The Team or The Game: Who ya got?

[fairweatherfan]

Looks like the season's close to over, and some of the stuff I've read here have got me thinking about loving the team (the Celtics of course), vs loving the game (basketball, of course). 

I'm curious to hear what people think - do you love the Celtics more, or the game of basketball more, and why? 

I don't want to give my own opinion yet because I'd like to hear folks weigh in first.  So, who ya got?

[slamtheking]

celtics period.  couldn't care less about any other team.  The season ends when the C's stop playing.  I think the last time I watched the finals when the C's weren't playing was '83 when the Sixers juggernaut beat the Lakers.

[Yogi]

What do you mean?  like would I rather watch the Celtics play another sport? or watch the NBA without the Celtics?

[Donoghus]

Love the Celtics, like the NBA, don't care much for NCAA (except in March Madness mostly for gambling *cough if it were legal, of course *cough purposes).

Love playing the sport, though.

[Celtics18]

I voted for the game, but I feel fortunate to be a fan of an NBA team that plays basketball the way that I like to see it played.  That is, a style based on solid defense and team play as opposed to primarily one on one play on the offensive end.  

I feel confident that even if I hadn't grown up a Celtics fan and I just got introduced to the NBA this year, that the Boston Celtics would have become my favorite basketball team based on how they play the game.  

I'd probably like the Spurs too.  

[ManUp]

I don't often watch NBA games, but when I do.

I prefer The Celtics.

Your question is like do you like Beer or just Heinekens. Any basketball is better than no basketball, but when you add choices I'm going to pick Celtics basketball. I rarely pay attention to a full 48 minutes of basketball outside of the Cs.

[LB3533]

The Game, basketball.

The Celtics franchise has historically embodied the "right way" for which this game should be played.

Today's game, doesn't really resemble or personify the "right way". This may be due to fancy marketing or the diluted talent pool of players' skills etc. but whatever the cause I enjoy this game and enjoy it more when the Celtics are playing the right way.

[Redz]

At this point I'd say the team.

I love basketball, but there is not a whole of beauty to the NBA game at this point.

[33-00-32]

The Celtics.

Basketball is a great sport and I am a big NCAA fan and can watch anyone play anyone. The NBA has gone down hill and I am beginning to really hate the favoritism and the flopping and the whole David Stern show.

[fairweatherfan]

Thanks for the responses.  I picked the game - I love the Celtics but I love basketball more.  I could watch high-level basketball all day.  

When I was a kid I definitely would've answered the other way, but a crazy thing happened - the Celtics got really bad and never on national TV (so I could never see them). I still watched loads of NBA games, and a lot of college ball too.  And playing ball is one of my single favorite things to do, even though I'm not half the athlete I used to be.  I just love everything about the sport.

The thing that made me think of this was actually all the talk about LeBron possibly winning his first ring.  My biggest regret as a basketball fan is that I didn't appreciate Jordan when he was around, because he wasn't a Celtic and I hated him.  I had one of the top-3 basketball players of all-time in his prime to watch, and I hated him too much to really enjoy anything but watching him lose.

I can't stand LeBron either, but I've been trying to appreciate the talents of guys like he and Durant, because they're historically such special players, even if they are wearing the wrong-colored shirts.  

[fairweatherfan]

Your question is like do you like Beer or just Heinekens. Any basketball is better than no basketball, but when you add choices I'm going to pick Celtics basketball. I rarely pay attention to a full 48 minutes of basketball outside of the Cs.

I meant for it to be more like "Which do you like more: Heineken specifically or beer in general?"  If you really loved Heineken but didn't care much for other beer, you'd pick the first one.  If Heineken was your favorite beer but you really enjoyed beer in general and could enjoy lots of different beers if Heineken wasn't available, it'd be the second. 

Man, now I want a beer.   

[ManUp]

Your question is like do you like Beer or just Heinekens. Any basketball is better than no basketball, but when you add choices I'm going to pick Celtics basketball. I rarely pay attention to a full 48 minutes of basketball outside of the Cs.

I meant for it to be more like "Which do you like more: Heineken specifically or beer in general?"  If you really loved Heineken but didn't care much for other beer, you'd pick the first one.  If Heineken was your favorite beer but you really enjoyed beer in general and could enjoy lots of different beers if Heineken wasn't available, it'd be the second. 

Man, now I want a beer.   

Just to clearify my answer I voted the game.

I'm loyal to the Celtics, but I can't turn my back on good basketball.

I try to keep my bias' in check for the most part when it comes to guys like Kobe, LeBron, etc.

[indeedproceed]

The Team I guess, but I love The Game. I love the C's, way more than any other team, and hardly ever get emotionally invested in a game outside of a C's game, but I can watch any NBA game and find something to keep me entertained.

[SamuelAdams]

Celtics.  I don't care much for how the NBA is run these dayz.

[CelticSooner]

When I was younger it was the game. The game is different now though. Superstars are too coddled.

Celtics command my attention more than the rest of the league.