We're only 18 days away from the start of this unprecedented season.

In just the last 17 days, we've had a draft, an entire free agency period and started training camp just this week to former franchise point guards were traded for each other in Russ and John Wall while their teams were already in camp.

This is all part of a sprint during this pandemic toe have a workable, if shortened, NBA season.

Now this schedule release show will include just games from now until the All Star break in early March.

Have you ever seen a major American sports league only put half a schedule out before?

Yeah, me neither.

But the league wants to maintain flexibility in case of covert related delays and postponements.

The goal is a 72 game season that ends May 17th, then a play in tournament and a playoffs that can end in July.

Now, in order to cut down travel there, significantly more back to backs between teams, home and homes, or just home and home and home and homes.

Here's an example.

In January alone, the Sixers will play consecutive games against the same opponent at the same location four times.

So hosting the Hornets, then the Heat, the Celtics then going over Detroit to play two games in three days there.

So, yeah, we are 18 days away, Unprecedented season in unprecedented time.

And before we get to more of the marquee games, Matt as a player, how do you change how you prepare for a season that is going to look like this?

I think it's just different for each player.

Obviously, Braun has had about two months off, so I think he'll slowly but surely start revving his engine, even starting in training camp.

I don't see him participating fully in training camp in the first, obviously will probably play their Christmas game, but kind of pace himself, understanding that's a marathon.

But some guys like Trae Young says he hasn't played in nine months.

You know, some of these younger guys excited to get back out there at the end of the day.

I think they understand how special this is.

If 2020 has taught us anything, it's not to take anything for granted.

So no matter what the circumstances are back to back games, remember the lockout season Paul.

We first came out.

We played, what, three games in four nights.

It was crazy.

So thes.

Guys excited to get back out and play.

But I expect the superstars to ease their way into the season.

What about you, Paul?

These athletes, NBA players, are the most adaptable athletes in the world.

I mean, since I've come into the league like Matt said, we've had 23 lockouts, you know, had 50 game seasons.

We've started on Christmas.

We had a bubble e way just coming off a season that said this was unprecedented.

Now we're coming to another season.

The league players, they're ready for anything.

It's about just being ready.

Mentally.

We already know they're gonna be in physical shape.

I mean, they're gonna do something they haven't done before.

They're gonna play in the arenas with our fans, play back to back against the same teams in the same arena.

So there's nothing these NBA players can't do.

I don't put nothing past and they will make the adjustment.

Is at the end of day there just still playing basketball.

I mean, considering what's going on in the world.

These guys were getting to play basketball so they'll be ready.

Well, I know you guys are all creature of habit, though.

You have your game day routines, but those have been disrupted already for any team that participated in the bubble.

So people are kind of used to throwing it all up in the air, just like the rest of us are.

With all of our lives, right?

We all had our routines and those went out the window.

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