The Charlotte Hornets are in the early lead for “worst camera angles” award among NBA teams this season. I am in a position to judge this award accurately, as I see tons of footage from every team. Usually the Atlanta Hawks are the clear winners, but a new challenger has emerged, and they’re ready and willing to ruin any bucket with a nonsensical camera angle.
I have no idea what teams are thinking when they switch to a baseline camera underneath the basket when a fast break is happening. Like, is it supposed to be really intense, seeing the dunk coming at you from above? Because all it is is headache-inducing. You can’t even tell how high the guy is jumping from that angle. The Hornets TV people switched to that angle for the exciting Malik Monk to Miles Bridges off-glass alley-oop, and it ruined the dunk. And you know what the result of that was? When they went to show replays, they used the normal angle, and THEN REUSED THE SAME CRAPPY ANGLE BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T HAVE ANY MORE! I’m typing in all caps because of outrageous this is.
Add in the disturbing amount of possessions where they use the baseline camera from the opposite side of the court so that you literally have no depth perception whatsoever, and you get a broadcast that I never voluntarily watch. Not even taking into account the commentators here, because while watching actual games, I’m usually listening to my own tunes.
Luckily for the quality of the monthly dunkilation, I can always use the feed from the Pelicans broadcast and overlay the audio from this version when I want to show this dunk. Don’t tell anyone I do this though. I don’t want anyone knowing my trade secrets.