Stanley Cup Playoffs vs NBA Playoffs

[DarkReign]

As long as there aren't a ton of intentional fouls, I find the last 3 minutes of an NBA playoff game to be about on par with the entirety of an NHL playoff game. I just don't find it nearly as engaging.

Admittedly, that requires the score being close. If one team is down between 8-12 points, its a foul party with 2-3 minutes left (depending on the coach who is down).

If both teams are within 5, it makes for exciting sport.

 

[Reality Check]

I'm just curious what would be the equivalent in the SCF to what JR Smith did last night.

I'm aware of Steve Smith in 1986. But that was the conference finals.

 

[93LEAFS]

NHL Playoffs are better when you factor in all the rounds. NBA Finals though always feels like history is being made and legacies established. This is true in the NHL, but not quite to the level of the NBA due to the NBA having more teams that are dynasties, and the impact individual players have.

 

[SecretOilersFan]

The massive insecurities here are amazing. Regardless for someone like me I like unpredictability in sports. These days I don't really watch much in regards to sports outside of hockey mostly just due to how much time I am willing to spend in sports in general (not much these days). I can't find the NBA regular season interesting as it is pretty much worthless as are much of the early rounds and it feels like a waste of time to pay attention to them as the stacked teams always dominate.

The NBA however has the star power and marketability the NHL lacks and therefore has a bigger casual market interested. Also the game is cheaper and easier to get involved in unlike hockey which is incredibly expensive. So the NBA beating the NHL isn't surprising. For me though I probably would stop watching pro sports all together if the NHL folded not much out there that interests me outside of the NHL.

 

[ryerockarola]

I'm just curious what would be the equivalent in the SCF to what JR Smith did last night.

I'm aware of Steve Smith in 1986. But that was the conference finals.

Not knowing the score and costing your team a chance at winning the game, none that I can remember in the SCF

 

[Newsworthy]

I think the main difference is the NBA has better athletes.
NBA players are ALSO paid a lot more.
The NBA Playoff ratings will make the NHL playoff numbers look silly.
Basketball is a much more universal game. Its popularity worldwide trumps that of hockey.
I like Bettman and all but he needs to better in the marketing dept. Everyone here in the media is talking about JR Smith and his late game blunder. Or how Lebron walked off the stage. Or Golden States arrogance. The NBA and it's players have a personality that the media buys into that hockey cannot replicate. No late game dramas. No trash talk. Not even a measley fight. NHL needs to bring some artificial excitement in. A staged brawl may do the trick. Bad blood between say Wilson and March. Ovechkin mad at a Trump. Give us something juicy to feed off of.

 

[PuckSeparator]

I think the main difference is the NBA has better athletes.
NBA players are ALSO paid a lot more.
The NBA Playoff ratings will make the NHL playoff numbers look silly.
Basketball is a much more universal game. Its popularity worldwide trumps that of hockey.
I like Bettman and all but he needs to better in the marketing dept. Everyone here in the media is talking about JR Smith and his late game blunder. Or how Lebron walked off the stage. Or Golden States arrogance. The NBA and it's players have a personality that the media buys into that hockey cannot replicate. No late game dramas. No trash talk. Not even a measley fight. NHL needs to bring some artificial excitement in. A staged brawl may do the trick. Bad blood between say Wilson and March. Ovechkin mad at a Trump. Give us something juicy to feed off of.

Just to add to the bolded, Draymond Green had a bit of a feud with Charles Barkley after Charles said he "wanted to punch Draymond in the face". The two of them later had a friendly burying of the hatchet after Green came on air face to face with Barkley.

This is not really a big deal in and of itself, but it makes the game and the players seem much more approachable when you have a legend and a current player having that kind of open conversation. Would you ever see Millbury face to face with Subban and explain why he called him a clown? No, Millbury (and you can include Cherry and others of the same ilk) feel like much of an old boys club that are totally out of touch with the modern-day players. This disconnect between the old guard and the new creates a much stuffier ambience to the overall package of hockey instead of one that that's very relatable to most people. The NBA also does a much better job of relating to all ethnicities, and this is a big reason why its popularity just keeps rising all the time.

 

[dkhockey]

this is how your NBA leader treats teammates that made a mistake.....

 

[dkhockey]

Remember kids, what Kerr, Pop-a-zit, curry and Lebron says about politics are words to live by. they are very smart people and care about the common folks

 

[Chimpradamus]

I guess this is a question for NA fans only. I'm pretty sure hockey fans from other parts of the world aren't that interested in the NBA. And when it comes to NFL and MLB, even less interest. One American entertainment industry is enough and even that feels like a stretch. Since the olympic boycott, I don't give a dime in any way to the NHL.

I think the main difference is the NBA has better athletes.
NBA players are ALSO paid a lot more.
The NBA Playoff ratings will make the NHL playoff numbers look silly.
Basketball is a much more universal game. Its popularity worldwide trumps that of hockey.
I like Bettman and all but he needs to better in the marketing dept. Everyone here in the media is talking about JR Smith and his late game blunder. Or how Lebron walked off the stage. Or Golden States arrogance. The NBA and it's players have a personality that the media buys into that hockey cannot replicate. No late game dramas. No trash talk. Not even a measley fight. NHL needs to bring some artificial excitement in. A staged brawl may do the trick. Bad blood between say Wilson and March. Ovechkin mad at a Trump. Give us something juicy to feed off of.

You mean the NHL needs to be even more of a staged, artificial entertainment industry? No thank you. Who cares about the media, they have no credibility, they're a bunch of mediocre spin doctors.

 

[Newsworthy]

I guess this is a question for NA fans only. I'm pretty sure hockey fans from other parts of the world aren't that interested in the NBA. And when it comes to NFL and MLB, even less interest. One American entertainment industry is enough and even that feels like a stretch. Since the olympic boycott, I don't give a dime in any way to the NHL.

You mean the NHL needs to be even more of a staged, artificial entertainment industry? No thank you. Who cares about the media, they have no credibility, they're a bunch of mediocre spin doctors.

A lot of talk about this being the highest rated NHL finals ever and that is a great thing however it pales in comparison to the other sports including the NBA.
I can't stress enough how the NHL needs to keep relevant

 

[dkhockey]

Game 1 of the Cavaliers-Warriors NBA Finals had a 10.0 rating and 17.4 million viewers on ABC Thursday night, down 5% in ratings and 7% in viewership from last year (10.5, 18.7M) and down 10% in both measures from 2016 (11.1, 19.2M).

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

I really dislike the almost 7 foot pipe cleaner Kevin Durant

 

[kihei]

I like both, but the Stanley Cup wins hands down. In most games, NBA tension is slight in comparison with NHL tension.

 

[Butch 19]

I'm just curious what would be the equivalent in the SCF to what JR Smith did last night.

I'm aware of Steve Smith in 1986. But that was the conference finals.

?? his gaffe also immediatly eliminated the heavily favored Oilers to win anther Cup.

Much worse than what JR Smith did

 

[artemponomarev]

Amazing intense unpredictable NBA play-offs. Not
Don’t know what is more predictable : KHL play-offs or NBA

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

I want nothing to do with the NBA. The League that rigged their own draft lottery so that the Knicks could draft Ewing?

Absolutely no integrity. So, I'll pass.

 

[Damisoph]

Who could have predicted the Warriors and Cavs would be in the NBA final? Amazing.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Who could have predicted the Warriors and Cavs would be in the NBA final? Amazing.

Exactly. LeBron James in 8 straight Finals? *Yawn*

Not very compelling, to say the least.

 

[DonM]

It is just delightful that in the OP bemoans how much more predictable and mundane the NHL is than the NBA, and then immediately afterwards we are treated to the 4th consecutive Cavaliers vs Warriors final. So predictable that I, a person whose most memorable basketball experience was owning an Orlando Magic starter jacket in the 90s, guessed the final correctly.

 

[Reality Check]

Not very compelling, to say the least.

The same can be said about the Cup Finals, to say the least.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

The same can be said about the Cup Finals, to say the least.

Naw. Two new teams in the Finals that have never won the championship before.

One, a team that has suffered more than pretty well any other professional sports franchise and had the lowest winning percentage in professional sports history in their first season.

The other, a first year team that has overwhelmingly surpassed expectations and has had the best first year in professional sports history.

That’s just two of the storylines. There are many, many more.

The NBA? *Yawn*

 

[Reality Check]

Naw. Two new teams in the Finals that have never won the championship before.

One, a team that has suffered more than pretty well any other professional sports franchise and had the lowest winning percentage in professional sports history in their first season.

The other, a first year team that has overwhelmingly surpassed expectations and has had the best first year in professional sports history.

That’s just two of the storylines. There are many, many more.

All that said and yet, this series just hasn't been entertaining. Unless you're simply a Washington fan.

As for the NBA, it's the same complaints as every year. And, as usual every year, they're not hurting in the slightest.

No matter how loud you'll moan and groan.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

All that said and yet, this series just hasn't been entertaining. Unless you're simply a Washington fan.

As for the NBA, it's the same complaints as every year. And, as usual every year, they're not hurting in the slightest.

No matter how loud you'll moan and groan.

The NBA Final is 3-0.

I wouldn’t call that entertaining. It’s been a train wreck of a series, so far.

 

[Reality Check]

The NBA Final is 3-0.

I wouldn’t call that entertaining. It’s been a train wreck of a series, so far.

Neither series has exactly been must see tv. Unless you're a diehard of one or both sports.

But I'll still take the best player in the league versus a potential dynasty. The Vegas story, while remarkable and they have nothing to be ashamed about if they do indeed lose, makes the NHL look so low-rent and incompetent.