NBA lockout: What to expect when you're expecting?

Expect basketball, expect the excitement of a close game ending, expect great plays, buzzer-beaters and the smell of a good varnished flooring. Expect NBA stars trying to make his game in front of a roaring crowd, rooting for or against them. Expect hard defenses, lay-ups, great shots from downtown and yelling coaches. Expect teams fighting for every rebound, for every possession, for every second. Expect everything you want to see in a court.

Everything except the NBA logos...

Tony Parker, looking good in green (Source: ASVEL Basket)

We're entering today into the 96th day of lockout. In these three months and some days, we have had the chance to watch dozens of great games in every single continent. Spain showed in Lithuania why it's widely considered as the most powerful basketball country outside the United States, the Argentinian "golden generation" earned the right to intimidate the world once more (probably, for the last time) in London 2012, Jordan (the country) turned into the Asian "Butler" after finishing just one buzzer-beater shy of the gold medal against China, and Tunisia put an end to the impressive supremacy of Angola in Africa.

We enjoyed NBA stars all around the globe: Pau Gasol, Manu Ginóbili, Andrei Kirilenko, Tiago Splitter, Yi Jianlian, Luis Scola, Tony Parker... And future NBA material like Jonas Valanciunas or Enes Kanter. We had amazing games and cinderellas (hey, Macedonia also-known-as-FYROM, I'm looking at you). We've even had soap-opera market stories like the still unsolved signing of Kobe Bryant in Italy, or Tony Parker to his part-owned French team, or the return of AK-47 (literally) to CSKA Moscow. Seriously, what else do you need?

Oh, yes... the mystique of the NBA. The old Irish man in the Celtics uniform, the purple and gold and the Madison Square Garden. We all miss that, and we all think it's unfair to watch (or just do better things than that) Kevin Durant or Derrick Rose in dull pick-up games. We'd love to be in that NY Hotel d'Lockout and literally lock players and owners out until they slide a signed agreement under the door.

But if that's not possible, enjoy the alternatives. I'm not talking about NFL, MLB, soccer or Dancing with the Stars. I'm talking about real competitive basketball. "Overseas" hoops is not as explosive, spectacular or flamboyant as NBA. It's more likely to find a 51-50 score than a 121-120, and not enjoying your favorite player (or any player) more than 32 minutes a game. But, either way, it should be more exciting than Ron Artest Metta World Peace dancing cha-cha-cha.

Kobe Bryant, better in Italy than in pick-up games? (Source: Drew League)

So relax, Internet has enough resources to watch at least a basketball game a day. The top European competitions have just had an exciting Qualifying Round, some national leagues have already started, and nobody is joking. They ALL want to win every game from now on.

Expect basketball. Even with the lockout. This blog is all about that. All about orange balls. Here (USA), there, everywhere.