In this time of uncertainty, the NBA (along with fans) are considering a bevy of options for how it could finish the 2019-20 season and crown a champion. Portland Trail Blazers All-Star Damian Lillard hopes the league can find a creative solution to resume the season.
“If there's any time for the NBA to get super creative, this is it,” Dame said on a media conference call. Lillard put forth the idea of a single-elimination tournament featuring all 30 teams.
Lillard's understandably holding out hope that his Blazers would have a chance to compete for the playoffs with a fully-healthy squad that could theoretically include Zach Collins and Jusuf Nurkic. Both key contributors have missed extended periods of time with respective injuries. After a Western Conference Finals run last spring, the injury-ravaged Blazers (29-37) trailed the Memphis Grizzlies (32-33) by 3.5 games for the final playoff spot at the time the league suspended the 2019-20 season.
However, Lillard's still prioritizing a punctual start to the 2020-21 regular season over a fully completed 2019-20 season.
https://twitter.com/highkin/status/1245082528358137856
Lillard, like LeBron James, had previously expressed skepticism about playing games without fans in attendance during an Instagram Live chat with Chimey Ogwumike.
The NBA suspended its season on March 11th, and the most optimistic predictions see basketball resuming in mid-to-late June. Notably, the Chinese Basketball Association announced Tuesday that it would be reversing course on its plans to return to hoops this week. The CBA's approach to resuming its season had been “seen as a test case for American sports leagues, especially the NBA,” according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.
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