The NBA Presents: The Orlando Bubble 2020

[cima]

Wanted to get a separate thread going now that the season is officially going to resume next month and talk about the actual basketball dynamics of things and less-so everything else that's going on in our crazy world (we got other threads for that). The dynamics of this bubble environment are extremely interesting. So many different factors to think about here:

- No fans so no homecourt advantage for anyone
- Everyone is playing on a neutral site
- There will be no travel so players should recover much better and quality of play should arguably be higher once the rust wears off

Do you see any teams that benefit more or less from a crowd-less environment. With how gritty the Clippers are combined with them not having to play a 7-game "road" series at Staples Center against the Lakers, I'd argue this environment benefits them the most.

Here's the schedule:


The Pelicans have the easiest SOS of the remaining teams but no it's not a conspiracy to get Zion in the playoffs, they also had by far the easiest remaining SOS with the old schedule so looks like they were trying to keep it consistent.

Predictions:

WC Finals: Lakers vs Clippers
EC Finals: Bucks vs. Celtics

NBA finals: Lakers vs Bucks

NBA Champions: Lakers

[Brother Love]

I like Summer League so this will be like that but with the best players.

So ready for it to get going.


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[cima]

Interesting thing to think about which I think is kind of cool: do you think all of the other teams are gonna come watch the Lakers/Clippers game in the stands? I believe they are allowed to do that

[Brother Love]

Quote: Originally Posted by cima

Interesting thing to think about which I think is kind of cool: do you think all of the other teams are gonna come watch the Lakers/Clippers game in the stands? I believe they are allowed to do that

I think you’ll see quite a bit of that because they aren’t allowed to do much else.


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[cima]

Quote: Originally Posted by Brother Love

I think you’ll see quite a bit of that because they aren’t allowed to do much else. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

True. Should be interesting reactions. I imagine mostly players aren't gonna have big reactions or anything during most of the game but I wonder if their inner-fan would take over if it's a close game at the end.

[bigeastbumrush]

Strength of schedule can be thrown completely out the window at this point.

[bigeastbumrush]

I honestly can’t see this season finishing and a champion being crowned at the rate of what’s going on in Florida right now.

The numbers are just staggering.

I can easily see one player testing positive and then the rest of the team just dropping out on some this is not even worth it type feeling.

Testing is cool but it doesn’t prevent anyone from having or spreading the virus.

I just can’t see these players hanging with each other in a hotel..bored as hell..but wearing masks around each other.

[cima]

Lakers officially bringing in JR Smith to fill out their roster for Orlando.

2020 just keeps getting weirder and stranger. Never thought I'd see the day that LeBron and JR were teammates again and to top it off, with Dion freaking Waiters on their team too.