The NBA is facing competitive fairness issues stemming from pandemic-related disruptions to the schedule, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. The league has postponed 22 games through the first five weeks of the season, and the effects of health and safety protocols are showing up in the standings.
The Wizards are the most obvious example, holding the league’s worst record at 3-11 after roughly half the roster was forced to quarantine. Washington had just one practice before returning to action Sunday after two weeks off. The result was three straight losses by a combined 57 points. The Heat, defending Eastern Conference champions, are off to a 6-12 start while playing with a depleted roster. The teams at the top of the standings — the Lakers, Clippers and Jazz — have been relatively unaffected by the virus.
The Wizards and Grizzlies both had six games postponed and face a difficult road ahead to reach 72 games. Washington is looking at 39 games in 67 days when the NBA releases its second-half schedule, although the league is trying to alleviate that by moving some games to the first half.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The Pistons‘ Jerami Grant and the Hornets‘ Gordon Hayward are the biggest surprises of the early season, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Both signed huge free agent deals during the offseason that were questioned around the league, but they have emerged as their teams’ best players. Hayward has gone back to the leader he was in Utah, Hollinger notes, while Grant has taken his game to another level.
- FIBA will hold the draw ceremony for this year’s Olympic basketball tournament on February 2, the organization announced on its website. Eight men’s teams have already qualified, including Team USA, and the final four slots will be filled by the winners of tournaments to be played this summer in Canada, Croatia, Lithuania and Serbia.
- At least 12 NBA teams have started research on Jonathan Kuminga, a projected high lottery pick in this year’s draft, writes Adam Zagoria for NJ.com. Kuminga, part of Team Ignite, will make his G League debut in the Orlando bubble next month. Ignite coach Brian Shaw compares him to Jaylen Brown and Paul George.
- Former Net Josh Boone is the latest player to commit to Team USA for the AmeriCup qualifying tournament, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Boone, 36, plays for the Illawarra Hawks in the NBL and was last in the NBA in the 2009/10 season.
I don’t think the Wizards or the Grizzlies have a shot at winning the title.
Other than souring a few fans, I don’t really see this competitive fairness thing as something not foreseen before the season. Its a little late now…
Agree. It is also difficult to pin it all on covid. Ja missed a bunch of games due to injury, and a number of other teams lost people to (what feels like) a ton of injuries so far. Everyone hurting.
Competitive fairness? Get rid of the buyout market.
100% agree. The buyout market is the most ridiculous concept ever.
i don’t remember hayward signing with the hornets, very “under the radar.” he’s doing good.
Competitive fairness
Lakers Clippers Nets Bucks do not trade away all available first round picks next 7 years
Warriors own the future pick from the bad team
Grant hasn’t “taken his game to another level” he is just jacking up a ton of shots.
Last year he averaged 12 points per game while shooting 48 percent on 9 shots per game.
This year he is averaging 24 points a game while shooting 44 percent on 18 shots a game.
Exactly. He just went from being the 3/4 option on a good team to being the 1/2 option on a bad team. Scoring will always go up in that scenario.
Both guys left competitive teams where they were complimentary players so they could put up stats on losing teams.
He has also increased his 3P% and FT%. He’s increased (per 36) his offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, assists (significantly) and blocks (slightly).
While his turnovers have increased per 36, his usage rate has also increased to the point that his turnover % is down by 14ish%.
This isn’t all about his points per game….
@thekayz. He definitely isn’t playing ‘at another level” He is on a bad team and the ball is in his hands all the time. If he was on the Lakers he wouldn’t be playing “at another level” that’s for sure.
It’s scary to think what he could do on a G league team…
As the league has allowed the formation of super teams I guess now everyone gets a taste of what its felt like to be a talent-deprived, small-market team. Whining about it now feels like the billionaire hedge fund managers crying about Robinhood/Game Stop.
A player that maintains good shooting %’s with an increased role and usage is what most would mean when saying that a guy has taken his game to the next level usually means.
Grant is true defensive ace, who’s shooting %’s were trending up for a few years. The case for him not being worth 2o mm a year (and I made thought it was a good case) was based on doubts that he could maintain those higher shooting %’s as a 30 plus mpg primary perimeter option. It’s too soon to say he’s fully spelled those doubts. But so far, he has. 24 ppg, on 44%/40%/87%, would more than justify his salary.
The obvious point is that he wouldn’t be doing that if his team wasn’t incredibly awful.
Or…. the f defenses had other guys to worry about, he may be doing more.