Some Thoughts On The NBA’s Return To Action
Luka! Luka! Luka!
Jamie Mah @grahammah
It feels like years since I last saw an NBA game. And no, preseason doesn’t count. I’ve never watched preseason basketball and I’m not about to start now, even if I’m dying to watch a game. Preseason games suck and there’s no amount of discussion which can change my mind on this.
Anyways… proper games begin this Friday. Here are some of my thoughts on the NBA’s return.
The Money Grab is hard to get behind
Look, I get it. They base this league around the sole purpose of making money. Don’t let championships fool you. Kawhi ain’t playing a lick if there’s no paycheck. LeBron either. I’m fine with this. However, with the world over falling apart because of COVID, bringing back 22 teams when 16 would have sufficed is hard to respect. Like why the hell is Washington in this bubble? Both John Wall and Bradley Beal are not playing. In what world is it good having them here?
When the league says they have done their best to mitigate COVID interactions and such, wouldn’t having the least amount of teams possible be the smartest and most socially responsible thing to do here? The league had already played 80% of its season when the shutdown took place. We knew who the players were. It’s a waste of my time and the players and team’s time who are there just to make a paycheck.
I mean having these 22 teams there basically says to the world, “we care about our players health up to a point — we really care about money more.”
Weak on their part. Anyways enough writers have vented on this topic. Just had to say my peace.
This title SHOULD have an asterisk on it
Say what you want about asterisk or no asterisk. This whole situation is fucked. Playing in a bubble with no fans. Players coming and going because of virus infection. A four month layoff. Give me a break. Yes, whoever emerges as the ultimate champion will have undoubtedly overcome some insurmountable odds (try not having sex with your wife or partner for 3 months for starters), but it will be different. And hey, guess what? That’s okay. The Spurs in 1999 hate the label but yo, Pop, deal with it! You won a title when the league rushed through a 50 game schedule and where you played against an 8th seed in the Finals and where Michael Jordan didn’t get a chance to defend his title. Yeah, that’s as big an asterisk as you can get. Oh, wait… no, this one is bigger. No one could have predicted a pandemic like layoff. It’s okay to feel slighted if I were the players. LeBron especially. He’s running out of time and he knows it. But come on, let’s be real here. If we wind up having Boston vs Dallas in the Finals, you better believe there will be a lot of head scratching over how this played out.
I’m all for the return. Can’t wait, actually. But don’t get it twisted. This is weird, and it’s okay to acknowledge that.
Legacies are on the line
We all know LeBron’s chase here. He thinks he’s the GOAT. He isn’t. He’s not even close, actually. He knows he needs to win another title, possibly two to even REALLY be in the conversation. So this whole bubble deal is enormous for him. Win and he’s immortalized for having won with three franchises. He still won’t be the GOAT, but he’ll be closer. However, if he fails, whoa! — now we have some shit to discuss. He’ll be entering year 18 next year. He’ll be 36 at the end of the year. Time isn’t on his side. However, he does have Anthony Davis, literally one of the five best players in the league, so we’ll see how this shapes up. Winning for Kobe has to be a motivating factor as well.
Chris Paul is another who has a lot to prove here. He’s been one of the best players in the league for well over ten years now. But his height and his flameouts in the playoffs have hurt his legacy. A solid run with this group could give his career some much needed boost. The Thunder aren’t winning a title this year, that’s for sure, but, if Paul plays well, a trade to a team with Championship aspirations next year shouldn’t be ruled out.
James Harden is another candidate for some real legacy defining moments here. The most lethal scorer the league has seen since peak Kobe, the beard has all the tools to push Houston far into the playoffs. They’re a dark horse candidate to make the Finals in my book. If the matchups fall correctly, they could upset either of the LA teams. But as much as I adore Westbrook and his tenacity, I know he’ll be there come playoff time. Harden, however, I’m not so sure. The best players rise in the biggest moments. Think Kobe in the Finals in Game 4 or LeBron against Detroit in 2007. He’s been in the league long enough now to merit and have delivered the goods when it matters most. Yet, he hasn’t. It’s why the Karl Malone comparisons keep coming up. When it really matters, can you deliver? We’ll see. If you ask me. I don’t see it. Some guys have that “IT” gene. Luka has it. Harden does not. It’s that simple. You know it when you see it. I’ve never seen it with him. But hey, he has the talent to surprise me.
Kawhi could dismantle all of three above here and reclaim what he did last year in Toronto. The claw has all the tools and the experience to win again with the Clippers. If he does, he’s not only the best player in the league, his rise up the all time rankings will certainly be interesting. He just needs a regular season MVP to give his legacy the credentials it needs to be a Top 15 guy. Better question yet, if he wins again, would you rather have had Kawhi’s career or Durant’s? If you asked me this a few years ago, I’d have laughed at you. Another title and I’m not so sure.
Again, a lot is at stake for some of these marquee guys. Who rises up will cement already powerful legacies. I cannot wait to see how this all unfolds.
Luka Luka Luka!!!
The kid is fucking stud. He’ll be the best player in the league with Giannis in about two year’s time. I see them both dominating for the next ten years easily. This kid just has it all. Vision, scoring, big game balls and he’s just getting better. Watch out with this Dallas team. An upset by them would NOT surprise me. He’s that good. Larry Bird 2.0 in my opinion.
Don’t sleep on the Raptors
Rudy Tomjanovich once said it best. “Don’t ever count out the heart of a Champion.” He coined this after his Rockets beat Shaq’s Orlando Magic in the 1995 Finals. With a slow start and a lowly sixth seed heading into the playoffs, the defending Rockets surged and won with grit and heart. Plain and simple. Having Hakeem Olajuwon helped too. Nevertheless, these Raptors have defied all expectations this season with gritty, tough minded basketball. Defensively astute at each position, this team has all the tools to make a deep run. And with the layoff, for once this season, they are all healthy. You can’t underestimate the importance of Gasol here. His presence in the middle solidifies this team with deft defence, excellent vision and just plain smart basketball. He’s literally the opposite of J. R. Smith. You add in the veteran leadership of Lowry and Ibaka with the youthful exuberance of Siakim and VanVleet, and this team has what it takes to give the Bucks a run for their money. I’m excited to see them play.
Let’s get these eight games started. The NBA is back and I’m stoked. Here’s hoping you are too.
I’ll be back just before the playoffs to make my predictions. Enjoy!