Is the NBA Going Soft?

"Let's all hold hands and be friends"

       As I was watching the closing minutes of the NBA All-Star Game this weekend, I could not help but to notice a few things. First among these is further proof that Kobe Bryant is still the best player in the league. In "clutch time", if there is such a thing in a NBA All-Star Game, Kobe recorded two blocks and one steal on Lebron James. On the second block, Lebron clearly touched the ball last before it went out of bounds; thus the following post-up and foul by Kobe on Lebron should not have happened. Nonetheless, Kobe Bryant got in Lebron's face and Lebron had no answer.

       I also noticed the problem with the new generation of NBA players today. Those last few minutes of the NBA All-Star game were very telling. It showed the generational divide or gap that exists between players like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnet compared to the younger players at the game.  Something tells me that the current generation of players do not like the older players like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnet because after all, this generation is the "don't hate" generation.

"Five beats one."

       This is the generation of keeping it real, but not too real. Say how you feel, but only to a point. Do not offend anyone. This generation of NBA players just wants to be loved. Players like Kobe Bryant have no problem stating how they feel, no matter who it offends. This kind of thinking translates to his game. Do you think Lebron's good buddy, Kevin Durant, would block Lebron's shot like Kobe did? I do not think he would. It would be seen as going too hard or as making the game too personal; and that's the problem. These current players do not go at each other in the same way that players from the past used to go at each other. Every week on TNT, they show the fight between Charles Barkley and Shaq from years ago. What is interesting about that is that Shaq and Charles went out to dinner with each other after the game.  Would Kevin Durant and Lebron James ever get in a fist fight? I cannot see it happening.

NBA going PG?

       It will be a sad day when the last of the "old school" NBA players leave the league in a few years. The level of competition will be lowered. The NBA will be less cut-throat and more kid friendly. Nowadays, even the slightest altercation in a game can lead to suspensions. In that sense, I see a lot of parallels between the NBA and the WWE. The WWE, or as I still call it the WWF, used to be raunchy. It was raw and in your face. Those days are referred to as the "Attitude Era." Well now the WWE is in the PG era due to Linda McMahon's continued efforts at securing Connecticut's U.S. Senate seat. I fear the NBA is headed towards its own PG era, and the game will suffer because of it.