Reacts: Covid is diminishing fans’ enjoyment of this season

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged-in LA Clippers fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts, and check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

The past few weeks have featured some unexpected NBA basketball. With more than half of the league entering health and safety protocols, fans have been greeted with new faces on their favorite teams, and sometimes old ones. That has led to some great stories, but also some low-quality basketball as players literally get to know one another during games.

In the latest survey of NBA fans, 71 percent said that their enjoyment of this season has been somewhat negatively impacted by Covid-19. Considering all of the players who have missed time and the constant stream of virus-related news, it’s almost surprising that number isn’t even higher.

If fans aren’t enjoying the product as much, it stands to reason that they would be consuming less NBA content. However, the same survey revealed that 68 percent of fans haven’t watched fewer games despite the lower quality of play. The replacement players should feel pretty good that they have still managed to capture fan attention in this strange situation.

Fortunately, the league appears to have gotten past the worst of the omicron wave. The Clippers have had eight players enter the protocol, but are down to just three. Of the four coaches who have tested positive, only two remain out — and one of them is Dan Craig, who is away from the team rehabbing from knee surgery. Ideally, the rest of the season proceeds more normally and fans can get back to enjoying regular NBA basketball.

If you’d like to vote in upcoming Reacts surveys and have your voice heard each week, sign up here.

More news for Friday:

• Ricky O’Donnell has some thoughts on the first returns of All-Star fan votes. As far as we’re concerned, this is all you need to know.
• The NBA is retaining stricter covid protocols for non-boosted players.
• Michael Pina and Rohan Nadkarni share some of the great stories of players on hardship contracts.
• Speaking of replacement players, your mileage may vary on Chris Paul, but the way he stood up for Emanuel Terry (former Agua Caliente Clipper!) and the 10-day players is very cool.