This week is the first of the NCAA basketball tournaments, and Kevin Durant and Luka Dončić have been injured. Some sports fans might believe this is a good week to step away from the NBA.
Be sure to check out the college men’s and women’s hoop, but it would not be wise to ignore the nba for seven days and return to the revamped standings without knowing why the teams are in their current positions. There are only the top four games until Thursday, so there’s plenty of time to get in on the NBA action.
Some key players will miss a bit of time. Injuries will be the main reason, but that final sprint after the All-Star Game will require some load management. Yes, a favorable ranking is important, but no NBA championship favorite will be able to win the trophy without a relatively healthy roster. This is true no matter how tight the standings are in the Western Conference.
While basketball fans should definitely indulge in the college game this week, plenty of important pro games will be played. Although Ernie, Kenny and Chuck won’t be in attendance, NBA fans should make sure to at least follow the professional winners and losers.
*Disclaimer: This is the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. No one cares about your “load management” issues right now.