NBA: Restart bubble wearing on Heat, Celtics, Lakers, and Nuggets
The NBA restart bubble has hurt the Heat, Celtics, Lakers, and Nuggets.
Looking back, I don’t think it can be argued that the NBA didn’t do a great job in continuing and then concluding the 2019-20 season in the restart bubble in Orlando. What can be argued is whether or not they made the right decision in starting the following season in December – a little more than two months after the conclusion of the NBA Finals.
With roughly 10 games remaining in the regular season, and with the NBA playoffs less than a month away, you can’t help but see the wear and tear that has taken place among the final four teams in the restart bubble.
The Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, and Boston Celtics have all felt it one way or another this season, even though they would likely never fully admit it.
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The Los Angeles Lakers’ struggles
For the Lakers, it’s easy to see how this team has struggled this season. Both LeBron James (21 games and counting) and Anthony Davis (35 games) have missed a significant portion of the season and while both are expected back before the playoffs (AD has already made his return and LeBron seems to be approaching his), you can’t help what this team will look like even at a full form in the postseason.
The Lakers will enter the playoffs as the fifth seed in the conference.
The Denver Nuggets’ struggles
The Nuggets actually got off to quite a slow start to the season, for several reasons. But the biggest setbacks that this team has faced have come in the last couple of weeks. Just when it seemed as if the Nuggets were beginning to shape into form, Jamal Murray was lost for the season after tearing his ACL in his left knee.
Then, Will Barton suffered a hamstring injury that will keep him out for the foreseeable future. While you can’t entirely blame injuries on the restart bubble, you can’t help but wonder if it played any factor in it.
The Miami Heat’s struggles
The Heat has had their own struggles this season, including both not looking like their former selves (due to natural regression) and injury. Jimmy Butler missed significant time this season due to health and safety protocols and Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, and Duncan Robinson simply haven’t played up to the level that they did in the restart bubble.
Miami always seems tired and simply doesn’t have enough on most nights to close teams out. The Heat might need to earn their way into the playoffs via the play-in tournament and after winning the Eastern Conference last season, I’m not sure if anyone could’ve predicted this.
The Boston Celtics’ struggles
Much like every other team on this list, the Celtics have struggled with injuries, players being out due to health and safety protocol, and simply not having the same punch as they did in the restart bubble.
Like Miami, Boston may have to earn its way into the playoffs via the play-in tournament and for a team with as much talent as the Celtics have, it simply doesn’t make sense.
Next. NBA Playoffs: Play-in tournament is beginning to take shape. dark
Theoretically, the NBA has done a good job in trying to keep the 2020-21 season on schedule as was their goal. But you can’t help but wonder if doing just that hurt the four teams that made the deepest run in last year’s playoffs.