The NBA is still fantastic thanks to the Pacers and Heat!

I grew up watching NBA basketball. Back then it was a different game. It was different era really. Players spent entire careers with one team. Rivalries were formed not only between organizations and their respective fanbases but the players felt it as well. Every point mattered whether it was November or May.

In the days before cable television match ups involving the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers were Sunday afternoon events NBA fans like me looked forward to. We would watch the CBS telecast, listen to Brent Musberger or Dick Stockton call the play-by-play, argue amongst ourselves and say things like “did you see that”?

It’s why they called the NBA “Fantastic”.

These past 10 years I’ve found it somewhat difficult to use the word “fantastic” in regards to the NBA of today. Superstars are “rested” in order to be “fresh” for the playoffs. Franchises “rebuild” by losing more games than anyone else in hopes they win the magic ball that might land them a superstar in the NBA draft. Players who can’t win Championships on their own leave their teams and form “super teams” and dominate the league and don’t even get me started on “lockouts”.

Earlier this season Miami Heat mega star LeBron James commented that there weren’t any real rivalries any longer in the NBA. He was referring to some of the same rivalries that I remember (online source) and I like how he appreciated the old battles. James was referring to the Indiana Pacers in some of his comments and while he may have been correct at the time this past Wednesday NBA fans were treated to the type of game and rivalry he said didn’t exist.

The Indiana Pacers and the Miami Heat have a real rivalry and the NBA is “Fantastic” again.

Wednesday night’s game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse had everything that all the old rivalries of James and my day had. The announcers called it a “playoff atmosphere” and from the opening tip to the final buzzer every possession mattered. There was plenty of trash talk, hard fouls, blood, skirmishes and even an ejection. It was a special night to be an NBA fan and if this is only March I can’t wait until these two teams get together in May!

On today’s Phil Naessens Show we spent the entire hour talking NBA basketball and feature reporters from the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. Three of the best around talking about three of the best teams around on one amazing show.