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Asterisk Season?


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First question is: was the 1998-99 season in the same boat?

 

It's always hard to give full credit to any team winning the championship in a shortened season. If the Spurs or Lakers win it all, is it easy to just say that those older teams are lucky to not have to go 82 games...OR do you say it's easier on the younger superstar-led teams because it's shorter?

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LeBron's response caught a lot of national media attention this week, and actually thought his assessment was spot on...

 

"I don't think that's right to say," James said. "I'm not going to get involved in it. Every team works hard no matter if it's a lockout year or not. There's not much of a difference between 82 games and 66 games."

 

I don't discredit the effort San Antonio had when they won it in '99 after the lockout," James said. "We all know Gregg Popovich is an unbelievable coach and Tim Duncan is an unbelievable player. It shouldn't matter. They won multiple (titles) after that so are we going to say that first one wasn't good enough? I don't think that's true at all."

 

James said he believes the opposite is true. This has been a more difficult season than usual because of the demanding schedule and therefore the eventual champion would have had a more challenging road.

 

"This is a tough season; this is a difficult season for everyone," James said. "This is the toughest season since my rookie year. This is very challenging to us mentally and physically."

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LeBron's response caught a lot of national media attention this week, and actually thought his assessment was spot on...

 

"I don't think that's right to say," James said. "I'm not going to get involved in it. Every team works hard no matter if it's a lockout year or not. There's not much of a difference between 82 games and 66 games."

 

I don't discredit the effort San Antonio had when they won it in '99 after the lockout," James said. "We all know Gregg Popovich is an unbelievable coach and Tim Duncan is an unbelievable player. It shouldn't matter. They won multiple (titles) after that so are we going to say that first one wasn't good enough? I don't think that's true at all."

 

James said he believes the opposite is true. This has been a more difficult season than usual because of the demanding schedule and therefore the eventual champion would have had a more challenging road.

 

"This is a tough season; this is a difficult season for everyone," James said. "This is the toughest season since my rookie year. This is very challenging to us mentally and physically."

 

I would agree with James, in no way should this me an asterisk season. imo its probably been harder than usual since rest has been so much harder to come by.

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I'm sure LeBron is going to say that.

 

Ask Derrick Rose or Dwight Howard (or their teams) what they think, though.

 

Well im sure every star playing for a title right now would agree with LeBron.

Edited by ChosenOne
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I'm sure LeBron is going to say that.

 

Ask Derrick Rose or Dwight Howard (or their teams) what they think, though.

Derrick Rose is a rare case where I feel like his ACL tear and numerous other injuries along the way certainly were impacted by the shortened season and quick turnaround games. Mostly because of the way he plays

 

Other than him, I just don't buy the rash of injuries because of the schedule.

Edited by JYD
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You can try and point to a bunch of titles and try to put an asterisk on them. A title is a title, everyone worked their hardest to win them so to try and lower that accomplishment is wrong IMO.

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Well im sure every star playing for a title right now would agree with LeBron.

That's my point...just speaking on LeBron because it was his comment.

 

But if you make this a typical 82-game season, guys like Rose and Howard could give you the argument that they wouldn't be playing with the condensed schedule, staying in shape as much as they have over the years, etc...and now that their team isn't going to win it all (Orlando wasn't going to anyway, but Chicago could have), their perspective is going to be much different, I'm sure.

 

So, really, you're just going to have to ask yourself how much different is the 66-game season...and the answer is: very different. Started late, less of an off-season (only had one week of free agency), very few practices and time for conditioning, etc.

 

What's worse...is that the schedule was changed drastically. Lakers played the Bulls once, but the Heat and Celtics twice. All three games against the Spurs came in April. They played the Thunder just three times. The changes could have been the difference between HCA and not having it in the first or later rounds for some teams in the league (maybe Miami would have HCA over Chicago, or the Thunder over the Spurs, Clippers over Grizzlies, maybe the Bucks make the playoffs and play Chicago in the first round, etc).

 

So when LeBron talks about the season not being much different, he is dead wrong.

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I don't see the difference. Playoffs are still just as long. To whichever team that wins it this year, I wouldn't count it as any less than winning during a full 82 game season.

Just as long, but I did read somewhere that the second round and beyond (or at least the second round) will have back-to-backs...which is also something they've avoided for a reason. A lot of the older teams would rather have that day or two in between games.

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Just as long, but I did read somewhere that the second round and beyond (or at least the second round) will have back-to-backs...which is also something they've avoided for a reason. A lot of the older teams would rather have that day or two in between games.

 

If thats the case that makes a bit of a difference. I don't see why they would have to put back to back games, but if they do, teams like the Spurs and Celtics might be affected.

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Whoever wins the championship this season deserves more credit than if it was a full season. It has been very hectic, unpredictable, and there has not been as much practice time as usual. I don't blame the injuries on a shortened season, they just happen, and unfortunately it happened to a lot of good players. I think a team that is able to keep themselves healthy all year long and play well in the playoffs deserves the title. Not even saying this because the Heat have a beautiful path to the finals, but I give them credit for keeping themselves healthy for the playoffs as well as all the other teams that did it. The Rose injury was pure stupidity, he got injured when he should have been on the bench resting.

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Just as long, but I did read somewhere that the second round and beyond (or at least the second round) will have back-to-backs...which is also something they've avoided for a reason. A lot of the older teams would rather have that day or two in between games.

If there is seriously back to back's in the next round than that is ridiculous.

 

The Knicks have gotten two days off (for the traveling mostly) a few times now.

 

Game 3 was Thur, and Game 4 was Sun, both at MSG. Why? I understand the extra days rest or TV schedule, but that should not come at the expense of forcing back to back's in the next round...

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^^Our series schedule sucks because you know the league is trying to milk this series for as long as it can. This 2 days between most of our games shit sucks.

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^^Our series schedule sucks because you know the league is trying to milk this series for as long as it can. This 2 days between most of our games shit sucks.

Yeah, seriously. It seems like they are on once a week Lol.

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The Heat-Knicks series schedule is terrible. Waiting 2 entire days for the next game sucks. Should be on Tuesday, not Wednesday. Teams could have traveled on Sunday after the game and had all of Monday to practice and stuff.

Edited by SRV
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If there is seriously back to back's in the next round than that is ridiculous.

 

The Knicks have gotten two days off (for the traveling mostly) a few times now.

 

Game 3 was Thur, and Game 4 was Sun, both at MSG. Why? I understand the extra days rest or TV schedule, but that should not come at the expense of forcing back to back's in the next round...

Afternoon game on the weekend on ABC gets you more viewers. New York market and the heat gets great TV numbers

 

Lakers fans are used to the shitty long wait

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