The 2019-2020 NBA season was put on hold in March due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. Now that the NBA Board of Governors has approved a plan for the return of the season, the NBA has officially restarted and our favorite ballers are stepping back onto the hardwood.
While most die-hard basketball fans are ecstatic to see their favorite players back in action, I’m not. As much as I love the game, I think the remainder of the 2019-2020 NBA season should be canceled, and players should return later for the new season.
According to the NBA’s official website, the 2019-2020 finals end no later than Oct. 13 and the 2020-2021 season will start most likely on Dec. 1. First of all, it’s been four months since the NBA has had a game. Why are players returning to play for only a little over two months just to finish out the season? You’d have more time in a full college semester.
It’s too big of a gap. There’s no point in playing for such a short amount of time just to start again so soon.
If anything, the players should be granted some ample rest time. Professional sports stress the body like no other, so I see the benefit in taking the rest of the season off.
However, some may feel worn down and tired, but others could feel perfectly fine; so whether they want to train or relax, they have the option to do so. Then once they return in December they can come back bigger, stronger and hungrier for a championship.
The NBA must also consider the risk of injury. Freak accidents are bound to happen in any scenario, but it would be devastating to see a tough player have to sit out and take unprecedented time away to heal and miss this next season all for playing in an extremely short season. What if the injury is so severe, they have to miss the entire 2020-2021 season and their shot at the championship? The risk isn’t worth the reward in that sense.
The threat of the coronavirus is also something to be considered. NBA sources have made it clear that all players have been tested for coronavirus, are cleared to play and will essentially be in a “bubble” at Disney World outside Orlando. Although that puts people’s minds at ease, this disease is still fresh with too many risk factors to ignore social distancing and allow close contact.
You can be as safe as possible and still end up catching it somehow. The last thing anyone wants is for a flock of players to fall ill and, even worse, spread it to clean players. Before you know it, the whole “bubble” is infected, and these players are isolated from their families for what feels like ages to quarantine.
At least by December, there’ll be a greater chance that the United States will have gotten more control over COVID-19 and have conjured up a cure.
Additionally, with these fan-free games comes a completely different gaming experience. Yes, you’d still have a shot at the championship, but I wouldn’t find it as tempting to play right now versus a normal season.
Imagine: A disease outbreak occurs, the world is shut down, thousands of people are dying every day, everyone is on leave and we all come back to play in an empty arena in a virtual bubble? I’d pass. It wouldn’t be as gratifying to win the championship title right now as much as it would be in a packed stadium with thousands of fans cheering as the clock runs out and the buzzer roars, sealing your victory.
I understand that it’s been a while and everyone wants to jump back into everything as soon as possible, but things have changed. This is the new normal, and until things are under better control, there shouldn’t be an NBA restart. It’s better to wait until the country is certain that things will improve than rush it and risk everyone’s health.
These athletes should get busy in the gym, train the hardest they ever have, spend more time with their families and find some peace for the remainder of this season so when December hits, the 2020-2021 season is one of the finest that fans have ever witnessed — and it was worth the wait.