We are all witnesses...

Week Eighteen:Attend an NBA Game

It should come as no surprise at this point to find out that I’m a tremendous sports fan. Football has always been my favorite followed closely by hockey and then baseball. But beyond my devotion to this top three, I can watch pretty much any sport imaginable, from golf to soccer and, of course, curling. However, despite this extensive interest in sports, basketball is the one game that has never appealed to me as a spectator. I like to play basketball when I get the chance but for some reason I have always found it to be a terribly boring game to watch.

Despite this lack of interest, however, I’ve recently thought it would be fun to check out an NBA game, just for the experience. After all, I’ve been to countless football and hockey games as well as a handful of baseball games, but I’ve never had the opportunity to check out a professional basketball game - owing largely to the fact that Buffalo doesn’t currently have a team. Adding to this interest is the fact that the Cleveland Cavaliers, the second closest team after Toronto, currently boasts the game’s most dominant player in LeBron James. Therefore, attending an NBA game quickly made it onto my list for 52to30.

I decided to purchase tickets for a game later in the season so there was less chance of driving through winter weather. Also, to ensure it was an entertaining contest, I chose a Sunday afternoon game against the San Antonio Spurs, a perennial contender in the NBA thanks to their own big name players - notably Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli. I figured if I’m committed to watching a basketball game I might as well get my money’s worth and make sure it’s between two competitive and talented teams. My next challenge, however, proved a bit more difficult as I had to find someone to go with me.

In the months leading up to the game I had several lukewarm commitments from various friends and family members about joining me on this excursion. Realizing I don’t know any real basketball fans I thought I’d at least get some interest between the novelty of the idea as well as the chance to see one of the game’s all time greats. As the game drew closer, however, everybody backed out and I started to worry that I might be on my own. It’s amazing how much people love to proclaim their hatred of basketball around here. Really, a simple ‘no thanks’ would suffice – but I digress. Thankfully, I was finally able to convince my brother Pat to join me by offering him an early birthday discount on the ticket.

Deciding our outing to Cleveland would be a day trip, Pat and I hit the road around ten o’clock and made pretty good time, getting to our seats just in time for tip-off. We were in the corner of the upper deck but still had a decent view of the action. On that note though, there wasn’t a bad seat in the house. The arena was packed and the atmosphere was electrifying as the city of Cleveland is really behind the Cavaliers right now. This excitement was only added to by what I would describe as the total sensory overload of the arena experience.

During the game, the lights are dimmed in the seats so only the court itself is lit. Despite this seeming attempt to focus attention on the game, however, music is blared through the speakers throughout the action and random movie or cartoon clips are played after every score. Again, I’m used to football and hockey games where any music or noise from the loudspeakers is limited to stoppages in play so this was a much different experience.

Then, whenever there was a timeout or any other extended break in action, the house lights come on and the court is flooded with the Cavalier Girls, the team’s mascot (Moondog), or the team’s pep squad of khaki-clad merry makers. Some spirited dance or promotional giveaway then commences until it’s time for play to resume. Also adding to this excitement were the various celebrities in attendance for the game. I’m not sure if this is a regular occurrence but in this instance the Jumbotron zoomed in on the likes of Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Brady Quinn of the Cleveland Browns and the always-entertaining Bootsy Collins. It was really quite the spectacle.

Once I was finally able to focus on the game, however, I quickly realized how unfamiliar I am with the rules of basketball. I can get by on the basics like the casual fan that I am, but in terms of fouls and possession calls I was totally lost. For seemingly no reason the whistle would blow and the referee would make some obscure gesture while the crowd reacted either positively or negatively. It was all a little confusing. However, while I may have been lost on the technicalities of the game, the one thing that was impossible to miss was the complete dominance of LeBron James.

From the opening tip-off, James was the focal point of the entire arena and he easily lived up to all the hype. Scoring twenty points in the first quarter alone, he sunk almost every shot and made all defenders look ridiculous in their futile attempts to cover him. What everyone in the arena was really waiting for however, was for LeBron to break out a few of his highlight-reel dunks and he did not disappoint. In fact, two of my personal favorites were a beautifully timed al-e-oop pass that James grabbed out of midair and slammed into the net, as well as a classic breakaway, one-handed, windmill dunk. Both of these plays were things of beauty regardless of your interest in the game.

Thanks in large part to James’ dominance, however, the Cavaliers took an early lead and never looked back. The Spurs trailed through most of the game, at times by up to twenty points. Unfortunately, because of this commanding lead, LeBron and the other starters saw limited time in the second half of the game. Even the Spurs took out their top talent and the difference in play was painfully obvious. The back-ups that replaced the starters played sloppy and uninspired basketball as air balls and errant passes quickly brought the excitement to a halt. As time expired the Cavaliers won by a commanding score of 101-81, as LeBron James scored 48 points and the team elevated their record on home court to 37 wins with only one loss.

While I still wouldn’t consider myself a fan of basketball I had a great time at this game and I would recommend the experience to any like-minded sports fan. The entertainment factor alone is worth the price of admission not to mention witnessing the athletic brilliance of LeBron James. Still, while I don’t feel the need to attend another game anytime soon, I could definitely see myself checking it out again a few years down the road – maybe after my first soccer match or golf tournament. If nothing else, at least I now have a rooting interest when the NBA playoffs get underway in a few weeks. But chances are I’ll be watching hockey anyway.