NBA: Think Outside the Box, Try 24 Hours of Pro Basketball
The time now is 12:24pm EST. Right now Northeastern and Southern Illinois are in OT, with Northeastern leading 63-32.
Did I mention that its 12:24pm EST, on a Tuesday Afternoon, and I'm watching LIVE college basketball, and enjoying myself when I'm supposed to be working?
Then again, I'm a sports junkie, so I enjoy stuff like this.
Northeastern clinched the win over Southern Illinois as I began my intro paragraph by the way, now on to Oral Roberts University taking on cross-city rival Tulsa.
Nothing's better than a little bit of Oral (Roberts University Basketball) at lunch time.
But this got me to thinking, if College basketball can do this, why not try it out in the pros? Just think, 24 straight hours of NBA basketball.
There's even two perfect days to do it when schools, colleges, and many employees have the day off: Black Friday and Martin Luther King Day.
Now Martin Luther King Day might be a bit controversial because many would consider it a more solemn day, but why not Black Friday, makes sense no? Odds are, unless you work in a mall, you'll have the day off. If you're in college, not only do you have the day off, BUT you might either be back home, or decide to take a vacation some place where an NBA game is being played.
On top of that, the NBA will only be competing against college football games, which tend to be played that Friday Afternoon.
The other good part about Black Friday: its early enough in the season that they won't have too big of an effect on the playoffs, but just late enough that teams will have jelled together.
That and since you need to go 24 hours, you need a game to be played in the wee hours of the morning, which means one thing: International Expansion! A game in either China or Australia!
How would this schedule be put together? Well in the immortal words of Brent Musberger, come right in, pull up a chair and enjoy, my idea for an NBA Black Friday 24 hour basketball marathon, which if I were the NBA I'd spread out across TNT, NBATV, ESPN with the final game, a 9pm game on the East Coast, played on ABC.
Midnight: Portland Trail Blazers @ Golden State Warriors (TNT)
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Now if you're going to start this marathon at Midnight EST, why not start it on the West Coast, where it will only be 9pm EST, with two of the young, exciting, up and coming teams in the west duking it out in one of the most exciting arena's to be in in the NBA?
3am: Los Angeles Clippers Vs. Houston Rockets (ESPN, Game Played In Australia)
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3am on the East Coast of the United States is 4pm in Beijing.
Good time for Yao's homecoming with the Rockets against the Clippers.
Of course to make this fair the two teams have to play another game either the day before or the day after in China, but I digress.
While yes, most Chinese would still be at work at that time (its only Thanksgiving/Black Friday here in the States remember), this would be a good way to internationalize the game more, play it at a convenient local time in Beijing.
6am: Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat (NBATV/Local Broadcast In Miami and Philly)
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Things that annoy me about the fellow fans of my basketball team, the Miami Heat: the wine and cheese crowd in the bottom bowl, the stuck up "elite" who show up late and leave early so that they're not late to free before 11 at the club.
Actually that's my biggest annoyance with this team, which is why I suggested a 6am start time for the Miami Heat: last call in Miami is at 5am, but beer would be served for this game.
I think those club jerks will show up early for this game, no?
Now add this to that: sell ALL the tickets at reduced prices since it is at an unconventional time, have McDonald's sponsor the game by selling Egg McMuffins and other breakfast items at the game.
And since this is Miami, make sure the fans have ample amounts of Cuban Coffee. That will have this crowd fully awake, and you'll be more likely to see true blue Miami Heat fans.
Plus, a large number of husbands/boyfriends who will be at the game while their wives/girlfriends are doing their insanely early Black Friday shopping.
Now LeBron haters, this game would be GREAT for you. Think about it, if the Heat lose, you'd wake up in a great mood, plus the added satisfaction of hearing LeBron complain about having to play a game at 6am.
Now think about it, would you rather watch an NBA game at 6am, or stand in line at Kohl's waiting for the store to open freezing your @$$ off?
9am: Memphis Grizzlies @ Atlanta Hawks (NBATV/Local Broadcast In MEM and ATL)
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You awake yet? How bout this Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference tilt?
I know it seems pretty weak, but remember, its 9am! Same rules with Miami apply with Atlanta (McDonald's Sponsorship, sale of breakfast items.)
And it would be a good game, Memphis isn't that bad.
Noon: New Jersey Nets @ New York Knicks (TNT)
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Now we're at a more reasonable time. I'd consider this prime time, well, sort of.
Now you'll notice that for many of these games I chose teams based off of geographic proximity, or similar time zones.Reason being so that its hard enough to adjust to playing at 6am or 9am, heck its hard enough for West Coast teams to play on the East Coast in what are really to them 4:30pm tip-offs, why make them suffer more by making them travel across the country to play a 6am game which would feel like 3am?
This one, no different, in fact, not counting the Lakers and Clippers, who play in the same arena, these are the two closest geographical teams. Why not have them play at noon?
3pm: Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder (TNT)
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With Texas-Texas A&M usually played on Thanksgiving Night, and Oklahoma-Oklahoma State usually being played on Saturdays, what better basketball game could tide both states over than this match-up?
6pm: Orlando Magic @ Chicago Bulls (ESPN)
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Just a hunch: Black Friday is the last day that Stan Van Gundy would want to spend more time with his family.
A prime time game, prime time setting. Rose vs. Nelson. Sounds like a great day after Thanksgiving, no? Well, I could think of a better game that gets the prime time slot.
9pm: Los Angeles Lakers @ Boston Celtics (ABC)
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Wouldn't this be a great day for an NBA finals rematch to cap off 24 hours of basketball? Plus, ABC could show this as a special at 9pm, and it would be the only game on at 9pm since the other seven games would be played prior to this one.
Now does this sound like a good day to you?
Do you think this would be a good idea or a bad idea? What teams and match ups would you like to see during a hypothetical NBA "Black Friday" marathon? Leave it in a comment!
Thomas Galicia is a Miami Dolphins Featured Columnist who also writes about the Miami Heat, Chicago Cubs, and College Football, and has to get back to work at his real job right now. Follow him on twitter, @thomasgalicia.
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