Now that some time has passed since the final game, we can go ahead and do a review of the NBA during the season.
The sole idea of holding a tournament during the season was a bit foreign to NBA fans, but commissioner Adam Silver did what he needed to do to get players to sign up: He offered them $500,000 so they could actually participate on a regular basis. Season games seriously.
Review of the NBA championship season
The tournament received mixed reviews, but the numbers don't lie, and the numbers show that it was a huge success for the league. In fact, the final was the most-watched regular-season game outside of Christmas in the past six years.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the five most amazing things we saw in the IST editorial.
Colored courts are a thing
For better or worse, the colorful courts were certainly one of the highlights of NBA IST. Love them or hate them, everyone had something to say about these stadiums, and while some were indeed difficult to watch, others were a huge contrast to the team jerseys.
It would have been nice to see a little tweaking for a change. It gave the games a different feel, and made it seem as if there was a completely different tournament or league. Sometimes, it feels like you're playing a video game with real players.
Bucks can be beat
The Milwaukee Bucks entered the season as the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. Adding Damian Lillard to the team with the best record in the league made it seem like only they could stop them from reaching the NBA Finals.
However, the tournament proved during the season that they were no closer to the final product. They can be had, and they struggle mightily when they have to run up and down the field. Defense is a major issue for Adrian Griffin's team, and the Indiana Pacers have done a great job of exposing them.
What is Zion made of?
It's not just that the New Orleans Pelicans didn't even appear in the semifinals. It wasn't about the blowout or the loss, it was about how badly Zion Williamson played in the most important game of his career. Likewise, the fact that this was the most important match of his career highlighted just how broke he was.
It seems like no one expects Zion to be healthy anymore. They don't even expect him to be in good shape, which is probably the saddest thing one can say about a professional athlete. He's still great, incredibly talented, and could have a solid career, but “solid” is not what one would expect from him.
Tyrese Haliburton introduces himself to the audience
Tyrese Haliburton is a star in the making, and he's proven it on the biggest stage. He has shown that he is not the future of the league; It is the present. Haliburton has played like the best keeper in the world this season and IST has given him a platform to showcase his skills.
We're talking about a guy posting Stephen Curry's efficiency numbers at all three levels, all while averaging Steve Nash's numbers as a playmaker. There's nothing easy about handing out 13 cents without a spin.
Another accolade for LeBron
And last but not least, the greatest small forward in NBA history has another accolade to add to his resume. His fans will talk about this for years, although, in all honesty, it's not that impressive to win this championship, especially for the Lakers.
But even if you're not a LeBron fan, the fact that he's continuing to add to his resume is impressive at this point. Of course, that means next to nothing, and it's nothing compared to an actual championship, but let's enjoy LeBron's career while we still can.
