An NHL team that would have been a #8 seed under the old playoff format is in the West Finals.

In the NBA, a 5 seed or lower making the conference finals would be stop the presses stuff.

It's also absurd how the Warriors/Cavs are so dominant over the rest of the field.

Even the Penguins/Red Wings in 2009 en route to their SCF rematch had some turbulence (both needed a 2nd round game 7 wins en route to another showdown). Ditto the Islanders/Oilers of '84 (Isles were down 2-1 in a best-of-5 first round, down 0-2 in round 3, Oilers actually trailed in a 7th game at home in round 2)

At this rate, BOS/WAS beating Cleveland would probably be as shocking as when the Islanders beat the Penguins in 1993.

 

[Foppberg]

NBA sucks anyways.

 

[Ducks in a row]

I like Sir Charles he was my favorite Basketball player. Him showing love to the NHL is great.

 

[karnige]

no parity at all. get a bloody hard cap. NBA stars control where they want to go and stack their teams. they just make the owner pay 40-50 mill luxury taxes. let GMs actually be GMs.

 

[HisIceness]

He's not wrong.

This year I've tried to sell the Nashville Predators to people who complain about there being no upsets in the NBA playoffs. Did the same thing with the Kings 5 years ago, Flyers in 2010. Their response is usually something like, "Me watch Hockey? Yeah whatever".

Their loss.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

NBA is in a transitional era where the teams that have adjusted to 3 point volume shooting have developed a huge edge over traditional teams that use the 3 pointer sparingly. They'll figure out it.

NHL needs to figure out how to increase scoring chances so they're hardly home free. The scores have more variance but that's the extent of it.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

Most hockey fans, in my experience, don't hate the game of basketball, they hate the culture, refereeing/diving, and the way that basketball is shoved down everybody's throats. Because we both have the 82 regular season games and 4 playoff rounds at the same time of the year, and it is just forced down our throats in America that basketball is the superior sport. I remember, I was watching an NHL stream on my laptop, and the ****ing stream shifted to a basketball game. It's so irritating because we all know none of these games matter until the Warriors and Cavaliers play one another. I live in the Bay, equal distance from Oracle Arena and SAP Center. You know how ****ing sick I am of hearing about the Warriors, and having them shoved down my throats? Especially when the first 2 rounds of the playoffs don't matter in the slightest.

It's refreshing to hear something like this.

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

Opinions are not news.
That said, the Western Conference playoffs are incredible, and the Pittsburgh-Washington series has been pretty good.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

The NBA Finals will be one of the most hyped/watched series ever probably though. I'll be glued to it. But yeah, the regular season was pointless to watch and the lead up to the Finals is a yawner. Everybody and their mother knew what was going to happen come June. That's what happens when you have one of the greatest players of all time in one conference and one of the most talented teams of all time in the other conference.

A single player has so much more impact in basketball than in hockey. And while LeBron is still playing near his level, he's basically always going to be a contender. There isn't a team in the NBA that he alone wouldn't make a contender in the East. That's how great he is and that's how much impact an all timer can have (as well as how weak the East is.) But this isn't anything new. LeBron took an awful Cavs team to the Finals when he was younger as well.

Thank goodness for the NHL playoffs for sure. Most series are still worth watching.

 

[kodoshin]

An NHL team that would have been a #8 seed under the old playoff format is in the West Finals.


At this rate, BOS/WAS beating Cleveland would probably be as shocking as when the Islanders beat the Penguins in 1993.

I think it's fair to say that would be far more shocking. Especially in the case of Golden State. The Cavs are always one Lebron injury away from being upset fodder, but in the case of the Warriors it seems like they could afford to lose one, hell, maybe two stars and they would still be cruising.

 

[Bood12]

Charles is the man, the NBA is pointless for about 95% of the season, the only time it gets interesting is in the conference finals

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

We currently have two 2-2 series happening, Barkley continues to be a moron.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

The NBA Finals will be one of the most hyped/watched series ever probably though.

These Finals are going to get ratings Gary Bettman would literally kill for.

But until then, would you rather watch the Chuckmaster-in-Command Steph Curry destroy the Utah Jazz, or Pens-Caps, Game 7?

Thanks for the free press Barkley.

 

[bursilym]

We currently have two 2-2 series happening, Barkley continues to be a moron.

Sure but none of those teams have any chance of making the finals. That's the entire point of playoffs. The uncertainty of who wins. Else why not just do series against ****** team vs ****** team in regular season. I'm sure those series wud be 2-2 too

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

Sure but none of those teams have any chance of making the finals. That's the entire point of playoffs. The uncertainty of who wins. Else why not just do series against ****** team vs ****** team in regular season. I'm sure those series wud be 2-2 too

Uhh I wouldn't count out the Spurs, ever.

 

[Paperbagofglory]

Love Charles but what the hell is he talking about?

The Bucks and Raptors series was great and went 6 games. Boston Chicago ended in 6 and was close. What about the Grizzlies taking 2 from the spurs and being competitive throughout. The Jazz and Clippers went 7 and was back and forth. In the second round you have Boston vs Washington which is tied at 2-2 and a great series so far. What about Houston being up on the spurs currently in the 3rd quarter with the series tied 2-2?

There have only been 4 sweeps so far, 2 by Cleveland and 2 by the Warriors, teams better than everyone else and expected to dominate. Are you guys not entertained by the other series? Houston vs San Antonio is as good as it gets as far as entertainment goes in the NBA so far.

 

[Gnashville]

We currently have two 2-2 series happening, Barkley continues to be a moron.

Two teams fighting it out to be fed to the Lions is not exciting. It's no fun when you know who is going to win. What a joke it would have been if Washington and Chicago had swept their way to the conference finals winning every almost game 6-0.
Imagine a 8th seed sweeping a 1 seed and being in the conference finals in basketball that is completely unheard of now.

 

[Paperbagofglory]

The Spurs or Rockets can challenge the Warriors, the Spurs have been the third best team in the league the past 4 years and are capable of an upset and it would not be considered huge.

Boston is underrated and can put up a fight against Cleveland, they are the number 1 seed in the East for a reason.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

If the NBA version of Martin St. Louis can put up 50 points a game, then I can see Boston having a chance.