Is this the worst season in years?

[Mrofir]

Is the level of the nba at a relative low right now? My feeling is yes. I base this largely on one very subjective measure: I follow the Suns, and this season they played as badly as I've seen them play in the 20+ years I've been watching. They almost finished .500 and were in the playoff hunt till late in the season.

-- Injuries to Rose, KD, Westbrook, Love, Paul George, Chris Bosh, Wesley Matthews, Kobe Bryant, Parsons, Jabari Parker, list goes on.

-- The Spurs reemergence the last few years is another sign the league hasn't replenished talent and there are fewer great teams. (as great as they are)

Anyone out there think the league level of play is actually high this season? IMO the Lakers teams of 2000s would sweep through this playoff field in their sleep.

[SouBeachTalents]

Is the level of the nba at a relative low right now? My feeling is yes. I base this on one very subjective measure.

I follow the Suns, and this season they played as badly as I've seen them play in the 20+ years I've been watching. They almost finished .500 and were in the playoff hunt till late in the season.

Injuries to Rose, KD, Westbrook, Love, Paul George, Chris Bosh, Wesley Matthews, Kobe Bryant, Parsons, Jabari Parker, list goes on.

The Spurs reemergence the last few years is another sign the league hasn't replenished talent and there are fewer great teams. (as great as they are)

Anyone out there think the league level of play is actually high this season? IMO the Lakers teams of 2000s would sweep through this playoff field in their sleep.

You think the Lakers would "sweep" through a field of teams like the Warriors, Spurs, and Clippers? The current West is just as strong as it was in the early 2000's, if not even stronger

[Lexington Steel]

KD's injury changed the whole complexion in the NBA...not just the Western Conference. With him, he probably wins another MVP and OKC is probably the favorite to come out West, hell, maybe even the favorite to win the title. Once he went down, it was a free for all. The West was as wide open as Jam's sisters gaping hole.

Same with PG's injury, to an extent. Imagine a healthy PG on this current Pacers team. They almost squeaked into the playoffs without him. Easily could've been a Top 3-4 seed with him there. Changed everything in the East.

Kevin Durant. Best player in the world. Can't wait till he's back, baybeh.

[Mrofir]

You think the Lakers would "sweep" through a field of teams like the Warriors, Spurs, and Clippers? The current West is just as strong as it was in the early 2000's, if not even stronger

I do. I actually think for example, in the 2001 season, the Mavs, Lakers, Kings and Spurs would all make it out of this year's west.


The Warriors are a new elite team -- they might be good and they may even win it all this year but I'd still take any of the above teams over them this year, xp factor.
Clippers are a known quantity, we've seen them in current form beaten in previous years and they stand a good chance to perhaps make it out of the west this year.
The Spurs are not as good as they were last year and not as good as they were 14 years ago when they were winning championships against an absurd field.

[Mr. Jabbar]

yes. is it coincidence it began with kobes decline? no.

[DonDadda59]

Me last week.

[JerrySeinfeld]

Durant getting hurt was huge.

[Mrofir]

yes. is it coincidence it began with kobes decline? no.

Monsieur Jabbar I quite enjoy your posts.

You are correct that Kobe's decline has not helped the quality of the league as a whole. However, this storm has been brewing for some years now, and Kobe is merely a larger than average particulate within its dusty spirals.

What really hurts is, so many stars that didn't shine to their fullest... a very partial list, to varying degrees: McGrady, Lamar Odom, Brandon Roy, Amare Stoudemire, Rajon Rondo, Deron Williams, Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Michael Beas, Greg Oden, Yao Ming

[Wavves]

I don't believe in the poor talent pool these days compared to in the past talk. The NBA is just going through a transitional faze where nearly all of the past stars who dominated for a longer period than they probably should of are starting to disappear or are at the very tail ends of their careers.

Sure, the NBA went through a stage in the mid to late 2000's where no stars came through other than Lebron James really but currently we have plenty of big names who have just recently appeared.

Maybe it's because these new superstars are new that they are perceived to be worse than the past generation.

[Cold soul]

I agree with you OP. The NBA talent level wise is at one of weakest points in long time many of those teams out West in 2000's would come out of Western Conference with ease those being Mavs, Blazers, Spurs, Lakers.

[Milbuck]

At the risk of sounding like a KD/OKC troll, I honestly think the KD injury has significantly taken away from the excitement of this postseason. Hate them all you want, but the playoffs just aren't the same without that duo. MVP-version Durant with this year's Tripledoublebrook in the playoffs would be f*cking ridiculous.

I don't think we're having this conversation if the West is having OKC-LAC and GS-MEM semifinals right now.

[Imtheman]

You think the Lakers would "sweep" through a field of teams like the Warriors, Spurs, and Clippers? The current West is just as strong as it was in the early 2000's, if not even stronger

I'm sorry but the 2000 Lakers would eat the Warriors alive

[Run&Gun=Fun]

WTF where the Suns doing in the offseason? The team they had this year was just weird before and after the trade deadline.

[nba_55]

I'm enjoying these playoffs a lot more than last year. I love it.

[Taller than CP3]

Pretty much took the words out of my mouth.

The only good thing is the Bulls are finally at full strength, but at the expense of everyone else injured lol. Go figure.