RIVERS ‘VERY CONCERNED IF WE CAN PULL THIS OFF’
The first day of NBA training camp is supposed to be accompanied by brimming optimism, a time for players and coaches all taking those first steps toward what they hope is a championship.
It was tempered this year. The f irst preseason camps of the coronavirus era opened Tuesday, with teams limited for the first few days to individual sessions with one coach and one player at one basket, all of this starting to happen as the pandemic continues raging and more and more Americans are testing positive — including at least three NBA players in recent days.
“I’m very concerned if we can pull this off,” Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said. He probably isn’t alone. Golden State General Manager Bob Myers said two Warriors have tested positive, meaning that club won’t start individual workouts until today and won’t have a full-scale practice until Monday. Washington coach Scott Brooks said the Wizards have one player who tested positive. And Orlando coach Steve Clifford said Magic center Mo Bamba — who tested positive several months ago — is still “a ways away” from being ready to play again.
“I don’t think this is unexpected,” Myers said. “Kind of proves that the protocols and testing are working. That’s all per NBA protocols, which I’m learning a lot about.”
Rivers, noting how the virus is becoming a major issue for college football and the NFL in terms of getting games played, said the effect on an NBA team losing a key player or two for even a short period could essentially wreck a season.
“In football they play once a week and they have 1,000 players, so when you miss three or four players, you can still get away with it,” Rivers said. “If we miss three or four players, we’re in trouble, especially with the amount of games. We’re playing three and four games a week. So, if one of our guys or two of our key guys get the virus and they miss 10 days, 14 days, that can be eight games in a 72game season. That can knock you out in the playoffs.”
Christmas schedule
The Lakers and Dallas Mavericks will try to repeat (and maybe top) an epic game from last season on Christmas night, ESPN reports.
The Lakers and the Mavericks are part of the reported slate of Christmas games, many of which will air on ESPN, with the Clippers traveling to Denver for a rematch with the Nuggets.
New Orleans will play at Miami, followed by Golden State at Milwaukee and Brooklyn at Boston before the Lakers take the court at Staples Center at 5 p.m. The Clippers and Nuggets, last year’s Western Conference semifinal shocker, will close the night at 7:30 PT.
The Lakers and Mavericks played an epic game on Nov. 1, 2019 with LeBron James and Luka Doncic recording triple-doubles in a 119-110 Lakers victory thanks to a Danny Green 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
The full NBA schedule has yet to be released.
The Christmas schedule reportedly is tentative as the league tries to launch its season on Dec. 22 in the middle of a pandemic.
Notable
Celtics point guard Kemba Walker will be sidelined until at least the first week of January after receiving a stem cell injection in his left knee.
The Lakers re-signed veteran Jared Dudley, a Horizon High grad, to a oneyear contract. Dudley has hit 39.3 percent of his 3pointers during his career, and is a mentor to Kyle Kuzma.
The Nuggets informed season ticket holders that no fans will be allowed into Ball Arena when it opens later this month because of the COVID-19 pandemic.