Bourgeois Zee (07-06-2020),dubc47834 (07-06-2020)
I see the health of the teams as overriding any asterisk. Never before has a playoff had all the teams involved as nearer full health as they will be this time. Not even close. The conditioning will be an issue over the first 3 preseason games, the 8 pre-playoff games and into the 1st Round, but after that, conditioning won't be an issue. For the first time we will actually see the best teams going head-to-head at full strength, unless of course some go down to COVID or another illness or injury, but that happens anyway in every playoff. They will at least be starting at full strength. With best-of-seven series, the outcomes should not be flukes or have any reason for an asterisk to be placed upon them.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
From Rotoworld with Rotoworld comments:
The NBA has informed teams that a player will not be allowed to travel to Orlando if he misses a coronavirus test on one of two days before the travel date (July 7-9), according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Shams adds a player would then have to register three consecutive negative tests before traveling. Additionally, Malika Andrews of ESPN adds that if a player doesn't travel with the team and either flies privately or drives, he will have to have two negative test results before resuming basketball activities -- three tests if it's via a commercial flight.
SOURCE: Shams Charania on Twitter
The Bucks have closed down their practice facility in Milwaukee after a new round of testing on Friday. The facility will remain closed until the team goes to Orlando on Thursday and it will be interesting to see what players might be impacted by a positive test for covid-19. The Bucks are one of the favorites to win an NBA title in Orlando and the odds-on favorite to win the East.
SOURCE: Adrian Wojnarowski on Twitter
Mike Conley is likely to leave the NBA bubble for his child's birth, with a due date of Aug. 27, according to Jazz coach Quin Snyder. Conley was equivocal when asked about exiting the bubble this week, saying, "I’m gonna be in a bubble, but yet if I leave to go see my baby born, I’m gonna be quarantined on the way back in, and possibly have to miss a game or whatever the situation is." Snyder was more direct, saying, "I think he needs to be there [for his child's birth], and he knows that, and he agrees." Players who exit the bubble with approval from the league are only subject to a four-day quarantine, so if Conley does leave he ideally won't miss many games.
SOURCE: Salt Lake Tribune
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
Offend me? What are you talking about? Where did I say it offended me? Come on....do not take my post out of context just for the opportunity to virtue signal. The '99 and '11 seasons were labor shortened seasons.....how is that similar in any way to what is taking place now? Everyone knew the rules and format entering those seasons, and outside of X number of games removed from the schedule, the seasons played out as any other season would play out. If someone is watching a clip of the '99 Finals...they may not even be sure if it is the '99 or '03 Spurs team unless they knew the opponent or could pick out a few different players. This season came to a sudden stop around 75% of the way through....took a few months off, and is returning in a format created during the break and playing with no home court advantage. That alone makes it very different than '99 and '11...then on top of that, incorporating the heavy social justice message will just give it a XFL meets exhibition charity tournament feel that will diminish the focus on the actual basketball. Maybe you think that is a good thing and the message is more important than the game....and I am 100% ok with that and even understand the logic behind that opinion....but that does not reduce the fact that it will only highlight the abnormality of the season even more.
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.”― Marcus Aurelius
When the Kings got hosed, that should have an Asterisk.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
The smart choice, IMO.
Given the pre-season questions about Oladipo's health, the fit of Sabonis and Turner playing extended minutes together and Brogdan's durability (the Bucks may have dodged a bullet there), this was considered sort of a redshirt season, so to speak.
Whatever you do, do your best to not allow the struggles of life to interfere with the pleasures of living.
Kingspoint (07-06-2020)
dubc47834 (07-06-2020)
Phil Jackson, who was in the midst of his one year sabbatical during the '99 season, repeatedly placed the "asterisk" title on the '99 season. While I personally don't refer to the '99 and '11 seasons as an "asterisk" season, his reasoning was/is sound : compressed season with many back-to-backs (long before the practice of load management) hampered the older contending teams at time, such as Utah and Indiana. But it may have been San Antonio's time, anyway and that's still no excuse for the Pacers gagging away the ECF - worst blown referee's call in game three (Larry Johnson's phantom four-point play) be dammed. And New York, IMO, may well have won it all that season with a healthy Ewing.
Edit: The '11-'12 season was the shortened season with virtually the same dynamic as '99, and the young whippersnappers in OKC lost to the considerably older Heat in the Finals.
Last edited by Revering4Blue; 07-05-2020 at 11:48 PM.
Whatever you do, do your best to not allow the struggles of life to interfere with the pleasures of living.
No question that the '02 WCF game six was clearly rigged, but, IMO, more so to ensure a game 7 than to place the Lakers into the Finals. After all, the Kings had home-court advantage and were hosting game 7 and IIRC, lost game one at home in addition to losing game 7 thanks to bricking too many free throws. And Webber getting hurt and missing a great deal of the '03-'04 season (he was never really the same player after that) effectively ended the window of contention for that Kings core.
Whatever you do, do your best to not allow the struggles of life to interfere with the pleasures of living.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
Ok, feels like you are conflating your personal feelings about the social justice issues with how these decisions will effect public perception as a whole. I am not making an emotional argument.....they could be focused on promoting the greatness of WVU Football/Basketball and my feelings would be exactly the same. The goal is uniformity between the seasons....and everything that gets away from the look and feel of the standard NBA Season / Playoffs will only increase the weight of the asterisk.
I am not sure why you suggest this is in line with the direction of the NBA. Sure it has been more progressive in allowing players to express views, but just last year it was still mandatory to stand for the anthem, and now some owners and league officials are almost encouraging players to protest during the anthem. Similar in regards to any messaging....last year players needed league approval to wear a shirt in warmups, and this year they are promoting personal messages on the court and jerseys. In line? Maybe, but that line is taking a massive leap this season.
Finally, from the initial post, I am looking at it from a business and legacy perspective. I have explained why I do not think any deviation helps in the legacy department, but I also expect it to hurt business if recent history is an indicator. Since Silver took over the league and pushed a more progressive narrative, every year the television ratings and game attendance decline...and I would expect a significant drop off this season because of the manner they are moving forward. It is a large reason why the NBA is terrified of upsetting China, because they are desperate for China to fill in for the decline in the US.
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.”― Marcus Aurelius
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.”― Marcus Aurelius
From a business perspective, the NBA will continue to march in the direction it's been headed since Silver took over and the courtside/jersey messaging will be a natural extension of that. That should be as plain as the nose on your face. You can look at this chart of the league's total revenue - https://www.statista.com/statistics/...ba-since-2005/ - to see how well it's been working.
Last edited by M2; 07-06-2020 at 11:18 AM.
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
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