The Inexplicable Magic of the NBA 2K Players Tournament
After Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus, the NBA was cancelled indefinitely. The news shook the sports world, as it paved the way for all other American sports leagues to close their doors. Since, hoops fans have turned to 2 main options.
One is old games, with ESPN showing NBA classics on Wednesdays and CBS showing some March Madness games, along with a host of local networks broadcasting some of their team's greatest games. Plus, NBA League Pass is currently free on-demand, offering a plethora of the greatest games to ever be played on the hardwood.
The other is playing NBA 2K, the hit video game where you can play as your favorite players in an array of modes that could entertain anyone for weeks in quarantine.
Both coping mechanisms make sense for fans looking to think about their favorite sport in this traumatizing times. In one, you can relive some of the most thrilling games of all time, staying on the edge of your seat while the stars of yesterday and today captivate you. In the other, you can create new memories playing as those same stars that fascinated you during their careers.
What baffles me, yet piques my interest is the NBA 2K Players Tournament. Broadcast on ESPN, it pits 16 contemporary NBA players against each other on the Xbox to see whose video game basketball skills can prevail. Kevin Durant, Trae Young, and Donovan Mitchell headlined the field. KD and Spida were toppled in the first round, while Young destroyed Harrison Barnes to make the next round. In a world where we're practically drowning in content, this does seem unnecessary. After all, it is basketball players playing as basketball players virtually. However, it's also really fun.
First off, with no other sports on, I'm dying for some competition. This couch tournament perfectly satisfies it. We enjoyed a thrilling game between Donovan Mitchell and Rui Hachimura, ending with a 3 point win for the Wizards rookie. Sure, the players aren't exerting themselves the same way. However, they still wear the competitive personalities that they don on the court. Here's the thing: the trash talk is even better. When I found out about this tournament, I was excited. I was even more thrilled when I found out that Patrick Beverley, the Clipper point guard and king of trash talk was participating. Pat Bev unfiltered was a mouth watering possibility. He delivered against Hassan Whiteside, routing him and talking trash towards Whiteside and the rest of the NBA in the process.
Also, the tournament gives us a chance to get to know the players in a way we don't get on the court. Throughout the game, the players chat about their NBA seasons, their time in quarantine, and whatever else comes up. It reminds us that these guys are people too, living through the same pandemic we are. Plus, the conversation provides us valuable intel about players we couldn't get otherwise. For example, free agent DeMarcus Cousins told Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond in their game that he was nearing the end of his rehab process from the torn ACL he suffered over the summer.
The NBA has launched a global campaign called NBA Together, reminding us that through this time, we're all in this together. This tournament perfectly accompanies it, as hoopers greet us in our living rooms and make us forget the situation we're in. The $100,000 prize to a coronavirus charity of the winner's choice doesn't hurt either, as it could help pay the workers laid off or provide valuable assistance to the doctors and nurses on the front lines of the pandemic. As the second round tips off Thursday, the tournament will provide us with laughs, smiles, and most importantly, Patrick Beverley trash talk.
One is old games, with ESPN showing NBA classics on Wednesdays and CBS showing some March Madness games, along with a host of local networks broadcasting some of their team's greatest games. Plus, NBA League Pass is currently free on-demand, offering a plethora of the greatest games to ever be played on the hardwood.
The other is playing NBA 2K, the hit video game where you can play as your favorite players in an array of modes that could entertain anyone for weeks in quarantine.
Both coping mechanisms make sense for fans looking to think about their favorite sport in this traumatizing times. In one, you can relive some of the most thrilling games of all time, staying on the edge of your seat while the stars of yesterday and today captivate you. In the other, you can create new memories playing as those same stars that fascinated you during their careers.
What baffles me, yet piques my interest is the NBA 2K Players Tournament. Broadcast on ESPN, it pits 16 contemporary NBA players against each other on the Xbox to see whose video game basketball skills can prevail. Kevin Durant, Trae Young, and Donovan Mitchell headlined the field. KD and Spida were toppled in the first round, while Young destroyed Harrison Barnes to make the next round. In a world where we're practically drowning in content, this does seem unnecessary. After all, it is basketball players playing as basketball players virtually. However, it's also really fun.
First off, with no other sports on, I'm dying for some competition. This couch tournament perfectly satisfies it. We enjoyed a thrilling game between Donovan Mitchell and Rui Hachimura, ending with a 3 point win for the Wizards rookie. Sure, the players aren't exerting themselves the same way. However, they still wear the competitive personalities that they don on the court. Here's the thing: the trash talk is even better. When I found out about this tournament, I was excited. I was even more thrilled when I found out that Patrick Beverley, the Clipper point guard and king of trash talk was participating. Pat Bev unfiltered was a mouth watering possibility. He delivered against Hassan Whiteside, routing him and talking trash towards Whiteside and the rest of the NBA in the process.
Also, the tournament gives us a chance to get to know the players in a way we don't get on the court. Throughout the game, the players chat about their NBA seasons, their time in quarantine, and whatever else comes up. It reminds us that these guys are people too, living through the same pandemic we are. Plus, the conversation provides us valuable intel about players we couldn't get otherwise. For example, free agent DeMarcus Cousins told Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond in their game that he was nearing the end of his rehab process from the torn ACL he suffered over the summer.
The NBA has launched a global campaign called NBA Together, reminding us that through this time, we're all in this together. This tournament perfectly accompanies it, as hoopers greet us in our living rooms and make us forget the situation we're in. The $100,000 prize to a coronavirus charity of the winner's choice doesn't hurt either, as it could help pay the workers laid off or provide valuable assistance to the doctors and nurses on the front lines of the pandemic. As the second round tips off Thursday, the tournament will provide us with laughs, smiles, and most importantly, Patrick Beverley trash talk.
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