Eastern Conference Playoffs, Round 1

[steelevt]

The part of me that enjoys chaos would love to see what would happen if Orlando had the audacity to request to be awarded a win via forfeit. Would they even be safe to walk around the Bubble, after that?

Part of me still feels like the kings got screwed when the pelicans didn’t want to leave the locker room the last game pre bubble. Kings were ready and if we got a forfeit, maybe with that extra win, kings might have gone into the bubble with a different mindset. Prob not but hey.

I like you just want to see if a team has the balls to take the win and see what chaos erupts. Do other teams turn on them? Do people boycott the team? Would there be a boycott if it was game 7? I personally want them to just cancel the season. Why? Kings are out if it and it guarantees No lakers championship

 

[Jkbiker]

Well do we all get the day off with pay today too???

Will the players get docked one game pay?

 

[Section 101]

Part of me still feels like the kings got screwed when the pelicans didn’t want to leave the locker room the last game pre bubble. Kings were ready and if we got a forfeit, maybe with that extra win, kings might have gone into the bubble with a different mindset. Prob not but hey.

I like you just want to see if a team has the balls to take the win and see what chaos erupts. Do other teams turn on them? Do people boycott the team? Would there be a boycott if it was game 7? I personally want them to just cancel the season. Why? Kings are out if it and it guarantees No lakers championship

Why should teams be mad at the Magic? They didnt cause the situation.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Why should teams be mad at the Magic? They didnt cause the situation.

That's not a serious question, it can't be.

And it's not a question of "should." It's a question of would they be. And, regardless of whether you agree or disagree, there's a level of cognitive dissonance, if you don't understand why they might be.

 

[Tetsujin]

If your first reaction to this boycott is “But what about the advertisers?”, I honestly don’t know what to tell you.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

For Bucks Boycott gesture to actually mean anything , Bucks need to forfeit the game
The Bucks must have some level of sacrifice if they really want it to mean something
otherwise it is just an empty gesture.

I don't think that the Bucks technically can forfeit, even if they want to, if Orlando also refuses to play.

 

[LPKingsFan]

I don't think that the Bucks technically can forfeit, even if they want to, if Orlando also refuses to play.

or if the league postpones the games, which apparently it has

 

[Kings_of_California]

Well do we all get the day off with pay today too???

Will the players get docked one game pay?

Nah, the league will actually praise all of them for their activism and all that since that's the train the NBA is riding right now. With the current climate, I'm almost certain the NBA would get blasted for "suppressing free speech" or something of the sort if they try to implement a fine. This sucks for the fans but will mean little for the players. If anything it will just boost their public image.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Well do we all get the day off with pay today too???

Why would your assumption be that they're still getting paid?

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

And, on the more humorous side:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1298726315214999552

 

[Tetsujin]

Why would your assumption be that they're still getting paid?

Because most people don’t understand how NBA contracts work.

 

[Tetsujin]

Nah, the league will actually praise all of them for their activism and all that since that's the train the NBA is riding right now.

Ah yes, the racism is bad train. How dare they

 

[Kings_of_California]

Ah yes, the racism is bad train. How dare they

It's not about whether racism is bad or not. Of course it is. The NBA has gone all in and hitched itself to the movement however, so they're now at the mercy of allowing whatever form of protest/activism teams and players want to do, up to and including literally not playing games.

Whether you or any other fan support this extent of protest is totally up to you. That's perfectly fine. I'm just saying the league doesn't really have any control over what's happening with how far deep they've dipped into the social injustice pool. Any action against such activism will make them look like fools.

 

[Tetsujin]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1298722692766392320

 

[steelevt]

And, on the more humorous side:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1298726315214999552

And it seems the bucks are getting all the praise for boycotting even though it seems the magic agreed to boycott also since it isn’t a forfeit. Everything is like great job bucks for boycotting or the bucks are boycotting today’s game. Man even when there’s no game the magic lose.

 

[dude12]

Been reading some of the stuff of the pro writers. If the players decide they won’t play the remainder of the bubble as their stance on this protest, then there goes the CBA and tv contracts Get torn up as the NBA wouldn’t be able to deliver. The players may want to keep this in mind if they want to keep their platform (NBA) intact. Its going to really get critical to keeping the NBA a viable business.

 

[steelevt]

Been reading some of the stuff of the pro writers. If the players decide they won’t play the remainder of the bubble as their stance on this protest, then there goes the CBA and tv contracts Get torn up as the NBA wouldn’t be able to deliver. The players may want to keep this in mind if they want to keep their platform (NBA) intact. Its going to really get critical to keeping the NBA a viable business.

Lebron this close to a title. They ain’t stopping the season. They will boycott a few games, there will be interviews and messages that will bring awareness, but in the end, lebron will get his title.
Now if the players actually put their money where mouth is and boycott/cancel the rest of the season and give up their paychecks for the cause, that should show everyone they’re are doing it for show or when it’s convenient for them. I have a lot of respect for those players that where giving up a huge chunk of their paycheck for their cause or were out peacefully protesting with people and not just doing it for the camera.

 

[ESP47]

It's not about whether racism is bad or not. Of course it is. The NBA has gone all in and hitched itself to the movement however, so they're now at the mercy of allowing whatever form of protest/activism teams and players want to do, up to and including literally not playing games.

Whether you or any other fan support this extent of protest is totally up to you. That's perfectly fine. I'm just saying the league doesn't really have any control over what's happening with how far deep they've dipped into the social injustice pool. Any action against such activism will make them look like fools.

There's a reason why 99% of jobs don't allow you to protest political and social justice issues on the clock or while representing them.

Now the league is stuck between a rock and a hard place because the second they tell the players that they have to do their jobs, they'll be labeled as racists, bigots and whatever else people want to come up with.

They've made their bed and now they must lie in it.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Now the league is stuck between a rock and a hard place because the second they tell the players that they have to do their jobs, they'll be labeled as racists, bigots and whatever else people want to come up with.

I would argue that, where that to happen, what we'd really find out is that the NBA needs the players more than the players need the NBA. This ain't the NFL: you can't just send 'scabs' out to play NBA basketball.

 

[steelevt]

I would argue that, where that to happen, what we'd really find out is that the NBA needs the players more than the players need the NBA. This ain't the NFL: you can't just send 'scabs' out to play NBA basketball.

I really wouldn’t mind seeing them try. See who are team fans vs player fans.

What I’ve learned from the little break from the NBA before the bubble is as much as I love watching nba basketball, it wasn’t as important as I thought it was. I was able to spend more time doing other stuff with family or doing other things. All that stuff about the millions that should be going to essential workers vs athletes kind of rang true. But we all know the medical workers, public service, and now, teachers will never get what they deserve vs athletes but it would be nice to see way overpaid athletes see that the world of sports can move on without them.

 

[Section 101]

I would argue that, where that to happen, what we'd really find out is that the NBA needs the players more than the players need the NBA. This ain't the NFL: you can't just send 'scabs' out to play NBA basketball.

I think more players would play than sit. When it comes down to it they want to get paid.

 

[whozit]

I really don't know how I feel about this. If the games are just postponed, why bother. The point is lost if there is no sacrifice. Cancel the season in protest and live with the financial consequences I can be on board with. That goes for the league also. In my estimation, the league is "postponing" to try to get the players back on the court because of the financial consequences. That is the only reason the bubble was set up the way it was with the number of games played was to avoid the financial consequences.

If both teams refuse to play and the season continues, then the game is lost. If neither team can make it four wins, then neither can advance. Any team that can advance wins by the other teams unable to advance forfeiture.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I think more players would play than sit. When it comes down to it they want to get paid.

I think you're wrong. I don't necessarily want to find out.

 

[ESP47]

I would argue that, where that to happen, what we'd really find out is that the NBA needs the players more than the players need the NBA. This ain't the NFL: you can't just send 'scabs' out to play NBA basketball.

That's the rock and a hard place I'm talking about. The NBA will take an insanely massive revenue hit if they let the players take over and turn the sport into their own political platform. People won't watch if the players leave and people won't watch if they have to get bombarded with this stuff when all they want to do is sit down, decompress and watch something that takes their mind off the world.

I don't think they thought this thing out very well.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I really don't know how I feel about this. If the games are just postponed, why bother. The point is lost if there is no sacrifice. Cancel the season in protest and live with the financial consequences I can be on board with. That goes for the league also. In my estimation, the league is "postponing" to try to get the players back on the court because of the financial consequences. That is the only reason the bubble was set up the way it was with the number of games played was to avoid the financial consequences.

If both teams refuse to play and the season continues, then the game is lost. If neither team can make it four wins, then neither can advance. Any team that can advance wins by the other teams unable to advance forfeiture.

Rebuttal: I think that it was a statement that needed to be made, and I am not of the opinion that necessary statements require sacrifice.

 

[Section 101]

I think you're wrong. I don't necessarily want to find out.

Most players still live year to year, their expenses are based on their salary. The max year guys could take it, the mid level and minimum guys would financially hit hard.

 

[Joshoua]

Lebron this close to a title. They ain’t stopping the season. They will boycott a few games, there will be interviews and messages that will bring awareness, but in the end, lebron will get his title.
Now if the players actually put their money where mouth is and boycott/cancel the rest of the season and give up their paychecks for the cause, that should show everyone they’re are doing it for show or when it’s convenient for them. I have a lot of respect for those players that where giving up a huge chunk of their paycheck for their cause or were out peacefully protesting with people and not just doing it for the camera.

Lol ya lakers look good games will be played by the weekend. He’ll the bucks already said they want to olay

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

That's the rock and a hard place I'm talking about. The NBA will take an insanely massive revenue hit if they let the players take over and turn the sport into their own political platform. People won't watch if the players leave and people won't watch if they have to get bombarded with this stuff when all they want to do is sit down, decompress and watch something that takes their mind off the world.

I don't think they thought this thing out very well.

1. Let them watch something else, then.
2. With respect to the ongoing conversation in the ratings thread (shout out to @Insomniacal Fan), I don't think that your assessment of why people may or may not be watching is accurate.

 

[Joshoua]

I think you're wrong. I don't necessarily want to find out.

When it’s time to lose money 95% will show up I guarantee that. Just look at the Hong Kong situation if it’s hitting there pockets they won’t do nothing about. I’m looking at you lebron

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Most players still live year to year, their expenses are based on their salary. The max year guys could take it, the mid level and minimum guys would financially hit hard.

I am aware of that, and I stand behind my statement. I think that you underestimate how much this issue matters to most of the players.