Rule changes and referee inconstancy are hurting the NBA
Enforcement
Another thing about this modern era of basketball is the lack of rule enforcement. More often, players are getting away with traveling. The most basic rule gets a blind eye. Just recently, Donovan Mitchell committed a travel that resulted in him making a three-ball. LeBron James is another who takes advantage of fewer travel calls as well. He can stop his dribble at half-court and finish up with a slam dunk. Those must be two LONG steps (or Euro-steps).
The good news is that the non-star players still must dribble. Welcome to the NBA’s double standard. The biggest stars play in the biggest markets. So, this just one more thing that small-market teams must combat. The small market teams and non-star players must play by the rules. Meanwhile, star players on big market teams can play by their own rules. It’s not hard to wonder why the small market teams haven’t won many championships lately.
Star treatment
Star treatment isn’t something new. It’s been around for years. Michael Jordan once famously, or infamously, flew off the handle choking Reggie Miller and scratching Miller’s face. Miller received the ejection, not MJ. Read that again if necessary. The player violently assaulted on the court is thrown out. This double standard is terrible for the game. Also, it adds fuel to the idea that the game’s outcome is already decided.
Dating back to 2000, the big market teams have won half the titles (13 if you count Golden State as a big market team). The Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks won the remaining. Only the 2004 Pistons won without a major-star player. So, what’s the point of watching NBA games if you’re the fan of a small market team? The rules are against you.
Truly elite players don’t need this extra help. They are so talented and gifted it feels cheap and dirty when they pull this kind of stuff routinely. Watching the Trae Youngs, Kevin Durants, LeBron James, and Donovan Mitchells get away with these kinds of things ruin the game. Part of what made the NBA of the ’80s and ’90s great was refs called games evenly. Well, for the most part. It still baffles me how Robert Parish pull’s down and punches Bill Laimbeer. Yet Laimbeer gets foul on him.
Same verse
Sure, this article rings all the bells of the “Get off my lawn” grumpy old man. But the fact of the matter is this is happening yearly. It will be no surprise when L.A. LeBron’s face either the Golden State Currys or L.A. Kawhis in the Western Conference Finals, followed up with the LA LeBrons in the NBA Finals and repeating as NBA Champions. The biggest stars get all of the breaks.
The NBA needs to start enforcing the rules evenly across the league. A part of the reason the NFL is so successful is due to parity. Parity does not exist in the NBA. Unless your team has a major star player, the rules are against them. If the NBA doesn’t clean up these issues, the league will lose popularity. Dark days are ahead.
What do you think about the enforcement of NBA rules? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.