This is not a prisoner of the moment opinion. Granted these playoffs have been exciting in that they've been unpredictable, a trait that is normally placed on March Madness but even if it ended up being Lakers vs. Boston for the third time in four years, I would still pick the NBA playoffs over the NCAA March Madness for a variety of reasons other than the superior talent in the NBA.
Most people criticize the playoffs because it takes over two months to annoint a winner. I never realized why this is a bad thing. I'm obsessed with basketball, therefore I have no problem watching for two months. Hell, I'd watch all year round. One thing that disappoints me is March Madness is only three weeks, so if you love basketball, the fact that you get it for over two months should be a plus not a minus.
When I watch an exciting game in the NCAA tournament, there's always a let down because what would have happened if they got to play again? Who would win? You don't have this problem with the NBA because you get to watch it 3-6 more times. When I see two great shooters answer each other back to back as the second half is coming to a close, I'd love to see that multiple times. Think how less memorable the Chicago/Boston series a couple years ago would have been if it was just one game. I can't even remember any shootout in March Madness but I vividly remember 6 out of 7 Ben Gordon vs. Ray Allen for who is more clutch, multiple overtimes among seven riviting games. Only the playoffs give me that. Sure when it's lopsided it's good to get it over with in one game, but when a team gets blown out in the playoffs, I wait to see if they can do it again.
The previous reason is why non-basketball fans should enjoy the playoffs more. As I am a basketball fan, I take it one step further. There is a game within the game of a series. Coaches are forced to make adjustments from game to game. Like right now, will Erik Spoelstra activate Z given that in game 1 the Bulls destroyed the Heat in second chance points? How will Miami answer back? Will they? What changes will Thibidou make...he didn't seem happy with the Bulls' performance. Will Derek Rose continue what he did in the previous round of one game hot, the next game cold? The coaching battle is much more prevalant in an NBA series because you can see how the players and coaches adjust to what happened. In the NCAA Tournament, you can see it between the two halves, but that's so much less intriguing and gives you such a shorter amount of time to ponder.
With all this said, I really don't understand why people like March Madness better. Even the classic argument "Anyone can win" isn't even true. No mid-major team has ever won the NCAA tournament...ever. Yea Butler got close two years in a row, and George Mason and VCU made it to the final four, but only in March Madness is the final four cosidered a great accomplishment. If truly Cinderella could win, wouldn't we have one example of Cinderella winning? NCAA still has yet to show this. But when the Detroit Pistons with no stars beat a team of four cinch hall of famers that could make an olympic team (Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Shaq, Gary Payton) in 2004...that was much more impressive than anything VCU, George Mason, Butler or any other mid-major can boast.
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