During the condensed season of 2011-2012, the negative impact of the compressed schedule was visible from injuries, worn players, and the back-to-back-to-backs on the schedule, but would a shorter season be benefcial to the NBA?
Silly question, if here was 66 games spread over the same length of a traditional season, it would seem beneficial, but would a 62-game season beginning on Christmas Day make a HUGE difference?
Head coach of the Denver Nuggets, George Karl, seems to think so:
“I’m sure Commissioner Stern won’t like this, but I think the product would be better if we shortened the season. When we start playing in late October, the people are thinking football. If you could just get us less fatigue [in a shorter season], I think you’d have a better product. When they started on Christmas Day, I thought, ‘This is not a bad idea. This should be the start of NBA basketball … Maybe start Dec. 1 and play 62 games, whatever number they’d come to.”
It wouldn’t make a noticeable difference if the season began on Christmas Day, similar effects from last season would still occur; however, if the season began on Dencember 1st (just a month later) and still contained 62 games, it could be beneficial not just for the athletes, but for coaches giving them an extra month of training time *could* prove to be helpful.
Then again, the same result could be prsent.
Needless to say, NBA enthusiasts are glad that there’s no waiting for the NBA season to commence.
36 days and counting.
