Fansided

10 reasons we’re thankful the NBA is back

By Joshua Axelrod

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with Tyson Chandler #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers after he blocked the final shot of the game by Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks to win the the game at Staples Center on November 11, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with Tyson Chandler #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers after he blocked the final shot of the game by Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks to win the the game at Staples Center on November 11, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA — NOVEMBER 07: Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks drives against Noah Vonleh #32 of the New York Knicks at State Farm Arena on November 7, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA — NOVEMBER 07: Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks drives against Noah Vonleh #32 of the New York Knicks at State Farm Arena on November 7, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

1. Even the worst NBA teams are fun

There’s something demoralizing about watching bad NFL, MLB and NHL teams. It just feels like a waste of time, an activity not worthy of fans’ investment. However, that’s not true of the NBA. Even its cellar-dwellers at least have the potential to be quite amusing on occasion. Most of them have one or multiple exciting players to be worth at least a League Pass peek once in a while.

Take the bottom of the Western Conference, for example. Its worst team, the Phoenix Suns, at least has budding superstar Devin Booker and No. 1 overall pick DeAndre Ayton to make it worth tuning into their games. The West’s second-worst team, the Dallas Mavericks, features Slovenian sensation Luka Doncic. Not too shabby for objectively bad times.

The dregs of the East are similarly constructed, with teams like the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks letting young stars like Zach LaVine and Trae Young go to work. Not all good teams have enjoyed a performance like Young’s Oct. 22 demolition of the Cleveland Cavaliers, in which he put up a 35-point, 11-assist double-double. Good stuff, rookie.

There are even some good teams low in the standings right now trying to figure out how to right the ship. It’s kind of exhilarating living in a world, even a temporary one, where the star-studded Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans are struggling just to make the playoffs. Their hardships just make the league that much more entertaining.

All that said, pour one out for the Cavs, who are both bad and not fun. They are a glaring exception to the even-bad-NBA-teams-are-fun rule, and their situation is so depressing that interim head coach Larry Drew had to be strong-armed into taking the job. They don’t have much to be thankful for, but we can be grateful that we don’t have to pay attention to them at all this season.

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