The NBA playoffs…The real season begins
The 2024-2025 playoffs have begun starting with the play-in round of 8. This season was electrifying as well as highly criticized due to the perception of many fans that the teams were not always giving their best efforts. Many of the players battled injuries all year; many just gave piss poor efforts. Much of the criticism is due to the extremely high salaries for some of the NBA’s top stars. The persistent load management where players take games off and play shorter minutes when fans expect huge performances in many instances lead to big blowouts. None of this tops the addition of sports gambling and the sponsorship role that is taken within the league and the role it plays amongst the fans. Betting has become big business generating billions from player props and game picks as well as other special picks. There are some who feel it has destroyed the integrity of the game that many players are compromised and routinely blow their prop bets. Take a look at any X timeline on game nights and the complaints pile up from disappointed fans whose parlays failed by one prop bet. This is the new NBA, a billion dollar conglomerate. One that values the dollar and the business then the actual entertainment of basketball. Yet the playoffs change this whole dynamic. Players no longer coast, they play with grit and emotion. Something changes during this second half of the season. It's really the only time fans can truly become fans again because these players are fighting for their season to play until June. No matter what happened in those 82 regular season games.
There are plenty of reasons to watch and tune in. Yes there is still gambling and your favorite player will be playing his best. The teams have a lot to prove as well a lot of trades took place this season most notably Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers from the Dallas Mavericks. Fans and naysayers of this trade will be watching to see if Luka Doncic and Lebron James can coexist, but more importantly fans want to see if Lebron can pull another title into Los Angeles before he retires. Another player and team that many will be watching is Oklahoma CIty Thunder and their star player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder had the leagues best record and for the second year in a are the Western Conference number one seed. The Eastern Conference is strong as well with the Cleveland Cavaliers being the number one seed and the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks at two and three respectively. This is bound to be a great playoff.
Viewership has declined and many of the players have been taking heat online and from unruly fans. As a lifetime basketball fan I can say I'm excited to see these playoffs once the entire picture emerges. A new star will be born during these playoffs. An older, more bonafide superstar will cement his legacy. This is what basketball is about. The contracts do not count the players all want to win. They have preserved themselves this is what they have been waiting on since the preseason since training camp began. The ability to win a championship. This second season, this real season should be an exciting one.
