We Will Miss You 2021 NBA Season

The 2021 NBA season is officially over now. We saw the NBA title go to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. That was their first title since the 70s. The Phoenix Suns represented the Western Conference in the Finals for the first time since 1993. This season was odd due to Covid and a plethora of injuries. However, it was still an enjoyable ride to the end. It culminated with a team that defied the odds, and a superstar that wanted to stay with the organization. Thank you to the 2021 NBA season, as we may not see this again for a long time.

Photo courtesy of Draftkings

Fans Appreciate Parity

Parity within the NBA is all about an even playing field. Parity is a good things in sports. We do not see the most stacked team win each and every years. The team with the best player might have a hard time getting over the hump in some years. That is what this season brought; parity. The Bucks-Suns Finals matchup was something that we could never had envision. Every season is met with a list of teams that we are ready to pencil in as one of the favorites. The Bucks fit that description because of Giannis, but were sometimes looked at as the third best team in the East. In the other conference, the Suns came from not making the playoffs in a decade to the Finals. This season was unexpected in the best ways possible. Granted, injuries took the fun out of it. However, the season had so many positives that might go overlooked in the next couple of years.

The season had so many positives that might go overlooked in the next couple of years.

The media tries to downplay parity sometimes. They claim we love dynasties and a dominant force. In some situations that might be true. However, it is different with other sports. In football, the New England Patriots were at the top each and every year for almost two decades straight. The difference was that you would go into seasons thinking that other teams had a legitimate shot. Same can be said for the late 90s, and early 2000s Yankees. We looked at them as being one of, if not, the contender. There was still a belief in others. Teams in the 90s still instilled faith into their fanbases, despite Michael Jordan accomplishing two seperate three peats. The fans appreciate an even playing field. That is why 2021 was a successful season for the fans of basketball.

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Why it Will be Missed

The forgotten part of the 2021 playoffs will be the domination of the Brooklyn Nets. They possessed three superstars; all with an insane scoring arsenal. However, they were bounced in the second-round by the eventual champions. That was due to the injuries that James Harden and Kyrie Irving sustained. If not for the injuries, they might have swept the Bucks. Their big three is coming back to play a full season with one another plus a couple of key additions. One of those additions is the sharpshooting, Patty Mills. A team with very few flaws are getting better. Barring injuries, there shouldn’t be a team in the Eastern Conference that should be able to compete with them.

Then, there are the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers were looking to repeat as champions in 2021 until injuries derailed that goal. In fact, they looked to be healthy and make a run as the seventh seed. However, Anthony Davis got hurt once again and that was there season. The Lakers have reloaded with adding Russell Westbrook to the fold. They were also able to obtain some nice bench pieces, such as Carmelo Anthony and Kendrick Nunn. The Suns might be able to compete with them, but that is unlikely if the Lakers are healthy. Luka Doncic might not have enough help with the Dallas Mavericks. Lastly, the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers are going to miss one of their star players for most of the season. This Lakers team might not have any true competition during next season.

The Lakers have reloaded with adding Russell Westbrook to the fold. They were also able to obtain some nice bench pieces, such as Carmelo Anthony and Kendrick Nunn.

Farewell 

This was the first season in a long time where we saw new teams fighting for the title. It was a welcoming sight for the fans. That might have been a blip on the radar. The next couple of years might be a foregone conclusion, as to who are going to be meeting in the Finals. Judging by the trend of the league within the last decade; we should prepare ourselves for that type of season. 2021 will be missed. It was a season that no one expected, one that will hopefully never be forgotten.