In a year where, between horribly played and officiated games, the NFL is trying its hardest to lose fans, the NBA is doing everything absolutely right.

Between the undefeated Golden State Warriors, Kobe’s last season, the impact the rookies have had on the sport’s association and the amount of great games, the NBA is far more interesting and entertaining than anything else you could be watching.

The storylines make for can’t miss games every night: Will Kobe go off in his last game? Will the Warriors finally lose? Will this be the game that the Warriors’ Stephen Curry scores 100 points on only three point shots? How many points will the Houston Rockets’ James Harden score tonight?

The reason the NBA is amazing this year is because justabout every team is fun to watch. (Even the New York Knicks! The Knicks.) Sure, the East Conference is still not very good, but at least the teams are finally entertaining. The rookie classes of the last few years have been great, which gives huge boosts to previously unwatchable teams.

Everyone is healthy, too. Even the the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose, prone to injury, has played in a few games this season. This means the star power is higher than it has been in a long time. Older superstars such as the San Antonio Spurs’ Tim Duncan and Minnesota Timberwolves’ Kevin Garnett are still playing well, too.

Centers are relevant again. Duncan, the New Orleans Pelicans’ Anthony Davis, Sacramento Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins and even overrated loser Dwight Howard of the Houston Rockets’ overrated loser are doing well.

So many moving parts are getting the NBA a tiny bit more of popularity behind the main storylines. These little popularity boosts add up big time. Even rapper Lil B is boosting NBA recognition by having “feuds” with big name players Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.   

Teams that have no business being talked about are getting national attention due to some of their players or strategies. For the first time in a long time, the NBA it isn’t negative. For example, Knicks star player Kristaps Porzingis has been playing beyond anyone’s wildest expectations already.

For the first time in any basketball association, at any level ever, no one is complaining about the officiating. My theory is that they’re too busy complaining about the NFL’s referees.

It’s 2015. This is about the NBA. LeBron James was not mentioned once. Take that in for a second; that’s how interesting the NBA is this year.

Jacob Ruffo is an opinion writer for The Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected].