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LOS ANGELES – LA Clippers head coach Doc Rivers addressed concerns about the coronavirus on Wednesday afternoon in a call with reporters, and slammed Donald Trump in the process. With teams preparing to travel or having already traveled to Orlando for the NBA's return, valid concerns have come up with regards to the number of COVID-19 cases in Florida.
Entering Wednesday, Florida saw 48,931 positive cases in the last week. Rivers says his concerns for his own health as well as others is making sticking to the bubble a top priority.
“I think everyone should be, not just the guys in the NBA, but everyone,” Rivers told members of the media. “We have to do the right things. We have to wear our masks. We have to wash our hands. We have to social distance. We have to avoid the urge of joining into crowds. There's a lot of things that we can do that can slow this pandemic — I don't think any of us know what to do to stop it, and so that's what we're all trying to do.”
In numerous speaking appearances throughout the month of January 2020, Donald Trump repeatedly said that the United States was fully prepared for the coronavirus wave surely to hit the country. Even through mid-February, Trump continued to claim that everything was under control.
By the time March came around, the NBA was shut down, baseball's start was delayed, and the entire country was shut down with social distancing and mask-wearing the main priorities.
Rivers hopes the Orlando bubble will be the safe place to be with the league's return, but adds that he's disappointed in the lack of leadership from the Trump administration and the inability to keep Americans safe.
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I'm hoping, quite honestly, and it's just a hope, that when we get to the bubble, it becomes the safest place in America. But we don't know any of this. I guess this is the only political statement I'll make on it: It would be great if we had national leadership, which we have zero on this, and so unfortunately, everyone is left to do their own thing from state to state and in some places from city to city. It's absurd.
“But what we're going to try to do once we get to Disney is to protect each other, protect the area. But we have to get there. You know, you're almost nervous about that.”
Clippers guard Landry Shamet also spoke with members of the media, echoing similar sentiments in terms of there still being concerns despite the bubble.
“Obviously it's something to think about, something that you should have knowledge on,” Shamet admitted. “But I mean, if there's a scenario where you feel more comfortable, it would be being in a bubble that's as controlled as any environment can be. So I think that's one positive that I've been thinking about.
“Adam Silver said it the other day: There's no option with no risk at this point. You can go get it going to get gas today down the street. I don't know, I kind of just — it's obviously a concern, but I think we're in the best possible situation and scenario to combat that.”
It's pretty obvious that the coronavirus pandemic could've been handled in the U.S., and it's possible that we've yet to see the worst as many states and cities are seemingly opening up and trying to get through the virus.
The Clippers are scheduled to arrive in Orlando on July 8th, and will have about two-and-a-half weeks of training camp before their first game of the Orlando bubble against the Los Angeles Lakers on July 30th.
