By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Joakim Noah is among the NBA players eager for the 2019-20 season to resume following the hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. The plan in place will lead 22 teams including the Los Angeles Clippers to Orlando for an additional eight regular season games and afterward the playoffs.
Moving forward will significantly alter the way NBA seasons usually conclude. Teams are expected to be able to feature a roster of 17 players instead of 15 to add flexibility. On their part, the Clippers will bring back Noah, according to The Athletic.
The experienced center, Defensive player of the Year in 2014 and NBA All Star in 2013 and 2014, signed a ten-day contract with the Clippers just before the pause. He can’t wait to get back on the court and potentially wrap up his career, as he explained to Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
“It was about being able to finish my career on a team that has a common goal,” he said referring to the contending status attached to the Los Angeles organization and went on commenting on the ongoing break, “I think it’s just it’s all about perspective and how you look at it.”
Likely to be held to an emergency solution behind Montrezl Harrell and Ivica Zubac, Noah accepts his role and aims for playoff success. The Clippers are 44-20 going into the eight additional regular season contests having booked a postseason ticket.
“The way I look at it is I know that I’m in an environment right now with a winning culture and a team that’s really trying to win a championship and there’s not much more I could ask for,” he mentioned, “Regardless of what my role is, I’m grateful. I know I’m as ready as I can be. So it’s not about comparing myself to past years or even last year, it’s just being the best that I can be physically and using my experience to be there for the guys.”
Apart from the on-court responsibilities, he hopes to share his experiences mentoring younger teammates including the 23-year-old Croatian center, Zubac.
“I just want to talk about some of the things that I’ve been through,” he said replying to a question regarding Zubac, “I’ve been in situations where we had championship aspirations and then injuries kind of derailed that. So it’s just not taking your opportunities for granted. And just because you’re a young player doesn’t mean that these situations happen all the time. So it’s just like really living in the moment.”
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