In one of the most Clippers-y turn of events ever, superstar Paul George was just reported out of tonight’s critical game against the Pelicans after testing positive for COVID-19.

With Kawhi Leonard out this season, George has been the Clippers’ clear best player when he’s been on the court, and has been on a tear since returning to action a couple weeks ago. The most important thing is PG’s health – hopefully he’s ok, and the symptoms are mild (or it’s a false positive). COVID is a devastating illness, and George’s wellbeing is far more important than just a basketball game.

With George out, his starting shooting guard slot is open. Amir Coffey started there much of the season, but he’s been out of the rotation recently, and Ty Lue will probably want to keep the rotation tight. The primary options to start are therefore Norm Powell or Terance Mann. Powell is the superior scorer and shot creator, and if he’d had more reps or time to recover from his foot injury would probably already be starting, but those issues might lead Lue to keep him on the bench. Either way, both Powell and Mann are perfectly capable starters.

This does have a trickle down effect. If Luke Kennard is available, he’s a natural candidate to step in for some minutes, as the Clippers will need his shooting. If he’s active, this might make it more likely Norm starts, as Norm and Luke on the second unit is lots of shooting and not as much defense. Luke has also played with Mann and Isaiah Hartenstein all season, and keeping that bench unit together makes a ton of sense.

If Luke can’t go as well, it will be Coffey who steps up into the rotation behind Powell or Mann. Coffey has given the Clippers big minutes all season, and should be more than ready for the challenge of playing real minutes in a do-or-die game.

Well, this stinks. Hopefully PG is ok, and his COVID-19 bout is a mild one. In the meantime, the Clippers have a game to win, and while they will miss Paul George greatly, they’re still more than capable of beating the Pelicans without him.

Paul George Ruled Out Against Pelicans Due to COVID-19 Protocols
Robert Flom

After getting through 17 games without much of an impact from COVID-19, the Clippers have been stricken, as both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George will miss Tuesday’s game against the Hawks due to health and safety protocols related to COVID-19. Now, as of right now, it seems like neither has tested positive themselves, but that they have merely come into contact with someone who has.

Kawhi and PG will presumably quarantine and be tested regularly over the coming days. While they are out against the Hawks, early reports are that they could rejoin the Clippers for the last five games of their six-game road trip, or at least for some of that stretch. The Clippers play Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, so if all goes well, it’s possible that the superstar duo misses only one or two games. Of course, if one of them tests positive, then not only will they miss a significant stretch of time, but the entire team might be put into quarantine.

The most important thing is, of course, the health of PG and Kawhi, as well as the health of the rest of the organization and their families. Hopefully all is ultimately ok, and neither player tests positive. In the meantime, thoughts and prayers for the two Clippers as well as everyone who has been in contact with them recently for some negative test results.

Additionally, Pat Beverley has been ruled out of the Hawks game due to knee soreness. This means the Clippers will be down 3/5 of their starting lineup, a crippling blow against any NBA team, but especially a solid squad like the Hawks. For as long as the trio remains out, Reggie Jackson will presumably start at point for Pat, Luke Kennard will fill in for George, and Marcus Morris will take the place of Kawhi.

The bench rotation will be a little harder to parse, but Patrick Patterson will probably absorb backup power forward minutes, and Terance Mann will almost certainly get a real role as a reserve guard. It’s possible that Amir Coffey gets rotation minutes as well for as long as all three starters are out.

Pat Beverley’s timeline is more open-ended, but I’d assume Paul George and Kawhi will miss at least one more game in addition to the Hawks’ game due to COVID-19 protocols, and if either tests positive the repercussions will be much greater. Stay tuned, and again, let’s all send our thoughts for the best.

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George Out Against Hawks due to COVID-19 Protocols
Robert Flom

The normalization of the COVID-19 in the NBA isn’t something you’d expect to have to think about–it feels out of character for the league considering their prudence at the onset of the viral disease in America. The NBA was generally celebrated as COVID-19 bursted onto the sports world in early March. Rudy Gobert’s positive test seemed to be the first domino to nationwide shutdown of national sports before leagues began reconsidering how to profit during the pandemic. Of all the major sports leagues, the NBA’s concoction of the bubble idea, where players could be blocked from the outside world as much as possible while having frequent testing, was largely deemed a success. The league did not have positive tests once people who were previously positive were integrated into the bubble, and the playoffs had plenty of exciting moments, outside of that one second round series we won’t talk about.

The NBA bubble turned out to be a welcomed distraction for me, even with added Clippers sorrow. However, I did not approve of it then. I sure as hell do not approve of it now.

I am also a physician. I finished residency at the end of July, and while I was fortunate enough to not tend to COVID units as during my time in residency my program tried to protect their residents who were not working in Critical Care, I saw the effect of COVID-19 on hospitals. On staff. On caregivers. Protocol changed every day. Seeing any patient in the ER was anxiety riddled. Availability of tests fluctuated on a weekly basis and changed often. I talked about COVID-19 care extensively with exhausted Hospitalists that were learning on the fly and scared for their safety. I watched outside of Critical Care beds, where intubated patients lay and hope seemed scarce. The turnaround from stability to intubation was staggering. And this is absolutely nowhere near how hospitals are now. Nurses consider the time I was there as the good old days compared to how things are now.

Being a Clippers fan is one of the most immediate things most of my friends will tell you about me. I love doing our podcast, Robert Flom and I have been doing it for years now. I enjoyed doing the podcasts during the Bubble, even though ethically I felt extremely conflicted about the existence of major sports. While the Bubble did prove to be relatively safe, I felt the resources siphoned by the league were best spent elsewhere. Relatively speaking, I think they did fairly well continuing their business, but it is absolutely a business. Watching the MLB limp towards their finish line, it was nice to know at least the NBA felt a bit more responsible.

But that has all gone out the window. While there is an extensive 134 page on COVID protocol with the expectation that people will get the virus and early success with player testing, the Clippers were touched by COVID protocols fresh off their first preseason game, with Chauncey Billups and Reggie Jackson having to miss the second game along with multiple Lakers. Jackson and Billups have since returned to the Clippers, but the general dread in between their return and the concern of exposure to others is very real. On Day 2 of the regular season, the first day with a full sleight of games, a playoff rematch between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets was postponed as the Rockets did not have the league minimum 8 players to play the game. Three players had inconclusive or positive tests, four others have been quarantined under the contact tracing protocol, and Chris Clemons was unavailable due to injury.

A peek into the incident shows that a positive result came from Kenyon Martin Jr., and this lead to multiple players being quarantined due to contact tracing, including comeback stars John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins as they were getting haircuts with Martin Jr. recently. Life outside the bubble feels like it will be littered with events like this that could lead to more game postponements, as variables are increasingly difficult to maintain. Whereas the NBA had been trailblazing in the bubble, they’re following suit with the other major sports leagues on how they are conducting the season. The results elsewhere in sports have not been particularly encouraging, including the Duke’s women national basketball team outright ending their season due to safety concerns.

With the vaccination beginning its roll out during the preseason, it only makes the timing of the season all the more incredible. Much has been documented about how much money the league will lose postponing/shortening the season, but with vaccinations only getting underway as December closes, it makes you wonder how much the league, like every other major sports organization has demonstrated, values dollars over safety. How much a Christmas NBA ranks over a further delaying of the season in the height of the pandemic. Paul George was recently quoted essentially expecting positive cases to simply be the norm, and the protocol laid out by the NBA would agree with him.

The NBA is absolutely a business. It is hard to blame players for wanting to play with their livelihood on the line. Players are prideful, and money does absolutely talk. But you do not need to feel guilty that, even though you love the Clippers, you feel conflicted about this season. About sports. This year has been exceptional in so many ways, and while you might enjoy watching George torching the Lakers and Nuggets out the gate, you can question why he and so many others are putting themselves at risk to put a ball in the hoop.

213Hoops is an independently owned and operated L.A. Clippers blog by Clippers fans, for Clippers fans. If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. Subscriptions start at $1 a month and support from readers like you goes a long way towards helping us keep 213Hoops sustainable, growing, and thriving.

The Normalization of COVID-19 in the NBA
Shapan Debnath

The Clippers arrived in Orlando for the NBA bubble restart a week and a half ago, but are not yet at full strength. To be more specific, Ivica Zubac, Landry Shamet, and Marcus Morris have all not checked in to the Disneyworld facilities yet. Here’s a quick Clippers status update on those guys and when we might see some action.

Coach Doc Rivers has been firm in his stance that he will not discuss players who have not arrived in the bubble yet, and reiterated that position today. Therefore, there’s been no official update on these players in a few days. Here’s what we can assume will happen with them, and when they might rejoin the team.

Ivica Zubac was reported to not have arrived in Orlando last week, and was scheduled to come “eventually”. Now, eventually is not a promising timeline, but it does indicate that nothing serious enough has happened to compromise his return to the season. Additionally, Joakim Noah keeps getting linked to Zu as a mentor in the bubble, and that probably wouldn’t keep happening if plans for Zu to participate weren’t in progress. It’s not clear what’s going on with him, but he should be on his way at some point.

Landry Shamet is the most clear-cut of the absent players. He was reported to have tested positive for COVID-19 nearly two weeks ago, and needs to pass multiple tests with a “negative” before he can travel to Orlando. However, two weeks is the usual quarantine period for Coronavirus, so if all is well, he could be cleared to head out in the next day or two. No setbacks have been reported, and he reported a video about clanking wine glasses “real soon” on Instagram yesterday, so all seems good to go for him.

The most mysterious case is that of Marcus Morris, on whom nothing has been reported or noted outside of his absence in the bubble. He hasn’t posted on Instagram since June 19th, though he has been somewhat active on Twitter in the past couple days. It’s unclear what has kept him from Orlando, though his staying in a hotel and not having been settled into Los Angeles due to arriving at the trade deadline could have increased his chances of infection. No updates have been given at all, but there’s also been nothing to suggest he will be ruled out of the bubble, so there’s every chance he will be on his way shortly as well.

We will continue to keep you posted with any other Clippers status updates over the coming days. Hopefully Zu, Shamet, and Morris can join the team soon – scrimmages are just a week away, and while those are effectively preseason contests, it would be helpful to have the full squad present for as much as possible.

213Hoops is an independently owned and operated L.A. Clippers blog by Clippers fans, for Clippers fans. If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. Subscriptions start at $1 a month and support from readers like you goes a long way towards helping us keep 213Hoops sustainable, growing, and thriving.

Clippers Status Update: Marcus Morris, Ivica Zubac, and Landry Shamet
Robert Flom

Within half an hour, two NBA bombs were dropped – neither Wizards star Bradley Beal and leading Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie will be participating in the upcoming NBA restart in Orlando. Beal is opting out because of a shoulder injury, while Dinwiddie was advised not to play due to his testing positive again today. Both players have held reservations about the restart prior to this, which presumably effected their decisions at least a little, but this is still big news.

First of all, this does impact the Clippers schedule. The Clips are set to scrimmage against the Wizards, and without Beal (and second-leading scorer Davis Bertans), the Wizards will essentially put forth their youngsters and G-Leaguers in Orlando. It probably won’t be much of a scrimmage, and it’s doubtful how much the Clippers might take away from it (though getting pressed by the Wiz’ youngsters could be good).

More importantly, Dinwiddie’s absence means that the Clippers’ regular season against the Nets, already one of the easiest on their schedule, is now far and away their lightest matchup. If the Clippers come in with a serious mindset, they should blow the Nets off the map for an easy win.

There are other implications as well. Beal and Dinwiddie might have injuries (or have COVID), but they’re the two biggest names to opt out of Orlando thus far, and it could encourage other players to follow suit. The Clippers seem to be all set on going, but more players dropping out could make their road ahead that much easier.

Finally, while Dinwiddie’s situation is much different than Landry Shamet (the Nets are an also-ran 8th seed, while the Clips are title contenders), his doctors’ precaution in holding him out of Vegas might tie to Shamet as well. We don’t know how serious Shamet’s case is (and we hope and pray that it’s completely or virtually asymptomatic), but the long-term impact of playing on or recently after the disease is completely unknown. If Dinwiddie’s doctors and support preach caution, it’s possible (and not unwise) for Shamet’s to do the same. We will just have to wait and see.

Bradley Beal and Spencer Dinwiddie Opt Out of Orlando Restart
Robert Flom

Two days ago, Woj broke the news that a member of the Clippers traveling party had tested positive for COVID19, forcing the closure of the Clippers’ practice facility. Not great, certainly.

Today, Shams Charania of The Athletic broke the news that Clippers guard Landry Shamet has tested positive for COVID-19, and won’t be traveling with the Clippers to Orlando this upcoming week.

First and foremost, we hope that Landry Shamet is doing well, and that he will make a complete recovery from this terrible illness. Second, hopefully he’s been careful in his interactions with others (Clippers-adjacent or otherwise), and has not spread the disease further.

As for how this will effect the Clippers – we really have no idea at this stage. The standard quarantine period for COVID-19 is two weeks, so assuming that Shamet tested positive today or yesterday, he will presumably be in isolation in Los Angeles until July 18 or so. That means he will miss most of the Clippers training camp in Orlando, at the very minimum. Depending on his recovery, and at what point he consistently tests negative for the disease, he might miss some of the Clippers’ early scrimmages as well.

Most NBA players who have tested positive for Coronavirus have shaken off the disease easily enough, but it’s an awful infection that has long-lasting consequences. Providing that Shamet does recover in time for Orlando, it’s still possible that his lung capacity or reduced, or that he will have lost weight and strength in the interim. Therefore, he might not be quite himself in Orlando, again presuming he does recover in time to play at all (which he should). If Landry does miss games, or is limited in minutes, that will probably open the door for Rodney McGruder to get more playing time than he might have otherwise.

Again, our best wishes to Landry Shamet on a swift and complete recovery from COVID-19. We will continue to update on this story as it develops in the coming days and weeks.

Landry Shamet Has Tested Positive for COVID-19, Per Shams
Robert Flom

The return of the NBA season is just over a month away, so today, the NBA announced the revised scheduled for the “bubble” teams in Orlando for the last eight games of the NBA season. Here are the games for the Clippers, with TV stations and times of games still only partially filled in.

Game 1 – Lakers, July 30 at 6:00 PM PT on TNT

Game 2 – Pelicans August 1 at 3:00 PM PT on ESPN

Game 3 – Suns, August 4 at 1:00 PM PT on NBA TV

Game 4 – Mavericks, August 6 at 3:30 PM PT on TNT

Game 5 – Trail Blazers, August 8 at 10:00 AM on TNT

Game 6 – Nets, August 9 at 6:00 PM PT on NBA TV

Game 7 – Nuggets, August 12 at 6:00 PM PT on ESPN

Game 8 – Thunder, August 14 at time TBD, TV Station TBD

The Clippers schedule is pretty damn great. The matchup against the Lakers will be tough, of course, but the Nuggets are the only other top 4 seed here. The Mavs and Thunder are pretty good as well, but the other four teams are some of the worst in the bubble. All of the teams present in Orlando are at least decent (outside of maybe the Wizards), but considering how tough some of the teams are, this schedule is not bad at all, and should give the Clips the lead for the 2 seed.

With the schedule released, we can start thinking about matchups, game previews, and potentially vital contests for playoff seeding. All that and more coming over the next month on 213Hoops!

The Clippers’ Orlando 2020 NBA Season Schedule Has Been Released
Robert Flom