Like a kid counting down the final days for Santa to come down the chimney at Christmas time. This is the feeling many NBA fans around the world are currently experiencing as the season is set to resume in 7 sleeps time on July 30 after a long hiatus.
With 22 competing teams entering the “bubble” at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida. A Big Brother X Training Camp feel has been building as some of the world’s biggest sports names (and egos) fight it out to be crowned the newest NBA champs. As the season is set to recommence many questions on how this COVID effected season will go are yet to be answered.
We take a look at 7 unanswered questions to how things might unfold for the remainder of this experimental season
- Who is the underdog team to make waves this season? Under the radar Miami Heat have a good mix of players with competitors like Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo as well as a veteran that has been part of championship winning team in Andre Iguodala. Miami are definitely my underdog to cause a few headaches but possibly not quite the championship quality to go all the way.
- Will the NBA cancel the season if players contract COVID-19 during the bubble? The NBA has made the following statement “a small or otherwise expected number of COVID-19 cases will not require a decision to suspend or cancel the resumption of the 2019-20 season.” Judging from this statement the season will go on. Buuuuuut…. as we know nothing can be ruled out. Pretty sure the world is aware COVID changes things pretty quickly and all we can do is hope things don’t escalate to that level of seriousness where canning the season is a likely option.
- Will this cause more trades and movements next season than usual? 100 percent, absolutely, lock it in!!! For the first time ever having all these superstars locked up together, you would have to live underwater to not expect trade talks and future commitments to definitely be regular talking points. This will definitely have an impact on where your favorite players may end up next season. For the rest of the leagues sake, teams’ better prey LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo don’t get on like a house on fire in the bubble as Giannis hits unrestricted free agency in 2021.
- Will this season change the way future seasons are played in the NBA? This really comes down to when this pandemic can be contained to a safer level then what the world is currently seeing. It’s hard to imagine for at least next year the NBA returning to an 82 game regular home and away season next year though.
This season’s main MVP contenders go at it during a regular season match pre COVID
- Who will win the MVP award? I don’t think too many people within the NBA world are questioning it’s a two horse race between LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Both past winners and either would be a deserving winner this season. I would find it hard personally to go past Giannis to retain his MVP status.
- Best chance of winning the NBA Championship? With no star studded Golden State Warriors in the mix this season, the race is as open as ever. For me it is hard to go past LeBron James with Anthony Davis by his side to deliver the Los Angeles Lakers their 17th Championship.
- Main threats to Lakers chances? In the West Clippers on paper look the biggest threat with a really strong all round team led by one of the best 2-way players in the NBA Kawhi Leonard. Clippers inability to win any Championships in their short history could just be what stops them from taking the mantle from their big brother rivals Lakers. In the East, Milwaukee Bucks, led by the reigning MVP Giannis will certainly be in the mix and most likely reach the finals. Just not sure the Bucks have the firepower behind them if Giannis can’t find another level during the finals to get them over the line.
