Why the N.B.A. Blows

Let's get this outta the way right off the bat. This is not a "I Hate Basketball" post. It's the opposite. I love the game.
I played Y-ball growing up, played in high school for a couple of years, still hit the local park for a run at least once a week during the summer, and play every Thursday night during the winter. I like a game of one-on-one, a game of horse, or a game of around the world. My brother and I used to play games of one-on-one up to 100 by ones, in the snow, at night, with the car lights shining on the driveway.
When I was about 12 years old, the Detroit Pistons drafted a lightning quick guard out of Indiana, Isiah Thomas. The Pistons started winning, and I became a fan of them, and the N.B.A.

 As the 80's turned into the 90's, the Bad Boys won a couple of titles, and a new dawn of N.B.A. hoops was on the horizon.

The Michael Jordan cash cow was flowing, and the league was feeding the cow. Despite Jordan deciding to, ehem, retire, for a couple of years, the stage had been set for the current brand of basketball. The league allowed Jordan to palm the ball, travel, aggressively defend without consequence, and waltz to the line 20 times a game. He was good for business.
The NBA is today, operating with the same lame set of rules for its stars.

 Stars get away with murder. I can't stand watching a game. Three refs can all be standing around, a guy gets mugged, and no whistle blows. While, Lebron can lower his shoulder, plow his way to the hole creating contact, and Joe Schmoe gets called for the foul. Lebron shoots two. Lame. It's a stop/start parade to the free throw line. It's boring.
That brings me to an important point that I think is going overlooked. The flopping in the NBA rivals or exceeds the flopping found in soccer. You guys (NBA players) are pussies for drawing the refs attention in the hopes of getting a whistle. Pussies. It's a phenomena that I am seeing now in the NFL. Guys flopping around trying to draw a pass interference call or a holding call. Play the damn game! Faking is bush. There should be a penalty for flopping or embellishing.
Next, the league wants 8 powerhouse teams, and every other team can sit back and bite a pillow. You know who the Pistons had on the floor last night? Jerebko, Stuckey, Prince (washed-up), Monroe, and more no name guys. They were routed by a team with; Hibbert, West, Granger, Hansboro, Collison...
Tell me, would you pay $10 bucks to see those teams play? I sure as hell wouldn't. The owner of the Cavs complained about Chris Paul going to the Lakers. He, in jest, suggested changing the names of 25 NBA teams to the Washington Generals. There is some validity to his point.
This is not a piece about how to fix the NBA. It's too far gone. The league doesn't care what fans in Minnesota, Portland, Cleveland, Memphis, or any one of 15 other cities think. As long as the Miami Lebrons, and the LA Kobe's are in the playoffs, the money rolls in.
The league is fixed. The regular season is a joke. All that matters is a few select teams make it far in the play-offs. Who are the fans that buy into this?
There are dozens of good videos depicting NBA bull crap. Below are a some good ones demonstrating why I can't watch.  




It's not basketball in the NBA. That's sad for this fan of the game.