I am a lifetime basketball fan.  I played basketball through high school and love to watch the NBA and college hoops. 

 Every season, I am reminded what a bunch of lazy, overpaid athletes loaf up and down the court in the NBA.

 Charles Barkley once called the regular season the pre-season in the NBA. 

Now, we have reports that the Mavericks played too hard too early last year and were burned out by playoff time.  So, what do the Mavericks do? They decide to coast through the early part of the season.  "Oh, hello opposing player, I play for the Mavericks.  You want to shoot that jumper uncontested?  Go ahead, I'll let you do that all night, after all, it is only the pre-season.  Don't expect me to be so nice in the playoffs."

 I am hoping to see some actual hustle tonight in the Bulls/Pistons game.  

Ben Wallace scrambling for rebounds and viciously swatting shots out of the paint against his old team would be good;  maybe even a few guys diving on the floor for loose balls; perhaps even a role player like Jason Maxiel coming off the bench for the Pistons and snagging an offensive board for a tough put back.

I am sick of watching teams just jog up and down the court playing "your turn/ my turn" as one commentator put it the other night.  

Somehow, I don't learn.  I keep watching and watching hoping to see the fire and hustle I see in the college game appear in the NBA.  Maybe we will see it tonight.