NBA: Are injuries the true asterisks?
SHOULD there be an asterisk beside the 2020 NBA Champions? The reasoning is that since the end of the season and playoffs were held under irregular, albeit unprecedented circumstances, then it should not be valued as much as other titles.
One of the precedents is San Antonio’s first championship in 1999. That was the lockout season which only had 50 games, and it started in February. There was also no All-Star break.
It was argued that the compressed schedule affected the performance of the teams. However, we can also counter that the circumstances affected all the teams— there was no distinct advantage that favored the eventual champion.
It did result in a wilder playoffs, with the 8th seed New York Knicks emerging as the Eastern Champions. Take note, there were only six wins (33-27) separating the first seed (Miami Heat, in a triple tie with Indiana and Orlando) from the Knicks. (In contrast, there are 23 wins (5532) between the Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic, in a 70-ish game season)
They Knicks faced the Spurs, the best team in the league (37-13) in the Finals. They lost, 4-1. Tim Duncan won Finals MVP as a sophomore, which would be an incredible feat today. The Spurs were unquestionably the best team in the league that year—the first of the post-Air Jordan era.
Injuries change the course
Let me be clear, professional teams will not make injury an excuse for losing, even though it is undeniably a real factor. This “asterisk” is only for the fans and the arguments will never end.
For players, the proverbial asterisk is demeaning to the hard work they put in their craft. Sure, luck can play a huge part, but that is usually not the fault of the champion team (except, some may argue, Zaza Pachulia). They take what they’re given.
With the news that Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers having patellar subluxation, he is out “indefinitely” which could be a few days or a couple of weeks. Considering that the Sixers are in 6th place, they would need Simmons to improve their standing. However, since homecourt advantage is not a factor, it’s only about the matchup.
Promising players Jonathan Isaac and Jaren Jackson Jr are likely not to affect the playoff race, although JJJ’s loss may have cost the Memphis Grizzlies’ playoff ticket. That’s about it.
But there are cases when injuries determined the winner.
The injury difference
The injuries to both Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson definitely affected the chances of the Golden State Warriors last season. Most people think this is only payback for Kawhi Leonard, who infamously landed on Zaza Pachulia’s foot. It was not the Finals, but it was still a huge what-if since the Spurs were leading the seemingly unbeatable Warriors.
Nevertheless, injuries are part of the game. Arguing hypotheticals are a fool’s errand, and there are no asterisks in the trophy.
The Lakers are the most vulnerable to the injury asterisk. They have the best tandem in basketball with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but the drop-off from the two is too steep. If one of their stars would fall, they are likely to lose, even in the first round.
If the Clippers lose Paul George, or maybe even Kawhi, they can still survive a round in the playoffs. Perhaps even if the Milwaukee Bucks lose Giannis, they might even perform better than the Lakers.
Portland almost mailed in their season due to injuries, and not even Damian Lillard could drag them to the playoffs. They are probably the best beneficiary of the quarantine break.
A full-strength Portland team is much deeper than the Lakers, and if Bron or AD falls, the Lakers are clear underdogs in that series.
Injuries and awards
Zion Williamson was a consensus Rookie of the Year prior to the season, but now, he has no chance. Zion is being rested again as the previously-promising Pelicans are virtually out of the playoffs.
Does Zion have a conditioning problem? He’s a rookie with an extended recovery time due to the coronavirus, but they’re already resting him. Not an encouraging sign.