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Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect that the Associated Press, not NBA.com, wrote the original description calling the matchup, “not ideal.”
The Thunder and Rockets are gearing up for a high-stakes battle in the Emirates NBA Cup live from Las Vegas, but it appears that a story which appeared on NBA.com via the Associated Press poured cold water on the matchup. NBA fans on X were livid seeing a description of the semi-final matchup on NBA.com, which pulled the story from the Associated Press.
The article, written by Will Despart, did go on to give a detailed breakdown of both the Thunder and the Rockets leading into the matchup. It also had quotes from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ime Udoka emphasizing the importance of the game.
But NBA fans, already deeply engaged in debates over the slight dip in television viewership and the league's overall direction, seized the chance to critique how the narrative around the game was being framed via their X accounts.
“not marketing the best young team is a clear answer to why the ratings are down. wtf is this,” posted @thunderhoops.
“Adam Silver doesn’t care about you guys sadly. He’s starting to get on my nerves as a Lakers fan,” posted @greenpackguy.
“Why are ratings down? Probably because you disrespect half the teams in the league by downplaying them instead of hyping them up,” posted @withjustasnap.
“When the NBA doesn’t want to promote the top 3 teams in a conference, then ratings go down. Pretty simple,” posted @Brandola3.
The Rockets and the Thunder are already at the top of the West, with the Thunder sitting as the best team in the conference and the Rockets not too far behind as the third-best team in the conference. NBA fans are buzzing with excitement about the talented players set to take the court. Many are hoping the league will provide the right opportunities for these stars to thrive.
