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Teams forced into difficult choices to trim traveling parties for restart

By Kurt HelinJul 11, 2020, 8:00 AM EDT
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ASSOCIATED PRESS — The 22 teams participating in the NBA restart were all at the Disney campus together for the first time Friday.

None of them, however, made it to the Orlando, Florida, area with their usual travel party.

Leaving families behind for several weeks — or maybe even three months, depending on how deep a team goes in the playoffs — during a pandemic isn’t the only hardship that teams are dealing with during this restart. Space limitations within the quasi-bubble at Disney also meant that teams had to cut their official traveling parties down to 37, including players, so many people who usually travel with a club aren’t on this trip.

“We’re not able to take everybody — and that stinks, because of the amount of work that they all put in every single day,” Boston coach Brad Stevens said. “We’ve tried to identify how to be the most efficient we can be with people that can be excellent remotely as well. I think that that’s one of the things that we’ve had to identify. In some cases, their excellence remotely probably hurt their chances of going initially.”

It’s expected that as the bubble population shrinks after six teams are eliminated from playoff contention and then eight more are ousted in the first postseason round, teams will be allowed to bring in more staff.

But until then, while teams are playing games on-site at Disney, there will be plenty of work done back in home markets and home arenas as well. Some teams left player development coaches behind, some even left assistant coaches, and all teams traveled with only one media relations staffer and one equipment manager. In normal circumstances, some teams travel with as many as three people to handle media requirements and two for equipment.

“You know, it’s tough,” Orlando President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman said. “We kind of shied away from some of the language that was being thrown around — the whole idea of essential (staff) and non-essential (staff). It’s not about that. This is a very narrowly defined circumstance, and it requires certain skill sets to address this circumstance.”

Players counted against the list of 37, and most teams brought the full complement of 17 players. That left 20 spots for coaches, assistant coaches, player development, video, security, strength and conditioning, athletic training, media relations and content creators.

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said the process of figuring out who goes and who doesn’t was brutal.

“We already have had a model of everybody sharing responsibilities,” Spoelstra said. “We already had a meeting about this where there’s an absolute understanding that this is an ‘all hands on deck’ situation. And that means bags, laundry, cleanup, everything … that’s not just for equipment managers, that’s everybody — coaches, trainers, weight room staff, head coach, coaches, we’re all going to be involved in every aspect of it.”

Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan also expressed disappointment that tough decisions had to be made on the staffing end.

He completely understands the NBA perspective. Keeping the number of people in the bubble manageable is a key part of the NBA’s plan for being able to finish the season; the more people in the bubble, the more risk there is of something going wrong.

“Everybody deserves the opportunity, but for the safety of the league and the players we can’t do that,” Donovan said. “So, what we’ve got to do is understand, whether it’s myself or assistant coaches, we may have to be setting up video equipment, we may have to have one of our coaches filming practice in Orlando. There’s things that we’re going to have to do that are going to be outside the box that will normally been taken care of.”

After four months off, first NBA teams practice in restart bubble

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Associated PressJul 9, 2020, 10:00 PM EDT
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Nikola Vucevic had to raise his voice a bit to answer a question. He had just walked off the court after the first Orlando Magic practice of the restart, and some of his teammates remained on the floor while engaged in a loud and enthusiastic shooting contest.

After four months, basketball was truly back.

Full-scale practices inside the NBA bubble at the Disney complex started Thursday, with the Magic — the first team to get into the campus earlier this week — becoming the first team formally back on the floor. By the close of business Thursday, all 22 teams participating in the restart were to be checked into their hotel and beginning their isolation from the rest of the world for what will be several weeks at least. And by Saturday, all teams should have practiced at least once.

“It’s great to be back after four months,” Vucevic said. “We all missed it.”

The last eight teams were coming in Thursday, the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers among them. Lakers forward LeBron James lamented saying farewell to his family, and 76ers forward Joel Embiid — who raised some eyebrows earlier this week when he said he was “not a big fan of the idea” of restarting the season in a bubble — showed up for his team’s flight in what appeared to be a full hazmat suit.

“Just left the crib to head to the bubble. … Hated to leave the (hashtag)JamesGang,” James posted on Twitter.

Another last-day arrival at the Disney campus was the reigning NBA champion Toronto Raptors, who boarded buses for the two-hour drive from Naples, Florida — they’ve been there for about two weeks, training at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers — for the trip to the bubble. The buses were specially wrapped for the occasion, with the Raptors’ logo and the words “Black Lives Matter” displayed on the sides.

Brooklyn, Utah, Washington and Phoenix all were down to practice Thursday, along with the Magic. Denver was originally scheduled to, then pushed back its opening session to Friday. By Saturday, practices will be constant — 22 teams working out at various times in a window spanning 13 1/2 hours and spread out across seven different facilities.

Exhibition games begin July 22. Games restart again for real on July 30.

“It just felt good to be back on the floor,” said Brooklyn interim coach Jacque Vaughn, who took over for Kenny Atkinson less than a week before the March 11 suspension of the season because of the coronavirus. “I think that was the most exciting thing. We got a little conditioning underneath us. Didn’t go too hard after the quarantine, wanted to get guys to just run up and down a little bit and feel the ball again.”

Teams, for the most part, had to wait two days after arriving before they could get on the practice floor.

Many players have passed the time with video games; Miami center Meyers Leonard, with the Heat not practicing for the first time until Friday, has been giving fans glimpses of everything from his gaming setup to his room service order for his first dinner at Disney — replete with lobster bisque, a burger, chicken strips and some Coors Light to wash it all down.

The food has been a big talking point so far, especially after a handful of players turned to social media to share what got portrayed as less-than-superb meals during the brief quarantine period.

“For the most part, everything has been pretty good in my opinion,” Nets guard Joe Harris said. “They’ve done a good job taking care of us and making sure to accommodate us in every area as much as possible.”

Learning the campus has been another key for the first few days, and that process likely will continue for a while since teams will be using all sorts of different facilities while getting back into the practice routine.

“We have to make the best out of it,” Vucevic said. “You know, this is our job. We’re going to try to make the best out of it. I really think the NBA did the best they could to know make this as good as they can for us. And once we start playing, you’re not going to be thinking about the little things.”

Rudy Gobert to replace name on jersey with ‘Equality’ as first social justice messages leak

Jazz center Rudy Gobert
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By Kurt HelinJul 8, 2020, 9:00 AM EDT
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“Equality” and “Vote” have proven popular among the first social justice messages on the back of NBA player jerseys have been leaked to the public.

The choices of nine NBA players were leaked by Chris Haynes of TNT and Yahoo Sports on Tuesday during Inside the NBA on TNT. Here is the first list:

Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz) – “Equality”
CJ McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers) – “Education Reform”
Jusuf Nurkic (Portland Trail Blazers) – ‘Equality”
Kent Bazemore (Sacramento Kings) – “Education Reform”
Matisse Thybulle (Philadelphia 76ers) – “Vote”
Pat Connaughton (Milwaukee Bucks) – “Equality”
Meyers Leonard (Miami Heat) – “Equality”
Ivica Zubac (Los Angeles Clippers) – “Enough”
Moe Wagner (Wizards) – “Vote”

The NBA is a multi-billion dollar business, so it wanted to allow for social justice messages on jerseys — but not any social justice message. It had to come from a pre-approved list (read: things that felt “safe” and would not offend the core audience). That did not sit well with players, but everyone is headed to Orlando for the restart for financial reasons, so of course this was a business decision. The list of approved messages is:

Black Lives Matter; Say Their Names; Vote; I Can’t Breathe; Justice; Peace; Equality; Freedom; Enough; Power to the People; Justice Now; Say Her Name; Sí Se Puede (Yes We Can); Liberation; See Us; Hear Us; Respect Us; Love Us; Listen; Listen to Us; Stand Up; Ally; Anti-Racist; I Am A Man; Speak Up; How Many More; Group Economics; Education Reform; Mentor.

NBA players will be arriving in Orlando through Thursday as the NBA starts to form its bubble and begin practices.

NBA schedule 2020: Dates, times, matchups for restart in Orlando

NBA schedule 2020
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By Kurt HelinJul 8, 2020, 6:58 AM EDT
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The NBA schedule release for 2020 is out.

Well, the revised, 22-teams on the Orlando campus playing “seeding games” schedule is out. Players will have been there for three weeks (for a mini training camp) by the time gams tip-off on July 30.

And the NBA is leaning right into its biggest stars.

Opening night has two games. First, it’s Zion Williamson and the Pelicans against the Jazz; then it’s the matchup everyone wants in the West — Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers vs. LeBron James and the Lakers. The next day, July 31, we get a battle at the top of the East, the Celtics vs. the Bucks.

Here are a few more notes on the NBA schedule release 2020:

• These “seeding games” count toward the regular-season standings and the stats count toward regular-season statistics.
• The Pelicans got their easy schedule back. New Orleans had the easiest schedule remaining in the NBA before the interruption, and it is the only team whose opponents have a cumulative win/loss of under .500.
• The most difficult schedule (based on opponent winning percentage) belongs to the defending champion Toronto Raptors.
• Each of the three courts used for games will be sanitized between games, meaning it is at least four hours between games on a court (once warmup time is factored in).
• Games will start as early as 12:30 Eastern on weekdays, 1 p.m. Eastern on the weekends.
• Games will start as late as 9 p.m. Eastern, and those will mostly involve West Coast teams.
• Each team has one back-to-back.
• The times and national broadcasts for games on Aug 12 and 13 are not set. They are flexible, allowing the most important games for seeding to be nationally televised.

NBA schedule 2020 for Orlando restart. (All times ET)

July 30, Opening Night

Utah Jazz vs. New Orleans Pelicans 6:30 p.m (TNT)
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers 9 p.m. (TNT)

July 31

Orlando Magic vs. Brooklyn Nets 2:30 p.m.
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Portland Trail Blazers 4 p.m. (NBA TV)
Phoenix Suns vs. Washington Wizards 4 p.m.
Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Sacramento Kings vs. San Antonio Spurs 8 p.m.
Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks 9 p.m. (ESPN)

Aug. 1

Miami Heat vs. Denver Nuggets, 1 p.m. (ESPN)
Utah Jazz vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Los Angeles Clippers, 6 p.m. (ESPN)
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Indiana Pacers, 7 p.m.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Toronto Raptors, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Aug. 2

Washington Wizards vs. Brooklyn Nets, 2 p.m.
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Boston Celtics, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 4 p.m.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns, 6 p.m.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Houston Rockets, 8 p.m. (ABC)
Sacramento Kings vs. Orlando Magic, 9 p.m.

Aug. 3

Toronto Raptors vs. Miami Heat, 1:30 p.m.
Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 4 p.m.
Indiana Pacers vs. Washington Wizards, 4 p.m.
Memphis Grizzlies vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)
San Antonio Spurs vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz, 9 p.m. (ESPN)

Aug. 4

Brooklyn Nets vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 1:30 p.m.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Sacramento Kings, 2:30 p.m.
Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Clippers, 4 p.m.
Orlando Magic vs. Indiana Pacers, 6 p.m.
Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat, 6:30 p.m. (TNT)
Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 9 p.m. (TNT)

Aug. 5

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Utah Jazz, 2:30 p.m.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Washington Wizards, 4 p.m
Denver Nuggets vs. San Antonio Spurs, 4 p.m.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Toronto Raptors vs. Orlando Magic, 8 p.m.
Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics, 9 p.m. (ESPN)

Aug. 6

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings, 1:30 p.m.
Indiana Pacers vs. Phoenix Suns, 4 p.m.
Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 4 p.m. (TNT)
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks, 6:30 p.m. (TNT)
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets, 9 p.m. (TNT)

Aug. 7

Utah Jazz vs. San Antonio Spurs, 1 p.m.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 4 p.m.
Sacramento Kings vs. Brooklyn Nets, 5 p.m.
Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 6:30 p.m. (TNT)
Washington Wizards vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 8 p.m.
Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors, 9 p.m. (TNT)

Aug. 8

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 1 p.m. (TNT)
Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets, 3:30 p.m. (TNT)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Indiana Pacers, 6 p.m. (TNT)
Phoenix Suns vs. Miami Heat, 7:30 p.m.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Dallas Mavericks, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Aug. 9

Washington Wizards vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 12:30 p.m.
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Toronto Raptors, 2 p.m.
San Antonio Spurs vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 3 p.m. (ABC)
Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics, 5 p.m.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 6:30 p.m.
Houston Rockets vs. Sacramento Kings, 8 p.m.
Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Clippers, 9 p.m.

Aug. 10

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns, 2:30 p.m.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz, 3 p.m.
Toronto Raptors vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat, 8 p.m.
Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 9 p.m. (TNT)

Aug. 11

Brooklyn Nets vs. Orlando Magic, 1 p.m.
Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs, 2 p.m.
Phoenix Suns vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 4:30 p.m.
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Dallas Mavericks, 5 p.m.
Boston Celtics vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 6:30 p.m. (TNT)
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings, 9 p.m. (TNT)
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Washington Wizards, 9 p.m.

Aug. 12

Indiana Pacers vs. Houston Rockets, 4 p.m.
Toronto Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets, 9 p.m. (ESPN)

Aug. 13

Washington Wizards vs. Boston Celtics
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Orlando Magic
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns
San Antonio Spurs vs. Utah Jazz
Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Brooklyn Nets

Aug. 14

Denver Nuggets vs. Toronto Raptors
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Houston Rockets
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers

Schedule by team for Orlando

Boston Celtics

vs. Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, July 31 (6:30 p.m., ESPN)
vs. Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, August 2 (3:30 p.m., ABC)
vs. Miami Heat on Tuesday, August 4 (6:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
vs. Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, August 5 (9 p.m., ESPN)
vs. Toronto Raptors on Friday, August 7 (9 p.m. ET, TNT)
vs. Orlando Magic on Sunday, August 9 (5 p.m.)
vs. Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, August 11 (6:30 p.m., TNT)
vs. Washington Wizards on Thursday, August 13 (TBD)

Brooklyn Nets

vs. Orlando Magic on Friday, July 31 (2:30 p.m.)
vs. Washington Wizards on Sunday, August 2 (2 p.m.)
vs. Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, August 4 (1:30 p.m., NBA TV)
vs. Boston Celtics on Wednesday, August 5 (9 p.m., ESPN)
vs. Sacramento Kings on Friday, August 7 (5 p.m.)
vs. LA Clippers on Sunday, August 9 (9 p.m., NBA TV)
vs. Orlando Magic on Tuesday, August 11 (1 p.m.)
vs. Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, August 13 (TBD)

Dallas Mavericks

vs. Houston Rockets on Friday, July 31 (9 p.m., ESPN)
vs. Phoenix Suns on Sunday, August 2 (9 p.m.)
vs. Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, August 4 (2:30 p.m.)
vs. LA Clippers on Thursday, August 6 (6:30 p.m, TNT)
vs. Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, August 8 (8:30 p.m., ESPN)
vs. Utah Jazz on Monday, August 10 (3 p.m., NBA TV)
vs. Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, August 11 (5 p.m.)
vs. Phoenix Suns on Thursday, August 13 (TBD)

Denver Nuggets

vs. Miami Heat on Saturday, August 1 (1 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, August 3 (4 p.m., NBA TV)
vs. San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, August 5 (4 p.m.)
vs. Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, August 6 (8 p.m.)
vs. Utah Jazz on Saturday, August 8 (3:30 p.m., TNT)
vs. Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, August 10 (9 p.m, TNT)
vs. LA Clippers on Wednesday, August 12 (9 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Toronto Raptors on Friday, August 14 (TBD)

Houston Rockets

vs. Dallas Mavericks on Friday, July 31 (9 p.m., ESPN)
vs. Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday, August 2 (8:30 p.m., ABC)
vs. Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, August 4 (9 p.m., TNT)
vs. Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, August 6 (9 p.m., TNT)
vs. Sacramento Kings on Sunday, August 9 (8 p.m.)
vs. San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, August 11 (2 p.m., NBA TV)
vs. Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, August 12 (4 p.m., NBA TV)
vs. Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, August 14 (TBD)

Indiana Pacers

vs. Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, August 1 (7 p.m.)
vs. Washington Wizards on Monday, August 3 (4 p.m.)
vs. Orlando Magic on Tuesday, August 4 (6 p.m.)
vs. Phoenix Suns on Thursday, August 6 (4 p.m.)
vs. Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, August 8 (6 p.m., TNT)
vs. Miami Heat on Monday, August 10 (8 p.m.)
vs. Houston Rockets on Wednesday, August 12 (4 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Miami Heat on Friday, August 14 (TBD)

LA Clippers

vs. Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, July 30 (9 p.m, TNT)
vs. New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday, August 1 (6 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, August 4 (4 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, August 6 (6:30 pm, TNT)
vs. Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, August 8 (1 p.m. ET, TNT)
vs. Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, August 9 (9 p.m. ET, NBA TV)
vs. Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, August 12 (9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, August 14 (TBD)

Los Angeles Lakers

vs. LA Clippers on Thursday, July 30 (9 p.m, TNT)
vs. Toronto Raptors on Saturday, August 1 (8:30 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Utah Jazz on Monday, August 3 (9:00 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, August 5 (6:30 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Houston Rockets on Thursday, August 6 (9 p.m, TNT)
vs. Indiana Pacers on Saturday, August 8 (6 p.m, TNT)
vs. Denver Nuggets on Monday, August 10 (9 p.m, TNT)
vs. Sacramento Kings on Thursday, August 13 (TBD)

Memphis Grizzlies

vs. Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, July 31 (4 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, August 2 (4 p.m.)
vs. New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, August 3 (6:30 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Utah Jazz on Wednesday, August 5 (2:30 p.m.)
vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, August 7 (4 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Toronto Raptors on Sunday, August 9 (2 p.m.)
vs. Boston Celtics on Tuesday, August 11 (6:30 p.m, TNT)
vs. Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, August 13 (TBD)

Miami Heat

vs. Denver Nuggets on Saturday, August 1 (1 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Toronto Raptors on Monday, August 3 (1:30 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Boston Celtics on Tuesday, August 4 (6:30 p.m, TNT)
vs. Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, August 6 (4 p.m, TNT)
vs. Phoenix Suns on Saturday, August 8 (7:30 p.m)
vs. Indiana Pacers on Monday, August 10 (8 p.m.)
vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, August 12 (8 p.m.)
vs. Indiana Pacers on Friday, August 14 (TBD)

Milwaukee Bucks

vs. Boston Celtics on Friday, July 31 (6:30 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Houston Rockets on Sunday, August 2 (8:30 p.m, ABC)
vs. Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, August 4 (1:30 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Miami Heat on Thursday, August 6 (4 p.m, TNT)
vs. Dallas Mavericks on Saturday, August 8 (8:30 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Toronto Raptors on Monday, August 10 (6:30 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Washington Wizards on Tuesday, August 11 (9 p.m)
vs. Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday, August 13 (TBD)

New Orleans Pelicans

vs. Utah Jazz on Thursday, July 30 (6:30 p.m, TNT)
vs. LA Clippers on Saturday, August 1 (6 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, August 3 (6:30 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Sacramento Kings on Thursday, August 6 (1:30 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Washington Wizards on Friday, August 7 (8 p.m.)
vs. San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, August 9 (3 p.m, ABC)
vs. Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, August 11 (9 p.m, TNT)
vs. Orlando Magic on Thursday, August 13 (TBD)

Oklahoma City Thunder

vs. Utah Jazz on Saturday, August 1 (3:30 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Denver Nuggets on Monday, August 3 (4 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, August 5 (6:30 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, August 7 (4 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Washington Wizards on Sunday, August 9 (12:30 p.m.)
vs. Phoenix Suns on Monday, August 10 (2:30 p.m.)
vs. Miami Heat on Wednesday, August 12 (8 p.m.)
vs. LA Clippers on Friday, August 14 (TBD)

Orlando Magic

vs. Brooklyn Nets on Friday, July 31 (2:30 p.m.)
vs. Sacramento Kings on Sunday, August 2 (6 p.m.)
vs. Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, August 4 (6 p.m.)
vs. Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, August 5 (8 p.m.)
vs. Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, August 7 (6:30 p.m, TNT)
vs. Boston Celtics on Sunday, August 9 (5 p.m.)
vs. Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, August 11 (1 p.m.)
vs. New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday, August 13 (TBD)

Philadelphia 76ers

vs. Indiana Pacers on Saturday, August 1 (7 p.m.)
vs. San Antonio Spurs on Monday, August 3 (8 p.m.)
vs. Washington Wizards on Wednesday, August 5 (4 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Orlando Magic on Friday, August 7 (6:30 p.m, TNT)
vs. Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, August 9 (6:30 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, August 11 (4:30 p.m.)
vs. Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, August 12 (6:30 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Houston Rockets on Friday, August 14 (TBD)

Phoenix Suns

vs. Washington Wizards on Friday, July 31 (4 p.m.)
vs. Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, August 2 (9 p.m.)
vs. LA Clippers on Tuesday, August 4 (4 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Indiana Pacers on Thursday, August 6 (4 p.m.)
vs. Miami Heat on Saturday, August 8 (7:30 p.m.)
vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, August 10 (2:30 p.m.)
vs. Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, August 11 (4:30 p.m.)
vs. Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, August 13 (TBD)

Portland Trail Blazers

vs. Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, July 31 (4 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Boston Celtics on Sunday, August 2 (3:30 p.m, ABC)
vs. Houston Rockets on Tuesday, August 4 (9 p.m, TNT)
vs. Denver Nuggets on Thursday, August 6 (8 p.m.)
vs. LA Clippers on Saturday, August 8 (1 p.m, TNT)
vs. Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, August 9 (6:30 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, August 11 (5 p.m.)
vs. Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, August 13 (TBD)

Sacramento Kings

vs. San Antonio Spurs on Friday, July 31 (8 p.m.)
vs. Orlando Magic on Sunday, August 2 (6 p.m.)
vs. Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, August 4 (2:30 p.m.)
vs. New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday, August 6 (1:30 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Brooklyn Nets on Friday, August 7 (5 p.m.)
vs. Houston Rockets on Sunday, August 9 (8 p.m.)
vs. New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, August 11 (9 p.m., TNT)
vs. Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, August 13 (TBD)

San Antonio Spurs

vs. Sacramento Kings on Friday, July 31 (8 p.m.)
vs. Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, August 2 (4 p.m.)
vs. Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, August 3 (8 p.m.)
vs. Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, August 5 (4 p.m.)
vs. Utah Jazz on Friday, August 7 (1 p.m.)
vs. New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, August 9 (3 p.m, ABC)
vs. Houston Rockets on Tuesday, August 11 (2 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Utah Jazz on Thursday, August 13 (TBD)

Toronto Raptors

vs. Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, August 1 (8 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Miami Heat on Monday, August 3 (1:30 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. Orlando Magic on Wednesday, August 5 (8 p.m.)
vs. Boston Celtics on Friday, August 7 (9 p.m, TNT)
vs. Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, August 9 (2 p.m.)
vs. Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, August 10 (6:30 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, August 12 (6:30 p.m, ESPN)
vs. Denver Nuggets on Friday, August 14 (TBD)

Utah Jazz

vs. New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday, July 30 (6:30, TNT)
vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, August 1 (3:30, ESPN)
vs. Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, August 3 (9 p.m., ESPN)
vs. Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, August 5 (2:30 p.m.)
vs. San Antonio Spurs on Friday, August 7 (1 p.m.)
vs. Denver Nuggets on Saturday, August 8 (3:30 p.m, TNT)
vs. Dallas Mavericks on Monday, August 10 (3 p.m., NBA TV)
vs. San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, August 13 (TBD)

Washington Wizards

vs. Phoenix Suns on Friday, July 31 (4 p.m.)
vs. Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, August 2 (2 p.m.)
vs. Indiana Pacers on Monday, August 3 (4 p.m.)
vs. Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, August 5 (4 p.m, NBA TV)
vs. New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, August 7 (8 p.m.)
vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, August 9 (12:30 p.m.)
vs. Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, August 11 (9 p.m.)
vs. Boston Celtics on Thursday, August 13 (TBD)

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

NBA bubble
Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
By Kurt HelinJul 7, 2020, 8:00 AM EDT
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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.