Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was pretty darn vocal in opposition of the 2020-21 NBA season starting on Dec. 22. Opening day took place just 72 days after King James and his Lakers defeated the Miami Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals.
Having to deal with a still-worsening COVID-19 pandemic, the NBA found itself between a rock and a hard place. That’s especially true with the season having to be completed by the time the postponed 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan were slated to start on July 23.
Now that we’re in the midst of the NBA Playoffs, multiple star players have gone down to injury. It’s the unintended consequences that come with attempting to play a 72-game schedule in the matter of 145 days.
Fresh off learning that Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is dealing with an ACL injury he suffered in the team’s Game 4 outing against the Utah Jazz, LeBron James is using his voice to express frustration.
“They all didn’t wanna listen to me about the start of the season. I knew exactly what would happen. I only wanted to protect the well being of the players which ultimately is the PRODUCT & BENEFIT of OUR GAME! These injuries isn’t just ‘PART OF THE GAME’. It’s the lack of PURE RIM REST rest before starting back up. 8, possibly 9 ALL-STARS has missed Playoff games(most in league history). This is the best time of the year for our league and fans but missing a ton of our fav players. It’s insane,” James Tweeted out on Wednesday.
Does LeBron James have a point about NBA injuries?
At this point, it’s hard to argue that a shortened offseason and expedited in-season schedule has not played a role in the injuries we’re seeing right now. We’re talking about the NBA’s biggest stars falling victim to the injury bug. It really has been insane.
- Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns: Shoulder injury (zero games)
- Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers: ACL injury (out indefinitely)
- James Harden, Brooklyn Nets: Hamstring injury (missed three games)
- Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets: Ankle injury (out indefinitely)
- Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers: Knee injury (missed one game)
- Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers: groin injury (missed one game)
- Mike Conley, Utah Jazz: Hamstring injury (missed four games)
- Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz: Ankle injury (missed one game)
We’re talking about a total of eight All-Star performers and as many as six guaranteed future Hall of Famers who have missed time to injury thus far during the NBA Playoffs. There has to be some sort of a correlation here, right?
As for LeBron James, he was not done with his rant on social media.
“I speak for the health of all our players and I hate to see this many injuries this time of the year. Sorry fans wish you guys were seeing all your fav guys right now,” James wrote.
More than anything, this could very well lead to an asterisk being placed on the eventual champion’s accomplishment. Specifically, Leonard going down with an ACL injury while his Clippers are in involved in a highly-competitive Western Conference Semifinals series with the Utah Jazz will have wide-ranging ramifications.
Despite having won Game 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks following Kevin Durant’s dominating performance, the Brooklyn Nets are dealing with a ton of injuries. How might that impact them in the Eastern Conference?
LeBron James certainly is on to something here.