I want to explain why I feel anyone who thinks The 2020 NBA Champion should have an asterisk is an idiot.Their is much talk about the 2020 NBA champions having an asterisk next to their names. I’ve read some articles about this. Each writer comes equipped with different reasoning on why they believe there should be an asterisk. They all share one thing in common, that being that it’s all nonsense.
Why an asterisk is nonsense
Lets pretend the NBA season was divided into two 41 game halfs. Pick any season you want. If you take out potential injuries the top of each conference will be the same. Give or take a #1,#2, or #3 seed based on talent in that conference. 82 games are played for financial purposes only.
There would be some big changes in seeding for about half of the conferences playoff teams. Some teams would make the top 8 in one half and miss the playoffs in the other. In the end it doesn’t matter because none of these teams are winning the championship. This isn’t baseball, where a team like Washington can sneak into the playoffs and win a title. In fact all the other sports have had low seeded playoff teams get hot and win titles. This just doesn’t happen in the NBA.
It’s usually clear before the season starts who the contenders are. If not it becomes clear after about 30 games. When the 2020 NBA champion battles through the playoffs no asterisk is needed.
My team had a chance at home court advantage
Coach Popovich once was asked while resting players for the playoffs “Aren’t you worried about getting homecourt”. With traditional Pop kickback he replied “No, in the playoffs you have to win on the road no matter who you are or where you are seeded. If you can’t, you’re not winning anyway”.
Larry Brown said “a series doesn’t start until someone wins on the road” and most series do begin.
What I mean is you’re not very often going to see a series go 7 games with all games being won by the home team. The champions in the history of this league didn’t care much if they were at home or on the road. This is one of the factors that differentiates champions from the almost were.
Lakers and Clippers
The night the 2019-20 season started and right before the Lakers-Clippers game tipped off, I stated this is the first glance atThe Western Conference Finals and the de facto NBA Finals. “You don’t know that” I said “if Lebron is Lebron and both teams are healthy, Yes I do”.
The Lakers or the Clippers will win this years NBA championship. If anything it’s an added disadvantage that they won’t be playing most of the playoffs at The Staples Center.
If anything it will be more fair because no matter who had home court in the western finals. The Clippers would have been the road team in every game.
I was planning before the stoppage to write an article pointing out that The Lakers would be the home team in all the games of that series and how unfair or maybe just unlucky it is. Something needs to change there, but thats a story for another time.
NBA Finals: Clippers vs. Lakers?
Depending on the playoff seedings and whether its going to be the traditional by conference or just the top 16 overall, the Lakers could actually play the Clippers for the Championship. That creates a matchup of the the two most talented teams competing for the right to be called 2020 NBA champion. Anyone talking about an asterisk is a moron.
When you defeat the best teams in 4 best-of-7 series that’s what matters. I don’t see a trophy going to the team who has the best record in the last two months of the regular season. All the teams that matter will be involved. The one who wins the title will defeat another team that would have been there whether or not March and April were played. The only teams this will affect is teams that had no shot to begin with. The 2020 NBA champion will earn their title without an asterisk.
Giannis and The Bucks
I’m not saying the Bucks don’t have a chance but I see Giannis having to do to much for Milwaukee to win.
If Giannis is contained, The Bucks supporting cast doesnt always get the job done. I think The Clippers have the defensive means especially to give Antetokounmpo fits.
Khris Middleton is a very good player but he isn’t the 2nd option caliber of an Anthony Davis or Paul George. I do hesitate calling Davis a 2nd option. I’m just pointing out talent differential.
I think The L.A teams have the advantage in almost all aspects of the game against Milwaukee.
The Playoffs crown the champ
The full NBA playoffs will be played. The playoffs are what crown the champion. The regular season is the length it is like I previously stated to make money. You know $$$, the reason their coming back in the first place to play.
The only reasonable excuse for an asterisk would be that players are more healthy with less wear and tear than after 82 games. Thats not an excuse.
Are there 4 rounds of best-of-7? Yes there is.
The teams who have a real chance of title aspirations are at the top of the standings in January. These useless games don’t make a difference in who the champion will be.
1999 Spurs
I just want to make something clear about the 1999 Spurs, no one thought that championship squad deserved an asterisk. This idea comes to life today from one man’s statement, one day in a single interview.
The Queens and The asterisk
Shaquille O’Neal won 3 titles from 2000-2002. During his reign of dominance San Antonio was one of The Lakers main rivals.
During an interview given with brazen confidence and intimidation, Shaq said The Spurs title didn’t count. I assure you if L.A would have won in 1999 he wouldn’t have said it didn’t count.
He was upset the Spurs won that year and The Lakers had underachieved. At the moment Shaq was on top and he took a shot. He also called the Sacramento Kings, the Queens, we don’t make them wear skirts do we.
The Spurs in 2003 would be the team to unseed The Lakers as Western Conference Champions.
The media and their asterisk
THE CHAMPION WILL BE FROM LA, CROWNED THIS OCTOBER. JUST LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BE WHEN THE SEASON STARTED LAST OCTOBER. WHETHER JUNE OR OCTOBER THE SAME OUTCOME WILL OCCUR.
THE MEDIA HEADS WHO WANT AN ASTERISK, COOL PUT IT NEXT TO YOUR CREDENTIALS
Most of these journalists need content and don’t have anything of substance or quality to write about and the others don’t possess the knowledge to be writing about The NBA in the first place.
