Fantasy basketball is not a simple entity. While the basics are easy to understand, there are many players, terms, and phrases that everyone involved must know. Some of those acronyms are easy to get, and a few aren’t as common or as recognizable.
To help with that, the following article will cover one of the more unique abbreviations in fantasy basketball in PPD. Showing what that means, as well as how to apply it when it comes up, will reveal some critical knowledge all owners should know.
An Uncommon Delay
There are many acronyms throughout fantasy basketball. Some are easy to follow, and some are much tougher. All of them are important to figure out when building a team because they allow owners to easily respond to adversity as it comes.
PPD is a three-letter phrase that stands for “postponed.” The term specifically refers to when a game has been suspended and will not be played, but it can also refer to a game that’s been delayed as well.
Most of the time, PPD games aren’t going to happen and will be moved to a later date. If a delay does occur, be mindful they can last anywhere between a few minutes and a few hours.
A Good Reason
There are several broad reasons basketball games can be postponed. The first is weather. Though courts are indoors and not subject to the elements, certain climate conditions or weather patterns can lead to postponed games.
Anything from hurricanes to tornadoes to floods can and will cause games to be rescheduled to a different time. Such examples are rare, but they do happen. In fact, on January 23rd, 2016 the NBA postponed two games after the National Weather Service announced a blizzard warning.
Human rights or social movements can also affect games, such as when Bill Russel and key players on the Celtics first refused to play in support of civil rights all the way back in 1961.
Over the years there have been many more examples of players standing their ground, with the most recent events occurring in 2020 when athletes caused the NBA to postone games in response to racial injustice.
In addition, gigantic world events can also cause NBA games to become postponed. Covid was the most recent example, shutting down the season for an extended period of time, but many large historical events can force a PPD.
During the 1960’s three games were put on hold due to the great New York Blackout, the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Responding to Change
If a game gets postponed, it’s important to react quickly. You never want to miss points simply because your key player is on the bench. Though the game will be played at a later date (something to also keep in mind) there will still be a gap for that night.
Anytime you see PPD, or if you hear that a game is going to be postponed, you need to make changes on your team accordingly. Keep an eye out for any warnings or rumblings about it happening, especially if the social or weather climate is a bit unpredictable.
Losing a player for one night doesn’t seem like a huge deal. However, even losing out on a few stats can be all the difference between losing a close game or taking home a critical victory.
Final Words
It’s never fun when players have to sit out in fantasy. A postponed game might be better than an injury, but it’s still something that can cause issues at the wrong time. Understand that when you see PPD, and do everything you can to play around with it.
