The NBA Experience

I attended the second NBA game of my life last night, Mavericks-Clippers at Staples Center. The game itself was surprisingly good, as the Clippers kept it close for most of the game (thanks to the unlikeliest of fan favorites, Eric Piatkowski) but the Mavs proved too tough down the stretch. My boys Steve "The Human Hurricane" Nash and Dirk "The Berlin Bomber" Nowitzki put on quite a show, as that Dallas offense is a thing of beauty.

The atmosphere of Staples was an experience in and of itself. First of all, it is clear that the Lakers own the arena, and the Clippers are just tenants. From the massive Lakers championship banners and retired jerseys hanging from the rafters, to the purple seats throughout the arena to the trio of building-sized Kobe Bryant billboards across the street, it's obvious who the boss is. Second of all, the Clippers fans who were at the game were ridiculously quiet for most of the game. Perhaps it's symptomatic of NBA arenas everywhere, but the crowd just sat quietly and observantly, even when the Clippers made good plays. Thirdly, attending the game just made me appreciate college basketball all the more. Both on the court and in the stands, the Clippers game just lacked the intensity, the urgency and the passion of college hoops. I guess I need to go to a Sacramento if I want to see an NBA game as it should be.