Why doesn’t the NBA have any blood rivalries?
Amare Stoudemire, Dime #14As I write this, I’m watching the NFL Network’s replay of the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies from this past weekend. With two Redskins going in this year — Darrell Green and Art Monk — the bleachers in Canton, Ohio, were full of Redskins fans.
One thing that stuck out to me was when former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. was introducing “The Natural” Fred Dean (beast of a defensive end), and every time he mentioned Dean doing something against the Cowboys, the Redskins fans gave a huge cheer. It didn’t matter that Dean didn’t even play for their team — so long as he played his part in taking down the hated Cowboys, he was a hero in their eyes.
Cowboys/Redskins is arguably the NFL’s biggest rivalry, with Raiders/Chiefs and Bears/Packers right up there as well. Other sports like college football (Alabama/Auburn, Ohio State/Michigan, Army/Navy), college basketball (Duke/Carolina, Kentucky/Indiana, Syracuse/Georgetown) and Major League Baseball (Yankees/Red Sox, Giants/Dodgers, Cubs/Cardinals) have similarly long-standing and fierce rivalries, but you don’t really see that so much in the NBA.
NBA rivalries are more timely than anything: two teams that are at the top of their division or conference at the moment will have a string of playoff battles and build some history, but it’s not nearly the same atmosphere of undying bitterness that you see in the NFL and other sports, and whatever bad blood is there usually dissipates as soon as one team falls out of playoff contention. We’ve seen it happen with Pistons/Bulls, Kings/Lakers, Bulls/Knicks and others.
The Spurs and Suns have one of these convenient rivalries. They’ve met up in the playoffs a few times, they battle it out for the top spot in the West in the regular season, they each have their respective stars who always bring out the best in each other, but ultimately there’s no history. You don’t hear George Gervin talking about how much it meant to watch his old team beat the Suns in this year’s playoffs, or Kevin Johnson waxing poetic about his favorite Suns/Spurs moments.
The Cavs and Wizards have built a mini-history since ‘06, but seeing as the Cavs win every time, and Gilbert Arenas has only really been around for one of those series, and LeBron sees DeShawn Stevenson as more of a joke than a rival, there’s no fire there.
Celtics vs. Lakers? Although the NBA and the mainstream media tried its hardest to make it a heated rivalry in 2008, did you ever really feel it? I wasn’t. No matter how many ex-Celtics showed up at the Garden, or how many promos Magic Johnson cut, you never got the sense that this year’s Finals meant any more to the players on that court than what it was; it was the Finals and both teams wanted to win. The ‘08 Celtics went at the Lakers as hard as they would have gone at the Spurs of Hornets. There was no extra sense of “We have to BURY these guys not just because we want the ‘chip, but because they’re the Lakers” present in the entire series.
Can you think of any heated NBA rivalries? Is so, feel free to share a story. If not, which two teams have the best chance of building or rebuilding something that’s worth marking on the calendar no matter who’s wearing the uniforms or where they sit in the standings?
August 4th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
YOUNGFED says:
Yao vs Artest. lol
Naw but real talk Kobe and Shaq allday they hate each other. Now tell me how my a$$ taste.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
shake&bake says:
Everyone is too friendly with each other starting at a young age with AAU. The Pistons and Pacers rivalry could have taken off after the brawl, but the Pacers fell apart. Detroit and Chicago had a decent rivalry with the Bad Boys having the Jordan Rules. Maybe if the Bulls can get back to a decent level that rivalry can be refueled (just me hoping).
August 4th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Prof. TX says:
a few ideas:
-Contact Sport: Football allows alot more roughness, the NBA discourages anything unfriendly and alot of players end up joking around with their friends on the other bench.
-Schedule Length: One game out of 82 doesn’t mean as much
-Player Movement: Hard to hate a team when everyone’s new. Alot of “Spurs Haters” are really “Ginobili Haters” or “Bowen Haters” and would then cheer against whatever team gets him.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
DJ Go Go Gomez says:
With the speed that NBA rosters turn over with free agency and trades teams don’t have time to build that deep competitive hatred for each other. And honestly I don’t think there’s that many players with that kind of passion for their team. Win or lose they get their check (see Vince Carter).
August 4th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Jim says:
Divisional balance is probably the biggest thing. Winning your division is a lot more important in the NFL and baseball than in the NBA. You play a much higher percentage of your games against division opponents and the games/series matter much more than 4 games out of 82.
Also, those rivalries are old. When baseball had no league or division playoffs those late season series were as important as playoff series, and those teams saw each other a lot.
Also, just the age and history is much greater, except with Celtics/Lakers, which I think qualifies. The Cowboys had to blackmail the Redskins to even get into the NFL and the Cowboys stole a huge percentage of the Redskins fan base, and they play 2 times out of 16. It can’t be close.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
baron says:
david stern doesn’t want bad blood rivalries that might lead to violence or harsh words, he wants safe and friendly rivalries.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Sam I Am says:
Hornets vs Spurs
Phoenix vs Spurs
Everyone vs Robert Horry & the Spurs’ cheating a**
August 4th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Michorizo says:
Tim Hardaway VS John Amaechi
August 4th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Damon says:
pacers vs. pistons was great. indiana fell apart because of injuries and idiots on the team. would’ve been interesting to see more games between those two teams…
August 4th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
John Starks says:
You can still have heated rivalries even if guys are friends. Ewing was always friends with Jordan, Alonzo Mourning, and Reggie Miller, but those 3 Knicks rivalries were off the charts. You always want to beat your friends, worse than random cats you don’t know.
Those games were so intense b/c the Knicks played so physically back then. Close, physical, competitive games. You can’t have that now b/c Stern has destroyed the league and its foul rules.
August 4th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Chaos says:
man, no rivalry last more than a decade. no team stays good that long or sees each other enough in one year to really have a rivalry. what needs to happen is a player get traded early in their career and he vows to destroy the other…and does…then that team comes back and says something like “he will never get to the rack, and if he does he’ll pay for it”…and someone goes bad boys circa 1989 on him…and it starts a back and forth rivalry but it will never happen because stern doesnt want it.
August 4th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
isotope says:
i agree with DJ.
plus:
The thing is the rivalries dont last long nowadays. Like just a minute ago the TMac and the rockets were fighting the Mavs. With that Coach Van Gundy 100K fine. But now it seems the rockets have shifted towards the Jazz.
The Cavs and Wizz is probably the closest rivalry right now.
August 4th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Gotti says:
Why do we need these rivalries anywhere? what do they really matter? why do we have such an alligence to something that only cares for our money? im not sayin be a far weather fan and i’m not. shit i’m a Knicks fan. But why not jusy do as the players do take it as a business cause nomatter what we say or call it thats all pro sport is!!!!!
August 4th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Leland72 says:
The beat LA chants in Oakland can get pretty nice. I think those are more about the city than the Lakers.
August 4th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Mike says:
There was potential for a good Golden State Warriors vs. Dallas Mavericks rivalry, but that fell apart when both teams became only mediocre last season.
August 4th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
bballinca says:
Leland72 what city doesn’t do that?
August 4th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Mike says:
I’d bet that if/when Seattle gets a new team, there might be a decent rivalry with OKC.
August 4th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Amar says:
I know that nuggets fans and jazz fans don’t like each other . . . deron williams and robert whaley got into a bar fight with a few nugs fans back in the day (under the names of torrey ellis and bobby williams)
August 4th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
khalfani says:
Knicks vs. Pacers best rivalry
August 4th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
BxBaller says:
Due to how soft the league is now (flagrant fouls, a lot of time off for suspension), that’s why we are lacking any good rivalries. A rivalry should include both teams winning (playoff) series against each other, at lease one fight, and if you wear the opposite’s gear in the said home city, immense heckling should ensue.
August 4th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
SacTo and LA was heated for a few years
LA and Boston have a rich history
Chi and NY
Chi and Det
Too bad Denver and Cle arent power houses- LBJ and Melo could have a Magic and Bird thing
August 4th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
GEE...1 word says:
Angeles
August 4th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
SayItAintSo says:
David Stern. That’s why there are no rivalries…even if they DID start to develop and there was a little bad blood between two people or two teams, you know Stern would swiftly put an end to it.
August 4th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Meica says:
I would disagree with the Lakers/Celtics commment; I believe that the rivalry means a whole lot, especially to the fans. Unfortunately, outside of the Finals, the Celtics and the Lakers hardly ever play each other.
Some of the better examples of other rivalries include Sox/Yankees, Cubs/Cardinals, Dodgers/Giants, and Packers/Bears. What do they all have in common? Geography. They are all teams that play each other often, in the same division, and are close to one another. Take Cubs/Cardinals for example, even when the Cubs are doing terribly the games still mean a lot because we know that we can hurt the Cards playoff chances and that’s a victory in and of itself.
Personally, for me, I’ve felt the Bulls/Pistons rivalry has always been great and I suppose I could be completely off my rocker, but it always seemed like Portland/Seattle had a cool rivalry going for a short time while it lasted.
August 4th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Luigi says:
Cavs n Wiz. the closest thing to a rivalry. n in the west… its the spurs n suns. ppl like it when both teams play each other.
but they’re no INTENSE rivalries like the Cowboys. n DA SKINZZZ. or Duke/UNC etc.
August 4th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
kennypayne says:
the reason their ain’t as many rivalries are the league is alot less physical, players don’t stay with their teams longer than 4 years anymore, theirs less pride by the younger generation than 70’s and 80’s and expansion watered down the league.
August 4th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Flip says:
What about Dirk vs Wade?? If the Heat would make the playoffs, that is…
August 4th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Bron42 had springs before slamball says:
the main reason theres no real rivals is simply because of trades, you cant hate on certain teams when guys are gettin traded to them next week. Artest was almost a piston. i mean come on.
August 4th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
jnuh says:
All the hand holding & hugging at the start of the game is the biggest reason why there’s no rivalries. How do you expect teams to hate each other when the players act like members of the fucking Glee Club before the tip?
August 4th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Kobe’s lakers VS Amare’s oops i mean Shaq’s Suns.. But the Lakers/Suns has been gaining steam and everyone forgets when Bynum hit the spin on Shaq and threw one down on the large Cacti..
I think Bynum and Shaq REALLY wont like each other (specially when Shaq sees Bynum turn into an AllStar and Shaq getting ready for retirement) and after that rap i think we will do EVERYTHING to keep those cats under our feet..
And yes just in case some smart ass says it, Shaq did dunk over Bynums back (put back slam) which threw the 19 year old on his ass.. i liked the shake and bake better though.. could be the laker thing though..
August 4th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
ryan says:
heat vs knicks . classic match up in the 90’s.
August 4th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
kowtz says:
Heat Vs. Knicks…
Childs Body Slam, Van Gundy being dragged on the floor… Priceless…
August 5th, 2008 at 12:43 am
KT says:
Problem is, for a rivalry to get real viscious, I think there has to be a threat of things getting out of control. In baseball, with the Yanks/Sox, one pitch goes wild and dudes ready to get gully. In football and hockey, you can just smack somebody in the face and nothing happens. In basketball, if you laugh too loud u get a tech, takes away the edge. The only rivalries i think can really grow will be Suns/Lakers and maybe Cavs/Wizards if the wiz can steal a series.
August 5th, 2008 at 12:54 am
Bron42 had springs before slamball says:
there also has to be a long grudge between players, but most players dont stay with teams long enough anymore…a grudge could be startin then u could get traded to another team or another conference..theres no real time for deep heart felt grudges.
August 5th, 2008 at 1:36 am
word says:
why is there a picture of stat he ain’t got no fam in the league
August 5th, 2008 at 3:56 am
biggeddy says:
Lakers and Suns could be a heated rivalry. They are in our division and beat us 2 straight years in the playoffs… add Shaq and you have the making of a good rivalry as long as they can keep playing at a high level once shaq and nash retire.
Lakers and Celtics can get going again also. All the history and this years finals (you know that 39 point loss has fueled some fire). As long as both teams make it back we could be in for a treat.
Look for Portland vs Lakers to develop over the next few years. There was some bad blood during the drexler/magic days and there was the game 7 comeback in 2000. Now you got to up and coming potential star centers in Bynum and Oden, along with great players everywhere.
August 5th, 2008 at 4:19 am
Luigi says:
yeahhh but the wiz. there killin me. losin to Cleveland. best case scenario FACE THEM IN THE ECF. n win. hahaha. i can see it now.
wiz #2 seed
Cavs # 1 Seed
Cavs beat Orlando #4
Wiz beat Boston. #3
n Wiz beat LA.
ahh…we can dream cant we…
oh n this had NOTHING to do with the post btw.
August 5th, 2008 at 4:46 am
fLaVa says:
heat and knicks rivalry
August 5th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Jay26th says:
cavs/wiz
March 15th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
James Taylor says:
knicks-heat