If there was one word to describe the 2019-20 NBA season, “weird” seems like an accurate depiction. At every turn there was controversy and by the time COVID-19 was making its mark, the NBA had to suspend all activities.
It’s taken months, but talks about a continuation have just now led to action and it seems like July 31st will be the date basketball finally returns — though, even the most die-hard fans can’t help but ask: what will happen when it does?
After a 4-month long hiatus, will players be ready for a postseason run? Will it provide a fair path to the Championship? In the case of LeBron James and the Lakers, for example, it might’ve given them an advantage.
Instead of having to march right into the postseason, LeBron and his squad will have had much-needed rest and time to plan and with all the distractions, it certainly seems teams like other teams with less experience will have a harder time focusing on the game.
On FOX’s “Undisputed,” Skip Bayless talked a bit about what might happen if the King did go on to win his fourth title this season.
If LeBron wins an asterisk championship, it will be known as the “Covid Championship.” More @Undisputed, now on FS1 https://t.co/vIKAlk9Q59
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 9, 2020
Long story short, Bayless doesn’t believe a Championship this year would validate LeBron’s claim to the throne. Skip is a known MJ supporter and notorious LeBron critic, but he’s not alone in that line of thinking.
Many people see the 2020 title as “tainted,” and they aren’t necessarily wrong in that assessment. It’s just hard to not see this postseason as different than all the others.
But “different” and “easy” are two separate things entirely and the Lakers are going through much of the same struggles as everyone else.
If you ask them, they’ll take the title whether it comes with an asterisk or not.
