NBA players who are part of the 22-team reboot in Orlando have been away from their families for over a month. The Phoenix Suns did something to ease the separation.
The Suns surprised the team with pre-match virtual presentations of their family members.
LeBron James, who spoke about how difficult it is for him to be away from his wife Savannah and their three children, was struck by that idea.
“It was great!!!!!!!!” James tweeted. “S / O the Suns for that. Damn, I miss my family! #JamesGang“
Players will not be able to see their families until after the first round of the playoffs, which means they will be away from them for nearly two months.
James said it is the longest stretch he has ever traveled without seeing them.
“It’s a huge sacrifice what we’re all doing,” James said after the Lakers’ 116-108 win over the Utah Jazz on August 3. “I miss my family. My wife, my children, my mother.”
James, who normally turns off his phone during the playoffs and disconnects from social media, says it’s a luxury he won’t have this time around.
“I have to keep checking in with my family every single day,” he said.
The Lakers (52-18) took the number 1 seed at the Western Conference for the first time since 2010.
The Suns, the only team to remain unbeaten in the bubble with a 7-0 record, are in a tight race for eighth seed with the Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs.
