NBA Season Restart

[WilyWestbrook0]

I accidentally missed the OKC game yesterday, but I caught some of the Lakers/Raptors on stream. LeBron looked pretty good, but the Raptors torched the Lakers' guards.

Games will be at some unusual times due to Disney of course being the only venue available (many OKC games on in afternoon instead of evening, for example). I also had to get used to the court/arena looking so small and amateurish compared to the actual NBA team ones; gave the visual feel of a HS game. Court and most player unis have various BLM slogans. All but two players so far (Jonathan Isaac, Meyers Leonard) have knelt for the the anthem. It's definitely a different atmosphere from before, prior to COVID-19 and the protests. Yet box scores show that the top players are still performing, so it's nice to know most tried to stay in shape.

I wonder if Disney and the BLM focus will turn many others off, the kinds who were still watching NBA because they thought interlocked arms were better than Kaep's kneeling. But it's a majority black league, so I get why they're doing it. It's 2020, and with social media, it's hard to completely fragment sociopolitical issues from sports anymore; everything is so intertwined nowadays. It is what it is. We're living in the most volatile times I remember since I've been alive (I wasn't around in the 1960s). But I'll still be watching, especially OKC.

[Theodor Madison]

Understatement as to unusual season. But the fact of kneeling to the anthem and what looks like hatred of the great country that allows them to play a great sport and make millions doing so. I will not be watching sports this year. There are surely better things I can do with my time. Where are the players and should I ask card collectors that denounce the kneeling and stand up for this country along for all lives?

[mrveggieman]

Understatement as to unusual season. But the fact of kneeling to the anthem and what looks like hatred of the great country that allows them to play a great sport and make millions doing so. I will not be watching sports this year. There are surely better things I can do with my time. Where are the players and should I ask card collectors that denounce the kneeling and stand up for this country along for all lives?

If you equate protesting gov't corruption and violence against it citizens as hating your country you really need to get a clue.

[WilyWestbrook0]

I've witnessed numerous heated debates on the kneeling over the years, including between my late mother and her longtime friend who completely parted friendship over the issue despite their shared faith, and it's clear to me that both sides will always double down on how it's perceived.

Yet despite boycotts/cancel culture by some, sports will survive. The Olympics remained popular after black power fist salutes on the podium in 1968 from two African-Americans, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, which was a much more dramatic statement than taking a knee -- and was done in a much more conservative culture than we have now -- so I don't see the NFL or NBA going away anytime soon. The NFL lost some money the initial year after Kaep's kneeling, but not nearly enough to take it down.

Bottom line, we're free to protest or not protest, and we're free to watch or not watch. Interesting thing about America, you're still free to do either thing.

For those of us still watching, back to the games -- OKC has been a bit inconsistent. SGA has been out of rhythm in the last couple of games, with Chris Paul having to carry OKC to stay competitive. I really have liked the high energy play of Lu Dort, though. He's come out of nowhere to become a major player in the rotation, playing feisty defense and occasionally showing streaks of shooting.

[pwaldo]

I wonder if Disney and the BLM focus will turn many others off, the kinds who were still watching NBA because they thought interlocked arms were better than Kaep's kneeling. But it's a majority black league, so I get why they're doing it. It's 2020, and with social media, it's hard to completely fragment sociopolitical issues from sports anymore; everything is so intertwined nowadays. It is what it is. We're living in the most volatile times I remember since I've been alive (I wasn't around in the 1960s). But I'll still be watching, especially OKC.

https://www.si.com/nba/cavaliers/nba...mming-nosedive

This is making it sound like the sports ratings for a lot of stuff is down. In some cases way down. Doesn't have much #s to back it up but there have been a lot of excuses for the sports low ratings despite coming back and facing basically no competition. I think the only one that has noticeably improved its ratings has been golf.

[jmintz]

But the fact of kneeling to the anthem and what looks like hatred of the great country

How many times does it have to be explained that kneeling for the anthem has zero to do with hatred of the United States?

Nate Boyer – a former green beret – was the one who suggested to Kaepernick that he kneel rather than stay seated on the bench like Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (then Chris Jackson) did back in the day.

[WilyWestbrook0]

https://www.si.com/nba/cavaliers/nba...mming-nosedive

This is making it sound like the sports ratings for a lot of stuff is down. In some cases way down. Doesn't have much #s to back it up but there have been a lot of excuses for the sports low ratings despite coming back and facing basically no competition. I think the only one that has noticeably improved its ratings has been golf.

That's interesting. I wonder if the trend will continue, and for how long.