For years, the contention here has been that the NBA's annual awards should include the playoffs, which, with their two-month run in a typical season, extend nearly as long as a third of the regular season. Why dismiss the most meaningful games of the calendar? (As it is, the only postseason award is for the MVP of the NBA Finals, which factors in only one of the four postseason rounds.)
Instead, the league has gone the opposite way during this most unusual of seasons, opting not to factor into the award balloting the eight "seeding" games each of the 22 teams Disney World will play to conclude their regular seasons.
Understand, during a typical 82-game schedule, that would represent about a 10th of the regular season. This abbreviated season, it's even more. As for the argument that the eight lottery teams not invited into the NBA's quarantine setting would be shortchanged ... well, don't stink. Nearly three-quarters of the league is playing on.
For the Heat, the league's decision halts what could have been momentum toward significant hardware.
Now, Bam Adebayo and New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram don't get to battle to the wire for Most Improved Player.
Goran Dragic doesn't get the opportunity to improve his standing for the Sixth Man Award.
Tyler Herro is stunted in a bid to plant himself on an All-Rookie team.
And Jimmy Butler's placement on one of the three All-NBA teams, if there is to be one, won't count his play in the final eight games of the season.
The league says all the stats for those eight games count ... except in the balloting. So we're basically completing an election ... and then holding the debates. You can still make your points, but it won't assist in winning anything.
Still, if decisions must be made, might as well give it the requisite consideration before the Heat find themselves a week from now in games that count in the standings (but, again, not the award balloting).
.jpg?w=600)
