According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the league and NBA Players’ Association are expected to agree on a 72-game season with December 22nd set as a tip-off date.

Wojnarowski reports that team representatives and players need to have a formal vote on the plan but points out that both camps feel optimistic about the outcome.

Other details of the proposal include opening the training camps on December 1st and having three preseason games for each team.

NBA’s Commissioner Adam Silver previously hinted that the start of the 2020/21 season could be pushed back to January, opening the possibility for the fans to return to arenas. However, as the coronavirus pandemic didn’t show signs of slowing down, which was a must if the games were to be played in front of an audience, the league started preparing a plan for an earlier start and a shorter season.

This new plan will allow the league to make up for a portion of lost revenue thanks to Christmas Day games while also allowing the season to wrap up before the Summer Olympics in Tokyo start.

The post NBA and Players Close to Agreement on a 72-Game Season, December 22nd Start appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

After being more than worthy opponent in Game 1, Mavs showed that the series won’t be such an easy ride for the Clippers by beating them 127-114 on Wednesday night. The win not only proved many people wrong but also got Dallas’ star Luka Doncic believing his time has a chance to get to the next stage. 

“We’ve just got three left,” said Doncic. “I think we can fight with them. Any series we go in, we’re going to believe we can win, for sure. If you don’t believe it, you’re not supposed to be here. You’ve got to believe it.”

Mavs got to the win even with Doncic being limited to just 28 minutes due to foul trouble. Still, he managed to contribute impressive 28 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in this short span. Dallas also benefited from Kristaps Porzingis’ 23 points and seven rebounds while four more players were in double digits scoring.

“We knew after the first game that we were right there, and we could compete with probably one of the favorites to win it all,” added Porzingis. “We came into this game ready.”

Clippers, on the other hand, had Kawhi Leonard with 35 points and 10 rebounds, but he lacked support from his teammate. This was especially the case with All-Star forward Paul George, who only had 14 points to show for. 

The post Luka Doncic Says Mavs “Can Fight” With Clippers After a Memorable Win appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Shorthanded Brooklyn Nets faced regular season-best Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night and celebrated a 119-116 win despite being 19-point underdogs. This hasn’t happened since 1993 when 19.5-point underdogs Dallas Mavericks beat the Seattle SuperSonics.

Nets were perfectly positioned to lose the game, considering that they entered the NBA bubble without the majority of their key players. On top of that, Brooklyn was also without starters Caris LeVert, Joe Harris, and Jarrett Allen against Bucks. However, it didn’t matter at the end as the team rallied together and produced a win for the ages.

Nets’ had six players in double digits and eight with 8+ points. T. Luwawu-Cabarrot led the way with 26 points while Garret Temple added 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists.

“I totally do believe in momentum and the momentum of keeping your spirit in check,” said Nets interim coach Jacque Vaughn after the game. “We talked about as a group, the symbolism of bamboo, being extremely resilient and extremely flexible and adaptable, and tonight was another example. We had to be all of those three things with a different lineup. And so overall, that concept has stayed and hopefully continues.”

With this win, Nets improved to 32-35 record on No.7 and managed to keep 0.5 games advantage over Orlando Magic.

Buck, on the other hand, missed out on the opportunity to clinch the No.1 seed for the postseason.

The post Nets Beat the Bucks in the Biggest Upset since 1993 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Understandably, Grizzlies star rookie Ja Morant isn’t a fan of these rules and thinks they are unfair to his team.

“But, you know, we can’t control that,” said Morant in an appearance on ESPN’s The Jump. “Only thing we can control is how, you know, we go out and attack each of these games before that decision is made.”

Grizzlies were 3.5 games in front of their closest followers when the NBA suspended its 2019/20 season due to coronavirus pandemic. Now, in the remaining eight games, they will have to increase that advantage to 4.5 games if they want to make it to the postseason.

In case they are 4.0 or fewer games in front of No.9, Memphis will have to find their way to playoffs through play-in series against that team. In this case, they will have to win one game to clinch the spot, while the lower-seeded team will need two wins to do so.

Morant, however, believes this possibility will provide extra motivation for him and his teammates.

“I just feel like it’s an extra chip,” he added. “You know — more fuel to the fire, more motivation for us.”

Grizzlies are set to resume their season on August 1st against San Antonio Spurs.

The post Grizzlies’ Ja Morant Thinks NBA’s Play-In Rules are Unfair to His Team appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to NBA.com, the league decided to shorten the first set of exhibition games by eight minutes. This means that each quarter will be 10-minutes long instead of the usual 12 minutes.

The decision was made in order to ease the load on players who haven’t competed in four months, and also to help the teams that still don’t have their full rosters in Orlando. It is expected that the remaining two sets of exhibition games resume with the standard timing.

“I believe that it’s done just trying to get safety first for the players,” said Orlando coach Steve Clifford of the decision. “I think most teams are like us, where everybody is just feeling their way and guys aren’t in the type of condition they would normally be in a training camp situation.”

Each team will play three exhibition games before the NBA resumes its 2019/20 regular season. The first games will be played on Wednesday and are scheduled to continue through the end of July.

The post NBA Shortens Orlando Exhibition Games appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Currently, numerous NBA teams are making their way to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, where the NBA season is set to recommence at the end of July. Upon arrival at their facilities in Orlando, each team will undergo two days of isolation after which more coronavirus testing will take place. Only once they complete these procedures will training recommence as usual.

“We won’t be surprised when they first come down to Orlando if we have some additional players test positive,” Silver explained. “What would be most concerning is once players enter this campus and then go through our quarantine period, then if they were to test positive or if we were to have any positive tests, we would know we would have an issue.”

Silver also mentioned that while the NBA players and staff would use the Disney World campus as their base until the end of the season, this campus will not be completely isolated from the community. After all, Disney World staff will be performing various support functions for the NBA during this time. Ultimately, Silver and the NBA will be taking vigorous health measures to minimize the risk of spreading coronavirus.

The post NBA Commissioner Hints Another Season Shutdown appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Players have been presented with a large and detailed set of rules which they are to follow in order to try to prevent any possible spread of COVID-19 while the season is finished under exceptional circumstances.

DeRozan’s frustration highlights some of the key reasons why some players have a hard time accepting that many activities that they see as a part of normal day-to-day life will not be permitted inside the NBA’s bubble.

When asked about the league’s prohibition of ping pong as a leisure activity, DeRozan responded, “Guys can’t do this, but we can do this and battle over each other? That part just don’t make no sense to me. I got through 10 lines of the handbook and just put it down because it became so frustrating and overwhelming at times, because you just never thought you’d be in a situation of something like this. So it’s hard to process at times.”

DeRozan, who is averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game this season, also expressed concerns about how the toll of confinement will affect the mental health of players who participate in the 2020 season restart.

The former Raptors guard is expected to be a key part of the Spurs’ push for playoff success this season.

The post Spurs Guard DeMar DeRozan Expresses Frustration About NBA Restart Restrictions appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Nets, already with All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, learned last week that starters DeAndre Jordan and Wilson Chandler both decided to sit out the restart of the season. The team could also miss Spencer Dinwiddie, who recently tested positive for coronavirus and is undecided about whether to sit out.

Still, Marks isn’t letting the holdouts affect the team’s plans.

 “We have a job to do,” said Marks. “We have to bring a team to Orlando. We will bring a team to Orlando. We will go down there, and we will compete. That’s our jobs here.”

Brooklyn Nets already embarked on a quest to fill the holes in their roster. The team signed guard Tyler Johnson early last week and then added Justin Anderson when they learned about Chandler’s decision.

Nets, who are 7th in the East with 30-34 record, are set to travel to Orlando next week.

The post Brooklyn Nets GM: “We Will Bring a Team to Orlando” appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Some, like veteran Carmelo Anthony, stated that they need more information before making the final decision, while others, like All-Star guard Kyrie Irving and LA Lakers’ center Dwight Howard, openly advocate for players to reject the NBA’s idea in the wake of coronavirus pandemic and current social unrest in the United States.

Popular Inside the NBA host and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley recently decided to weigh in on the matter and sent a strong message to players who are in favor of season cancellation.

According to Barkley, not continuing the season would make the players less prominent in the eyes of the public.

“I think it would be stupid to not play for two reasons. Number one, if they don’t play they’re going to be out of sight, out of mind for the rest of the year,” said Barkley during his appearance on ESPN’s GetUp. “There won’t be no cameras following. LeBron [James] is probably the most famous athlete in the United States. He won’t be visible anywhere. So, out of sight, out of mind.”

Also, Barkley argues that players would leave a lot of money on the table, money that could serve well in helping their communities. Overall, he believes it would be a “catastrophic mistake” if the NBA doesn’t return.

“So it’s not good on any front. I have no idea what Kyrie and Dwight [Howard] are talking about. But it would be a catastrophic mistake not to play,” he added.

NBA and the NBA Players Association previously agreed to a plan that would see 22 teams head to Disney World and finish out the 2019/20 season there. The training camp was scheduled to kick off in late July, while NBA Finals are expected to wrap up in early October. It remains to be seen whether this plan pans out or not.

The post Charles Barkley Says it Would be a “Catastrophic Mistake” Not to Finish the NBA Season appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Kuzma, Mitchell, and Tatum, alongside Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo and Sacramento Kings’ De’Aaron Fox, asked the NBA Players Association officials to reach out to the league and explore the possibility of an NBA-financed insurance policy that would protect them from a career-threatening injury. All of the previously mentioned players belong to the 2017 draft class and are eligible for massive rookie extensions.

Kuzma, Mitchell, Tatum, Adebayo, and Fox have based their request on the risks that players are facing ahead of the NBA season restart at Disneyworld in Orlando. This includes a prolonged period of inactivity, short training camps, possible intensified scheduled, and an overall health risk due to ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Reportedly, the league and the NBPA are already discussing ways the players would get protection in case of serious coronavirus-related illness or a career-threatening injury.

The post NBA’s Top Young Stars Asking for Injury Insurance Ahead of Season Resume appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the league and NBA Players’ Association are expected to agree on a 72-game season with December 22nd set as a tip-off date.

Wojnarowski reports that team representatives and players need to have a formal vote on the plan but points out that both camps feel optimistic about the outcome.

Other details of the proposal include opening the training camps on December 1st and having three preseason games for each team.

NBA’s Commissioner Adam Silver previously hinted that the start of the 2020/21 season could be pushed back to January, opening the possibility for the fans to return to arenas. However, as the coronavirus pandemic didn’t show signs of slowing down, which was a must if the games were to be played in front of an audience, the league started preparing a plan for an earlier start and a shorter season.

This new plan will allow the league to make up for a portion of lost revenue thanks to Christmas Day games while also allowing the season to wrap up before the Summer Olympics in Tokyo start.

The post NBA and Players Close to Agreement on a 72-Game Season, December 22nd Start appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

After being more than worthy opponent in Game 1, Mavs showed that the series won’t be such an easy ride for the Clippers by beating them 127-114 on Wednesday night. The win not only proved many people wrong but also got Dallas’ star Luka Doncic believing his time has a chance to get to the next stage. 

“We’ve just got three left,” said Doncic. “I think we can fight with them. Any series we go in, we’re going to believe we can win, for sure. If you don’t believe it, you’re not supposed to be here. You’ve got to believe it.”

Mavs got to the win even with Doncic being limited to just 28 minutes due to foul trouble. Still, he managed to contribute impressive 28 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in this short span. Dallas also benefited from Kristaps Porzingis’ 23 points and seven rebounds while four more players were in double digits scoring.

“We knew after the first game that we were right there, and we could compete with probably one of the favorites to win it all,” added Porzingis. “We came into this game ready.”

Clippers, on the other hand, had Kawhi Leonard with 35 points and 10 rebounds, but he lacked support from his teammate. This was especially the case with All-Star forward Paul George, who only had 14 points to show for. 

The post Luka Doncic Says Mavs “Can Fight” With Clippers After a Memorable Win appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Shorthanded Brooklyn Nets faced regular season-best Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night and celebrated a 119-116 win despite being 19-point underdogs. This hasn’t happened since 1993 when 19.5-point underdogs Dallas Mavericks beat the Seattle SuperSonics.

Nets were perfectly positioned to lose the game, considering that they entered the NBA bubble without the majority of their key players. On top of that, Brooklyn was also without starters Caris LeVert, Joe Harris, and Jarrett Allen against Bucks. However, it didn’t matter at the end as the team rallied together and produced a win for the ages.

Nets’ had six players in double digits and eight with 8+ points. T. Luwawu-Cabarrot led the way with 26 points while Garret Temple added 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists.

“I totally do believe in momentum and the momentum of keeping your spirit in check,” said Nets interim coach Jacque Vaughn after the game. “We talked about as a group, the symbolism of bamboo, being extremely resilient and extremely flexible and adaptable, and tonight was another example. We had to be all of those three things with a different lineup. And so overall, that concept has stayed and hopefully continues.”

With this win, Nets improved to 32-35 record on No.7 and managed to keep 0.5 games advantage over Orlando Magic.

Buck, on the other hand, missed out on the opportunity to clinch the No.1 seed for the postseason.

The post Nets Beat the Bucks in the Biggest Upset since 1993 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Understandably, Grizzlies star rookie Ja Morant isn’t a fan of these rules and thinks they are unfair to his team.

“But, you know, we can’t control that,” said Morant in an appearance on ESPN’s The Jump. “Only thing we can control is how, you know, we go out and attack each of these games before that decision is made.”

Grizzlies were 3.5 games in front of their closest followers when the NBA suspended its 2019/20 season due to coronavirus pandemic. Now, in the remaining eight games, they will have to increase that advantage to 4.5 games if they want to make it to the postseason.

In case they are 4.0 or fewer games in front of No.9, Memphis will have to find their way to playoffs through play-in series against that team. In this case, they will have to win one game to clinch the spot, while the lower-seeded team will need two wins to do so.

Morant, however, believes this possibility will provide extra motivation for him and his teammates.

“I just feel like it’s an extra chip,” he added. “You know — more fuel to the fire, more motivation for us.”

Grizzlies are set to resume their season on August 1st against San Antonio Spurs.

The post Grizzlies’ Ja Morant Thinks NBA’s Play-In Rules are Unfair to His Team appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to NBA.com, the league decided to shorten the first set of exhibition games by eight minutes. This means that each quarter will be 10-minutes long instead of the usual 12 minutes.

The decision was made in order to ease the load on players who haven’t competed in four months, and also to help the teams that still don’t have their full rosters in Orlando. It is expected that the remaining two sets of exhibition games resume with the standard timing.

“I believe that it’s done just trying to get safety first for the players,” said Orlando coach Steve Clifford of the decision. “I think most teams are like us, where everybody is just feeling their way and guys aren’t in the type of condition they would normally be in a training camp situation.”

Each team will play three exhibition games before the NBA resumes its 2019/20 regular season. The first games will be played on Wednesday and are scheduled to continue through the end of July.

The post NBA Shortens Orlando Exhibition Games appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Currently, numerous NBA teams are making their way to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, where the NBA season is set to recommence at the end of July. Upon arrival at their facilities in Orlando, each team will undergo two days of isolation after which more coronavirus testing will take place. Only once they complete these procedures will training recommence as usual.

“We won’t be surprised when they first come down to Orlando if we have some additional players test positive,” Silver explained. “What would be most concerning is once players enter this campus and then go through our quarantine period, then if they were to test positive or if we were to have any positive tests, we would know we would have an issue.”

Silver also mentioned that while the NBA players and staff would use the Disney World campus as their base until the end of the season, this campus will not be completely isolated from the community. After all, Disney World staff will be performing various support functions for the NBA during this time. Ultimately, Silver and the NBA will be taking vigorous health measures to minimize the risk of spreading coronavirus.

The post NBA Commissioner Hints Another Season Shutdown appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Players have been presented with a large and detailed set of rules which they are to follow in order to try to prevent any possible spread of COVID-19 while the season is finished under exceptional circumstances.

DeRozan’s frustration highlights some of the key reasons why some players have a hard time accepting that many activities that they see as a part of normal day-to-day life will not be permitted inside the NBA’s bubble.

When asked about the league’s prohibition of ping pong as a leisure activity, DeRozan responded, “Guys can’t do this, but we can do this and battle over each other? That part just don’t make no sense to me. I got through 10 lines of the handbook and just put it down because it became so frustrating and overwhelming at times, because you just never thought you’d be in a situation of something like this. So it’s hard to process at times.”

DeRozan, who is averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game this season, also expressed concerns about how the toll of confinement will affect the mental health of players who participate in the 2020 season restart.

The former Raptors guard is expected to be a key part of the Spurs’ push for playoff success this season.

The post Spurs Guard DeMar DeRozan Expresses Frustration About NBA Restart Restrictions appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Nets, already with All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, learned last week that starters DeAndre Jordan and Wilson Chandler both decided to sit out the restart of the season. The team could also miss Spencer Dinwiddie, who recently tested positive for coronavirus and is undecided about whether to sit out.

Still, Marks isn’t letting the holdouts affect the team’s plans.

 “We have a job to do,” said Marks. “We have to bring a team to Orlando. We will bring a team to Orlando. We will go down there, and we will compete. That’s our jobs here.”

Brooklyn Nets already embarked on a quest to fill the holes in their roster. The team signed guard Tyler Johnson early last week and then added Justin Anderson when they learned about Chandler’s decision.

Nets, who are 7th in the East with 30-34 record, are set to travel to Orlando next week.

The post Brooklyn Nets GM: “We Will Bring a Team to Orlando” appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Some, like veteran Carmelo Anthony, stated that they need more information before making the final decision, while others, like All-Star guard Kyrie Irving and LA Lakers’ center Dwight Howard, openly advocate for players to reject the NBA’s idea in the wake of coronavirus pandemic and current social unrest in the United States.

Popular Inside the NBA host and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley recently decided to weigh in on the matter and sent a strong message to players who are in favor of season cancellation.

According to Barkley, not continuing the season would make the players less prominent in the eyes of the public.

“I think it would be stupid to not play for two reasons. Number one, if they don’t play they’re going to be out of sight, out of mind for the rest of the year,” said Barkley during his appearance on ESPN’s GetUp. “There won’t be no cameras following. LeBron [James] is probably the most famous athlete in the United States. He won’t be visible anywhere. So, out of sight, out of mind.”

Also, Barkley argues that players would leave a lot of money on the table, money that could serve well in helping their communities. Overall, he believes it would be a “catastrophic mistake” if the NBA doesn’t return.

“So it’s not good on any front. I have no idea what Kyrie and Dwight [Howard] are talking about. But it would be a catastrophic mistake not to play,” he added.

NBA and the NBA Players Association previously agreed to a plan that would see 22 teams head to Disney World and finish out the 2019/20 season there. The training camp was scheduled to kick off in late July, while NBA Finals are expected to wrap up in early October. It remains to be seen whether this plan pans out or not.

The post Charles Barkley Says it Would be a “Catastrophic Mistake” Not to Finish the NBA Season appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Kuzma, Mitchell, and Tatum, alongside Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo and Sacramento Kings’ De’Aaron Fox, asked the NBA Players Association officials to reach out to the league and explore the possibility of an NBA-financed insurance policy that would protect them from a career-threatening injury. All of the previously mentioned players belong to the 2017 draft class and are eligible for massive rookie extensions.

Kuzma, Mitchell, Tatum, Adebayo, and Fox have based their request on the risks that players are facing ahead of the NBA season restart at Disneyworld in Orlando. This includes a prolonged period of inactivity, short training camps, possible intensified scheduled, and an overall health risk due to ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Reportedly, the league and the NBPA are already discussing ways the players would get protection in case of serious coronavirus-related illness or a career-threatening injury.

The post NBA’s Top Young Stars Asking for Injury Insurance Ahead of Season Resume appeared first on yoursportspot.com.