Suns had a COVID Outbreak in the Playoffs

[Finito]

Yeah he should come out and admit he knowingly played with Covid and exposed thousands of people to it so he can be crucified by the media and accused of trying to kill people. It will also play as him making excuses.

Oooor just let the media run with the story and speculate cause that’s way better right.

If he had Covid it’s a complete A hole move but at the same time those are the rules now. He didn’t break any NBA rules.

 

[Chaplin]

Oooor just let the media run with the story and speculate cause that’s way better right.

If he had Covid it’s a complete A hole move but at the same time those are the rules now. He didn’t break any NBA rules.

Media speculation is a fact of life in sports. Athletes have to deal with (and ignore) media speculation every single day.

 

[elindholm]

I think it tore the chemistry up completely. Al McCoy said that before game 7 he could tell from the team that they were "cooked"

Poor Al. He deserves a championship more than any of us!

 

[1tinsoldier]

my thoughts on this, in itemized fashion, as usual:

1. it explains the team's odd silence

2. imo, other speculations about contributing collapse factors are still valid, but this easily jumps to #1

3. even if physical symptoms were minimal there are significant physiological factors of a suspected outbreak that would have messed with their heads.
---a. is it ethical to play?
---b. how many others am i putting at risk? Especially if i play an aggressive, tight defense?
---c. if we win game 7, will we fall apart with players in protocol anyway in the Conference Finals.

4. calling the Suns "quitters" and "chokers" who "need to be broken up" was a knee-jerk reaction to losing. Some contributing fickle-finger-of-fate like this should have been assumed by any reasonable fan who knows the character of these players and this team.

 

[Cheesebeef]

my thoughts on this, in itemized fashion, as usual:

1. it explains the team's odd silence

2. imo, other speculations about contributing collapse factors are still valid, but this easily jumps to #1

3. even if physical symptoms were minimal there are significant physiological factors of a suspected outbreak that would have messed with their heads.
---a. is it ethical to play?
---b. how many others am i putting at risk? Especially if i play an aggressive, tight defense?
---c. if we win game 7, will we fall apart with players in protocol anyway in the Conference Finals.

4. calling the Suns "quitters" and "chokers" who "need to be broken up" was a knee-jerk reaction to losing. Some contributing fickle-finger-of-fate like this should have been assumed by any reasonable fan who knows the character of these players and this team.

If there was a big Covid outbreak and they were silent about it, it’s actually worse than choking. Losing a basketball game doesn’t mean squat in the grand scheme of things. Putting an untold amount of people at risk for a virus that is still very much killing people and destroying others with long Covid syndrome is abominable behavior.

 

[Mainstreet]

Right. Covid could provide the alibi the Suns need. There has to be some reason why the team went from excellent to awful overnight, and if the virus can be the scapegoat, it might be possible to sweep all of the personality conflicts under the rug.

The Athletic is the source that put out the story, not the Suns.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think it tore the chemistry up completely. Al McCoy said that before game 7 he could tell from the team that they were "cooked"

I wish I knew how Al McCoy meant it.

The Suns fought hard all season to get to the Finals to give up without a fight in game 7. It was inexplicable.

 

[Finito]

I wish I knew how Al McCoy meant it.

The Suns fought hard all season to get to the Finals to give up without a fight in game 7. It was inexplicable.

And game 6

 

[mjb21aztd]

Well guess sun's lucky don't have to worry bout health in this yr finals lol

So tired of teams coming out with reports after they lose in poffs

Rise up get healthy for next season sun's players

 

[JerkFace]

If there was a big Covid outbreak and they were silent about it, it’s actually worse than choking. Losing a basketball game doesn’t mean squat in the grand scheme of things. Putting an untold amount of people at risk for a virus that is still very much killing people and destroying others with long Covid syndrome is abominable behavior.

I can almost guarantee that players from all the teams are only testing themselves when the symptoms get really bad. Even CJ McCollum admitted to playing multiple games, including one that he played “with a cough drop in my mouth”, before finally getting tested.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I can almost guarantee that players from all the teams are only testing themselves when the symptoms get really bad. Even CJ McCollum admitted to playing multiple games, including one that he played “with a cough drop in my mouth”, before finally getting tested.

Don’t care and the same goes for all of them.

 

[TJ]

This is the kind of crap that forces teams to give up draft picks

 

[JerkFace]

This is the kind of crap that forces teams to give up draft picks

The NBA is just as responsible for the policy that they put in place as the Suns are. The NBA pretty much put into place a “don’t ask don’t tell” policy. They all sold their souls (hyperbole) for a “clean as possible” playoffs.

 

[TJ]

The NBA is just as responsible for the policy that they put in place as the Suns are. The NBA pretty much put into place a “don’t ask don’t tell” policy. They all sold there souls (hyperbole) for a “clean as possible” playoffs.

Which means they'll use the Suns as scapegoats and take away draft picks

 

[JerkFace]

Which means they'll use the Suns as scapegoats and take away draft picks

Maybe, but I doubt that is a can of worms they want to open. More likely they sweep it under the rug. CJ McCullum already admitted to playing sick because of the importance of the games. Luka admitted to being sick before game one of the WCF, and I doubt the nba wants to look into whether or not he got tested.

 

[Folster]

Maybe, but I doubt that is a can of worms they want to open. More likely they sweep it under the rug. CJ McCullum already admitted to playing sick because of the importance of the games. Luka admitted to being sick before game one of the WCF, and I doubt the nba wants to look into whether or not he got tested.

They purposely changed the policy because they did not want to risk the competitiveness of the product due to what amounts to cold symptoms for players and coaches who are all vaxxed and at very little risk.

 

[JerkFace]

They purposely changed the policy because they did not want to risk the competitiveness of the product due to what amounts to cold symptoms for players and coaches who are all vaxxed and at very little risk.

They purposely changed the policy because of $$$

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

This really needs it's own thread. It's all over the local radio this morning. Bickley had Sam Amrick on the show.

Suns’ COVID-19 outbreak in playoffs raises questions about NBA protocols

From the time of the Orlando bubble to this postseason, much has changed about the way the league handles the virus.

theathletic.com

So the NBA basically has an honor system on testing in the playoffs. CJ McCollum has already admitted he had COVID during the play in run and he had to self test. Players are being left to own if they need to be tested or if it's just a cold.

Amrick basically said this was why the team was full of discontent at the end of the year, especially between Paul and Monty

How did the covid breakout lead to the discontent? Were some players thinking their health wasn’t being cared for?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Mavs’ Luka Doncic ‘close to 100%’ after battling flu-like symptoms, TNT reports

After battling flu-like symptoms between Game 1 and Game 2 of the Western Conference finals, Luka Doncic was very improved, TNT reported Sunday on its pregame...

www.dallasnews.com

Luka had COVID after playing us.

Interesting

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Luka averaged 30+ against the Warriors. Looked fine to me.

Yeah but they were absolutely reporting - in real time - that he was sick.

 

[JerkFace]

How did the covid breakout lead to the discontent? Were some players thinking their health wasn’t being cared for?

My guess is there were multiple pieces of the discontent puzzle. This is just one of them.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I think it’s pretty safe to say if you have Covid your not gonna be averaging 32 points a game in a series no matter how old you are.

If CP3 had it he needs to come out and say something I feel. Your supposed to be the leader. You don’t let the media run with speculation for three weeks.

I said he looked hurt. He was up and down in the Pels series but the fall off from game 2 to 3 was like nothing I’ve ever seen. Injury, personal problems, Covid who knows

Either you haven’t had a mild case of Covid or don’t know anyone that did. This thing has degrees. It ran the full spectrum in our house. Youngest had no symptoms, older child had a few, I had minor ones that differed from my boy, and my girl was dog sick. Pretty sure I could’ve played basketball when I had it. Kids definitely could have.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I think it tore the chemistry up completely. Al McCoy said that before game 7 he could tell from the team that they were "cooked"

But why? Why did it tear apart chemistry?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

My gu

My guess is there were multiple pieces of the discontent puzzle. This is just one of them.

Yeah kind of the proverbial straw that caused everything to collapse. I get that.

 

[1tinsoldier]

If there was a big Covid outbreak and they were silent about it, it’s actually worse than choking. Losing a basketball game doesn’t mean squat in the grand scheme of things. Putting an untold amount of people at risk for a virus that is still very much killing people and destroying others with long Covid syndrome is abominable behavior.

excellent, Cheese. you and Finito are learning. there are things we can observe and take from the games that are more important than the game itself. and character is more important than winning or losing. for players and fans.

please do find and support a team that is more ethical. and let me know because i should to. But it can't be the Pelicans, because the Suns may have gotten covid from their lax protocol. And not the Mavs, because Doncic could have passed it to the Warriors. hey, maybe we should root for the Warriors? Curry and Steve Kerr are very socially conscience? so is Lebron. Lakers?

now, that having been said -- "worst than choking" is NOT choking, is it? the Suns have been achievers, not "chokers" the last 2 seasons!