NBA helping us forget, if not crush, the virus

By Al S. Mendoza

 

THE National Basketball Association (NBA) has sort of become a savior.

Savior, meaning the NBA has saved mankind from extended boredom.  The sporting mankind, I mean.

If you look at the sports pages today, virtually the NBA dominates the section.

Which is good as the nation is gripped by the virus scare brought on by the COVID-19.

Already, more than 20 million have been virus-hit worldwide, with the dead listed as more than one million already.

The scourge isn’t slowing down that much in our own shores as we now have more than 100,000 infections.  More than 2,000 have succumbed to the plague.

We need to pray more for God to finally stop the pandemic and bring peace and harmony back to us.

The NBA restart is a piece of magical wonder if only because it is serving man’s need to be happy and assured in these unprecedented times of fear, dismay and death stalking us almost without let-up.

Since its return on July 31 after getting stopped by the COVID-19 on March 11, the NBA has been providing us—specifically the sports buffs all around the world—the much-needed break to enjoy the beauty of life again.

The NBA’s comeback venue itself is a marvel of engineering human invention.

I refer to the Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, near Orlando, in Florida.

Its other name is EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow), which had its groundbreaking ceremonies in 1966 by Walt Disney.

Its 11 pavilions representing 11 developed countries of the world are the complex’s main attractions.

To prepare it for the NBA return, officials teamed up with NBA leaders to ensure health safety measures for all those involved in the bounce back.

The NBA’s resumption of games from July 31 up to the October Finals will require all players, coaches and other essential staff to stay inside the complex.

So precise were the protocols in place that the NBA bubble is practically virus-proof, with all NBA personalities from the superstar players to the ball boys given protection from the virus fangs.

The best part of it is, all the remaining games of the NBA are being aired in the Philippines, thanks to TV5’s Cignal which has been efficiently carrying the all-important matches of the regular season.

Now showing the way in the NBA Western Conference are the Los Angeles Lakers, finally ending their five-year drought of failing to reach the playoffs.

Leading the Lakers, of course, is LeBron James, who is aiming for his fourth NBA ring and his first title as well in the West after winning twice for Miami and once for his home team Cleveland in East.

The Eastern Conference has the Milwaukee Bucks towing the field into the playoffs, starring reigning MVP (Most Valuable Player) Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Greek monster with brutal-laden moves.

Breathing down the Lakers’ necks are the Los Angeles Clippers, who are being led by the irrepressible Kawhi Leonard, who sparked Toronto to last year’s victory en route to being crowned the NBA’s Finals MVP.

While Milwaukee seems to have the lock on the Eastern title, it’s a tossup between the Lakers and the Clippers in the battle for the Western plum.

We will never know what the future holds in the world’s No. 1 basketball league.

So, meanwhile, let’s just sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

That’s one wise way to forget, if not crush, the virus’s evil ways.

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments