The NBA tried to find a perfect plan for its pandemic restart. The NBA went all Three Bears in figuring out how many teams to bring to Orlando for bubble ball.
All 30 teams were too much. Just the 16 playoff teams was too few. Twenty-two teams, every squad with a smidge of a playoff chance, was deemed just right.
But the perfect plan was busted by the perfect storm.
The re-opening of the economy has caused a surge in coronavirus cases, notably in the Orlando metro, home of DisneyWorld, where the NBA convenes.
Plus, the Black Lives Matter protests of the last few weeks has struck a chord with NBA players who see themselves on the forefront of the movement.