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The NBA needs powerhouses such as the Shaq-Kobe Lakers to draw ratings, NBCSports.com contributor Ira Winderman writes.

The resurrection of Major League Baseball has come with dominant Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals and now Phillies. Yes, others have had their moments, as has been the case in the NBA with the token Finals appearances of teams such as the Pacers, Cavaliers and Magic in recent NBA seasons. But there is a reason Manchester United and FC Barcelona have packed U.S. soccer stadiums in recent weeks, why you didn't have to be in Boston or New York to appreciate Yankees-Red Sox this past weekend.

Fans respect dominance, even if it isn't their hometown dominance, be it the UCLA basketball, Montreal Canadiens hockey or Tiger or Federer.

For now, the NBA is selling the hope of financial stability to its teams and won-loss parity to its followers. It allows fans and owners in places such as Sacramento, Milwaukee and Minnesota to envision meaningful moments ahead.

But it goes against the very history and success model of the league.

At this stage, NBA fans simply want to see NBA basketball, without the negotiators, the lawyers, the NLRB motions.

They want their free agency, their training camps and assurances that the schedule released in mid-July will be the one that starts on time in November.

But parity?

It simply might be a concept that the NBA neither is ready for nor one that would foster continued growth of the game.

Ira Winderman writes regularly for NBCSports.com and covers the Heat and the NBA for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. You can follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat .

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