A Confused Brit’s View of Basketball: Why’s It So Easy to Score?

BBC ^ | March 11th, 2014 | Jon Langford

[MinorityRepublican]

The most common debunking of the game with slam-dunking is that everything happens in the final two minutes.

And while I agree with the sentiment of this statement, I do not accept that this is the fundamental ailment from which basketball suffers.

The main problem with basketball (thank you for asking) is that it’s too easy for the players to score. And this is not what Benjamin Basketball intended when he invented the sport back in the 1890s.

Okay, his name wasn’t really Benjamin Basketball (sadly)—it was Dr. James Naismith. B

[Jonty30]

It’s was to score because the average NBA player is like 10’2?

[mikrofon]

RE ties, I’d thought in Hockey at least, they should award 3 points for a regulation win; make it a 10-minute OT with the winner getting the 2nd point, and only 1 apiece if the end result is a draw. It would provide more incentive for the ‘W’ w/o resorting to a “shoot-out.”

It’s been said that if NBA games were like Elections, most of the time there’d be a demand for recount ....

[Huntress]

I really dislike tattoos, but the second guy did it right. He could put on a long sleeved shirt and work in am office if he were so inclined. The first guy’s post NBA job prospects are more limited.

[Alberta's Child]

Part of the problem in basketball is that the rules have been changed to make scoring easier. The 24-second shot clock is a modern adaptation of the game. And strange as it may seem ... even as recently as the 1930s there was a jump ball at center court after every score. It wasn't uncommon for players to lead their team in scoring with 10 or 12 points in a game back in those days.

Having said that, I'm not sure why the issue of scoring in basketball is even an item of discussion in a BBC story like this. Scoring totals in the NBA are actually lower today than they were 20-30 years ago. Most of the single-game and season records for team scoring date back to the 1980s when the Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers used to consistently score 120+ points in a game.

[Jonty30]

I don’t think most people watch basketball for the score. I think they watch it for those hard to score shots or fancy moves.

[Bob]

I don’t usually start following basketball until the second or third month of the playoffs. :=)

[CodeToad]

The Birdman is actually a good guy. He was my neighbor before moving to Miami. He was charitable with a good disposition.

[albertabound]

thanks for reading my mind.....my only knock on b-ball is that it brings the image of thuggery up close and personal and certain less desirable societal element seem to thrive on that....as and when some kid shoots another for a pair of Gretzky ice skates I could stand corrected

[PROCON]

The Birdman is actually a good guy.

I was commenting on his personality, only his appearance.

[IronJack]

Typical basketball game:

1) Take the ball in
2) Dribble down court
3) Drive in for a shot
4) Get fouled
5) Make the free throws
6) Turn ball over to opposing team.
7) Repeat.

Last one to make the free throw wins.

[Bratch]

Anyone that thinks it's easy to score in basketball obviously didn't watch this year's Louisville-Kentucky game.

[CodeToad]

So, he has tats. He’s not going to dress like a pilgrim to play b-ball.

[MisterArtery]

They arrived at mid-court by palming the ball. Never called.

[southern rock]

but the second guy did it right. He could put on a long sleeved shirt and work in am office if he were so inclined. The first guy’s post NBA job prospects are more limited.

Not everyone wants to work in an "office". Chris Anderson will do just fine.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“The first guy’s post NBA job prospects are more limited.”

With that fin on his head, he could get a job as a wind direction indicator!

[Vermont Lt]

I spent years photographing small division III basketball. Most of the time they were great games. Watching the pros can be boring. But a well played game is a lot of fun when you are up close. Sitting in the nosebleed seats sucks.

Watching a good DI game up close is sometimes downright scary because they are simply huge kids.

[gusty]

I truly believe that the NHL brought in the shootout and the point for the overtime loss is so a majority of the teams end up with a winning record. Check out a standings sometime, you will see that only a very few teams are bellow .500. Nothing wrong with a hard earned tie like in day of the Rocket.

[gusty]

For you basketball aficionados, please give the writer a break. He wrote that he was observing a Knicks game. Watching the Knicks would put anyone off of the game of basketball.

[9YearLurker]

Looks like I’m the only Freeper who loves the NBA. Go, Celts!

[9YearLurker]

Everything he complains about with basketball goes doubly with tennis (especially due to improved equipment), but I don’t see any Brits calling out Wimbledon.