Although there had been plenty of speculation regarding the risks involved with finishing the 2019-20 season in a bubble environment, things have gone exactly according to plan from a health perspective as the NBA Playoffs is now in the second round.
Despite all the precautions that were taken to establish viable safety protocols, commissioner Adam Silver still acknowledged that there was no full-proof plan for playing through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Fortunately, they have done a solid job of making it come to fruition after the NBA and NBPA have continued to move along without any positive coronavirus (COVID-19) tests.
Aside from the health factor, fans also rejoiced at some of the breakout performances that have taken place in the bubble. The fight for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference added more intrigue.
Though Silver could not have hoped for a better outcome up to this point, it appears he still has some regrets. The NBA managed to find a way for 22 teams to successfully finish out the truncated season amid the ongoing pandemic.
According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, Silver is still disappointed with the fact that eight teams are missing out on the festivities:
“I’d say my biggest disappointment is that we couldn’t find a sensible way to bring 30 teams down there. We know everything here involves compromises, but I do feel bad there are eight teams that are not part of the experience.”
The initial plan for the NBA was to include all 30 teams for the season restart at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Floria. However, the seeding games format eliminated eight of them from playoff contention and all the initial uncertainty with the safety of the bubble ultimately took importance.
The silver lining in such an unprecedented season is that the league now has a much better idea of the challenges involved with playing the season in a bubble and can take steps to include all 30 teams. The NBA and NBPA even reached plans on how to begin allowing player guests and family members to enter the bubble.
Non-bubble teams cleared for workouts
The NBA and NBPA recently approved a process for the eight teams that were not part of the bubble to begin voluntary workouts in their home markets.
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