3 — How do the players respond to the “bubble?”
With the passing day, this NBA season resumption is beginning to feel more like a season of Gilligan’s Island, and we haven’t even reached a tip-off yet. In counting the unnamed Milwaukee Bucks player, the league has now had 30 of a possible 351 players contract the virus.
That’s nearly a tenth of the league, and while things could cool down once the players are in the bubble, it just so happens that the Portland Trail Blazers’ three scrimmage games will all be against teams with players who fall into that list.
The Blazers players as a whole have been vocal about their doubts, ahead of Thursday’s flight. Lillard has gone on record in saying he doesn’t feel confident in the thinking that those in the bubble will abide by the rules completely, and McCollum and Anthony have been outspoken, too.
Taking note of how the players respond both mentally and physically to the bubble will be interesting, especially considering the new rules.
Sources: The NBA has informed teams that a player will not be allowed to travel with team to Orlando if he misses coronavirus test on one of two days before travel date (July 7-9). Player would then have to register three consecutive negative tests before traveling.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 4, 2020
Potential measures are there; on the Lowe Post Podcast, Brian Windhorst discussed the success of the bubble in the Chinese Basketball Association, and the “draconian” measures they’ve used — stay in your hotel … or else — and they’ve found success with that. As the day continues to push forward, it should be interesting to see if the NBA takes on some of these ideas.
In the meantime, we can stick to the wildly positive. The Blazers are headed to Orlando, a city they haven’t lost in since 2015. So, how about that for some momentum?