SB Nation Reacts: NBA fan enjoyment down this season due to COVID

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Fans believe that the coronavirus is negatively affecting how they are enjoying this season

Over seven in ten respondents believe that the coronavirus has at least somewhat negatively affected how much they are enjoying the 2021-22 NBA season. It shouldn’t be a surprise why. Many team rosters, including the Washington Wizards’, have been decimated due to outbreaks. These outbreaks have forced numerous G-League call ups on 10-day contracts which can also negatively affect team chemistry.

And in the Brooklyn Nets’ case, they can’t get their starting point guard to play home games as well as any road games against the Knicks and Raptors due to … that V word that Bradley Beal got last month. We’ll get to Kyrie later in this post.

But at the end of the day, NBA fans just want to see their favorite team’s (and other teams’) stars play.

Fans are still tuning in to watch NBA games anyway

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Sixty-eight percent of respondents are still watching at least the same amount of games this season, even if their enjoyment has declined due to the coronavirus. That’s a good thing.

Most NBA fans believe the Brooklyn Nets are wrong for letting Kyrie Irving be a part-time player

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The Brooklyn Nets recently caved, allowing point guard Kyrie Irving to play in any games he is eligible for despite being unvaccinated against the coronavirus. Due to New York City regulations, he cannot play in any home game, any road game against the New York Knicks, and he cannot play road games against the Toronto Raptors due to a Canadian travel ban on unvaccinated foreign travelers. He started his first game earlier this month. In postgame media, Irving remains reluctant to get the shot.

While bringing Irving could help Brooklyn win an extra road game or two in the short term, most fans think the Nets are doing the wrong thing by letting him return. I also agree that the Nets are doing the wrong thing because the organization took a stand against Irving (due to the regulations) at the beginning of the season. And now bringing him back after their roster was hit by COVID-19.

Irving’s Brooklyn teammates, including Kevin Durant are constantly getting questions about his status. And while Durant, James Harden and other Nets figures publicly say that they aren’t forcing Irving to take the shot while they are also trying to get him on the team full-time, these “will Kyrie or won’t Kyrie get vaccinated” questions will inevitably test their patience as the season goes on.

Our next national and Wizards survey will be out on Monday!

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