NBA Orlando restart: What players can expect as they arrive at the bubble

By Kurt HelinJul 7, 2020, 8:00 AM EDT

Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

Today we start to find out if the NBA can build a bubble on its Walt Disney World campus and play out the end of the season, crowning a champion.

For the next three days, Tuesday through Thursday, teams will be arriving in Orlando and will be taken to the Disney property and the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. There are 113-pages of protocols and regulations laid out by the league — not all of them popular with players, expect some fatigue as the restart wears on — to create this bubble.

Here’s what players can expect, starting today:

ARRIVAL

• Teams will board charter flights from their home market to the Orlando airport, where after they land and go through security they will directly board a chartered bus that will bring them to the Walt Disney World complex. Team arrival dates are:

Tuesday: Brooklyn, Denver, Orlando (no flight), Phoenix, Utah, Washington
Wednesday: Boston, Dallas, L.A. Clippers, Memphis, Miami, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Sacramento
Thursday: Toronto (from Florida), Houston, Indiana, L.A. Lakers, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Portland, San Antonio

• When they check-in at the hotel, each player will be given a “MagicBand” — a rubber bracelet with a chip that serves as a room key (and wallet, if needed) throughout the hotel. The NBA also will use it to check players in for coronavirus testing.

• Soon after they arrive, players will be tested for the coronavirus. After taking the test (and awaiting results), players must quarantine in their hotel rooms for 24-48 hours until they pass two tests 24 hours apart — they may not be in physical contact with team members, and they will only eat room service meals. Portland’s CJ McCollum had wine shipped from Oregon to his room in Orlando just to pass these 48 hours.

• Once cleared by the initial tests, players will be tested daily for the virus, at least at first, according to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. The NBA’s operations handbook for the restart says players will be tested” regularly.”

• What hotel teams will stay at was determined by seeding. Here is the list of which teams are staying at what hotel.

-Grand Destino: Milwaukee, L.A. Lakers, Toronto, L.A. Clippers, Boston, Denver, Utah, Miami
-Grand Floridian: Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Houston, Indiana, Dallas, Brooklyn, Memphis, Orlando
-Yacht Club: Portland, Sacramento, New Orleans, San Antonio, Phoenix, Washington

If a lower seed team advances to the conference semi-finals, they likely will be asked to move to the Grand Destino from their hotel (Disney wants to free up those hotels for other guests to the resort).

• All team and league staff — including coaches — will be required to wear a “proximity alarm” that will notify the wearer if he or she spends more than five seconds within six feet of another person who also has the band. The idea is to remind people to social distance. Players will have the option of wearing the alarm band.

• Players also will be given the option to wear the Oura smart ring, which tracks the wearer’s temperature, breathing, and heart rate. The makers says could help indicate if a player has some of the early symptoms of COVID-19 before they realize it, but players are skeptical of wearable technology from the league in general. We will see how many players take the league up on their offer.

LIFE INSIDE THE BUBBLE

• Everyone — players, team staff, Disney employees, probably even Mickey Mouse — will be required to wear a facemask, except when eating, at a workout or practice, in their room, or if they are swimming or doing something more than six feet away from another person (laying out by the pool with nobody around).

• Food will be prepared on site by Disney chefs. Each team has the chance to work with a “culinary team” to design a healthy menu that fits the dietary needs of players. A number of players have private chefs, and they can prepare meals off-site then have those brought into the players.

• Games inside the NBA bubble will take place at one of three facilities:
1)The HP Field House will be the primary game court.
2)The Arena will have a game broadcast court plus has a couple of side practice courts.
3) The Visa Center has a court that can be used for game broadcasts, but this will primarily be a practice facility.
• All three areans have weight and training areas for teams to get in additional work.

• Team hotels will have amenities for players and staff, such as pools, bicycles (there are bike paths), players-only lounge area (with televisions and gaming areas). The hotel will have barbers, manicures and spa services, and more. There also will be movie screenings, some DJ sets, bowling, and other games such as ping pong — just don’t play doubles. Seriously.

• There will be golf available, but no caddies.

• Players can leave the bubble whenever they want. If this is an excused exit for a family emergency — Gordon Hayward and several other players have wives/partners with babies due during the bubble — and players are tested daily while outside the bubble, they face only a four-day quarantine upon return. However, if a player just chooses to leave the bubble without an approved reason, he faces a 14-day quarantine upon his return and will have to have two negative tests. Also, the player will not be paid for any games missed.

• Any team staff that violates the rules of the NBA bubble or leaves the bubble without prior approval will be removed and cannot return to the Disney campus.

WHAT HAPPENS IF/WHEN A PLAYER TESTS POSITIVE

• The NBA has made it clear: Games are not going to stop for a few positive tests

• If a player tests positive inside the NBA bubble, he is immediately be moved to “isolation housing” off the Disney property. That player will spend at least 14 days outside the bubble and must pass two coronavirus tests a day apart.

• Anyone the infected player came in contact with will face increased testing and will be monitored.

• Teams and the league will more closely monitor and test anyone who was in close proximity to that player between tests.

Fan in Orlando sues Wizards’ Beal over postgame confrontation in arena

By Kurt HelinApr 20, 2023, 10:37 AM EDT

Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images

On March 21, Bradley Beal exited the court after a Wizards loss and a rough night for him — 16 points on 4-of-15 shooting — when a man allegedly yelled at him, “You made me lose $1,300, you f***.” Beal turned and walked toward a friend of the man who allegedly made the comment and, according to a police report, swung his right hand toward the man hitting the left side of his head and knocking his hat off. Police found cause to charge Beal with simple battery and referred the case to the State’s Attorney’s Office.

Now that man is suing Bradley Beal.

Kyler Briffa filed a lawsuit this week in Orange County, Florida, seeing damages in excess of $50,000 from Beal. The attorneys for the plaintiff, Sherris Legal, described the incident this way in a release sent to NBC Sports.

“Plaintiff was stunned [after his hat was knocked off], and immediately and repeatedly told Beal that he did not make the comment. Not only did Beal ignore Plaintiff’s claims of innocence, but he also ignored the fact that Plaintiff’s friend took responsibility for the comment and apologized. Beal continued to bully Plaintiff by threatening, intimidating and humiliating him, without regard to the surrounding fans, which comprised of children, their parents and elderly adults.

With his hands firmly on the barrier directly in front of and mere inches from Plaintiff and his friend, Beal taunted them with comments such as, “When I hear disrespect I’m going to press it. Do you think this is a joke, do you think this is a joke, do you think this is a joke, I’m talking to you and you… do you think this is a joke? What are we doing when I press you about it? What are we doing? What are we doing?”

Briffa claims in the lawsuit that he “suffered emotional distress, mental anguish, fear and humiliation, pain and suffering and loss of capacity of enjoyment of life.”

Neither Beal nor the Wizards have commented on the lawsuit.

As someone who spent a couple of years as a court reporter early in his journalism career, let me say the number of cases like this — looking for some cash, maybe out of a settlement out of an incident — would stun people. The deeper the pockets, the more likely it feels as if a lawsuit is coming.

NBA playoffs first round results, schedule, times and where to watch

By Kurt HelinApr 20, 2023, 8:31 AM EDT

The first round of the NBA playoffs can feel like it lasts forever — eight series running all at once, scheduled with multiple days between games as the league works to get what it believes will be the highest-rated games in prime slots for its broadcast partners. It can lead to an uneven start.

But once the drama of the playoffs kicks in — as it did this year on the opening weekend — nobody is bothered. Well, except for the coaches, who are bothered by everything.

Here is the first-round NBA playoff schedule as we know it. This will be updated as the dates are finalized and the results pour in. All times are Eastern (* = if necessary).

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Denver vs. #8 Minnesota

1) Sun 4/16: Nuggets won 109-80 (Denver 1-0)
2) Wed 4/19: Nuggets won 122-113 (Denver 2-0)
3) Fri 4/21 at Minnesota, 9:30 (ESPN)
4) Sun 4/23 at Minnesota, 9:30 (TNT)
5) Tue 4/25 at Denver, TBD (TBD)*
6) Thu 4/27 at Minnesota, TBD (TBD)*
7) Sat 4/29 at Denver, TBD (TNT)*

#2 Memphis vs. #7 L.A. Lakers

1) Sun 4/16: Lakers won 128-112 (Los Angeles 1-0)
2) Wed 4/19: Grizzlies won 103-93 (series tied 1-1)
3) Sat 4/22 at L.A. Lakers, 10 (ESPN)
4) Mon 4/24 at L.A. Lakers, TBD (TBD)
5) Wed 4/26 at Memphis, TBD (TBD)
6) Fri 4/28 at L.A. Lakers 8, TBD (TBD)*
7) Sun 4/30 at Memphis, TBD (TBD)*

#3 Sacramento vs. #6 Golden State

1) Sat 4/15: Kings win 126-123 (Sacramento 1-0)
2) Mon 4/17: Kings win 114-106 (Sacramento 2-0)
3) Thu 4/20 at Golden State, 10 (TNT)
4) Sun 4/23 at Golden State, 3:30 (ABC)
5) Wed 4/26 at Sacramento, TBD (TBD)*
6) Fri 4/28 at Golden State 8, TBD (TBD)*
7) Sun 4/30 at Sacramento, TBD (TBD)*

#4 Phoenix vs. #5 LA Clippers

1) Sun 4/16: Clippers won 115-110 (Los Angeles 1-0)
2) Tue 4/18: Suns win 123-109 (series tied 1-1)
3) Thu 4/20 at LA Clippers, 10:30 (NBA TV)
4) Sat 4/22 at LA Clippers, 3:30 (TNT)
5) Tue 4/25 at Phoenix, TBD (TBD)
6) Thu 4/27 at LA Clippers, TBD (TBD)*
7) Sat 4/29 at Phoenix, TBD (TNT)*

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Milwaukee vs. #8 Miami

1) Sun 4/16: Heat won 130-117 (Miami 1-0)
2) Wed 4/19 Bucks won 138-122 (series tied 1-1)
3) Sat 4/22 at Miami, 7:30 (ESPN)
4) Mon 4/24 at Miami, TBD (TBD)
5) Wed 4/26 at Milwaukee, TBD (TBD)
6) Fri 4/28 at Miami, TBD (TBD)*
7) Sun 4/30 at Milwaukee, TBD (TBD)*

#2 Boston vs. #7 Atlanta

1) Sat 4/15: Celtics win 112-99 (Boston 1-0)
2) Tue 4/18: Celtics win 119-106 (Boston 2-0)
3) Fri 4/21 at Atlanta, 7 (ESPN)
4) Sun 4/23 at Atlanta, 7 (TNT)
5) Tue 4/25 at Boston, TBD (TBD)*
6) Thu 4/27 at Atlanta, TBD (TBD)*
7) Sat 4/29 at Boston, TBD (TNT)*

#3 Philadelphia vs. #6 Brooklyn

1) Sat 4/15: 76ers win 121-101 (Philadelphia 1-0)
2) Mon 4/17: 76ers win 96-84 (Philadelphia 2-0)
3) Thu 4/20 at Brooklyn, 7:30 (TNT)
4) Sat 4/22 at Brooklyn, 1 (TNT)
5) Mon 4/24 at Philadelphia, TBD (TBD)*
6) Thu 4/27 at Brooklyn, TBD (TBD)*
7) Sat 4/29 at Philadelphia, TBD (TNT)*

#4 Cleveland vs. #5 New York

1) Sat 4/15: Knicks win 101-97 (New York 1-0)
2) Tue 4/18: Cavaliers win 107-90 (series tied 1-1)
3) Fri 4/21 at New York, 8:30 (ABC)
4) Sun 4/23 at New York, 1 (ABC)
5) Wed 4/26 at Cleveland, TBD (TBD)
6) Fri 4/28 at New York, TBD (TBD)*
7) Sun 4/30 at Cleveland, TBD (TNT)*

Watch Jamal Murray drop 40, Nuggets beat Timberwolves for 2-0 lead

Associated PressApr 20, 2023, 3:29 AM EDT

DENVER — Jamal Murray never had this type of performance with such an ear-splitting soundtrack to go with it.

Murray scored 40 points and Michael Porter Jr. had 13 of his 16 in the fourth quarter, powering the Denver Nuggets past the Minnesota Timberwolves 122-113 for a 2-0 lead in the NBA playoff series.

Murray hadn’t ever produced even a 30-point playoff game at Ball Arena – his two 50-point postseason performances came in the NBA bubble in Florida in 2020.

“It’s nice,” Murray said. “It’s nice having a crowd. They got me going. That fires us up and gives us a lot of life even when we’re not playing our best.”

Nuggets coach Michael Malone called it a “passionate, heartfelt performance,” and he gave Murray a big hug when he brought him out in the closing seconds and implored the crowd to show its appreciation.

“I knew they would anyway, our fans are great,” Malone said. “But just to reward him and acknowledge the effort he just gave forth. He left a piece of him out there tonight.”

Nikola Jokic added 27 points, nine assists and nine rebounds for the Nuggets, who blew an early 21-point lead and trailed 89-87 heading into the fourth quarter.

Anthony Edwards had 41 points for the Wolves, who shot a sizzling 81% in the third quarter to erase a 64-59 halftime deficit.

“They were the aggressors in that moment,” Jokic said. “I think in that situation we just need to relax and play the right way.”

Minnesota had shot just 39% in the first half, just slightly better than it did in a 29-point loss in the series opener Sunday night.

“We knew at some point we’d see the aggressive, attacking Timberwolves,” Malone said. “In that third quarter we saw it and they played great and we didn’t defend in the third quarter, but I was proud of how we responded in that fourth quarter.”

The series shifts to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday night.

The Nuggets’ recovery began in the fourth quarter with Porter scoring eight straight points – on a four-point play, a reverse layup and two free throws – but the Nuggets couldn’t shake the energized Wolves, who clawed back and went ahead 99-98 on an Edwards’ jumper.

Porter replied with a 3-pointer that restored Denver’s lead for good.

“We can’t wait until we go down 20 or 15 in the first half and try to figure out how to get back into the game,” Edwards said. “If we found something tonight, we’ve got to stick with it first quarter.”

Rudy Gobert scored 19 points but was whistled for a technical foul while arguing his fifth foul, a shove in Jokic’s back. It was teammate Kyle Anderson – whom Gobert punched in the Timberwolves’ final regular-season game – who calmed down Gobert.

Murray led the counterpunch to Minnesota’s big third-quarter run, something he couldn’t do the last two postseasons as he recovered from a torn left ACL.

“That was tough,” Murray said, “just sitting down watching.”

And only dreaming of nights like this.

Grizzlies stay aggressive with Morant out, run past ‘old’ Lakers to even series

By Kurt HelinApr 20, 2023, 2:53 AM EDT

For a couple of years now, the Memphis Grizzlies have shown they can win without their star player (27-8 over the past two seasons).

On Wednesday night that meant trusting their depth, using their elite defense to smother key Lakers players, plus playing fast and attacking the Lakers (even if the pace of this game was slower than the series opener). The Grizzlies went at them with energy and a hint of desperation. Tyus Jones reminded everyone why he might be the best backup point guard in the NBA, and Memphis got an unexpected boost from Xavier Tillman Sr. and his career-high 22 points plus he pulled down 13 rebounds. It was next man up personified.

The story is different for the Lakers. If Anthony Davis isn’t playing at an elite level — say, shooting 4-of-14 as he did Wednesday night — the Lakers don’t have a good fallback. He is their everything this postseason. This stat from The Athletic’s Jovan Buha sums things up:

Through two games:
Lakers with Davis on the court (75 minutes): +23
Lakers with Davis off the court (21 minutes): -17

Wednesday night Memphis locked the Lakers down, which allowed them to push the pace in the first half, built a lead and hold it through the second half to win 103-93 and even the series 1-1.

Game 3 is Saturday in Los Angeles. Ja Morant‘s status for that game is unknown, he is recovering from a “sore right hand” following a nasty fall in Game 1.

Of course, what everyone will be talking about out of this game is Dillon Brooks chirping at LeBron then calling him “old.”

Classic Dillon Brooks on his confrontation with LeBron James: “I don’t care. He’s old. … I poke bears. I don’t respect someone until he gives me 40.”

And Brooks had plenty more to say. pic.twitter.com/uWLONrubPZ

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 20, 2023

Go ahead and say that’s not smart — plenty of players have come to regret it over the years — but it’s who Brooks is. He wants this role and he barks at everyone, including Stephen Curry (who has dropped 40 on him). It’s also who the Grizzlies are.

LeBron doesn’t play old, but he does play at a deliberate pace (although he is still a force when he does get in transition). The Grizzlies tried to exploit the older legs of LeBron and his teammates by attacking early in the clock off misses, plus getting some transition buckets, and it was key to them getting up by 20 at one point. That and the fact Memphis has an elite defense and brought it in Game 2.

Even without the otherworldly athleticism of Morant, Memphis is younger and bouncier than the Lakers. When the Lakers were able to slow the game down in the second half they climbed back and got close, but they could never fully close the gap.

LeBron led the Lakers with 28 points and 12 rebounds. Rui Hachimora added 20, but D'Angelo Russell struggled with the Grizzlies’ pressure and shot 2-of-11.

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 18 points for the Grizzlies, while Desmond Bane added 17.