Can the NBA Make Its Games Better?

Game Four of the Lakers-Magic series last night was to many a thriller, a game that lives up to the hype.

And while there many thrilling moments preventing the game from being considered boring, I saw a few issues that the NBA has to address if they want to grow their audience.

First, the game started too late. I understand that this something that the network wants rather that something the league wants, but the NBA needs to do something to push the game time up. A 9:00 pm start time is not as much of an issue in the summer for kids to watch, but it still seems late considering regulation was finished at about 11:50 pm. If FOX and MLB can make an agreement to push up the start time, why not ABC and the NBA?

To me, the 11:50 end time was not only a product of a late start, but numerous stoppages. I don't know whether I am in the minority about this, but I believe that there are too many fouls called during the game, and these stoppages are hurting the quality of the game.

Casual TV viewers are going to lose attention if the action stops every other possession for a foul. I understand most of the shooting fouls, but the referees need to be guided towards calling fewer fouls on the floor. I'm not advocating complete anarchy, but instead the officials should allow more physical play and call fewer reach-in fouls, loose ball fouls, and moving screens. Let the players play the game.

Excessive foul calling leads to long games like last night and interrupts the flow of the game. If the NBA wants to grow their game, they need to let the game find its natural flow.