With game 82 of the regular season in the books, here are the 3 biggest takeaways every fan should know.
#1: The NBA has a Tanking Problem
Tanking has been an issue as long as the NBA has existed, but this year has been especially ugly. We saw an Eastern Conference allow ten teams to have a winning percentage above .500, because the bottom 5 teams game up nearly instantly. Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks has complained all season about being forced to sit out games, the Bulls obliterated their team construction, and the 3 bottom teams finished with fewer than 20 wins. The Pacers tank was arguably the worst, as they were coming off a Finals trip with just one key player out due to injury. Granted, that player was Tyrese Haliburton, one of the top point guards in the league, but Indiana was still more than capable of winning more than 19 games. The West was no different, with its lottery teams all winning fewer than 30 games. Commissioner Silver needs to make a change, and it needs to come soon.
#2: The LeBron-Steph Era is over
This one has been written on the walls for a while now, but it was cemented this season. The legendary duels between these legends are definitely over. Both guys clearly lost a step this season, and both missed the 65-game mark for awards. James numbers all dipped this season, and his defense was a liability at times this season. Curry barely played half his games this season, and the Warriors barely snuck in as a 10-seed with a losing record. While his numbers still look incredible, it is clear he can’t carry squads like he once could. Both these guys will certainly be missed, but it’s looking like their games are numbered moving forward.
#3: The 65-Game Rule Does not Help
In 2023, the NBA implemented a 65-game requirement for awards to prevent load management. It seemed like the right idea at the time-players would stop purposely sitting out games so that they could still make All-NBA teams, win awards, etc. However, this addition created new problems for the league. Many players start pushing themselves in order to hit the requirement, causing new problems. Nikola Jokic actively looked worse on the court due to his injuries, but continued to play to hit 65 games. Other players pushed themselves to play when they weren’t fully healthy, and created major injuries out of what would’ve been minor ones. While load management is a problem in the NBA, the 65-game rule is not the answer. Back to the drawing board.
