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15 Struggles Only Hardcore NBA Fans Will Understand

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By @b2brennan

15 Struggles Only Hardcore NBA Fans Will Understand

Los Angeles Clippers v Golden State Warriors
Noah Graham - Getty Images

As hardcore NBA fans, there are many struggles we endure. Here are my top 15 struggles that only hardcore NBA fans will understand.

15. Comparisons to Michael Jordan

LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers NBA
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15. Comparisons to Michael Jordan

LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers NBA
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Whenever any player has a great run in his career, the comparisons to Michael Jordan come up. Can we all just move on?

14. Quality of All-Star Weekend

NBA All-Star
Nathaniel S. Butler - Getty Images

14. Quality of All-Star Weekend

NBA All-Star
Nathaniel S. Butler - Getty Images

This year featured one of the better dunk contests in recent memory, but the overall quality of All-Star weekend is poor. It used to be exciting events followed by a good basketball game, now it's mainly unexciting and the game is just a 3-point contest and players jogging around.

13. Difficulty of Rebuilding Through Draft

Minnesota Timberwolves v Charlotte Hornets
Kent Smith - Getty Images

13. Difficulty of Rebuilding Through Draft

Minnesota Timberwolves v Charlotte Hornets
Kent Smith - Getty Images

When you're a bad team in the NBA, you get a lottery pick. When you get a lottery pick, you hope you can draft that player who is going to turn your franchise around. Sadly, it's just not as easy as it sounds. Here's looking at you, Philadelphia 76ers.

12. Foreign Players in Draft

mario hezonja orlando
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12. Foreign Players in Draft

mario hezonja orlando - text
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Every year, there is usually at least one case where an NBA team drafts a foreign player and fans hear "he'll be great in four years!" Too many times a foreign player is drafted and never ends up even joining the team.

11. Big-Market Teams

Cavs overall
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11. Big-Market Teams

Cavs overall
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Thanks to LeBron James, the "play with your superstar friends" era has begun. There aren't many things more frustrating as a fan when your small-market team has a superstar and you're just waiting for the inevitable, which is teams like the Knicks or Lakers offering him millions of dollar more than your team will.

10. "Max Contract" Players

Philadelphia 76ers v Miami Heat
Issac Baldizon - Getty Images

10. "Max Contract" Players

Philadelphia 76ers v Miami Heat
Issac Baldizon - Getty Images

Bill Simmons over at Grantland/ESPN coined the phrase "market max contract player." This is when a good, but not max-contract worthy player gets overpaid by a franchise who desperately is looking to become a good team again. Cue the New York Knicks. It's unfortunate being on either side of the stick.

9. Game Unpredictability

Golden State Warriors NBA
Kyle Terada - USA TODAY Sports

9. Game Unpredictability

Golden State Warriors NBA
Kyle Terada - USA TODAY Sports

The NBA-best Warriors just played the Celtics and Nets back-to-back. The Celtics and Nets are horrible, so you would think Golden State would cruise. Nope, Golden State had to come back from 26 to beat Boston and lost to Brooklyn. With back-to-backs and long road trips happening frequently, it's not a jaw-dropper anymore when you see a perennial playoff team get beaten by a lottery squad.

8. Game Spreads

Jimmy Butler Block
Gary Dineen - Getty Images

8. Game Spreads

Jimmy Butler Block
Gary Dineen - Getty Images

Spreads in the NBA are so unpredictable because of late game free throws and scoring. Nothing is worse than when you pick a five-point underdog and the winning team sinks two free throws late to win by six.

7. Superstar Treatment

James Harden
Scott Halleran - Getty Images

7. Superstar Treatment

James Harden
Scott Halleran - Getty Images

Many will disagree, but superstar treatment is an issue. Too many times a star player will get foul calls that other players won't get. It's unfair and frustrating to watch.

6. End of Games

Cleveland Cavaliers v Chicago Bulls
Jonathan Daniel - Getty Images

6. End of Games

Cleveland Cavaliers v Chicago Bulls
Jonathan Daniel - Getty Images

There aren't many more boring things than the end of an NBA game when teams are calling time-outs, fouling and shooting free throws. It's a part of the game so it won't likely change, but that doesn't mean it's exciting.

5. Timing of Playoffs

A photograph of the NBA Playoff logo with a bunch of Basketballs. Where the Dallas Mavericks took on the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2014 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2014 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
Garrett W. Ellwood - Getty Images

5. Timing of Playoffs

A photograph of the NBA Playoff logo with a bunch of Basketballs. Where the Dallas Mavericks took on the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2014 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2014 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
Garrett W. Ellwood - Getty Images

Unfortunately, the NBA Playoffs are played during the NHL Playoffs and other sport showcases such as the Kentucky Derby and the NFL Draft. If you happen to watch other sports you might run into a scheduling conflict. Thank god for the DVR.

4. Players Resting

Spurs NBA basketball
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4. Players Resting

Spurs NBA basketball
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The NBA season is a long grind, and more veteran players are taking "rest days." I completely agree with the strategy but trust me, you know it's a struggle as a fan if you've ever paid quality price for a ticket to a game and the best player didn't end up playing.

3. West Coast Games

Portland Trail Blazers
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3. West Coast Games

Portland Trail Blazers
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If you're a fan of a west coast team and live on the east coast, you experience this all the time and it is awful. This week I will be watching the Trail Blazers play two games, both starting at 10:30 p.m. ET, which means it will end around 1:00 a.m. This is not fun for the next day if you work a 9-5 job.

2. Game Broadcasting

DeMarcus Cousins NBA
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2. Game Broadcasting

DeMarcus Cousins NBA
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If you like a smaller market team and don't have NBA League Pass, this is for you. It seems like the same big teams are always playing on ESPN and TNT, so it's tough for you to watch your team play if they aren't on there. Unless you live in the area and it's broadcast there, good luck watching.

1. The Haters

Deron Williams
Tim Heitman - USA TODAY Sports

1. The Haters

Deron Williams
Tim Heitman - USA TODAY Sports

Deron Williams is pointing at you, the haters. We get it, you don't like the NBA, you like college ball better, or the NHL and MLB more. That's great, but us NBA fans don't want to hear it.

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