By Tim Reynolds / The Associated Press
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida—The National Basketball Association’s (NBA) bubble is still working.
The league released its latest results Wednesday for coronavirus tests performed on players participating in the restarted season at Walt Disney World, and the numbers are still perfect. Of the 343 players tested since results were last announced July 29, none has been confirmed positive.
That means no player has tested positive since entering the so-called bubble last month. There were two players who tested positive on arrival at Disney, with neither of those making it out of quarantine and potentially exposing anyone inside the bubble.
“The NBA has done an amazing job, right? They’ve been great,” Los Angeles Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said. “They’re on us. They’re making us wear our masks…. We get tested every day. We have to do a health app every day. The NBA is doing all the things that we need to do.
“This whole virus, it’s a lot about self-control, self-discipline as well,” Rivers added. “I think not only has the league, but I think the players and everyone, they’ve followed through. We got to just keep trying to do that.”
Everyone inside the bubble must fill out a questionnaire on their mobile device each morning, plus measure their temperature and level of oxygen in their bloodstream. Social distancing rules are in place and mask usage—mandated since the start of the rebooted season—has been an even higher priority this week, with the league stiffening some standards and requiring teams to hold meetings with players so they can be reminded to be vigilant.
“There’s absolutely no doubt that the NBA, under the leadership of [Commissioner] Adam Silver, has done a magnificent job of being visionaries in the sense of looking at the big picture and trying to figure out what unintended consequences may appear,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said.
He said players also deserve credit for showing self-discipline.
“I think it’s a great example for the country,” Popovich said.
Fred VanVleet, meanwhile, had 21 points and 10 assists, and the Toronto Raptors held on to beat the Orlando Magic, 109-99, on Wednesday night.
Pascal Siakam added 15 points and Kyle Lowry finished with eight points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.
Toronto (49-18) has won its last seven dating back to before the hiatus and three straight games since the restart.
VanVleet said the Raptors knew early on that things were clicking for them.
“Just a rhythm and a flow, and everybody locked in and keying into the game plan,” he said. “I thought we started off strong, had a drop off and then got back to it late. We’ve been playing with each other long enough to kind of know when we’re in sync.”
The Magic (32-37) missed an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot following Washington’s loss to Philadelphia earlier Wednesday. But they maintained their 7 ½-game lead over the Wizards for the eighth seed with four seeding games to play.
They also may be without forward Aaron Gordon for an undetermined amount of time after he left the game in the third quarter with a left hamstring injury after taking a hard foul from Lowry.
Gordon was going up for a dunk and was hit on the arm as Lowry went to strip the ball. Gordon’s left leg extended high in the air before he crashed to the floor and immediately reached for his left hamstring. He was able to shoot the ensuing free throws but then struggled to run down the court. He went to the locker room on the next timeout.
Lowry received a Flagrant 1 foul after a review by officials. Gordon had nine points and 11 rebounds at the time of his injury. Magic coach Steven Clifford said he hadn’t seen the replay of the foul and didn’t known the extent of the injury.
Jaylen Brown, on the other hand, scored 21 points, Robert Williams had a career-high 18 points in 19 minutes, and the Boston Celtics rolled past the Brooklyn Nets, 149-115, on Wednesday night without All-Star point guard Kemba Walker.
Williams was 7 of 7 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free throw line. He hadn’t played in Boston’s first three games of the restart, but didn’t let himself get discouraged.
Image credits: AP