October 19th 2024.
It's been a rough week for Avalanche fans, with their team starting the regular season 0-4 for the first time since 1998. The highlight of the midweek, amidst this dismal start, actually came from a different sport altogether, basketball to be exact.
On Wednesday, Lonzo Ball made his long-awaited return to the court for the Chicago Bulls after nearly 1,100 days since his last NBA game. And he did more than just play, scoring 10 points, making two three-pointers, and recording an assist, a block, and a steal in just 15 minutes of play. But why should Avs fans and even Denverites care about this?
Well, it turns out that Lonzo underwent a unique surgical procedure in March 2023 for a cartilage replacement, the same type that Avs captain Gabe Landeskog had just two months later. So, seeing Ball back on the court and playing well gives hope to Avs fans that Landeskog will also be able to make a successful comeback from his surgery.
But let's not get too ahead of ourselves. While it's promising to see Ball playing at full speed after such a serious surgery, it's important to remember that basketball and hockey are two very different sports with different levels of contact. In basketball, a body slam into the wall would result in a fine and suspension, whereas in hockey, it's just a regular Tuesday. So while it's encouraging to see life after cartilage replacement in basketball, it's not a guarantee for the same success in hockey.
And let's not forget the Avs' history of slow starts. In 2021, they won their opener against the Blackhawks but then went on to lose three straight, getting outscored by a whopping 15-7 margin. It's easy to panic when the team starts off poorly, but we all know how that season ended. So maybe it's time to take a deep breath and preach some patience, even though it's hard to do while watching the team struggle.
But let's not dwell on the Avs' struggles too much. After all, there are some positive things happening in the world of sports, like the amazing comeback of Alexandar Georgiev, who went from a 7.50 GAA to 5.79 in just one week. At this rate, he'll be pitching shutouts by Thanksgiving! And let's not forget about CU's Travis Hunter, who, despite missing half of last weekend's game due to injury, was named a quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which recognizes both on-field performance and off-field character. It's an award that values integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community involvement, and tenacity, and past winners include some impressive names like J.J. Watt and Luke Keuchley.
So while it's easy to get caught up in the Avs' slow start and the panic that sets in, it's important to remember that there's always room for improvement and that good things can come from unexpected places, like a basketball player's successful comeback from a serious surgery. And let's not forget that sometimes, it's good to take a step back and find some humor in the midst of the chaos.
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