Sports

British gymnasts announced for 2021 Artistic European Championships

2021-04-19T13:48:00.013+03:00

We’re delighted to announce the artistic gymnasts selected to represent Great Britain at the 2021 European Championships, set to take place in Basel, Switzerland, from 21st – 25th April.

The men’s line up will be led by Max Whitlock MBE (South Essex) who is looking to add a fifth European title to his growing list of accolades. He’s joined by 2019 parallel bars world champion Joe Fraser from City of Birmingham and two-time individual European medallist Courtney Tulloch from Pegasus. In the six-strong team will also be Giarnni Regini-Moran from Manchester Academy, Joshua Nathan from City of Birmingham and Jake Jarman from Huntingdon.

Selected in the women’s team are 2019 European beam champion Alice Kinsella from Park Wrekin and Amelie Morgan from The Academy alongside twin sisters Jessica Gadirova and Jennifer Gadirova from Aylesbury who will compete at their first major senior Championships.
*Update 15th April; Phoebe Jakubczyk from the Academy will now compete for the British team in Basel, with Jennifer Gadirova withdrawing as a precaution. Jennifer will continue training at her home gym ahead of the final Olympic trials in May.

The Championships represent an opportunity for gymnasts to qualify additional places for Team GB at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. They can do this by placing in the top two in the all-around competition, however any gymnast that competed in the 2019 World Championships event is not eligible to qualify a place this way.

British Gymnastics Performance Director, James Thomas, said: “To be back announcing teams for major championships feels like a huge landmark for the sport which has been affected so starkly at all levels by the COVID outbreak. Both the reopening of community clubs and elite gymnasts in competing on the world stage in April represents a really positive step towards seeing gymnastics fully back in action. We are grateful to our close community of coaches and clubs who have gone above and beyond to provide a safe training facility for our elite athletes in spite of the many challenges they have faced over the last 12 months.

“This European Championships is unique and the selections take into account a wide range of factors specific to this event, not least the opportunity to qualify extra Team GB places via the all-around competition with some new faces drafted in who we are really excited to see compete. The fantastic depth of talent in Great Britain is demonstrated by those not competing at this event and it’s important to note again that multiple factors came into consideration and that also this event in no way pre-curses the Olympic selection process which continues into May.

“We are all extremely excited to see such incredibly talented gymnasts back proudly competing with the GB flag as we aim for a safe and successful championships.”

Ondine Achampong (Sapphire), Phoebe Jakubczyk (The Academy), Brinn Bevan (South Essex), James Hall (Pegasus) and Adam Tobin (Falcons) have been named as non-travelling reserves.

Competition schedule

Wednesday 21st April

Women’s qualification (including all-around and individual apparatus)

Thursday 22nd April
Men’s qualification (including all-around and individual apparatus)

Friday 23rd April
Women’s all-around final
Men’s all-around final

Saturday 24th April

Women’s vault and uneven bars apparatus finals

Men’s floor, pommel horse and rings apparatus finals

Sunday 25th April
Women’s beam and floor apparatus finals
Men’s vault, parallel bars and high bar apparatus finals

Roadmap for the return of gymnastics in England following Prime Minister announcement

2021-04-19T13:48:00.012+03:00

Following the latest announcement from the Prime Minister, we’re delighted to communicate the roadmap for the return of gymnastics in England.

We understand and appreciate how difficult this time continues to be for everyone involved in the sport, from club officials and coaches, to gymnasts of all ages, but we hope that this news brings some hope that a return to normality isn’t too far away.

At this stage it is important to note that the guidance and dates announced could change depending on how successful the easing of restrictions are.

Full guidance is expected to be published on the government website, and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) FAQs in the next week which will hopefully provide further clarity.

Please find below our understanding of government’s four-step roadmap and how this could affect gymnastics;

Step 1 – (not before 8th March)
Under 18 sport can take place at school as part of educational provision, or as part of wraparound childcare (where it is needed to enable parents or carers to work, seek work, attend education, seek medical care or attend a support group), but should not otherwise take place at this time.

Gymnastics activities not being primarily used by parents for childcare purposes should remain closed for face-to-face provision unless registered childcare is provided. Unfortunately, this means Easter Holiday Clubs may not go ahead unless they are part of pre-existing childcare agreements.

Step 1 (not before 29th March)
Under 18 sport should not take place indoors at sports clubs at this time and therefore indoor gymnastics activity is not permitted.

Formally organised outdoor sports – for adults and under 18s – can restart, but will need to be compliant with the outdoor gymnastics activity guidance. This will be updated in the Step Forward Plan in due course.

Step 2 (not before 12th April)
Clubs and leisure centres in England can reopen their doors to under 18’s, ensuring that social distancing* measures are in place. We’re anticipating DCMS guidance to be updated in the coming weeks and we will update our Step Forward Plan when this is available.

This includes pre-school gymnastics sessions and parent and child groups also being able to resume indoor activity.

Gymnasts over the age of 18 will be able to return to clubs and leisure centres for individual training or to train with adults from the same household. Group sessions for over 18 gymnasts will not be permitted.

Step 3 (not before 17th May)
Group adult gymnastics sessions can resume with social distancing* in place.

At this time, all age groups will be able to take part in socially distanced gymnastics sessions.

Step 4 (not before 21st June)
Dependant on the successful lifting of restrictions, we hope that at this step in the roadmap, a level of normality can return. Here we will hopefully see gymnastics sessions run with fewer restrictions. We’ll continue to communicate with you throughout this process.

As restrictions do ease, we’ll continue to communicate the latest guidance with clubs and partners.

We’re excited by the prospect that gymnasts of all ages and abilities across England will hopefully be able to return to their gyms in the coming months.

*social distancing must be implemented at this time, unless gymnasts are following the team sport framework
**Elite gymnasts are exempt from the current restrictions and can continue to follow the Elite Training Guidance

What to expect when you return to gymnastics

2021-04-19T13:48:00.011+03:00

As the UK slowly comes out of lockdown, the number of restrictions on gymnastics will lift as we move back to normality. Here are the key dates to be aware of and what you can expect when you return.

Key dates to be aware of:

England

– Monday 29th March – outdoor gymnastics sessions for all and indoor gymnastics for disabled people
– Monday 12th April – indoor gymnastics for under 18s, coach led preschool gymnastics and parent and child groups and individual training for over 18s
– Not before Monday 17th May – indoor gymnastics for groups of over 18s and free roam preschool gymnastics and parent and child groups
– Not before Monday 21st June – gymnastics sessions with fewer restrictions

Northern Ireland

– Monday 12th April – outdoor gymnastics sessions for all
– TBD on other activities

For guidance in Scotland and Wales, see our Home Country guidance page or visit Scottish Gymnastics/ Welsh Gymnastics.

Think before you go

It’s important that we enjoy our return to gymnastics in Covid-secure environments and we continue to follow the recommended guidance that has been implemented to combat the coronavirus. This includes:

Washing hands regularly
Staying away from gymnastics if you feel unwell
Social distancing
Listening to instructions from your coaches and instructors
Getting ready before your session as changing rooms may be unavailable
Bringing your own training aids if necessary

New procedures in place
It is likely when you return your club or facility will have a number of procedures in place for before, during and after your session, similar to what was put in place before the last lockdown. This could include:

Set arrival and pick up times
Directions for entering and exiting
Capacity restrictions
Additional hand washing and hand sanitising stations
Floor markers and signage

Session changes
After months of inactivity, clubs, delivery partners and coaches have been advised to plan a phased, fun, and inclusive return to activity, ensuring that all gymnasts’ physical and mental health is considered. This means gymnasts may have to practice certain skills more than others at this time. Due to capacity restrictions, groups may be split and gymnasts may be asked to practice in certain areas of the gym to ensure social distancing guidelines are adhered to. Sessions may also be shorter in length to allow time for extra cleaning and crossover of classes within the venue.

Pair and group activities and coach contact
If you or your child are involved in team sport activities or activities that involve the return of coach contact, please be reassured that the actions being followed by clubs in our plans have been approved by the government. Therefore, some contact may be able to take place as long as the club or facility have put the appropriate control measures in place.

All contact in gymnastics sessions is optional and any gymnasts wishing to return to pair and group activities and/ or activities that involve coach contact must opt in.

For more information, please see our guides at the bottom of this article.

Foam pits and equipment
Clubs can now reintroduce foam pits as part of sessions after research concluded that the risk of Covid-19 transmission in foam was low after one minute. Guidance has been shared on how to use pits safely whilst reducing the risk of transmission of the virus whilst also conforming to other cleaning protocols with other pieces of equipment.

Personal equipment such as hand guards/ gloves and loops should be taken home after each session and must not be shared. Gymnasts should also use their own chalk rather than communal chalk to reduce the rate of transmission.

Post session
Due to the timings of sessions, parents may not have the opportunity to discuss their child’s progress with their coach after their class however, we advise that you contact the relevant person via phone or email to discuss any queries, concerns or questions you may have about your child or their session. Of course, if you have any immediate concerns regarding Covid-19 or a child’s welfare then this should be reported immediately to your club or facility’s Covid-19 representative or the Welfare Officer or Safeguarding Officer.

To read our guides on returning to gymnastics, click on the links below.

Parents’ Guide
Gymnasts’ Guide
Team Sport Parents and Gymnast Guide (England)
Parent and Gymnast Guide to Return to Coach Contact
Covid-19 Code of Behaviour (England)

How to follow the 2021 Artistic European Championships

2021-04-19T13:48:00.010+03:00

More than 550 days on from the last major artistic championship, gymnastics returns this month with the highly anticipated 2021 Artistic European Championships taking place in Basel, Switzerland, from 21st-25th April.

We’re excited that live gymnastics is back, and we’re delighted to announce that you’ll be able to watch the all-around and apparatus finals live on BBC online and BBC iPlayer. There will also be special highlight shows on BBC Two on the last two days of the Championships.

Qualifying is also due to be streamed live online.

For updates throughout the event, make sure you’re following us on Twitter, and visit our event page for all of the latest news and reports following each day of competition. For more information, you can also visit the European Gymnastics event page.

The Championships represent an opportunity for gymnasts to qualify additional places for Team GB at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. They can do this by placing in the top two in all-around qualifying, however any gymnast that competed in the 2019 World Championships event is not eligible to qualify a place this way.

Competition schedule, timings and where to watch

Wednesday 21st April
Women’s all-around and individual apparatus qualification
British gymnasts will compete in the second and third subdivisions. These subdivisions are due to take place from 12.30pm-2.30pm and 3pm-5pm UK time.

Thursday 22nd April

Men’s all-around and individual apparatus qualification

British gymnasts will compete in the first and third subdivisions. These subdivisions are due to take place from 9am-11.40am and 4pm-6.40pm UK time.

Friday 23rd April
All-around finals
Watch live in full on BBC Online and BBC iPlayer.
Women’s all-around final (12.30pm-2.30pm)
Men’s all-around final (4pm-6.45pm)

Saturday 24th April
Apparatus finals
Watch all-around final highlights on BBC2 from 12pm-1.30pm, including live coverage of the men’s floor final. Live coverage of all other finals will be available on BBC Online and BBC iPlayer throughout the day.
Men’s floor final (12.30pm-1pm)
Women’s vault final and men’s pommel horse final (1.10pm-1.55pm)
Women’s uneven bars final and men’s rings final (2.10pm-2.55pm)

Sunday 25th April

Apparatus finals

From 9am-10am on BBC2 catch highlights of Saturday’s apparatus finals. Sunday’s apparatus finals will be live in full on BBC Online and BBC iPlayer throughout the day. Highlights of Sunday’s apparatus finals will be on BBC2 from 6pm-7pm.
Women’s beam final and men’s vault final (12pm-12.45pm)

Women’s floor final and men’s parallel bars final (1pm-1.45pm)

Men’s high bar final (2pm-2.30pm)

We would like to wish all of the gymnasts and coaches the best of luck for a safe and successful competition.

Who Taught You How To Ski?

2021-04-18T15:24:00.009+03:00

^Courtesy: YES Professional Ski Instructor Program

Whether you started as an infant or a late bloomer, somebody (most likely) taught you how to ski or ride.

We asked our Facebook followers to share their story about how they learned to ski or ride.

Thanks to all who shared!

Marybeth L: “My very patient brother-in-law, Mick K., when I was at the ripe young age of 30ish! I couldn’t have done it! He was kind, gentle, yet pushed me because he knew I could do it! The best teacher and brother-in-law (really a brother) ever!!! He showed me why he and his family love the mountains!

Jeanette K: “My Mom, when I was 2. She was a Ski Patroller at Heavenly when she was pregnant with me, in 1959, so I was skiing before I was born!”

^Courtesy: Heavenly Ski Resort

Rusty F: “A snowboard instructor at shawnee pa. taught me my first lesson at maybe 8 or 9. The park rats there taught me how to keep up, and then smuggs locals and patrol showed me how one really rips the east properly. So much love for everyone who’s showed me new ideas over the years. And the whole time in the backround was dad screaming “USE THE DAMN EDGES!””

Doug T: “My friend at Stowe School, Art Hawkins, skied with me and taught me to keep up back in ’83. He passed away from Covid related causes on July 4, 2020.”

John H: “My dad, who had been an AFRC instructor in Garmisch and a patroller at Hyak. I was one in the oldest photo I have, at one of the long-gone rope tows at Snoqualmie.”

Jessica H: “My dad!!! He’s a bad ass!!! 73 and he’s still skiing we call him hungabunga!!!! He taught his 3 kids to ski!!! 2 went to nationals and 1 to the junior Olympics 3 times and has taught 5 out of his six grandkids how to ski as well!!!! He’s the man!!!! Still to this day helps out with race ops on the east coast and all his kids as well!!!!”

Corey H: “My dad took me to the top of the mountain when I was 5. And said get down, he did that until I got it right. Moved to Alaska at age 21 and got a small sponsorship snowboarding . #bestdad”

Gary F: “My dad. He doesn’t ski anymore. He says he’s too old. I don’t either. I caught the Ride bug and switched to one stick. Still loving the runs everyday possible. Thank you Dad.”

Joseph B:“Jean Claude Kily – my parents lived in France and he was an instructor at Méribel and that whole thing was a lie.”

Drew L: “Ski instructor at loon in the mid 90s named Victor, ill never forget that guy.”

^Courtesy: Loon Mountain

Richard H: “At age 52, I met the love of my life. She skied, I didn’t. So…..”

Sheila L: “Chasing the local Pali heads around Abasin until I could keep up!!”

Peter S: “Thelma Green! Mittersill ski area. Franconia N.H.”

Featured Image Courtesy: Oyster Worldwide

FUNNY: The Spring King Lives In New England

2021-04-18T15:24:00.007+03:00

“The fresh spring air cleaning his ginger skin. He spreads his wings in a display of dominance rarely seen in nature.”

Far and away the best spring skiing ad on the internet. Marketing departments take notes: all you need is a man hammock, a good writer and a voiceover actor with an English accent to make primo promo material. Well played Killington:

Sometimes You Rip The Powder, Sometimes The Powder Rips You

2021-04-18T15:24:00.006+03:00

Ever been ripping through some deep powder on a decently pitched slope? Pretty sweet, right?

Sweet until you carry that speed into a flatter part of the trail and the nose of your board/skis turns you into a scorpion.

Not sure what I’m talking about? Just watch the video

VIDEO: Snowy E-Mountain Bike Laps in Châtel, France

2021-04-18T15:24:00.005+03:00

Not gonna lie, riding knee deep powder on a bike seems like a waste but these E-Mountain bikes from Scott are looking prettay sweet. Follow along with Antoine Buffart and Mateo Verdier as they put the electric assist fun machines through their paces in the depth of winter. Heavy duty recreational equipment investment with the cheapest of the Scoot E-Mountain bikes starting at $4,599.99 but there’s a new cash for clunkers bill in France (where this was filmed) offering owners of old cars 2,500 Euros towards the purchase of an e-bike. Interesting bit of legislation.

We Just Found The Most Hipster Skier In The World

2021-04-18T15:24:00.004+03:00

Ladies and gentlemen, we got him.

Is there anything more hipster than proving you can absolutely rip some 195cm edgeless cross country skis down a powdery slope?

Nope. There isn’t.

This guy was also spotted complaining about the lodge’s selection of “craft beers” while wearing a tweed blazer and twirling his mustache.

Virginia Dudes On Snowboarding Trip In Colorado Skipped Return Flight & Drove Home In FREE 1992 Subaru

2021-04-18T15:24:00.003+03:00

“We found a car with a free sign in the canyons of Colorado while on a snowboarding trip with my friends. We got it started with nothing but a screwdriver, crescent wrench, and a big rock. Me and Tony Gower drove it back to our hotel and on the way we decided we should drive it home instead of catching our flight.”

Loving this story about a couple dudes from Virginia on a snowboarding trip in Colorado randomly coming across a 1992 Subaru station wagon marked “FREE”, ditching their flights home and making an impromptu cross country trip in a certified shitbox.

The Virginia Pilot reports Elijah Knapp, 24, and Tony Gower, 25, were driving near Aspen when they slammed on the breaks after seeing a Subi with a free sign on the side of the road. They talked to the dude who owned the property, he said the car was on the property when he bought it and was just looking to get rid of it. He had only just put the sign in the windshield a couple of hours before they stopped and they were the first to inquire.

Knapp and Gower co-own an auto business back in Virginia and had no problem hot-wiring the car after the property owner told them it didn’t have keys. The pair got the Subi back to their hotel in Granby and decided it would be fun to drive it all the way home. They asked their friends for help with the $500 to $600 needed for repairs and gas, did a little work on the engine and pointed wagon east.

After a few breakdowns, some push-starts, and some friendly assistance from strangers who can wrench, the pair made it home. They covered 2,150 miles and in 47 hours in a free stumbled upon snowboard trip…hell yeah. Knapp can’t decide whether he’s gonna scrap the wagon for parts, enter it into a demolition derby in October, or put it in front of the dealership with the “FREE” sign back in the windshield. I vote for the latter. Scroll through pics and vids below for travel chronicle:

“We did it! Actually we made it home Monday night at 9pm.

We found a car with a free sign in the canyons of Colorado while on a snowboarding trip with my friends. We got it started with nothing but a screwdriver, crescent wrench, and a big rock. Me and Tony Gower drove it back to our hotel and on the way we decided we should drive it home instead of catching our flight.

2150 miles and 47 hours later, the car is at our dealership! This 1992 Subaru Legacy with 283k miles on it is a champ! The only issue we ran into was the crank bolt coming loose 3 hours into the trip.

We went through Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia.

Thanks to everybody who donated to us for the trip! We made it home with $3 to spare!

A-Basin To Replace Lenawee Lift With High Speed Quad or Six-Pack

2021-04-18T15:24:00.002+03:00

^Lenawee Lift. Courtesy: Arapahoe Basin/Ian Zinner

The US Forest Service has approved Arapahoe Basin’s request to replace the fixed-grip triple Lenawee Lift during the summer of 2022.

The resort has not decided whether they will install a four-seat or six-seat chair, according to The Know Outdoors.

A-Basin also plans to build a new hut near the summit that will offer year-round food service.

^Courtesy: Arapahoe Basin/Ian Zinner

Guests will still need to take two lifts to reach A-Basin’s summit, but at least both of them will be high-speed!

Who else is excited about the new Lenawee Lift?

Featured Image Courtesy: Arapahoe Basin/Ian Zinner

VIDEO: Aussie Surfer Wave Snaked By Aggressive Local

2021-04-18T15:24:00.001+03:00

I know mistakes can be made in the chaos of catching a wave but I think this South Australian local’s theft was on porpoise. Reports are Soli Bailey had words with the offender in the parking lot after the session ended but parted ways peacefully after being explained it was a fluke occurrence:

Would You Ride Triple Skis With Your Two Best Friends?

2021-04-18T15:24:00.000+03:00

I’m thinking if you got into a conga line groove you could synchronize maneuver this setup downhill with remarkable results….maybe three is just the start. Who’s in?

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by RED Mountain Resort (@redresort)

Ireland Women’s Six Nations Squad 2021 – Ireland 15-56 France

2021-04-18T14:55:00.004+03:00

Ireland are overpowered by the French in Dublin

Ireland’s Eimear Considine tries to round Carla Neisen (Sportsfile/Getty Images)

Ireland are overpowered by the French in Dublin

France Women’s Six Nations Squad 2021 – Ireland 15-56 France

2021-04-18T14:55:00.003+03:00

Gaelle Hermet’s side thump Ireland to reach Six Nations final

France full-back Emilie Boulard breaks against Ireland (Inpho)

Gaelle Hermet’s side thump Ireland to reach Six Nations final

Italy Women’s Six Nations Squad 2021 – Scotland 20-41 Italy

2021-04-18T14:55:00.002+03:00

The Azzurre will face Ireland in the third-place play-off after beating Scotland in Glasgow

Manuela Furlan scores the second of her three tries against Scotland (Inpho)

The Azzurre will face Ireland in the third-place play-off after beating Scotland in Glasgow

Watch: Amazing long-range Stuart Hogg try

2021-04-18T14:55:00.001+03:00

Watch: Amazing long-range Stuart Hogg try You lungs hurt just watching this… This long-range Stuart Hogg try on the 77th …Continue reading »

Scotland Women’s Six Nations Squad 2021 – Scotland 20-41 Italy

2021-04-18T14:55:00.000+03:00

The Scots slip to another defeat to finish bottom of Pool A and will now face Wales in the fifth-place play-off

Helen Nelson tries to break the Italy defence (Inpho)

The Scots slip to another defeat to finish bottom of Pool A and will now face Wales in the fifth-place play-off

First Springboks camp in over 500 days a ‘reality check’ ahead of Lions tour

2021-04-18T14:54:00.004+03:00

South Africa haven’t played a game since the 2019 Rugby World Cup final

The Springboks haven’t played since the Rugby World Cup final (Getty Images)

First Springboks camp in over 500 days a ‘reality check’ ahead of Lions tour South Africa’s head coach Jacques Nienaber …Continue reading »

Pro14 Rainbow Cup to trial new laws

2021-04-18T14:54:00.003+03:00

The laws include a red card replacement and a captain’s challenge

The Pro14 Rainbow Cup will implement law changes (Getty Images)

Pro14 Rainbow Cup to trial new laws The Pro14 Rainbow Cup has confirmed it will trial three new laws after …Continue reading »

Paul O’Connell backs Owen Farrell as Lions captain

2021-04-18T14:54:00.002+03:00

The former Lions skipper picks out the England captain for leadership role

O’Connell tries to block Farrell in 2014 (Getty Images)

Paul O’Connell backs Owen Farrell as Lions captain Captain of the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour, Paul O’Connell knows …Continue reading »

Women’s Six Nations live stream: How to watch from around the world

2021-04-18T14:54:00.001+03:00

Don’t miss any of the action from the 2021 women’s championship

The 2021 Women’s Six Nations captains (Inpho)

Don’t miss any of the action from the 2021 women’s championship

Details of Lions training camp revealed

2021-04-18T14:54:00.000+03:00

The squad will meet up for a ten-day camp

A Lions camp in Cardiff in 2017 (Getty Images)

It has been confirmed that a British & Irish Lions training camp will be held in Jersey ahead of the …Continue reading »

5 Reasons the NBA is the Best Pro League in the World?

2021-04-16T16:51:00.014+03:00

A sports loving nation, the US is home to a number of prominent sports leagues that attract hordes of fans. From football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and ice hockey, fans have more choice of home-based leagues than any other country.

That said, there is a strong argument that one league is the best of them all – the National Basketball League. Why, well this article will show you X reasons why the NBA should be considered the best sports league in the world.

Who are the Favorites to Win the 20/21 NBA Championship?

Before we get started on the reasons why the NBA is the world’s best sport, let’s have a quick look at how the current season is going.

Thanks to an excellent season so far, the LA Lakers are attracting the shortest odds at the online sports betting sites. They are followed by the LA Clippers and the Milwaukee Bucks who are neck and neck. Virgin Bet currently offer odds of 9/4 for the Lakers and 5/1 and 11/2 for the Bucks and Clippers respectively.

As for the Regular Season MVP, it is a close call right now with Giannis Antetokounmp and Luka Doncic equal favorites with most online betting sites at 17/4. Outsiders include LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Stephen Curry.

1. Generates the Third Highest Revenue

It might not sit at the top of the pile in terms of generating revenue but the NBA is now third in the list. Last season alone the NBA generated 8 billion in revenue thanks to having close to a billion fans worldwide. This revenue allows the best players to earn millions in salaries each year putting them amongst the world’s best paid sports stars.

2. It is Always Competitive

In many other sports around the world, there are usually one or two dominant teams that always win the championship. In France, Paris St Germain win the top division every year while the same could be said for Bayern Munich in Germany.

Not in the NBA, in the last ten seasons, there have been seven different winners of the NBA Championship. This just shows how competitive each season is and that any team has the chance for some glory.

3. Continuously Creates Global Stars

Whether you are a fan of basketball or not, you have probably heard of Micheal Jordan, LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and Scottie Pippen. These are just some of the best and most prominent basketball players of all time. They transcend the sport of basketball and become global icons thanks to the sport they excelled at.

The good news is that there are sure to be many future superstars to unearth. Basketball consistently creates them.

4. The Games Involve More Action

In soccer, you regularly see one or two goals and that is it. In the NBA scores go into the hundreds and are usually close affairs. Sure, those scores are increased thanks to three pointers and lots of free throws but that is not the point, the games are end-to-end and always contain tons of action and excitement. Why settle for anything but a full-on battle every time you watch a sport?

5. It Doesn’t Cost Money to Start Playing

For kids looking for a sport to play, basketball is one of the easiest. All you need is a ball! Sure, a hoop would be cool too and these can be found on public courts all around the country but at the minimum the ball is all you need for some fun. Compare that to ice hockey, baseball, and tennis which require quite a bit of equipment and not too many public courts/rinks.

Convinced?

If not, you should be. Basketball has always proved to be one of the best sports in the world but, right now, it has to be considered the best for the above reasons. It will only get stronger too!

The post 5 Reasons the NBA is the Best Pro League in the World? appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Things to consider when betting on the NBA in 2021

2021-04-16T16:51:00.013+03:00

When it comes to betting on the NBA in 2021, you need to start by throwing everything you used to know out the window. The rules you applied to bet on the NBA pre-COVID, will likely come back into play at some point, but for now, with teams playing in front of (mostly) empty arenas, with unusual, baseball-like two game series in a specific city, and with players every night missing due to COVID protocols, you need to adjust to a new normal in NBA betting.

Of course, the biggest difference with the NBA this year is that most teams are playing in front of empty crowds. According to many studies, the primary advantage of a home crowd is that a loud crowd can subtly influence the referees’ decisions. Without the threat of 18,000 booing fans, home teams have lost nearly all of their traditional advantage.

Through the first three weeks of the NBA season, home teams are only 75-78 overall on the year. That means road teams are winning 51 percent of all NBA games, which would easily set the all-time record. There may not be any home court advantage right now. As recently as the 2015-16 season, the Golden State Warriors went 39-2 at home, which was not even the best mark in the NBA that year because the San Antonio Spurs went 40-1. This year, every team has already lost a home game in the season’s opening weeks, and within the first month of the season there likely won’t be a single team with fewer than 2 home losses.

The data that home teams struggle goes deeper than the simple fact that home teams are losing more than they are winning, as well. Home teams this season were 70-83 against the spread in the season’s opening weeks, for a winning percentage of 45.2%. This means that the NBA betting odds have not yet caught up with the lack of a home court advantage in the NBA this season. Traditionally, if two teams are even, the home team will be about a 4 point favorite in an NBA game. This data shows that maybe that number should be closer to even in an empty-arena environment.

Another major factor when considering NBA betting odds in 2021 is the proliferation of the two game series. In the past, a back-to-back in the NBA meant that, say, the Atlanta Hawks would host the Detroit Pistons on Monday night, then both teams would fly to Detroit and play a game there, either on consecutive nights, or with a one day break in between. In 2021, the NBA schedule has a new wrinkle where teams fly to a city to play two games, à la baseball. This has essentially never happened before and significantly changes the odds for the games affected.

Take the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks, who played games on back-to-back nights in Miami. In the first game of the series, with the Bucks favored by 6 points, Milwaukee hammered the Heat, beating them 144-97. That moved the line to Milwaukee -6.5 for the second game, which Miami won 119-108. It’s hard to learn too much from such a large swing, but take the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks who played a two game set in Brooklyn early in the season. The Nets won the opening game 145-141 as 5.5 point favorites, which actually moved the line for the second game in Brooklyn to -6. Atlanta ended up winning the second game outright, 114-96.

All told, there is not enough data to make sweeping conclusions, but it is worth noting that when teams play two consecutive games in one NBA city, the team that won the first game is only 9-8 overall. If the first game moves the line in any significant way, you might want to take the team that lost the second game against the spread, because you are getting a better number than you could have two nights earlier for the exact same matchup.

The last major factor to consider when betting on the NBA in 2021 is COVID-related absences. If NBA teams can’t field a roster of 8 players, the rules dictate the game is postponed. But that means that teams are sometimes playing with a skeleton roster. The most prominent of these games in the early season was when the Philadelphia 76ers had to play a game without their entire starting lineup and some of their key bench players. Whereas on a normal NBA night, the 76ers would have been about a 4 point favorite when hosting the Denver Nuggets, the line actually moved all the way to Denver by 13.5 points.

Even though the 76ers were starting multiple players who even serious NBA fans were unfamiliar with, the team fought valiantly and only lost 115-102, covering the 13.5 point spread. The lesson here is that even the players on the back of an NBA bench can be competitive with anyone, especially for one night. In a season with so many new variables, maybe the thing to be most afraid of was the 13.5 point spread, not the obscure players.

So, the key lessons when looking at NBA betting odds in 2021 are: To completely ignore home court advantage, to not be scared off by the first game in a back-to-back series, and to avoid massive lines, even when one team is missing many key players.

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