2019-20 NBA season

The Clippers just announced plans for a new arena in Inglewood. It should be completed in time for the 2024 season. They will no longer have to share Staples Center with the Lakers.

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2019/07/25...lewood-photos/

Yesterday at the Green Meadows Recreation Center, the Clippers introduced the two "new kids." Small forward Paul George is a six-time All-Star who previously played with the Pacers and the Thunder. Small forward Kawhi Leonard is a three-time All-Star who played with the Spurs and Raptors and won two NBA championships (2014, 2019). Leonard will wear #2 and George will wear #13. Coach Doc Rivers had them hold up their jerseys so the numbers said 213, which is the area code for Los Angeles. And if that wasn't clever enough, Paul George has a new nickname: PG-13.

Now let's see if the Clippers can make it to the third round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

Yesterday was opening day of the 2019-20 NBA season. The Clippers beat the Lakers 112-102. Kawhi Leonard scored 30 points and Paul George was sidelined with a sore shoulder. In the only other game, the Raptors beat the Pelicans in overtime, 130-122. The Clippers are current favorites to win the NBA championship. Yes, really!

NBA championship odds, predictions: Betting favorites to win the NBA Finals in 2020

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/...714zrnpd1co347

The Warriors played at Oakland Arena from 1971 to 2019. Last night they played their first regular-season game at their new arena, Chase Center in San Francisco, and lost to the Clippers, 141-122. The 141 was the Clippers' sixth-highest point total in franchise history. The Clippers are now 2-0. An impressive start – but how long will it last?

Clippers crush Warriors 141-122 in Chase Center opener

https://www.kolotv.com/content/sport...563834851.html

Now that the Lakers have Anthony Davis and a new coach, they are a much better team. They are 4-1 and are tied with the Spurs for the best record in the Westsrn Conference. They have not been in the playoffs since 2013 and that is when the Spurs swept them in the first round. This season they will probably make it to the Finals.

The Lakers are 6-1 and have the best record in the NBA but the Clippers are not doing as well as everybody thought they would. They are 5-3 and are in third place behind the Lakers and Phoenix. I am sure they will make the playoffs but I think the Lakers will win the championship.

The Lakers are now 9-2 and the Clippers are 7-5. The Warriors are the worst team right now. They are 2-10. They lost Durant and Iguodala and then Thompson had to have surgery and Curry broke his hand so they are missing two of their best players. They won three championships in the last five years and it is sad to see them doing so poorly now.

I have a feeling the Warriors will remain the NBA's worst team for the duration of this season. They are now 3-13 (.188) after losing to the Mavericks by 48 points, 142 to 94. Dallas made 22 three-pointers and handed the Warriors their worst loss since 1973 when they lost to the Lakers by 56 points in game 3 of the NBA Finals.

The Lakers beat the Spurs tonight and they are now 15-2. Most of the betting sites now have the Lakers as the favorite to win the championship and I agree. The Clippers are 12-6 and I really do not think they will reach the finals. I think it will be the Lakers and maybe Boston.

The Lakers were 69-13 in the 1971-72 season. That is when they had Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. The Lakers are 17-2 now and I think they will probably finish this season with more wins than in 1971-72.

That's the season when the Lakers won 33 games in a row, a record I doubt will ever be broken. The Lakers have won their last ten games but does anyone believe they can win every one of their next 24? Let's be realistic. And what if Anthony Davis or LeBron James gets injured?

What did I tell you? The Lakers lost to the Mavericks last night, ending their win streak at 10. Anthony Davis said after the game, "We don't want to lose two in a row. Ever." Yeah, good luck with that. By the way, all of those 10 wins came against teams with losing records.

The Clippers, meanwhile, have won eight of their last nine. They beat the Wizards last night, 150-125. It was their second-highest point total in franchise history. Last month they scored 150 in a game against the Hawks and they scored 152 in a game against the Raptors in 1998. The Clippers are 15-6 and are only 2½ games behind the 17-3 Lakers – so don't write 'em off just yet.

The Lakers and Clippers usually play each other on Christmas Day. I think it is a shame that they have to play on Christmas but tonight the Clippers won, 111-106. The Lakers are now 24-7 and the Clippers are 23-10. I think the Lakers will be the Western champions this season.

Former NBA Commissioner David Stern died today.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ributions-game

The top scorers in NBA history are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone. Last night, after LeBron James passed Kobe Bryant for third place on the list, Kobe tweeted his congratulations: "Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames. Much respect, my brother." Reacting to the news of Kobe's death in a helicopter crash this morning, Doc Rivers broke down in tears. Magic Johnson said, "I'm in disbelief. I've been crying all morning. It's hard to accept. Kobe was a leader of our game, a mentor to both male and female players." Kareem tweeted, "Most people will remember Kobe as the magnificent athlete who inspired a whole generation of basketball players. But I will always remember him as a man who was much more than an athlete."

Kobe Bryant, daughter among 9 dead in helicopter crash in Southern California
The crash resulted in a fire on the scene in the upscale suburb of Calabasas.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/dead-helic...ry?id=68545466

The Orange County Register is reporting that today's helicopter crash also claimed the lives of John Altobelli, his wife Keri and daughter Alyssa. Altobelli was an assistant baseball coach at the University of Houston in 1987 and was beginning his 24th season as head baseball coach at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa. Altobelli had won four state titles. He was 56.

In October 2018, Kobe Bryant appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and talked about his four daughters. He was proud that Gianna was hoping to follow in his footsteps – figuratively, not literally – and join the WNBA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8eoIKiDTw8

Tomorrow night's Lakers-Clippers game has been postponed.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...e-bryant-death

A public memorial service for Kobe and his daughter will be held at 10 a.m. February 24 at Staples Center.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...taples-center/

NBA games will resume July 31. The games will all be at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando.

https://www.nbcsports.com/washington...s-disney-world

Here is the schedule for the 2020 NBA season.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...regular-season