The Official NBA Regular Season Thread—-21/22 Edition

[Spacemanspif]

Originally Posted by Skunkbush

This is not true at all.

this is not true at all

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by hairyangryfella

Games getting cancelled, yes.
People's opinions on vaccinations and governments, no.

I use this forum to escape all the crap going on 'real world' and don't need to see people arguing about it in here too, in a thread about regular season games.

It's like you didn't actually read my post at all....

Or you could just… I don’t know… ignore them?

Tough concept, I know

[oshmeehan]

On a lighter note, all these positive test results are the only way I may see Ersan in an NBA uniform again!

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by hairyangryfella

Games getting cancelled, yes.
People's opinions on vaccinations and governments, no.

I use this forum to escape all the crap going on 'real world' and don't need to see people arguing about it in here too, in a thread about regular season games.

It's like you didn't actually read my post at all....

Apologies Hairy

Those days are over. I was once a "let's leave politics out of it" kind of guy but that has proven to be a losing position. I'm much more of a "let me inject my kind of politics into the situation" kind of guy ... respectfully of course.

Different times.

[NeedChapmans]

It appears the NBA has made their decision regarding COVID policy moving forward ... will still test regularly (so a lot of players will miss time) but allowing all teams to sign a player for every player on the COVID list.

Makes for an OK solution IMHO because it's only December and the playoffs are five months away.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

It appears the NBA has made their decision regarding COVID policy moving forward ... will still test regularly (so a lot of players will miss time) but allowing all teams to sign a player for every player on the COVID list.

Makes for an OK solution IMHO because it's only December and the playoffs are five months away.

So I'm not 100% how the natural immunity thing works but if everyone just gets it now they should be good through the end of the season?

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

It appears the NBA has made their decision regarding COVID policy moving forward ... will still test regularly (so a lot of players will miss time) but allowing all teams to sign a player for every player on the COVID list.

Makes for an OK solution IMHO because it's only December and the playoffs are five months away.

Very unfortunate. No change in criteria for asymptomatic players to return? The next month plus is going to be replacement player month since it seems like this is aimed at playing the games regardless of who is out.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

So I'm not 100% how the natural immunity thing works but if everyone just gets it now they should be good through the end of the season?

Nope.

[Nomad]

This is a great opportunity for younger and neglected talent and card collectors should be excited. Remember kids, it's not all about the Rollies and the Lambos. Sometimes it's the G League grind... on an NBA stage.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

Nope.

So basically the on-court product will be awful until the NBA stops being dumb.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

So basically the on-court product will be awful until the NBA stops being dumb.

Probably. The unknown is how good future variants will be at evading established immunity. With the league’s policy, it is highly likely that a significant number of superstars will miss time over the next months.

Testing criteria for NBA players should be no different than for any other individual. Test when symptomatic. That’s it. Anyone pushing more testing as the solution is either a complete moron or a bad actor.

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

So I'm not 100% how the natural immunity thing works but if everyone just gets it now they should be good through the end of the season?

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

Probably. The unknown is how good future variants will be at evading established immunity. With the league’s policy, it is highly likely that a significant number of superstars will miss time over the next months.

Testing criteria for NBA players should be no different than for any other individual. Test when symptomatic. That’s it. Anyone pushing more testing as the solution is either a complete moron or a bad actor.

Yea, IDK and I don't think anyone does right now. I had COVID late last year, Vax in May, COVID again in August. Does that mean I'm unlikely to pick up a case of Omicron? No real idea to be honest.

There are plenty of players who have been on the COVID+ list multiple times but it's going to take a little time to see if it can happen in a condensed time period. That said, the NBA can absolutely change this policy again as we get closer to the post-season if they find that the # of players missing time is still pretty large. What they're saying is that postponements aren't going to happen anymore ... have your plan B team ready.

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

Yea, IDK and I don't think anyone does right now. I had COVID late last year, Vax in May, COVID again in August. Does that mean I'm unlikely to pick up a case of Omicron? No real idea to be honest.

There are plenty of players who have been on the COVID+ list multiple times but it's going to take a little time to see if it can happen in a condensed time period. That said, the NBA can absolutely change this policy again as we get closer to the post-season if they find that the # of players missing time is still pretty large. What they're saying is that postponements aren't going to happen anymore ... have your plan B team ready.

This plan is in place for one-month and can be extended or scrapped after that. 2022 NBA is going to be played on the fly.

[KhalDrogo]

98% of the NFL vaccinated, and still suffering a wide spread outbreak. I’m not aware of any other group of that size where we know the number vaccinated and can observe the breakthrough infections.

People who have received a booster in the last few months are getting it too. Elizabeth Warren just tested positive. It’s finally time for everyone to get realistic on this.

[Zedlaw]

Kicking the can makes the most sense. These guys have the resources to test and we’re months away from games meaning something. I’m sure the players are fine getting paid to sit out a week with mild covid. The owners probably don’t like doling out more checks for replacement players but the power is really with the NBAPA for in season policy changes.

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by Zedlaw

Kicking the can makes the most sense. These guys have the resources to test and we’re months away from games meaning something. I’m sure the players are fine getting paid to sit out a week with mild covid. The owners probably don’t like doling out more checks for replacement players but the power is really with the NBAPA for in season policy changes.

Certainly not but seems like they all agreed. NBA has sent mandates in terms of forcing teams to sign players based on the size of your COVID list. If you have at least 2 players on the list, you must sign at least one replacement, 3 on list, 2 replacements etc. etc. And those replacements must be ready to play the first game after they sign.

It's like watching Any Given Sunday, but NBA style.

[imbluestreak23]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

98% of the NFL vaccinated, and still suffering a wide spread outbreak. I’m not aware of any other group of that size where we know the number vaccinated and can observe the breakthrough infections.

People who have received a booster in the last few months are getting it too. Elizabeth Warren just tested positive. It’s finally time for everyone to get realistic on this.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/thehill...o-nearly%3famp

Here is cohort example #2. 97% of new cases at Cornell are in the vaxed/boosted. Granted, no relative risk reduction provided as this isn’t a published study and it’s easy to assume nearly all Cornell students are vaxed, but it’s just not as effective as we all would like it to be.

[Zedlaw]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

98% of the NFL vaccinated, and still suffering a wide spread outbreak. I’m not aware of any other group of that size where we know the number vaccinated and can observe the breakthrough infections.

People who have received a booster in the last few months are getting it too. Elizabeth Warren just tested positive. It’s finally time for everyone to get realistic on this.

The NFL had a really detailed covid report last year. During all this, sports leagues really have been a great source of information. They’re basically a well funded controlled experiment, everyone is tracked and test regularly. It is disheartening to see community spread in such a well tested environment. Society at large is never matching this level of control and it’s still not enough. We seem to be nearing a tipping point, we have vaccines and better therapies to keep the majority of society out of hospitals but also a widespread and out of control virus. I think we’re nearing a new normal. Covid spreads, we get annual shots, we get covid with mild symptoms, we move on. All the while our baselines for acceptable deaths and hospital capacities rise.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by imbluestreak23

https://www.google.com/amp/s/thehill...o-nearly%3famp

Here is cohort example #2. 97% of new cases at Cornell are in the vaxed/boosted. Granted, no relative risk reduction provided as this isn’t a published study and it’s easy to assume nearly all Cornell students are vaxed, but it’s just not as effective as we all would like it to be.

Nice. And no severe cases either. It was effective until it wasn’t. That’s always going to be the story with Covid. You cannot vaccinate against future strains. And by time you develop the new vaccine, the next strain is here.

Originally Posted by Zedlaw

Covid spreads, we get annual shots, we get covid with mild symptoms, we move on. All the while our baselines for acceptable deaths and hospital capacities rise.

Annual is not good enough. Every six months is not good enough. Every three months is probably not good enough.

Only a matter of time before daily case numbers are a thing of the past. The government is going to have a hard time convincing people to get more vaccines with all these breakthrough cases.

[daeve]

with a bit more experience, I'm sure RW and DJ will learn how to box out

https://streamable.com/f9ubho

[Zedlaw]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

Nice. And no severe cases either. It was effective until it wasn’t. That’s always going to be the story with Covid. You cannot vaccinate against future strains. And by time you develop the new vaccine, the next strain is here.


Annual is not good enough. Every six months is not good enough. Every three months is probably not good enough.

Only a matter of time before daily case numbers are a thing of the past. The government is going to have a hard time convincing people to get more vaccines with all these breakthrough cases.

I agree, case numbers will start to hold less and less meaning but there will still be a push for vaccines, if not a requirement to obtain different levels of health insurance. The vaccines are no longer a tool to prevent individual cases but simply to keep people out of the hospital. I don’t think we have a good understanding about the duration an annual shot will be effective against severe covid. If hospitalizations flatline through natural immunity, I can see vaccines going away.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by Zedlaw

I agree, case numbers will start to hold less and less meaning but there will still be a push for vaccines, if not a requirement to obtain different levels of health insurance. The vaccines are no longer a tool to prevent individual cases but simply to keep people out of the hospital. I don’t think we have a good understanding about the duration an annual shot will be effective against severe covid. If hospitalizations flatline through natural immunity, I can see vaccines going away.

Hospitalizations will never flatline until cases do. Because the numbers that get put out in the media are hospitalizations with Covid, not hospitalizations for Covid.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

Hospitalizations will never flatline until cases do. Because the numbers that get put out in the media are hospitalizations with Covid, not hospitalizations for Covid.

Intentional misdirection is their plan until it doesn't work anymore.

We're close but I think everybody is starting to figure it out.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by daeve

with a bit more experience, I'm sure RW and DJ will learn how to box out

https://streamable.com/f9ubho

That’s clearly a case of Jordan thinking Russ was going to do his usual ball hogging of the rebound. Oops.

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

That’s clearly a case of Jordan thinking Russ was going to do his usual ball hogging of the rebound. Oops.

These things are gonna happen when you have your PG looking to get 10 rebounds a night. Westbrook has no interest in blocking out his man; that rebound is supposed to be Jordan's 100% of the time.

Alas, this is a feature, not a bug.