It’s been a while since we’ve gotten to talk about some real on-court basketball but during a conversation last night on Instagram Live, Los Angeles Lakers forward Jared Dudley and his teammate Alex Caruso gave us just that for a few moments. Dudley has been with the Lakers all season and has played sparingly, but he’s been a constant force in the Lakers locker room, as he usually is wherever he is as a veteran who has no trouble saying what’s on his mind. But by not playing a lot he has the opportunity to see things up close, like the strong play of Caruso when next to LeBron James.
Dudley asked Caruso about the numbers that show Caruso and LeBron as one of the best on-court two-man lineups in the NBA, and the best among those who have played at least 40 games at +20.8 over 54 games this season. Caruso admits that sometimes, it can be as simple as LeBron going on a 10-0 scoring run, but he also explained why he believes he plays well with LeBron.pickuphoop@pickuphoop
Caruso speaks on him and LeBron having the best net rating of any two-man combo in the NBA.
Understanding defensive principles, spacing, and cuts are all very important factors in playing with LeBron James. It requires playing instinctually and with less structure than a typical role, but that’s the exact type of role in which Caruso has thrived for the Lakers this season. So it should be no shock that LeBron’s play goes up to another level when Caruso is on the court.
Read Original Article sports.yahoo.com The NBA is still keeping the door open for resuming play this season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, though still doesn’t have any set plans to do so . If Shaquille O’Neal had his way, though, he’d simply move on. In his eyes, there’s no point in trying to finish the season. […]
The NBA is willing to wait quite a while to get the season restarted. Of course, the current campaign is on pause amid the COVID-19 outbreak, but slowly *some* normalcy is beginning to resume. Teams are able to reopen their facilities on a limited basis if it complies with state requirements, and commissioner Adam Silver…
The NBA is willing to wait quite a while to get the season restarted. Of course, the current campaign is on pause amid the COVID-19 outbreak, but slowly *some* normalcy is beginning to resume. Teams are able to reopen their facilities on a limited basis if it complies with state requirements, and commissioner Adam Silver has started talking to the players’ association about possible restart plans. But things remain plenty uncertain, which is little surprise given the impact and unpredictability of the pandemic. And while Labor Day initially was named as a time frame for the current season to be completed by, it appears it could be even later than that. Los Angeles Lakers forward Jared Dudley indicated on Twitter that the league might be willing to wait until October to crown a champion.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver joined the NBA players on a Player’s Association conference call on Friday and in no uncertain terms laid out the immediate future of the league as he knows it. Read More
OK. We’re all itching to get sports back to some capacity after nearly two months without it due to the COVID-19 outbreak. One NBA coach, however, is worried about a hasty return. As of Friday, the league is allowing teams to reopen their practice facilities while testing players and staff (asymptomatic or not) for the…
Doc Rivers Is Concerned About Hasty Return To NBA Action Amid COVID-19 Outbreak — NESN.com As of Friday, the league is allowing teams to reopen their practice facilities while testing players and staff (asymptomatic or not) for the coronavirus beforehand. At least three teams — the Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers and Cleveland Cavaliers — have reopened their facilities, while a handful of others — including the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and the Orlando Magic — are gearing up for their own reopening. But Clippers head coach Doc Rivers just hopes things don’t move too hastily. “I’m worried, because you should be,” Rivers said on the latest edition of the “Hoops, Adjacent” podcast, as transcribed by The Athletic. “I’m not smart enough to know what this virus is or does. We do know it affects most people when they’re in a group setting, and it doesn’t affect you at all when you’re by yourself. You know? We already know that. Listen, I’m not young (58), but I guess I’m young enough … I don’t know. Would I say I do it without fear? Of course not. You’ve got to have some fear in all this … until (there’s a vaccine), no one can tell me they’re going to do anything and feel comfortable doing it. I just don’t know how we get there.” RIvers certainly isn’t alone with his concerns. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who has been a vocal leader for the NBA during the pandemic, has been cautious about when to reopen Dallas’ facilities. He even went as far as saying, “the risk isn’t worth the reward.” Portland Trail Blazers star CJ McCollum also is concerned about the speed at which the NBA resumes. Though he appreciates workouts are optional, the 28-year-old guard says he sometimes wonders, “Is it worth it?” Well, we’ll soon find out.
Things are happening in the NBA, sort of. We’re still at the mercy of the COVID-19 pandemic for the return of actual games, but Friday the league allowed its teams to open facilities in markets where local quarantine regulations have loosened. Additionally, in Friday evening a conference call with the NBA’s player association, Adam Silver…
Additionally, in Friday evening a conference call with the NBA’s player association, Adam Silver covered a lot of ground as to what the league is envisioning for a plan to return. NBA Insiders Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN and Shams Charania of The Athletic were all over the commissioner’s updates, updating followers with a storm of tweets. Here’s what they both reported throughout the evening. Despite the financial challenges it causes, don’t expect fans. We probably already knew this was the case, but since fans account for 40% of the league’s revenue, the NBA will be looking to find creative ways to deliver its product to fans. The NBA is taking a massive hit this season no matter which way they spin it, but seeing how motivated the owners are to lead the way in restarting the world economy through sports in encouraging. Though, Silver telling players to prepare for the possibility of playing without spectators through next season is sobering.
The NBA is taking a number of precautions as teams gradually shift toward allowing personnel in practice facilities, and one of those precautions will reportedly involve keeping those with high temperatures out of the buildings… from Bleacher Report – NBA https://ift.tt/3cjlkKQ via IFTTT
The NBA is taking a number of precautions as teams gradually shift toward allowing personnel in practice facilities, and one of those precautions will reportedly involve keeping those with high temperatures out of the buildings.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the league told its teams that anyone with a temperature equal to or greater than 99.1 degrees Fahrenheit will not be allowed inside on that day.
That comes after Charania noted Wednesday the NBA told teams they can open their practice facilities starting Friday if they are in states with more lenient stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic.
The temperature readings are far from the only restrictions in place.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski noted teams can choose up to six assistant coaches or player development personnel to supervise players on the court, but head coaches are not allowed to be included or observe the workouts.
According to Jeff Zillgitt and Mark Medina of USA Today, only the Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets plan on opening their facilities Friday, although the Sacramento Kings will do so Monday and the Atlanta Hawks will do so at some point next week.
The Houston Rockets were going to open Friday but will have to wait until May 18 after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pushed back the day on which gyms can once again open their doors.
Zillgitt and Medina noted a previous memo from the league stated no more than four players can be inside the practice facility at once. That means there will be largely individual work done as scrimmages and other group activities cannot happen for the time being.
The NBA has been suspended since March 11 with no set plans in place to return or finish the 2019-20 season.
Despite that reality, Wojnarowski reported “an overwhelming majority of high-level officials remain encouraged and optimistic that basketball will return this season” last Thursday.
The NBA and the NBA Players Association apparently are looking to follow up with players as the league’s hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic enters Week 8. NBA commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA executive director Michele Roberts will hold a call for players at some point Friday, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne. Players reportedly will…
Even though the NBA targeted Friday for teams to open their practice facilities to a limited number of players at a time, just a few teams – the Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets and maybe another team or two – plan to make their facility available on that day.
“That’s the plan,” Rockets CEO Tad Brown told reporters last week. “We’re certainly expecting it, and we’ll provide the safest possible environment for our guys.”
The Atlanta Hawks plan to open sometime next week, but several teams remain at least a week away, and in the case of the Golden State Warriors, weeks away, from bringing in players for individual workouts as the league deals with coronavirus-related fallout.
The league suspended its season March 11 but would like to resume if conditions allow.
In a memo delivered on Tuesday, the NBA informed teams they could reopen where stay-at-home orders have been eased. In a previous memo, the NBA provided a detailed and extensive 14-page to-do list to ensure safe and clean environments for players. Also, no more than four players at a time can use the practice facility for workouts.
Where teams stand
Atlanta: Hawks GM Travis Schlenk said, “We’re aiming to be open next week.”
Brooklyn: The Nets do not plan to open Friday.
Charlotte: The Hornets don’t have a date set and continue to evaluate the situation.
Chicago: The Bulls will not open Friday with the state under stay-at-home orders until May 30. The team is taking direction from local authorities and the NBA.
Cleveland: The Cavaliers plan to open Friday as long as the NBA continues to approve that date.
Denver: The Nuggets plan to open on Friday. The Nuggets do not anticipate immediate full attendance considering an undisclosed amount of players are currently out-of-state. But the Nuggets plan to adhere to the NBA’s issued guidelines to accommodate any voluntary individual workouts on a case-by-case basis.
Detroit: The Pistons will not open Friday and do not have a date set.
Golden State: The Warriors won’t open until June 1 at the earliest, after the city’s stay-at-home orders end on May 31.
Houston: As Texas slowly re-opens, the Rockets plan to open Friday. “We want to be able to provide them the safest possible environment for them to do that according to all the guidelines set forward by the league and health care professionals involved,” Brown told reporters.
Indiana: The Pacers do not play to open Friday.
Los Angeles Clippers: Team is following local stay-at-home orders until May 15 but has petitioned authorities to have access when state moves to phase 2 of reopening.
Los Angeles Lakers: With Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti extending stay-at-home orders through at least May 15, the Lakers plan to keep their facilities closed until at least those orders are lifted – unless they’re granted an exception from the city.
Miami: Even though Florida moves into its next phase of reopening, Miami-Dade County still has stay-at-home-orders, and the Heat will not open on Friday. It’s possible they open next week
Milwaukee: The Bucks do not plan to open Friday but are looking at a potential day next week.
New Orleans: The Pelicans don’t plan to open any earlier than May 15, when the state’s state-at-home order ends.
New York: The Knicks say they are abiding by NBA and state guidance and will not open Friday.
Oklahoma City: Thunder general manager Sam Presti said, “I wouldn’t say that we’re committed to doing that,” when asked about opening on Friday.
Orlando: As portions of Florida begin to re-open, the Magic will not open on Friday and are working on establishing a firm date. “The Orlando Magic’s foremost priority remains everyone’s health and well-being connected to the game and we will continue to follow the NBA’s guidelines while also continuing to listen to public health experts and observe local governmental directives,” the team said in a statement.
Philadelphia: The Sixers will not open Friday and will revisit the situation in about a week. Besides their own practice facility, they could also use their G League facility in nearby Wilmington, Delaware.
Phoenix: The Suns are planning to open their facility May 16 at the earliest.
Portland: The Blazers plan to open their facility for workouts on Friday.
Sacramento: The Kings will not open Friday.
San Antonio: The Spurs do not plan to open Friday.
Toronto: The city still is under stay-at-home orders, and the Raptors will not open Friday. They don’t have a firm timetable to reopen either.
Utah: Executive vice president of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey told reporters he wasn’t “at liberty to give the exact date yet” but doesn’t expect it to be Friday.
Washington: The Wizards won’t open Friday.
Boston, Dallas, Memphis and Minnesota have not yet provided details on their plans.
The view from left field 