Part of the reason why the NBA is so great is that there’s so much entertainment in the games. So much personality. Now, don’t get me wrong here. Some teams are just flat out unwatchable. There’s bound to be a boring game or two. But the beauty of the NBA is that once the season starts, there’s always multiple games on every single night. So much action for a sports fan throughout one season.
We know your favorite team isn’t going to play every night. But a common basketball fan will want to watch other games if their team isn’t on the schedule. That’s where ESPN’s Senior Writer Zach Lowe came in clutch. With all of these crazy algorithms and theories, the fellas’ over at ESPN were able to come up with a list of each team’s ‘watchability’ for the 2018 season.
Lowe made it clear that his list was not a ‘power rankings.’ Watchability doesn’t always have to do with the team being good. I mean, yeah, the Golden State Warriors are obviously entertaining because they are excellent, but there’s more to it.
For instance, the Philadelphia 76ers weren’t exactly playing championship ball last season, but they were a young, and fun team to watch because of the way they played, and their personalities on the court. So now that we got that cleared up, here are a few of the standouts on the list.
Sixers and Celtics Own the East
The Sixers and the Boston Celtics tied for the first spot of the Most Watchable teams for next season. Typically, the Golden State Warriors own the No. 1 spot, but apparently, the dominant play throughout the year gets kind of boring to fans. Not entirely dull, as they still came in at No. 3, but it looks like NBA fans may be more intrigued with the young guns of the East.
The Sixers-Celtics rival in the East will be fun to watch as it is back in full effect. But there’s also so much personality for the teams alone. The Sixers obviously having Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and the return of Markelle Fultz makes for good TV. Then, the Celtics on paper, are the top-dogs of the conference with Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward returning to their already stacked roster in 2018.
LeBron Leaves Some Curiosity out in LA
The Lakers came in at No.4 surprisingly after they signed LeBron James. The Lakers felt a ‘watchable’ effect with James as their preseason ticket sales shattered the box office numbers for the first game at the Staples Center. There’s no question that the curiosity of ‘LABron’ will have fans watching. But for how long will they watch, though?
ESPN questioned LeBron’s ability to make it work with his new supporting cast. Can LeBron and Lonzo Ball form a good relationship? Will the King still have the energy to take over games if he has to once again? Or did last season take too much of a toll on him? It all remains to be seen. So, the Lakers aren’t exactly the most watchable, but they do find a significant upgrade from last season, that’s for sure.
Miami Heat Could See an Upgrade?
The Miami Heat made the playoffs last season, but they weren’t exactly the most entertaining team of the 2017-2018 season. And heading into the new league year, they aren’t really must-see television once again. That is unless they get the guy that they have been trying to trade for from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
You know who I’m talking about, Jimmy Butler. If, and it’s a big if, the Heat can get Butler, they could see a substantial increase in attractiveness to watch. Right now, the Heat are considered to be No. 14 on the watch list, with a TBD next to their name. The addition of Butler would surely work. Also, apparently their new uniforms are quite eye-catching as well, which improved their grade a tiny bit.
Close Your Eyes for These Guys
Unless you’re a fan of the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Sacramento Kings, then it’s probably best to just change the channel when they come on unless they are playing your team. Those three teams right there have been recognized as the three most unwatchable teams in the NBA, according to ESPN’s list.
The Hawks and the Kings just don’t have much commercial appeal to them. It’s unfortunate, but it’s true. It’s just boring basketball. And as far as the Cavaliers go, well, they lost LeBron James. So unless J.R. Smith plans on getting into a scuffle on the daily, then they probably aren’t going to be all that entertaining.
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Sixers, Celtics Considered Most Watchable NBA Teams in 2018