3) MVP Race:
- For the last couple seasons the MVP race has been pretty boring with Steph Curry clearly putting his stamp on the award early in the season. This year has had several players in the mix and it has been a topic of debate all year long. Westbrook made history with becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double. James Harden played point guard this year and thrived by leading the league in assists and the Kawhi Leonard has elevated his all-around game to a new level for the Spurs. All three of these players deserve the award, so it makes the announcement just that more suspenseful.
2) Competitiveness:
- Kevin Durant going to the Warriors automatically dealt a huge blow to the NBA’s competitiveness but it hasn’t stung as much as it could have. The Rockets made it third in the Western Conference, playing a entertaining form of basketball, and the Spurs made things interesting against the Warriors, beating them 2 out of 3 times this season. The Boston Celtics also overtook the Cavs for best record in the East. The league did have noncompetitive teams like the Knicks, Nets, and Mavs, but there were still plenty of good teams making things interesting as well.
1) Rest Controversy:
- The value of the NBA ticket is dropping around the league because so many NBA players are “resting”, disappointing fans who can’t get to see them play in the game. This has become a major issue because STAR players are routinely sitting out games throughout the year, something that was usually reserved for the end of a long season. Commissioner Silver has to get a handle on this because the integrity of the game is very important to its longevity, you want fans to feel excited when they buy an NBA ticket not worrisome.
Grade: B-
- The NBA is thriving in popularity because of their superstars but the league has to deal with the rest issue which is putting a cloud over its success. Also there have been questions about the league’s competitiveness with so many “super teams” being formed. Despite these issues you still have great stories revolving players like Westbrook, Harden, and Kawhi; don’t forget about LeBron James and Steph Curry, so the league is still in good shape.
