Quote:
Originally posted by BktBallRef
Quote:
Originally posted by Oz Referee
Chuck - I see your point, if America was the only place in the World that played basketball, then the US Champions would also be World Champions. My arguement with the describing NBA Champions as World Champions is that they do not play anyone else in the world. The response that they are the best in the world is (INMHO) a bit of a cop-out, because they haven't proven it. But thanks for looking out for me before 
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The issue with the NBA referring to themselves as World Champions goes back to the days when it was the only professional basketball league in the world. I guess they've seen no reason to change that. Cop out? They haven't proven it? I don't think so. I'd put them up against any other team in the world.
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I too would put them up against any other team in the world - and I would expect them to win. But the fact is that they don't, and for that reason alone that shouldn't be refered to as World Champions. If the NBA Champions play in a championship against other clubs from around the world (I think it's called the McDonald's World Championship or something similar) then I would accept them being crowned World Club Champion - like the Houston Rockets were a few years ago.
Look at it from this perspective, the LA Lakers are the NBA "World Champions" and then go on to play a competition against league champions from other competitions (Europe, Australia etc). If/when the Lakers win - what do you call them? Really World Champions? Double World Champions? Universe Champions? What happens if they lose - could they be World Champions and Runner's Up?
I am not disagreeing that the NBA is the strongest competition in the world, and that it is the elite level of basketball - but believing that someone/something is the best in the world doesn't make it a fact.
Sun May 05, 2002, 10:28pm
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