Amid the NBA's decision to experiment with a 44-minute game between the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets, several stars came out to speak out that it is not about the number of minutes they play each night. Cleveland Cavaliers star Lebron James and Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki think that what should be addressed is the lengthy NBA season. An NBA season spans nine months with one week break, at least for those who won't participate in the annual All-Star Game that takes place every February. Each team will have to play at least 82 games during the elimination round.
For Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest player of all time and current owner of Charlotte Hornets, there should have no issue on an 82-game season. According to ESPN's Chris Broussard, the Chicago Bulls great think that the lengthy season is for the love of the game.
"I love both of those guys, but as an owner who played the game, I loved playing,'' the six-time NBA champion told ESPN during a telephone interview. "If I wasn't playing 82 games, I still would've been playing somewhere else because that's the love for the game I had. As a player, I never thought 82 games was an issue."
Although he wants to see more games played, Michael Jordan insisted that shortening the NBA calender can be discussed by owners and players.
"But if that's what they want to do, we as owners and players can evaluate it and talk about it. But we'd make less money as partners. Are they ready to give up money to play fewer games? That's the question, because you can't make the same amount of money playing fewer games.''
As per Cleveland.com, Lebron James said that "it's not the minutes, it's the games."
"The minutes don't mean anything. We can play 50-minute games if we had to. It's the games that I think we all as players think is too many games in our season. 82 games are a lot."
Dirk Nowitzki has the same sentiment.
"I think you don't need 82 games to determine the best eight in each conference. That could be done a lot quicker, but I always understand that it's about money, and every missed game means missed money for both parties, for the league, for the owners, for the players," said the German star as per Tim MacMahon and Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com.
