Rockets Jeff Van Gundy expresses concern of not having fans

Although it seems highly likely that the NBA will resume without fans, former Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy raises a unique concern about having empty arenas.

On Monday, Texas governor Greg Abbott announced plans and timelines for the additional phases of the state’s re-opening. Abbott’s comments drew the excitement of many Houston Rockets fans, as he stated that professional sports can resume on May 31st, albeit without fans.

Although the latter part of the statement is a downer, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, as the coronavirus concern still exists. This is especially the case in large crowds such as the ones that typically gather at sporting events.

It’s still a positive trend in the right direction, especially considering how we haven’t had any Houston Rockets action in over two months. But in spite of Abbott’s stamp of approval, it doesn’t mean the NBA is any closer to resuming, as that call ultimately comes from NBA commissioner Adam Silver. What’s been made abundantly clear is that whenever the league does resume, it’ll be without fans, which has it’s pros and cons.

The utmost important thing during this pandemic has been the health and safety of everyone, so on that front this is a good thing. But we’ve heard several players speak out about the importance the fans have on them over the course of the game, as they’ve often proven to be pivotal to helping a player shoot themselves out of a slump while also providing the necessary motivation for the villains of the game.

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