The people at the NBA are waiting apprehensively for the weekend as it brings with it an All Star Game amidst a season of falling attendance, ratings and overall fan interest. The planning, hosting and televising of the All Star Game has cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 billion in past years, and this year's game in Washington, D.C. looks to be the most expensive ever. The NBA and NBC have found themselves in the dangerous position of possibly wasting an historic amount of money and alienating their sponsors.
Who can blame the fans though? This NBA season has been a let down. There doesn't seem to be any great stars, there aren't any great, dynastic teams anymore and there are so many problems with players using drugs, not attending practice and driving while intoxicated. There seems to be this kind of cloud of apathy hovering over everyone. So why should anyone even consider watching a bunch of overpaid, lazy egomaniacs this Saturday and Sunday in Washington?
The problem with the league this season is hardly that it's run out of stars and even less hardly that its run out of great teams. The problem is that all of the great stars and all of the great teams are where you'd least expect them. The average longtime fan looks at the Chicago Bulls and is reminded of how great the once were. The average longtime fan looks at the Lakers and Celtics and wonders what happened to the great rivalries of old. The average fan longingly looks at many past aspects of the league and figures that the league is not worth watching. The average fan is looking in all the wrong places.
I must admit that at the beginning of the season I was a bit apathetic myself. Last season's finals were painfully anticlimactic and I certainly was not excited about another Laker romp through the entire league. This season, however, is beginning to intrigue me in a way that I can't remember being intrigued since I saw the L A beat Boston in the 1987 finals.
The only thing I can come up with, as far as everyone else's disappointment is concerned, is that most fans have trouble comprehending that the most exciting teams in the league are not L A, not New York, certainly not Chicago or Boston or even Portland or San Antonio. I can't remember a time in my life hearing someone say, "Boy, I can't wait for that Milwaukee Bucks game this weekend," or "I'm just so excited to see the Dallas Mavericks play tomorrow." Astonishingly, however, these are just a few of things I have been saying recently.
The stars of 2001 and hopefully the stars of the decade are happily tucked away in the forgotten corners of the NBA I would urge the average fan who is down on the game to pick a time and watch a team they've never thought they'd watch. Next time you have an evening, sit down and take in a Denver Nuggets game. Denver doesn't look to be the strongest team in the Western Conference, but the basketball purest will be delighted by the power forward play of Antonio McDyess. McDyess combines the defensive strength and toughness of a power forward with the quickness and touch of some of the leagues best swingmen. He is a new breed of power forward that has the docile, professional mentality of greats that fans have missed for years.
If you decide to watch to Nuggets game, maybe I can convince you to take a look at the Dallas Mavericks. I think these guys are the most exciting team in the league. Michael Finley has been one of the most consistent scorers the past few years and Steve Nash is an exciting young, multitalented, crowdpleasing guard. The true gem in the Maverick's lineup, however, is forward Dirk Nowitski. Now here is an absolute treat for anyone who has ever been a Larry Bird fan. A big, tough forward with a significant defensive presence, who combines a silky outside shooting touch with uncanny instincts and court vision. I strongly urge you to take a look at this good man.
A team similar to the Mavs is the Milwaukee Bucks. If exciting, fast break basketball is something you enjoy, the Bucks should be high on your viewing list. Ray Allen is quite possibly the most athletic player in the game today and if you watch him you'll understand why. No one in the league gets out on the break faster and no one gets off his feet faster. Glen Robinson is a scoring machine and Sam Cassel plays the point guard position the way a savvy veteran should.
And of course there are some of my old favorites. I still love watching Utah. They play the game the way it is meant to be played. Phoenix is another old treasure. Anyone who doesn't think Jason Kidd is one of the best point guards in the league has not been watching. And Sacremento and Toronto will keep you entertained for 48 minutes, every game, guaranteed.
So why should you watch the All Star Game? I have already listed several of them " these players. Though not all of them will be there, don't worry. The season is only half over, and you can still catch them.
