So what's with all the bitching from the NBA players about our good friend Orange Roundie?

I'll be honest, I don't get it. So long as they don't switch to a basketcube or something, I think the player's union needs to keep their collective mouth shut, because obviously the new ball is good for the game. How do I know this? Simple, unlike Billy Hunter, I look at the scoreboard.

Thursday night, the Nets and Suns played the 4th-highest scoring game in NBA hsitory, a double-OT classic that the Suns won 161-157. Now, taking that game in a bubble, you could reasonably claim that it was a freak result stemming from the Suns ABA-style up-tempo basketball, and maybe you're right.

But take a look at Friday's scoreboard.

Look at all the scores in the triple digits! And it's not just the usual running suspects cracking 100, or overtime games. No sir, these are teams scoring 90+ points in regular time. When's the last time you saw that many teams score that much in recent NBA history?

Orange Roundie is here to stay. Read below for more evidence, including a complete list of Friday's scores, from 120+ to 90+.

120+ points
Denver (123)

110+ points
Phoenix (116)
Washington (113)
Boston (111)
San Antonio (111)
Minnesota (110)

100+ points
Indiana (108)
Miami (107)
LA Lakers (106)
Utah (103)
Milwaukee (100)

90+ points
Philadelphia (98)
Portland (95)
Atlanta (95)
Memphis (94)
Seattle (94)
Chicago (93)
Houston (92)
Toronto (90)

It's impressive, 1980's impressive. I think David Stern's simply feigning at a return to Brown Leathery to hold off the Players' Union for another few months. Once the players get used to the new ball, and learn to love the new ball (and they will, given how forgiving it is when it hits the rim), I think this lawsuit shit will pass by the wayside.

It's a new ball. It takes time to adjust to a change in playing sphere, even just going from college to the professional ranks, let alone going from leather to pleather. Once a few more guys drop 45, the bitching will disappear.