If you are a homer, you will always find your home team's game entertaining anyway, even the game is actually super boring and a 50pts blowout. So the real entertaining basketball is ppl actually like to watch the games, while they are not even fans of the teams playing.
See 1) Warriors vs Mavericks in 2007. 2) Heat vs Knicks playoffs in the 90's. 3) Celtics vs Lakers in the 80's. 4) Bulls vs Pistons late 80's. No way to really define "entertaining" basketball but it should be fun, exciting and make you want to root for a team other than your hometown. Similarly in other sports. Colts vs Patriots. Red Sox vs Yankees. Oklahoma vs Texas. Miami vs FSU. See some of the matchups are now famous rivalry but it's those entertaining and memorable games that make the rivalry what is today.
I think it's just a matter of preference. Some people find the princeton offense entertaining and other find Suns' run and gun style entertaining. Others might find Spur's perfect teamwork Defense as entertainment. For me, I'm leaning more towards the princeton offense. The ball gotta keep moving. Unless you have some crazy SF3 or Marbury cross-over type of players. I'm not gonna lie, I very much enjoy those fancy moves and grooves. It's even better when the team is actually good with it.
Entertaining, why should that matter? In the NFL, low-scoring or offensively challenged teams play in the all of the time, but nobody complains or at least not as much as they do about the NBA. The Suns are this and the suns are that, who cares who exciting a team is, if they can't advance in the playoffs they have no business being in NBA finals.
Like every other sane person, I like the Suns. But I also like the Spurs. And I liked the Rockets under JVG. That's entertaining. If you can think beyond flashy moves, it's incredibly entertaining. Fundamentals are INTERESTING. If you can think beyond alley-oops to defensive schemes and ball movement, it's interesting. If you can't, go and watch Slamball. Baseball is the exact same. People who go to the ballpark to watch another juiced up player hit a long shot don't understand baseball. In fact, they (and Bud Selig) are ruining baseball. Baseball is a game of strategy. From the double switches to outfield movement to the suicide squeeze, baseball is all strategy. So I guess what I'm saying is that what's exciting is basketball. I love basketball, but I don't think most "fans" do.
I think it's a matter of whether you find offense or defense more entertaining. The Spurs vs Cavs was extremely boring to watch because there were no close calls. That's what makes basketball exciting. The buzzer shots, the crazy passes and alley hoops, those "in your face" dunks. When it comes to defense, who can deny a close ridiculous block. However, that's not what we saw in the finals. Everything was too expected and predictable, very dull.
I don't think exciting basketball necessarily equates to non-successful, non-championship-winning team. And personally, I don't find the Spurs to be boring. Not that I like the team or want to watch them the most, but they're not boring. I'd rather watch them than say, the NY Knicks. The problem, like somebody probably already mentioned, is the huge talent differential between the Spurs and the Cavs. I enjoyed the Suns and the Spurs series A LOT because I like watching two great teams go at it.
Two teams competing like its for their pride alone, doing everything they can to win as a team other than just jacking up 3's and trying to dunk on every play.
Agreed..and the drama of a game going back and fourth all the way to the wire and someone winning on a game winner. ah the eddie johnson game vs JAZZ was my one of fav Rockets games of all time
whatever wins (within reason). the rockets were enjoyable, though not particularly exciting, because they let their best players carry the load. you know who's getting the ball: tmac and yao. if you're a fan, that's exciting and you get to watch your stars play. there is a method behind the rockets style of play... with teams like golden state (or whoever else), it's the EXACT opposite. they just play street ball and it's exciting to watch, but rarely is it precise or cerebral in any way. junkies love the details!
I really enjoy watching the Suns play: I love great passes, great assists, and great shooting. Very entertaining. In basketball, IMO, offense is more entertaining that defense, unless it is a blocked shot or a steal and a breakaway.
It's boring basketball when players can't hit wide open shots, no matter what style you play. The Cavs are boring because they can't hit shots. The Rockets were boring much of the time because they couldn't hit open shots. It's boring basketball when the team stand around, watching one star player do all the things.
I don't understand why people who call other who find flashy moves entertaining not a fan. So what? Most of us understand that there is more than that, of course, but we also enjoy watching players school one another.That doesn't mean that we don't like to see a perfectly executed offensive scheme or defense. Again, it's a matter of taste. The one thing for sure is that I don't like what Stern is turning this league into. He's turning this league into a nancy league with all the restrictions and new rules. For example, I enjoy when a guard takes over games via his scoring, passing, or leading abilities.. but you fart on him a bit and you get a foul. That's just rubbish. Stern's favoritism kills the game. It should be survival of the fittest. Let those bigger guys bully the small one. I hope Stern retires soon.
75% of Rockets games were entertaining last season. Rockets would be the champion if there were only 3 quarters in NBA. I think I will remember these two games for a long time: Rockets vs. Lakers, where Kobe went nut, but Rockets won. Rockets vs. suns, the HCA game, Yao played with fire.
its more about the personality of the players Which is why pistons vs spurs are boring as hell. With the exception of Rasheed, everyone had about as interesting a personality as a cardboard box
