You may or may not already have July 30 marked on your calendar. Either way, here are the 11 most intriguing arguments on why it should be:
1. What else are you going to do?
In a world where going to the grocery store can be the highlight of your day, the demand for exciting entertainment is at an all time high. New Netflix shows are hard to come by, playing the same games every day gets monotonous, and interacting with the same people becomes boring. The chances of being busy are low, so why not throw the TV on and watch the NBA? Even if you have to go in to work or even work from home, you're in luck because games will be airing in the evenings.
2. The circumstances are unprecedented
To understand just how unprecedented this mid-season break is, it is important to provide some perspective. The previous record for amount of days off without a game in the NBA was 7 before the 2015 NBA Finals. After game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, there was a 130 day off-season before the first game of the 2019-20 season. After the last game on March 11th, there will have been a 140 day hiatus before the season restarts. Watching how the league handles the restart is interesting on its own, but seeing how well the players are able to perform should be far more intriguing.
3. You might learn something
The NBA has been very outspoken on current social issues and has made it clear that they are not stopping any time soon. Tuning in to a game might not just give you great basketball, but might also give you great information about current events due to player and coach involvement. For example, you might learn about More Than A Vote, an organization created by LeBron James and other high profile athletes to fight voter suppression in the black community.
4. You might realize you like basketball
We all lead busy lives and sometimes a consequence of that is not being able to give something really cool the light of day. Because they will only play 8 games and then go straight into the playoffs, this could be a great opportunity to sway people's opinion on the sport. If you have never watched, this is a prime opportunity to get started. If you disliked basketball in the past, there's no better time than now to turn that frown upside down.
5. It is live entertainment
Even if you despise basketball whole-heartedly, at the end of the day it is still live entertainment, which has seldom found its way onto our TVs in the last 3 months. It would be best to just enjoy the slow return to "normal" life.
6. Lebron has a chance to add to his legacy
Lebron's resume is already impressive, but what he could do this year would put him into some elite company. If he wins his fourth championship this season, he will tie Shaq and Tony Parker for 28th most rings in history, and only be one ring back of Kobe and Tim Duncan. If he were to win his fifth MVP award, he would join an exponentially more exclusive club with just Michael Jordan, Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players to have 5 or more MVP trophies. A lot is at stake for LeBron this year, especially if he wants to help his GOAT argument.
7. Kawhi Leonard can make history
Lebron is not the only one looking to cement his legacy and make history this year. In fact, Kawhi Leonard is looking to do something that has never been done before: win 3 Finals MVP awards with 3 different teams. Winning a championship with 3 different teams is difficult enough, but to also be voted the best player in the Finals series all 3 times is unheard of and yet Kawhi has a chance to do it this year.
8. You cannot get enough Zion
If you want to see a man fly, Zion Williamson might be your best bet. After coming back from injury, he has averaged close to 24 points a game with no shortage of rim-rattling jams. He is electric and fun to watch for even the most casual basketball fans. If you need excitement in your life, turn your TV on to the New Orleans Pelicans games and enjoy the show.
9. We get our first look at Luka in the playoffs
Another captivating young talent is Luka Doncic, who has taken over the league in just his second year. He was denied a playoff opportunity last year, but this year he is all but in. With Kristaps Porzingis by his side, there are sure to be many playoff runs in the near future, and this season is the start. It would be foolish to miss such a great young player performing on the biggest stage for the first time.
10. It might make you feel better about your athletic ability
We all have those days where we watch a professional athlete do something crazy and think, "Wow, a human just did that!" The sheer size of some of them alone makes a normal human feel so small. When the NBA resumes, there's a possibility that the players will not be in game shape and some of the games will be really sloppy. This could give you hope that you aren't as bad of an athlete as you think, but don't get too high on it, because eventually you will come back down.
11. It will give you a break from the chaos of the world while keeping the important issues at the forefront of your mind
Sports can be a very therapeutic activity. Whether it is watching them or playing them, they have the ability to take your mind off of normal stresses. In a world that currently embodies chaos, watching the NBA could help relieve some of that stress. But in the same breath, it is so important to not let the issues at hand fly by the wayside. And by watching the NBA, that won't happen. They are planning on making the current BLM movement a major part of the return and are allowing players to have a platform to keep dialogue alive. So by tuning in, you will get great entertainment and great commentary.
