Is almost a season of who can stay the healthiest as much as it is to play well- I'm looking at my NBA news and see almost every team has major injuries already and we are only 2 weeks in. Ginobili, C Horford, C Brown, Beasley, Barea, Bogut, Kidd, D Rose, Hamilton, Curry, Zach Randolph, Greg Oden, Wade- and tons more. Most of these injuries occurred in the past week! List of current NBA injuries
It's tough to keep up the quicker pace (fewer days between games) after you basically sat around all summer and fall. Not that these elite, highly-paid athletes were "sitting around," but you know what I mean. This season is going to wear some guys down, much like the 1999 strike-shortened season. Teams will need depth and speed to win it all.
Phil Jackson will be along shortly to assure you that lockouts actually mean less injuries because the season is shorter.
Phil Jackson will also tell this year's NBA Champion that they deserve an asterisk next to their title.
I believe this season is going to be significantly longer than the 1998 lockout season. I believe it is 66 games this year vs 50 in 1998.
66 games- we know the NBA extended the dates of the games, and made them more compact for money. More games= more money. Ok I got it- but they changed the game to being a combination of endurance and health, in addition to basketball, vs. just basketball in most seasons.
In 1999 they did 50 games in 3 months. In 2012 we're doing 66 games in 4 months. Not really sure which is more taxing. The most time off any team had in the 1999 season was two days. But they also finished their season with fewer games, and it's the end of the season where depth and age show a bit more.
