Over the past decade the term "Super-team" has flown around the National Basketball Association, in reference to the formation of teams based around multiple players of superstar caliber talents.  It is a word that has come to inherit numerous negative connotations across the basketball world.  Basketball fans have associated the formation of "Super-teams" with the elimination of competition and the downfall from the old school rivalries of earlier decades.  Critics of the NBA are too quick to cast a dark shadow upon the idea of "Super-teams".  Dominant teams do not bring forth the degradation of professional basketball, but in fact have driven  the success of the National Basketball Association.
      "Super-team" may be a new term but it is far from a new idea.  Each decade has been dominated by a select few teams, with every decade since the 1960's having fewer than five different championship winners. The 1970's were an exception which had an outlier of 8 varying champions.  The Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and Detroit Pistons ruled the NBA in the 1980's, the Chicago Bulls had the 1990's, and the Boston Celtics were the kings of the 1960's.  The past fifteen years have been dominated by the Spurs, Lakers, and the Heat.  What is the difference between the Jordan, Pippen, and Cartwright combination of the early 1990's and the James, Irving, and Love trio of today?
      The NBA is criticized for a lack of competition and rivalry due to the presence of these dominant teams in the league.  However, the pairing of terrific players with terrific players creates excitement and basketball play that is fun to watch.  "Super-teams" create  interesting dynamics, rather than a bunch of mediocre teams playing each other.  While the wealth of talent is not evenly distributed between the thirty teams in the league, the excitement is multiplied by grouping the best players onto a few teams.  Fans can narrow their view and pick a great team to love and a great team to hate.
     A buzz is created around the formation of any "Super-team" which is beneficial for the league, as it helps grab hold of viewers.  Last Thursday, the game between the Cavaliers and the Knicks brought in four million viewers; 50% more viewers than last seasons same meeting.  The difference between the two seasons is that the Cavaliers had assembled a "Super-team" roster in the off season.  Dominance helps gain popularity among fans.  Fans want to see the best play with the best.
    So why now are the dominant teams feared?  The phenomenon of commanding teams has reigned over the NBA for decades and it is a tradition that has brought success to the association.

Work Cited:
"NBA Championships: Year by Year Champions." NBA Championships: Year by Year Champions. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2014.

"TNT's Exclusive Opening Week Telecast Featuring the Cleveland Cavaliers & New York Knicks Delivers Four Million Total Viewers." Turner Press Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2014.