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The 2023 NBA playoffs have commenced and already off to a rowdy start. There have already been a couple of major injuries in both conferences featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ja Morant. Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers opened up about the league's physicality today.
Considering that Rivers comes from a more physical era in basketball, he thinks that the NBA should practice that kind of standard again. Rivers talked about how the referees should call charging fouls. He said that the Antetokounmpo and Morant injuries didn't come from malicious play. To him, it's just vintage basketball where players bump bodies and move on.
“No, not at all, unless they just want a 250-250 game," Rivers said. "I think the only thing there is some of the charges people take can be viewed as reckless. And so they can review that.
"They can’t take it away, but they can call it what it is: It’s reckless. If it’s a reckless play, it should be a flagrant. But none of those, I think, were reckless. It’s just Ja Morant can jump over a human being, and he tried to do it. That’s part of it.”
The 2023 NBA playoffs already off to a wild start
In the world of basketball, the NBA playoffs are considered to be the sport's soap opera. Only 16 teams remain battling for the opportunity to participate in the grandest stage of them all, the NBA Finals. So, both emotions and tensions are high during the postseason considering how every team wants a shot at the championship.
The competition is bound to get tough, with a lot of plot twists likely to take place. For instance, this year's playoffs are already off to a crazy start. The LA Clippers shocked the Phoenix Suns, the Sacramento Kings now lead the series against the defending champions and a couple of major injuries that could affect series outcomes took place.
While it's still too early to say considering that all teams have only played their first game, fans should expect a lot of twists and turns.
