I did not watch much basketball this past season. I watched bits of a game here and there, but didn't even bother finishing games until the Finals. I didn't watch a single pre-Finals playoff game.
I really enjoy watching basketball in general. This year? I struggled with it. It just wasn't that much fun. There are a few reasons.
Post-Kobe Era
This is the first year of the post-Kobe era. Kobe wasn't Kobe for the last three years of his career, but he still showed flashes of his younger self. But this year, instead of pulling up for heat check 3's or making professional basketball players look silly in the post, Kobe was making muppet videos.1
Predestined
The 2016-2017 NBA champion was clear before the first game of the season. Ever since Kevin Durant signed with the Death Star Warriors, there was no doubt. There could be no doubt. You can't take an utterly dominant 73 win team, add one of the best scorers of all time2, and come away with any other possible outcome. As long as the key players were able to remain upright during four games at the end of the season, the Warriors were the champions. They were always going to be the champions.
That's fine, I guess. Kevin Durant is an adult who can make his own decisions. I'm not mad at him for that. Golden State's front office is paid to put together the best team possible. They did that, and I'm not mad at them. But with one signing, a perennial contender was destroyed, and a nearly unbeatable dynasty was improved. Not created, mind you. Golden State was already nearly unbeatable before Durant.
That single move took all the drama out of the season. It took away all doubt. Sports are fun because they don't matter. They are a reprieve from the world. They are entertainment. I just like a little entertainment in my entertainment.