Superpowers Good for NBA

Much has been made lately about the superpowers forming in the NBA. It all started with the Boston Celtics acquiring Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to go along with Paul Pierce, which created the first Big 3 in the East. The Los Angeles Lakers have put Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol out on the floor for a few years now and the result has been two championships to date. This summer, Miami re-signed Dwyane Wade and plucked LeBron James and Chris Bosh from the free agency market while Chicago was able to sign Carlos Boozer to help Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. Before the deadline the Knicks traded for Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups and those two have teamed up with Amare Stoudamire to become a legit contender in the East. Out West there is the Thunder, Spurs and Mavericks as well and it is clear that the competition in the NBA is the best it has been since the mid-1990s.

To fans this is the best thing for the NBA because interest in the league was dwindling. After the Jordan-era, fans turned away from the NBA because the stars of the 90's were retired but now a new generation of superstars is in their prime and viewership has spiked. Also, there are finally a number of teams who have a legit shot at the title, whereas in recent years there have been few contenders. In both leagues there are four or five teams that have a chance to advance to the Finals. Boston, Miami, Chicago, Orlando and New York look strong in the East and out West the Lakers, Thunder, Spurs and Mavericks will fight for the conference crown. It is this intense competition that brings fans to their television sets because there are a number of can't-miss games. For example, Miami played Orlando last night, San Antonio tonight and then Chicago on Sunday and all those games are/will be on national television. These matchups of power teams have rekindled interest in the league.

Like the NFL, the collective bargaining agreement expires for the NBA after this season and there could potentially be a lockout next year. Enjoy this season while it lasts because owners are going to try and make the league more balanced, in hopes that every team will have a shot at winning the title. That's exactly what the league doesn't need though. What the NBA is creating now is good because they actually have competition and that creates so much more for them. It means more people tune in to watch, rivalries are created, stars go head-to-head every night and the playoffs are buckle-your-seatbelt action from start to finish. The NBA had become so watered down in the early part of the millenium because there are too many teams and stars were spread out. It made for a lot of bad games that nobody was interested in. Now, the stars have joined forces and the quest for the championship should be the best it's been in a long time.

It's hard to pick a Finals matchup because of how evenly teams match up and that's what makes the games fun. Nobody wants to see Charlotte play Toronto because the starpower just isn't there but almost half the league has players and teams worth watching. I would imagine the playoffs should get the highest ratings it's had in awhile. Also, many stars have free agency coming up and that will mean more alliances being formed. It's an exciting time for the NBA and one that they should cherish, not try to destroy.