Your Morning Dump… Where we are one grueling week into the NBA suspension, but there is hope

NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder at Boston Celtics

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

It feels longer than a week, doesn’t it? There are only so many highlights and secondary articles we can read without going certifiably insane. However, two pieces of news emerged yesterday, one which will give basketball fans hope for a salvaged season, the other to stave off sheer boredom.

The former is Commissioner Silver’s interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols regarding an update on the league’s timetable.

One potential option for bringing back the sport would be some kind of charity competition — one separate from regular play — in order to give millions of NBA fans stuck at home something to watch.

In addition, Silver said he isn’t sure what the NBA schedule will look like if play resumes this season, and isn’t ready to think the league will have to cancel its season. He acknowledged the situation could lead to a complete reshaping of the NBA calendar.

In the immediate term, though, Silver said he and the league’s 30 teams are weighing several scenarios for when — and how — the NBA can resume play whenever it is able to.

Silver has navigated this period gracefully in the face of uncertainty; nothing like this has ever happened to the league (or the world for that matter) before. And whether it means playing games without fans in attendance (sorry Lebron!), or just a charity game for fun, I think all basketball fans would welcome any progressive step.

In the meantime, NBA League Pass is giving fans a free preview of its premium subscription service in the wake of the NBA hiatus. 

The evolving situation around the coronavirus has been challenging for everyone, and we hope that you are taking appropriate precautions to ensure that you and your family stay safe and healthy. We encourage you to visit NBA.com for additional information on how to protect yourself and your family during this unprecedented time.  

Limiting social interactions is a critical way to minimize the spread of this virus, but staying home for long periods of time can be difficult.  With the 2019-20 NBA season on hiatus, the NBA and Turner Sports are providing all fans with a free preview of NBA League Pass, the league’s premium subscription-based product, until April 22.  This complimentary offering will provide you with access to full length and condensed replays of all games from the 2019-20 season, as well as an expansive archive of classic games and content. 

You can redeem this free offer by signing into your NBA account through NBA.com or the NBA App on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android mobile and tablet devices, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and other supported devices.

It may not be live basketball, but watching Bob Cousy tear up the court in 1963 or McHale dropping 56 on the Pistons in 1985 gives Celtics fans a glimpse into the storied franchise they root for today and a greater appreciation for basketball as a whole. Enjoy.

THE REST OF THE LINKS:

Boston Sports Journal: Tom Brady, Paul Pierce and the scarcity of the modern one-team career

MassLive: Boston Celtics deep dive: Jaylen Brown, his improved attacking, and the enemy within

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