No issues derailed the NBA's restart from its bubble in FloridaNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
The NBA has "rigorously enforced" the bubble's stringent health-and-safety protocol, which has "worked perfectly, without a single player who cleared quarantine testing positive and without a single game affected by the virus," according to Ben Golliver of the WASHINTON POST. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will "clear a mandatory quarantine period before attending Game 1 of the Finals" this evening. Meanwhile, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said, "We're excited to get where we are, but we still have work to do." Golliver writes the bubble was constructed as a "means of pumping out as much content as possible for the league's television partners -- ABC, ESPN, TNT, NBA TV and regional sports networks -- and the NBA has aired more than 1,000 hours of game play and 145 nationally televised games during its restart." There were "far worse nightmare scenarios that never materialized: deaths, an outbreak that sent teams homes or canceled games, or failing to crown a champion for the first time in league history" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/30).
BUBBLE BENEFITS: In California, Mark Whicker writes it is "fine to congratulate the NBA and NHL for determining real champions in an unreal time, but let's not forget the deadly circumstances." So-called "bubble fatigue" was not as "prominent as feared." The "buzzer-beaters, the comebacks, and the startling plays were a nightly feature." For those who suspected that NBA teams travel too much, the bubble "was an affirmation." The NBA has "noticed the improvement in Bubble Ball, and some people in the league are wondering if the schedules should be re-thought." It is "hard to overstate how brilliantly the NBA and NHL have done their thing." Whicker: "Necessity, again, was the mother of invention in 2020. If we do what’s right, we can bring back the whole family" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 9/30).
FINALS COUNTDOWN: The NBA yesterday unveiled its court design for the Finals that will feature the logos of YouTube TV and Walt Disney World on the floor. This comes as YouTube TV has renewed its multiyear deal as the presenting sponsor of NBA Finals, with activation to also include a new TV spot to run during the Finals. The league also will include virtual signage for its sponsors during the Finals, with Gatorade to appear virtually on the apron in front of the team’s benches. In addition, the Lakers and Heat will be able to customize their in-arena PA system, sound effects and music at AdventHealth Arena in Disney to replicate their home venues. The Lakers are the designated home team for Game 1 tonight, and the team will be allowed to mimic the in-arena sound presentation typically used at Staples Center (John Lombardo, THE DAILY).
