Why do NBA Teams play so differently on the road?

Watching this years NBA playoffs begs the question, Why do teams play worse on the road?

It simply makes no sense to me. You have the same players, playing the same game. Why should there be such a drastic scoring difference? In other sports such as NHL, MLB, and NFL home teams do not hold such drastic scoring advantages as teams do in the NBA.

It all just seems rediculous to me.

Take tommorow's Laker-Minnesota game. The spread is -8.5 and Lakers are the favorites. How could a team that just lost by 20+ points the night before now be favored to win by over 8?

Are these games a setup? Do the refs make calls that favor the home team more often? What is the deal here, because having a home advantage should not automatically mean that the opposing team will get beat.

The NBA'S legitimacy is really going down the crapper in my opinion.

two reasons...the officials and David Stern

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Highdaddy:
two reasons...the officials and David Stern<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Very good answer actually.

The best answer has been given.

I see 3 main reasons why the home edge is highest in basketball:

1) Small advantages are magnified because of the large number of points scored in a game.

2) The home players know the shooting angles better since they have much more practice there. Being familiar with the rim, the lines, the distance to the crowd and other points of reference makes for better shooting.

3) The crowd is louder than in other sports because it is indoors and they are closer to the playing area. In hockey there is tall glass and the helmets also block out some sound.

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More B.S in the laker game tonight. Until I started watching the playoffs this year I forgot how boring Basketball was.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BaseballGuy:
Watching this years NBA playoffs begs the question, Why do teams play worse on the road?

It simply makes no sense to me. You have the same players, playing the same game. Why should there be such a drastic scoring difference? In other sports such as NHL, MLB, and NFL home teams do not hold such drastic scoring advantages as teams do in the NBA.

It all just seems rediculous to me.

Take tommorow's Laker-Minnesota game. The spread is -8.5 and Lakers are the favorites. How could a team that just lost by 20+ points the night before now be favored to win by over 8?

Are these games a setup? Do the refs make calls that favor the home team more often? What is the deal here, because having a home advantage should not automatically mean that the opposing team will get beat.

The NBA'S legitimacy is really going down the crapper in my opinion.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Good post. I agree one million percent.

In an pre-game interview tonight with Shaq on ESPN or TNT(I forget which), Shaq said that Minny had better "energy"(I.E.semi-laydown, no-show after stealing the HC..mission accomplished in Gm-1)...

Then further added that "they got all the calls"(I.E. NBA Homerism/Series lengthening/Interest & intrigue creating TV ratings hoopla)

The NBA, MLB, and NFL have always been a major part of wiseguy's financial diet, and always will..larger limits, more laydown spot plays, system plays,etc..Then again many others prefer the college games.

NBA refs calling of games is no worse than MLB strike zones, nor NFL critical/strategic pass intereference or holding penalties. In the age of parity in all sports, officials control the outcome a vast majority of the time.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Horseshoe:
In an pre-game interview tonight with Shaq on ESPN or TNT(I forget which), Shaq said that Minny had better "energy"(I.E.semi-laydown, no-show after stealing the HC..mission accomplished in Gm-1)...

Then further added that "they got all the calls"(I.E. NBA Homerism/Series lengthening/Interest & intrigue creating TV ratings hoopla)

The NBA, MLB, and NFL have always been a major part of wiseguy's financial diet, and always will..larger limits, more laydown spot plays, system plays,etc..Then again many others prefer the college games.

NBA refs calling of games is no worse than MLB strike zones, nor NFL critical/strategic pass intereference or holding penalties. In the age of parity in all sports, officials control the outcome a vast majority of the time.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Well said.

why do people in general sleep better at home than other people's house, it's because familiarity, athletes just like people are much more comfortable in familiar sorroundings, and lets not forget the home crowd.

It's the officiating and you are right NBA has gone in the crapper. I can barely watch it now and this is supposed to be the best time of the season.