NBA Restart
The NBA has officially made its comeback amid all the chaos of 2020. So far, I think the NBA has done a great job given the circumstances and has made a much needed return to action. Some players and fans were skeptical about the return and how exactly this “bubble” would work out, but after a full month of preparation and life inside the bubble everything seems to be running smoothly. In the bubble the players and staff are being tested constantly to make sure everyone is healthy of COVID-19. It seems some of the other sports are having a problem coming back with cases popping up, so I am glad the NBA came up with a plan to bring back some sort of entertainment for the world. Although it has been a much different experience watching games without fans, as an avid NBA fan myself, I am definitely still enjoying it. It is going to be difficult for the players to adjust to this scenario that has come, but it’s a good thing that most players are on board for the return.
Difficulty
With everything that has been going on, there have been discussions about how difficult winning the 2020 championship will actually be. There is no doubt that this season is unlike any other in history. But, does that mean it will be the hardest trophy to win? There are so many different things going on here that makes that a very interesting question…
Beginning with the most obvious one;
- Covid-19: This brings a ton of problems to the players with the worry that they may in fact contract the disease… But, some could also argue that this is actually the safest place that they could be. Another worry that goes along with this is of course that if a family member or close one gets it, then they have to deal with that, resulting in them leaving the bubble or having to continue to play basketball while a loved one is at risk. That being said, this whole thing could definitely result in bringing stress to the players.
- Social Injustice: With everything that has happened in the months leading up to the return, this could make playing in the bubble more difficult for players. The NBA is bringing the whole issue to light so far, which is a great thing. It has brought a world-wide platform to express these issues to the nation & for us to come together and ultimately make a change. So, this as well can be looked at as something that can either be a good or bad thing depending how you look at it.
- No Fans: With everyone being forced to watch the NBA remotely, this creates a completely different atmosphere for both the players and the fans. Most of the games so far have seemed to be running pretty normally, but it has shown statistically that the players are actually playing better without fans. There have been some wild games since the restart. With no fans yelling and watching every single one of your moves, it can relieve some of the tension that these important games bring. I am sure some of the players feed off the crowd too, so in that sense, it could bring down their level of play, but for the most part I think it is helping players to actually player better. For example, on the second night of the return, EVERY team of the 12 teams playing that night scored over 110 points! I truly don’t think that has ever happened in one night of play.
- No traveling: With Disney World being chosen as the location for the restart, all the players are stuck in a single location for the remainder of the season. This means no traveling from game to game. This can once again be viewed as a positive or a negative depending how you look at it. With no traveling this can take away the constant jet lag, lack of sleep, and just commute time in general night in and night out. This also means that the players don’t get to go home and be with their families and friends outside the bubble. But, at least they are in the happiest place in the world… So I’m voting this one in as a positive.
- Schedule: This one mainly applies to the teams that are fighting for a playoff spot, but it does apply to the top teams as well. With only 22 teams returning for the restart, this leaves out about 8 of the worst competition in the league which makes their remaining schedule and road to the playoffs more difficult. The NBA took a look at the teams remaining schedule and tried to make it as close as possible to what it was pre-covid, but it still isn’t the same. Every night these teams are playing another very talented team.
There are many other issues that could make an argument for making this years trophy either easier or harder to achieve, but these have to be the most prominent.
At the end of the day, It’s great that the NBA is back in action! It’ll be very interesting to see how everything plays out…
Let me know in the comments whether or not you think it’s going to be easier or harder to win the trophy this year!
