The NBA Chose money over player health!

[liam]

The NBA created a compacted season with a crazy schedule with so many top players injured during the season to maximize profit. Just bad business! One of the reasons was supposedly so players could play in the Olympics but who'll be left or want to play instead of getting the rest they need and deserve!

[RJ87]

Of course the NBA chose money. It is a business afterall. But keep in mind that the players have the NBPA advocating in their favor. The season couldn't have started without the NBPA agreeing to it. If any players have a beef or feel like their best interests aren't being properly taken into account, they should take it up with their union.

[liam]

Of course the NBA chose money. It is a business afterall. But keep in mind that the players have the NBPA advocating in their favor. The season couldn't have started without the NBPA agreeing to it. If any players have a beef or feel like their best interests aren't being properly taken into account, they should take it up with their union.

They should've. The NBA needs to eliminate the back-to-back games. The Spurs had it right when they rested players on the back-to-back games. It sure doesn't make the games better.

[nickagneta]

Of course the NBA chose money. It is a business afterall. But keep in mind that the players have the NBPA advocating in their favor. The season couldn't have started without the NBPA agreeing to it. If any players have a beef or feel like their best interests aren't being properly taken into account, they should take it up with their union.

My guess is if the NBPA had to do it all over again, they would never have agreed to this type of compacted season with all the Covid protocols that they were forced to endure. A 58 game season where you just play everyone twice, spaced over a timeframe of two weeks longer from start to finish, in hindsight, seems it would have made more sense.

[PhoSita]

The irony is that if the league had just let the season be spread out a bit more, they might be having the bulk of the playoffs during a time when the vast majority of (eligible, willing) adults are vaccinated, instead of having them while some people are still waiting to get their second dose, achieve full immunity etc.

You'd probably be able to have more fans at a game in June than in May, is my point.

[Moranis]

This schedule isn't really any more compacted than prior years, it was just a very compacted off season and was made worse with some postponements, but the actual season length is in line with prior seasons.  72 games in one week shy of 5 months vs. 82 games in one week shy of 6 months is like 0.8 games more per month this year, which isn't exactly much different.  And before the 17-18 season it was more like 5.5 months which would put the games this year at about even. 

I'd also like to point out that Wilt Chamberlain played 82 games and 48.5 mpg (missing less than 50 minutes all year) in a season that started on October 19th and ended on March 14th (so basically shorter than this 72 game season). That season the Warriors even played on 5 consecutive nights as well as 4 consecutive nights, and had a bunch of 3 straight nights, including a 6 game in 7 day stretch.  And because they didn't have an all star break, the game was January 16th, Wilt played even more.  So Wilt played on the 13th and 14th, all star game on the 16th, and then played on the 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st.  So Wilt basically played 6 straight nights and 8 games in 9 days, without missing a single minute (well maybe in the all star game he missed some).  The Warriors played back to back games in the playoffs and even with travel in each of their two playoff series.  Again, Wilt missed less than 50 minutes that entire season.  And it isn't like they were flying on comfy private planes for the travel. 

[tstorey_97]

In his four best seasons with the Red Sox' Dick Radatz (6'6" - 230 pounds) appeared in 270 games....out of a possible 648.

He pitched 540 innings

He struck out 608 batters (1964 -struck out 181 batters MLB record)

He saved 98 of those games

He didn't pitch in "every other game" but close enough.

The concept of an "iron man" is sports in long gone.

Ripken played in 2632 consecutive games.

Jim Marshal played at defensive end for 282 straight games for the Browns and the Vikings.

In times gone by players of this "type" were highly valued.

Lebron has played in 43 games this season but, in the past has been highly durable.

Russell - career
Regular season 963
Playoffs 165
13 seasons - that is an average of 86.7 games a year

They didn't have the medical technology in the past. Guys played through pain as they were afraid they'd lose their $18,000 a year "job" playing basketball/football/baseball if they took a game off.

It was a different world...it was not "better", just different.

[nickagneta]

In his four best seasons with the Red Sox' Dick Radatz (6'6" - 230 pounds) appeared in 270 games....out of a possible 648.

He pitched 540 innings

He struck out 608 batters (1964 -struck out 181 batters MLB record)

He saved 98 of those games

He didn't pitch in "every other game" but close enough.

The concept of an "iron man" is sports in long gone.

Ripken played in 2632 consecutive games.

Jim Marshal played at defensive end for 282 straight games for the Browns and the Vikings.

In times gone by players of this "type" were highly valued.

Lebron has played in 43 games this season but, in the past has been highly durable.

Russell - career
Regular season 963
Playoffs 165
13 seasons - that is an average of 86.7 games a year

They didn't have the medical technology in the past. Guys played through pain as they were afraid they'd lose their $18,000 a year "job" playing basketball/football/baseball if they took a game off.

It was a different world...it was not "better", just different.

Lot less travel in those days too. It's makes a huge difference between the older eras and nowadays.

[Moranis]

In his four best seasons with the Red Sox' Dick Radatz (6'6" - 230 pounds) appeared in 270 games....out of a possible 648.

He pitched 540 innings

He struck out 608 batters (1964 -struck out 181 batters MLB record)

He saved 98 of those games

He didn't pitch in "every other game" but close enough.

The concept of an "iron man" is sports in long gone.

Ripken played in 2632 consecutive games.

Jim Marshal played at defensive end for 282 straight games for the Browns and the Vikings.

In times gone by players of this "type" were highly valued.

Lebron has played in 43 games this season but, in the past has been highly durable.

Russell - career
Regular season 963
Playoffs 165
13 seasons - that is an average of 86.7 games a year

They didn't have the medical technology in the past. Guys played through pain as they were afraid they'd lose their $18,000 a year "job" playing basketball/football/baseball if they took a game off.

It was a different world...it was not "better", just different.

Lot less travel in those days too. It's makes a huge difference between the older eras and nowadays.

less, but a lot less comfortable. 

[hpantazo]

They should at least give some substantial bonus to the players who were in the final 4 of the bubble last season.

[Celtics4ever]

It is a business ran for profit, what did you expect?

[seancally]

In his four best seasons with the Red Sox' Dick Radatz (6'6" - 230 pounds) appeared in 270 games....out of a possible 648.

He pitched 540 innings

He struck out 608 batters (1964 -struck out 181 batters MLB record)

He saved 98 of those games

He didn't pitch in "every other game" but close enough.

The concept of an "iron man" is sports in long gone.

Ripken played in 2632 consecutive games.

Jim Marshal played at defensive end for 282 straight games for the Browns and the Vikings.

In times gone by players of this "type" were highly valued.

Lebron has played in 43 games this season but, in the past has been highly durable.

Russell - career
Regular season 963
Playoffs 165
13 seasons - that is an average of 86.7 games a year

They didn't have the medical technology in the past. Guys played through pain as they were afraid they'd lose their $18,000 a year "job" playing basketball/football/baseball if they took a game off.

It was a different world...it was not "better", just different.

I mean all those guys you listed are extreme outliers...

[SHAQATTACK]

It is a business ran for profit, what did you expect?

Yeah ...my bosses never felt a lot of sympathy or wanted to hear about my aches , pains , or anything else that might be bothering me . No excuses.  Family death or your in the hospital was about it.   School was same ,  never miss a day or worse face the rath of my mother.   Better to be in school.

I was expected to show up no matter how awful I felt

“ EARACHE MY EYE “   

[Moranis]

I think they should just start the season at Christmas every year and go further into the summer anyway.  Would match up against football less and would have the entirety of the playoffs over the summer, which would be fantastic. 

[RPGenerate]

I think they should just start the season at Christmas every year and go further into the summer anyway.  Would match up against football less and would have the entirety of the playoffs over the summer, which would be fantastic.

That wouldn't really work due to the olympics.