Lakers v Clippers in the bubble tonight!



https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/nbareturn29558590/the-nba-restart-here-what-most-looking-forward-basketball-bubble

After 20 full weeks on hiatus, the 2019-20 NBA season is finally ready to restart. In case you'd forgotten, the Milwaukee Bucks lead the Eastern Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers are atop the West, the Memphis Grizzlies are clinging to the West's 8-seed and the Toronto Raptors are still -- more than a year later -- the defending champions.

With 22 teams participating in the NBA restart at the ES...ts Complex in Florida, there will be no shortage of storylines to get excited about as play resumes Thursday. Here's what our experts will be watching in the 88 seeding games and beyond.

[Edited 7/30/20 7:49am]

[Edited 7/30/20 10:05am]

[Edited 9/3/20 7:38am]

Empress said:

The reigning champs, Toronto Raptors, play their first game tomorrow against the Lakers. I think most teams will be quite rusty, but I'm really looking forward to watching basketball again. I was having withdrawals in March and April, so I'm hyped for it now. Go Raptors!!!!!

Seems so far that the NBA has this covid thing well-planned as oppsoed to MLB who are going down like dominos

DiminutiveRocker said:

Empress said:

DiminutiveRocker said:

Seems so far that the NBA has this covid thing well-planned as oppsoed to MLB who are going down like dominos

Yes, I heard the NBA is doing a terrific job keeping it away from the league. MLB is a mess. They should've just scrapped this season.

they may have to.

Hopefully everyone in the bubble stays healthy, don't pull a Lou Williams and be smart. This is gonna be interesting!

Abdul said:

Hopefully everyone in the bubble stays healthy, don't pull a Lou Williams and be smart. This is gonna be interesting!

It really is interesting, isn't it?

It was close but...

#it'sawholenewgame

Are they allowing fans to go to the games????????

kpowers said:

Are they allowing fans to go to the games????????

Nope. Virtual Attendence only.

Fans will be a part of the live feed and mixed with the audio of the game - it's free, but you have to be chosen and have the right kind of device. If a fan gets out of control they will be ejected from the feed

[Edited 7/31/20 11:08am]

Empress said:

Impressive first game back for the Raptors. Nice to beat the Lakers too. Anunoby had a great game and Lowry was on fire as usual. I really didn't miss the live crowd either. I guess I was just happy to watch basketball again. Go Raptors!! [Edited 8/2/20 8:53am]

I know, it's fun to watch a live game. Hope they all stay safe in the bubble!

I'm just gonna enjoy watching the games. I have no faith in the Sixers.

Last night against the Pacers without some of their key players they shit the bed.

It's all coaching. Hopefully Elton Brand fires Brett Brown after the season. He has no

clue on matchups and substitutions. Watching the Celtics and Trailblazers now.

DiminutiveRocker said:

kpowers said:

Are they allowing fans to go to the games????????

Nope. Virtual Attendence only.

Fans will be a part of the live feed and mixed with the audio of the game - it's free, but you have to be chosen and have the right kind of device. If a fan gets out of control they will be ejected from the feed

[Edited 7/31/20 11:08am]

That's how Aliens from other Galaxies watch NBA games

phunkdaddy said:

I'm just gonna enjoy watching the games. I have no faith in the Sixers.

Last night against the Pacers without some of their key players they shit the bed.

It's all coaching. Hopefully Elton Brand fires Brett Brown after the season. He has no

clue on matchups and substitutions. Watching the Celtics and Trailblazers now.

So far, the games have been entertaining....very impressed with the Raptors taking it to the Lakers.

Did I actually see the Rockets getting defensive stops last night?

Hopefully next season, my Knicks will finally play some defense with Thibs.

[Edited 8/3/20 6:16am]

Thibs is a good hire.

phunkdaddy said:

Thibs is a good hire.

Yeah, but can management get him the players he needs? Knicks problems over the past 20 years have come from bad ownership and stupid front office decisions. NBA free agents don't look at NY as a great destination to play because of the toxic culture..

uPtoWnNY said:

phunkdaddy said:

Thibs is a good hire.

Yeah, but can management get him the players he needs? Knicks problems over the past 20 years have come from bad ownership and stupid front office decisions. NBA free agents don't look at NY as a great destination to play because of the toxic culture..

Which is sad because the Knicks have a history of great basketball and a loyal fan base.

DiminutiveRocker said:

uPtoWnNY said:

Yeah, but can management get him the players he needs? Knicks problems over the past 20 years have come from bad ownership and stupid front office decisions. NBA free agents don't look at NY as a great destination to play because of the toxic culture..

Which is sad because the Knicks have a history of great basketball and a loyal fan base.

We had the championship years from 69-74, a couple of nice seasons with Bernard King in '83 & '84, then the Ewing/Riley/Van Gundy 90s era when they made two Finals appearances. In between, it was a suckfest, and the last 20 years have been a disaster. Since 2001, the Knicks have been the worst franchise in the NBA, averaging @34 wins a season, ONE playoff series win, 14 different head coaches, 8 GMs, and the worst owner in professional sports. James Dolan is the Dan Snyder of the NBA.

In spite of all that, the Knicks are worth $4.6 billion, making them the most valuable NBA franchise for the fifth straight year (thanks to those assholes who keep filling the Garden no matter how shitty the team is).

I don't care who the coach is, franchises with bad owners/clueless GMs don't win....in other words, we're fucked.

Raptors are 3-0 since the restart! We're looking good and I can't wait for the playoffs. Ujiri better make sure we keep Fred Van Vleet, he's an awesome player and will only get better.

Empress said:

Raptors are 3-0 since the restart! We're looking good and I can't wait for the playoffs. Ujiri better make sure we keep Fred Van Vleet, he's an awesome player and will only get better.

They are certainly doing well out the gate

DiminutiveRocker said:

uPtoWnNY said:

Yeah, but can management get him the players he needs? Knicks problems over the past 20 years have come from bad ownership and stupid front office decisions. NBA free agents don't look at NY as a great destination to play because of the toxic culture..

Which is sad because the Knicks have a history of great basketball and a loyal fan base.

I've met a lot of Knicks fans and Sixers fans in the Carolinas. Some transplanted.

Knicks fans are definitely loyal.

phunkdaddy said:

DiminutiveRocker said:

Which is sad because the Knicks have a history of great basketball and a loyal fan base.

I've met a lot of Knicks fans and Sixers fans in the Carolinas. Some transplanted.

Knicks fans are definitely loyal.

Most Knick fans are stupid...if they had any brains, they'd stop filling the Garden and putting money in Dolan's pocket. Nothing will change as long as he's in charge.

Empress said:

Raptors are 3-0 since the restart! We're looking good and I can't wait for the playoffs. Ujiri better make sure we keep Fred Van Vleet, he's an awesome player and will only get better.

Impressive what the Raptors doing....they're loaded with young talent...Siakam, Van Fleet and the best is yet to come for OG Anunoby. They can clinch the division with a win over Boston tonight.

Sometimes the best trades are the ones you DON'T make...good for the Raptors the Lowry trade to NY fell through.

Best thing about the NBA bubble....we're spared seeing Drake's bitch-ass.

Raptors won game 1! I'm hoping for a series win in 5.

Empress said:

Raptors won game 1! I'm hoping for a series win in 5.

VanFleet dropped 30 points and 11 assists on the Nets...damn, he's developed into a wonderful player.

He's an unrestricted free agent this off-season. Raptors would be stupid to let him get away. Dude's a keeper.

uPtoWnNY said:

Empress said:

Raptors won game 1! I'm hoping for a series win in 5.

VanFleet dropped 30 points and 11 assists on the Nets...damn, he's developed into a wonderful player.

He's an unrestricted free agent this off-season. Raptors would be stupid to let him get away. Dude's a keeper.

We are hoping to have him for many years to come, but we'll have to wait and see what the powers that be have to say about that.

uPtoWnNY said:

Empress said:

Raptors won game 1! I'm hoping for a series win in 5.

VanFleet dropped 30 points and 11 assists on the Nets...damn, he's developed into a wonderful player.

He's an unrestricted free agent this off-season. Raptors would be stupid to let him get away. Dude's a keeper.

Nice.... they need to keep him!

Wow, Orlando stole Game 1 from Milwaukee.

I still think the Bucks win the series, and eventually get to the conference finals vs the Raptors.