The quality of the series has been declining for years, yet people still held on hoping that we would at least get a somewhat decent ending. I mean really, it takes a special level of incompetence to not only kitten up your ending, but then actively go on to basically deconstruct everything that you've spent 15 years building. That's why I don't believe Kishi when he says that this was all planned. I simply can't believe that someone can be that stupid.
I agree about Naruto and NS. Those were some of the best developed elements in this series. No matter what, Naruto always retained his never-give-up attitude. Furthermore, he never cheapened NS by showing Naruto falling for other girls or showing signs that it was all about rivalry (lol). That's why the ending is so bad.
We have similar way of thinking 
But one intresting thing. Kishimoto did some good work on picturing core of characters. Till the very end I didn't even get an idea of Sasuke being in love with Sakura, never even once I thinked of that, not because of SS fandom, before 698 I wasn't even into this whole pairing war. But because characters were clear, Naruto loved Sakura, Sakura had crush on Sasuke and romantic feelings for Naruto, Sasuke was first was avenger, psycho, then lost soul, then avenger again then hokage, ther revolutioner... eh.
But Kishimoto in the end used some kittened up excuses of "rivaly", "mislead", "only crush" and etc. I give that to him, nothing of that went for NS before, even glimpse of it.