Hate-watching the NBA Playoffs
Random thoughts from a salty Celtics fan
Hey Morning Squad,
The Celtics are out, and somehow the Playoffs are still on.
So here are some thoughts that have been circling my NBA brain for the past week.
Boston Celtics
As a hoops writer, I have to watch the playoffs.
But watching the Playoffs after my favorite team gets knocked out in the 1st round is like being moved to the ugly section at a restaurant.
Curb your Enthusiasm fans get the reference.
Larry David’s voice: “How did I wind up here?!!”
That’s what I was yelling in my house as I watched my Celtics get bounced from the playoffs by the Sixers.
We were the #2 seed. Heavy favorites. Yet we got bounced in the first round.
Now, I’m stuck on my couch, searching vacation options like the other 22 teams out of the playoffs.
I've gone from reading box scores to price-hunting Airbnb rentals.
Disgusting.
So now I have to hate-watch the rest of these playoffs.
Okay, maybe too strong.
I’m Spite-Watching the NBA playoffs.
I’m rooting for teams that were once foes. Hoping the Knicks beat the Sixers. Then, eventually, defeat the Cavs or the Detroit Pistons.
Ugh. I felt dirty typing that.
Lakers, maybe you can rough up OKC.
I’m desperate.
Since the loss, Jaylen Brown has been crashing out on the internet. He’s complaining about referees on livestreams. Doubling down on his plays in Game 7. Now he’s arguing with Stephen A. Smith.
GM Brad Stevens says he thinks there may need to be a change in leadership.
Trade rumors are flying.
We’re down bad.
Ugly-Section bad.
Are Jordan sneakers the unofficial Unc shoe now?
A little sneaker news. Nike’s empire is looking shaky.
The stock price has fallen by 15% due to slow sneaker sales.
Nike Execs are blaming basketball shoes, saying they aren’t selling. They claim it’s because basketball players are not as famous as they used to be.
There’s some truth in that.
The biggest names in hoops are also the oldest: Steph, LeBron, Durant.
But before them all was the granddaddy of the sneaker game, Michael Jeffrey Jordan.
In the 1990’s and early 2000s, his sneakers changed culture.
Jordans were universal social status symbols. An expressway to cool.
But as I walk down the street in 2026, that’s not the view.
Jordans nowadays seem to always be paired with an older man wearing sweatpants, and a beard with more salt than pepper, if you get my drift.
Jordans are being worn by some seasoned individuals. (Pun intended)
No shots though. I’m also in my Unc era.
I bring it up because Nike’s decline highlights the shift in sneaker trends.
Athletic shoes aren’t the exclusive shoe of choice for younger generations. They’ve moved on.
I think the drift started with Yeezys. Then moved to New Balance, and now people in their early 20s seem more comfortable rocking Doc Martens with their outfits.
I get it. You can’t wear athletic basketball shoes with everything. Versatility matters.
So here’s my in-the-oven take (not quite a hot one yet): Jordan sneakers don’t signal status anymore but instead reveal when you fell in love with basketball.
If you fell in love with basketball after 2015, when the first Yeezy Boosts dropped, you’re not rocking Jordans with everything.
But if you fell in love with basketball before 2015 and the only Space Jam you acknowledge had Bill Murray in it..
Well, grab your nicest sweatpants and lace up those Retro Jordan 4s.
I’ll see you at the cookout, Unc.
My road to WNBA fandom
On May 8th, the WNBA starts its 30th season, and I’ve been alive for all of them.
Don’t be shocked. See my UNC section above.
I grew up watching Lisa Leslie, Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker, Maya Moore, and Kelsey Plum. And now the latest edition of stars like Angel Reese, A’ja Wilson, and Caitlin Clark have brought new attention to the league.
In this moment, online discourse seems to split into distinct camps around the league.
One camp believes that women’s basketball, as an entertainment product, will always be inferior because it lacks dunks and physicality.
And another camp believes the WNBA is entering a new era. One with bigger crowds, bigger stars, and more opportunities than ever before.
I’m standing with this other camp.
Women’s sports are taking off. Women’s Flag football, for example, is becoming increasingly common at even the middle and high school levels.
And where there is growth, the money follows.
I was following the WNBA’s CBA negotiations closely. When they signed the new deal, I was so happy. I cheered every time I saw a new 7-figure deal get signed by a player. They fought to be paid more.
So many times I listened to male media members say they should quit the negotiations. Back down. Settle.
They risked a season because they knew the truth: Their game has changed, and it is more valuable now than it’s ever been.
And now others are taking notice.
I’ve started following writers who cover the style, culture, and influence around women’s basketball.
DAMECORE is an example of a media platform and brand that wants to reshape the view of women’s hoops. Their tag is the Vogue of Women’s Basketball. Which, to me, is such a cool concept.
UnRivaled, an offseason league 3x3 league led by the former head of ESPN, John Skipper, shows that the demand expands beyond the WNBA.
I will be tuning in this season. And I can’t wait to go to a game.
In one of my future letters, I’ll share with you about my latest personal adventure…Going to professional Basketball training sessions. :)
Thank you so much for reading.
Have a great weekend!
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