Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. We’re here to talk about the daily happenings in the NBA!
With what’s been happening lately, the NBA might need to go back to a bubble environment.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images.)
Soooooo… this is not great. Over the past couple of days, it seems like more and more are being exposed to COVID. We knew this was going to be potentially problematic once the NBA decided they were going back to a semi-regular travel schedule.
Several Philadelphia 76ers players are in quarantine. Jonas Valanciunas left halfway through Friday’s game (he tested negative). Several Mavericks are out due to health and safety protocols. And earlier on Satuday, Jayson Tatum tested positive for COVID, who already had several teammates out for contract tracing.
This is, in a word, terrifying.
I know people will say that they’re healthy and they’re going to be okay. Certainly, it’s what we always hope for. But COVID has taken many people, as we all know, and, thank goodness, it hasn’t claimed any of these athletes. But I don’t want sports leagues to take this chance. It’s tough to talk basketball when lives are potentially on the line. And the fact that they’re traveling to begin with is what makes this so much riskier.
The bubble last summer proved that it worked. But I get why players wouldn’t do it; they’d have to stay in one place for an extended period of time and they won’t be able to see their families. Maybe it can be done for the postseason; word is out that NBA commissioner Adam Silver will resort to that if they have to at anytime. It might happen sooner than later if the health and safety protocoling (is that even a word?) continues to rise on a rapid rate.
I’m going to do my best to continue to talk hoops. But it’s getting more and more difficult when COVID has infiltrated the NBA.
Bullet Passes
It’s early but the league feels more even right now. The Pistons beat the Suns in OT on Friday. The Grizzlies defeated the Nets. What?
Yet another huge blowout happened with the Rockets defeating the Magic by 42 points.
Christian Wood continues to impress. His averages are at 23.3 points and 10.8 boards.
Bradley Beal is averaging 50.5 points in his last two games. No big deal, of course.
Lonzo and LaMelo Ball faced each other for the first time in the NBA. The Hornets and LaMelo won both team and individual battles. LaMelo came off the bench and nearly got a triple-double (12-10-9) while Lonzo ended with 5-2-3.
The Clippers had a 22-point lead against the Warriors in the third quarter when Stephen Curry and G. State went 2015 on them. Curry scored 13 points in the last three minutes of the third and ended with 38 points, which is a surprise to many because social media thinks he sucks.
I’m kidding, of course. But you know how people are.
Why does this always happen to Paul George?
SIR. pic.twitter.com/UMi4jNCL4Q
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 9, 2021
NBA Scoreboard
Jan. 8, 2021
Watch This Play
Miles Bridges comes out of nowhere to put this on Steven Adams.
Miles Bridges over Steven Adams 🤭 pic.twitter.com/wkSJRqxd9h
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 9, 2021
That’s very impressive considering how tough Adams is.
Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the NBA as well.
You can find Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
You can also check out Rey-Rey’s podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental, for more basketball content and, really, whatever else.