The 2017â18 NBA season was the 72nd season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Still, these franchises are connected in ways that go far beyond LeBron James winning titles with the Heat or Pat Riley coaching the Showtime Lakers to glory. -- Kevin Arnovitz. -- Ramona Shelburne, How NBA coaches prepared for the bubble in Orlando, For an NBA coach in the age of COVID-19, there were many strange, new challenges to meet on and off the court, and seemingly every question about how to approach the resumption of the 2020 season presented a paradox. The Bucks intended to sacrifice a playoff game, only to have their opponent, the league and players and teams from sports leagues around the country join them in solidarity. How Adam Silver, the NBA's stars and owners negotiated these playoffs, The journey through months of uncertainty after the NBA shut down March 11 because of the coronavirus pandemic was challenging. The department also provides the technical infrastructure and on-the-ground support to thousands, including employees, marketing partners, broadcasters and media at major events such as the All-Star game, Finals and Draft. -- Baxter Holmes, NBA bubble awards: Our experts pick the MVP, best play and top rookie. The department creates and manages digital products (like mobile applications and virtual reality products) that extend the league’s global reach. -- Zach Lowe, The relationships and history that bind the Lakers and Heat. -- Kevin Arnovitz, The Raptors turned Fort Myers into a test for the NBA's bubble, On June 22, when Toronto was still in Phase 1 of its reopening plan, the Raptors traveled to Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida, where they held training camp until relocating again to the NBA's official bubble. All rights reserved. -- Kevin Arnovitz, Only five Division III players had made it to the NBA before Duncan Robinson's meteoric rise with the Heat this season. Global Partnerships develops and manages marketing and merchandising partnerships with some of the world’s most recognizable brands. • NBA United States (NYC, Secaucus, NJ). • NBA South Africa (Johannesburg) The Content department is one of the largest providers of digital and sports content in the world and is responsible for the development, production, and programming of NBA, WNBA, NBA 2K League and NBA G League content. The NBA G League is the NBA’s official minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory. Human Resources works to identify candidates that will help drive the league’s strategic direction and business goals, develops programs to aid in employees’ professional development, and implements policies and procedures designed to maintain an employee-friendly workplace. Rio Grande Valley Vipers Rockets. Why some NBA coaches love the new casual look -- and some don't, The National Basketball Coaches Association polled its members and found heavy support for a more casual look in Orlando: polo shirts, slacks, and sneakers. Before the Celtics drafted him, one bit of feedback in their background checks seemed surprising -- NBA talent evaluators kept suggesting Jaylen Brown might be too smart for basketball. Anthony Davis was its young buck. -- Brian Windhorst, What sets Nikola Jokic apart from other NBA superstars. The whole was less than the sum of their parts for the 76ers, The 76ers were an expensive team with an audacious strategy from an aggressive front office and a group of players who believed they were on the cusp of superstardom. Set up your own home court with the Spalding NBA 54" Acrylic Portable Basketball Hoop. This includes technologies that enable NBA employees to work most effectively and collaboratively with their co-workers, teams and partners. Here are unseen moments from inside the league's unique campus in Florida. The department creates and executes marketing and merchandising platforms tailored to driving each partner’s business around the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and USA Basketball. The team also collects, catalogues, stores, archives and retrieves all NBA assets, and collects and distributes nightly data from arenas across all three leagues. 8 seed, Before the Blazers' play-in game showdown with the Grizzlies, Damian Lillard was named MVP of the seeding games. Whether you are on the court, behind the scenes or out in the community, you're helping others experience the NBA like never before. But the league benefited from strong, long-standing relationships among Chris Paul, Bob Iger, NBA commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA executive director Michele Roberts. From afar, watching Game 1 of Lakers-Heat with Chris Bosh, Forgive Chris Bosh if he winced when he tuned in to Game 1 of the NBA Finals. It is one of the greatest front-office accomplishments in recent league history -- more difficult, in a way, than the free-agency coup of 2010. Referee Operations partners closely with the Basketball Strategy and Analytics team (within Finance & Strategy) to manage game data and analysis programs, including the Game Review Program. Perrier launches energy drink, joins 'functional water' trend By accessing any information on this site, you agree to abide by the NBA.com Network Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Biggest takeaways from Day 1 of the NBA playoffs. The Raptors and Celtics had discussed potentially boycotting the first game of their conference semifinal series, but the Milwaukee Bucks were the first to take action by refusing to take the court for Game 5 of their series against the Orlando Magic. Now, you have another choice to enjoy with your friends the exciting ⦠While the fight is more visible now, this generation of NBA and WNBA players has been standing up and speaking out for years, as they have been directly and indirectly affected by these issues. As a bonus, we even added two categories, because the longest season in NBA history deserves some extra awards. Luckily, the Miami Heat star had brought his own setup, including a French press, a pour-over and a grinder -- and he turned it into a budding bubble business. He or she will promptly return your call. By the time the playoffs finally arrived four months after their scheduled April start date, there was a growing sense of normalcy. 5:12-1 and its implementing regulations. ", "The NBA saw that I had the right skills and experience for the job.". This hoop has a durable acrylic backboard for great rebounds. The Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers combined to play in nine of the past 15 NBA Finals series -- including seven consecutive from 2008 to 2014 -- without ever facing each other until this year. Round 1 winners, losers and how their futures shape up, The Dallas Mavericks announced themselves as a present-day force, the Indiana Pacers demoted center Myles Turner to corner spot-up duty, Goran Dragic returned to the starting lineup and opened up scoring pathways for Jimmy Butler, and Carmelo Anthony proved the doubters wrong. After all, the nearly 1,400 players, staffers and others inside the NBA bubble were facing long hours of isolation in their respective hotel rooms. As it turned out, the when was July, after more than 100 days away. Our regional offices (and locations) are listed below: • NBA Asia (Hong Kong, Manila) This department helps manage all aspects of operations for the 12-team league, including player relations, basketball operations, fan development, social responsibility, communications, and marketing partnerships. Appointments: (310) 703-7473 Still, the matchup between the Lakers and Heat provided a chance for LeBron James, in his first Finals as a Laker, to face off against his former team on the league's biggest stage, and eventually claim a fourth championship. The Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) team provides strategic guidance and serves as a catalyst for league-wide D&I strategies. For both of these leagues and the NBA G League, the department provides advice on the structuring of player contracts, trades, disciplinary matters, and playing rules issues. For almost 11 hours, the NBA was its familiar, best self: superstars young and old; spectacular displays of athleticism and guile; an event. Two title favorites, the Bucks and Clippers, were both bounced in the second round. -- Ramona Shelburne, The scenes of a Lakers title celebration like no other, After the longest season in NBA history, LeBron James and the Lakers celebrated a 17th franchise title and reflected on the year that was. The internet quickly ran out of adjectives to describe Luka Doncic, but his buzzer-beater in Game 4 against the LA Clippers made one thing clear: Doncic is the best young basketball player on Earth. IT also interfaces with, and provides support to, NBA teams and their venues for technologies that are used during games. -- Ramona Shelburne, Inside the longest, most unpredictable year in NBA history, An hour before the 2019 NBA Finals tipped off in Toronto, commissioner Adam Silver reminded those watching that basketball's founder, James Naismith, was a Christian missionary who brought the game to China and Europe in the belief that it could be a common language. The where was the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. To commemorate the unusual efforts involved in the 88 seeding games, we asked our experts for their vote in all six major awards categories to NBA typically doles out, specifically recognizing performance in the bubble. The NBA 2K League is a professional esports league co-founded by the NBA and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO). The programs managed by this department include NBA Cares, Jr. NBA and the Rookie Transition Program, an orientation program designed to educate and help rookies successfully transition into their roles as professional athletes. Emergencies If you call before or after our office hours with an urgent problem, our answering service will relay your message to our on-call doctor. From pingpong to pool parties, here is a look back the 10 best things the players did while on lockdown. How the NBA picked the barbers for the bubble, The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association made a concerted effort to provide components of normality, such as a players-only lounge with NBA 2K, TVs, arcade gaming and pingpong. NBA 2K21 is the latest title in the world-renowned, best-selling NBA 2K series, delivering an industry-leading sports video game experience. Inside the first night of the NBA's bold bubble experiment. View The first players arrived at Walt Disney World on July 7, nearly four months after the NBA season had shut down. Coronavirus Vaccine Updates: NBA All-Star Game, spring break causing superspreading concerns. Global Media Distribution manages relationships with the NBA’s domestic and international television and digital media partners. Basketball Operations oversees the league’s oncourt activities, including the development of regular-season and playoff schedules, the management of rule changes, and the enforcement of player conduct standards and discipline. Information Technology (IT) designs, develops and maintains systems and technical infrastructure that support the League’s global operations and corporate goals. -- Zach Lowe, When 22 NBA teams started flowing into the bubble, so too did wine. Business Communications supports all business areas including Marketing Partnerships, Merchandising, Digital, Team Marketing & Business Operations, Player Programs, Social Responsibility and Marketing. • NBA Europe (London, Madrid) Each box contains 12 trading card packs per box, and each pack contains 5 cards. After a stunning second-round elimination, it must be pointed out that the Clippers' season has been a failure. Shares of Canada Goose rose in the morning session after announcing a deal with the NBA. The group oversees the distribution of NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and USA Basketball games and programming content in more than 200 countries and territories. New Jersey Office PO Box 399 Hoboken, NJ 07030 We are regulated by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement as an Internet gaming operator in accordance with the Casino Control Act N.J.S.A. The mental toll was a key point of discussion upon entry to the Disney campus. Every member of our team serves an important and valuable role. How LeBron James and the Lakers fought heartbreak to win the NBA Finals, The bubble gave the Lakers time to reflect on what got the franchise through their most difficult year. The “Controllership” team oversees all the accounting, tax, treasury, accounts payable, accounts receivable and payroll functions. The team is focused on ensuring that the NBA continues to have a diverse and inclusive mix of talent at all levels globally and that the full capacity of that talent is being leveraged. • NBA Latin America (Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro) The NBA G League is the NBAâs official minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the leagueâs research and development laboratory. He would be a prototypical player for today's NBA and would meld perfectly with a young Miami team that plays together, shares the ball and maximizes its talent. Players, coaches and other key personnel quickly settled in upon arriving in the bubble at Walt Disney World and found numerous ways to keep themselves busy when they were not practicing or working out. -- Tim Bontemps. All the while, the Unibar will offer tempting food choices, a variety of mocktails to complement the traditional bar all of which can be enjoyed whilst watching a variety of live and rerun sports games including English Premier League, NBA, rugby, tennis & cricket. Resuming the NBA season was far more complex than simply rescheduling games. Copyright 2016 NBA Media Ventures, LLC | NBA Media Ventures, LLC. While the basketball world fawns over the staying power of former Heat teammate LeBron James, Bosh, who is one year older than James, is left to ponder the what-ifs of his career. -- Ramona Shelburne, The Clippers' dynasty is on the clock before it can even begin, This season was ticketed to be the Clippers' ascendancy, not a derailment -- but things move quickly in the NBA. International Communications supports the media relations efforts of regional offices around the world. Digital Media’s mission is to bring the world courtside by providing the NBA experience for everyone, everywhere. The Facilities team ensures that the work environment is functional and well-maintained, and is responsible for office renovation design, overseeing equipment repairs and maintenance, and acting as the liaison between the league office and property management. The department includes Market Research and Analytics, Advertising and Media, Digital Marketing Strategy, Events Strategy, Customer Data Strategy, and Brand Management. Rather than jump directly into the playoffs, the NBA scheduled 88 seeding games -- eight each for 22 teams -- and established a way for the six invited teams who were outside the playoff picture when the season was put on hold to play themselves in. Marketing is responsible for the NBA’s global marketing operation, directing brand development, strategy, and advertising of league-wide marketing campaigns and promotional initiatives across the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, and NBA 2K League. The league approved, but some pro-suit coaches were wary of proclaiming their allegiance and standing against a beloved mentor. For the NBA and WNBA, the department assists in the negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements with players, including the salary cap system, the anti-drug program, and the grievance/arbitration process. The Women’s National Basketball Association, in its 20th season in 2016, is a unique global sports property combining competition, sportsmanship, and entertainment value with its status as an icon for social change, achievement and diversity. After the NBA season shut down on March 11, discussion quickly turned to the big questions about the rest of the season: when, where and how. Human Resources drives the NBA’s global workforce strategy, including talent acquisition, talent management, employee development, employee relations, compensation, and benefits. -- Malika Andrews, The very best of the NBA's bubble activities. -- Kirk Goldsberry, Lakers' first-quarter lead turns into a Mamba Day tribute. The epic duel between Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray. This department is also responsible for domestic and international satellite operations, NBAE studio operations, and digital media operations and encoding. If you need immediate medical assistance, please call 911. Administration oversees a range of operational and professional services for the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League and NBA 2K League. • NBA Canada (Toronto) -- Baxter Holmes, Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat are in a barista battle, When Jimmy Butler checked into his hotel, he wasn't interested in the coffee made with prepackaged pods that came with the room. Southern California Orthopedic Institute 436 N. Bedford Drive, Suite 202 Beverly Hills, California 90210. In addition to community building and player programs, the department also oversees efforts with former players, player family members and it manages communication and engagement with government agencies. They became the first team to pull off consecutive comebacks from down 3-1 in a series, stunning the Utah Jazz and then the LA Clippers.The NBA now knows what the Nuggets can do with their center at his new fighting weight. Social Responsibility & Player Programs leads the League’s global social responsibility and youth basketball participation initiatives as well as player development and strategic marketing efforts that help players be more successful off the court. -- Jackie MacMullan, Anthony Davis walked in Kobe Bryant's footsteps to get to this moment, Kobe Bryant was the elder statesman on the 2012 U.S. Olympic team that won a gold medal in London. Security is responsible for maintaining the integrity of NBA, WNBA, 2K League and NBA G League games. The NBA’s international offices grow the game of basketball globally by hosting NBA events around the world, creating sponsorship opportunities for local businesses, developing merchandising strategies with regional licensees, selling international TV packages, and overseeing regional public and media relations. Game 4 between the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers was always going to be memorable. But now the 23-year-old has become one of the NBA's most demonstrative players and it's clear why the guard is not just a thoughtful player in this moment but one for this moment. It's not easy to recall the storylines and themes that dominated the 2019-20 NBA season prior to its suspension, but as much as reopening night was a celebration of basketball's return, it was also a showcase of two of the NBA's most charismatic teams and four of its most dynamic players. The Clippers' loss came at the hands of the Nuggets, who became the bubble's best comeback story by overcoming 3-1 deficits in both the first and second round. Listen to a dynamic soundtrack, play with other 100 legendary teams of the past, hone your skills and battle at The Park, decide every aspect of your MyPLAYER's ⦠LOCATIONS. -- Howard Bryant, NBA and WNBA players' decade of demanding justice. 222 Berkeley Street Boston, MA 02116; UK Office. The message players sent when they walked out on Aug. 26 was not that point guards are now moonlighting as legislators, but literally, their humanity must come first -- that these Black lives literally matter. Target is partnering with CVS to distribute coronavirus vaccines in store locations across 17 states, the companies announced Wednesday. BNN Bloomberg's Amber Kanwar and Jon Erlichman discuss. Hollywood. With extensive improvements upon its best-in-class graphics and gameplay, competitive and community online features, and deep, varied game modes, NBA 2K21 offers one ⦠The Risk Management and Insurance team utilizes various risk transfer mechanisms, such as insurance, and proactively identifies and minimizes risk to help to protect the NBA’s human, financial and physical assets. The focus of this fast-paced and collaborative department is on all aspects of business operations, including ticket sales and service, sponsorship, marketing and digital. The legal department handles litigation, investigations, and legislative affairs, and oversees a compliance program across all of our business lines and offices. And they're both only 23 years old. The “Team Finance” group provides analytical and transactional support to NBA teams and oversees the execution and compliance with key League-wide programs. Administration also manages mail, duplication, messenger, office supply, and catering services. The Washington Wizards point guard, whose investment terms were not made public, will also join the neobank as an adviser with direct input into the direction of Varo's programs aimed at Black ⦠IT is responsible for protecting the NBA’s data and infrastructure through a best-in-class Cyber Security program. Referee Operations is responsible for all aspects of the NBA’s officiating program, including recruiting, training and development, and scheduling. No way to know how the league would stop, crying out alongside the country for social justice, on Aug. 26. The department designs, develops, and executes security plans and programs to provide a safe and secure environment globally, protecting players, fans, and employees at league offices, arenas, and special events. Players, coaches and staffers for 22 teams -- not to mention league staffers and media members -- uprooted their lives to spend months away from home. But they were kept out of the West's first-ever play-in game by the Memphis Grizzlies (who entered the bubble in eighth but fell to ninth by the time the play-in was staged) and the Portland Trail Blazers and bubble MVP Damian Lillard. The department also oversees all major events globally including the leagues’ All-Star events, Drafts, Playoffs, and Finals. Hamilton Aquatics focuses on improving swimming performance and water safety. How Damian Lillard and the Trail Blazers got the No. Launched in 2018, the league features the best 102 NBA 2K players in the world. Response Management is responsible for monitoring media coverage. Each of the league’s 17 teams drafted six players to compete as unique characters in 5-on-5 play against the other teams in a mix of regular-season games, tournaments and playoffs. US Office. How those inside were able to cope helped determine the bubble's viability and success. Communications is comprised of five subgroups. The Home of Aquatics for all ages & abilities, offering swimming lessons in Dubai & Abu Dhabi. Digital bank Varo announced NBA star Russell Westbrook as a lead investor in its latest $63 million funding round Thursday. All 22 teams were checking in for a stay of at least six weeks, and for two of them, the bubble would be the only place they'd visit for more than three months. In just his second postseason, Jokic led Denver back from the brink of elimination six times in the Nuggets' first two series. It was a dream NBA Finals matchup, only it was taking place inside a bubble, in front of small pockets of socially distanced friends and family, with fans relegated to courtside video boards. Instead they ended up going through the motions of the end of the dreaded letdown season.-- Brian Windhorst, Luka Doncic's game winner is proof that the NBA is having a step-back moment, The official scorer marked it as a 28-foot, unassisted 3-point field goal, but the shot heard 'round the bubble was much more than that. Our deal lawyers negotiate and advise on the structuring of business arrangements with counterparties in a variety of areas, including television, digital media, sponsorship, consumer products, gaming, and events. And the how was a bubble environment that saw a massive list of safety protocols enacted but also saw a return-to-play unlike anything sports fans had seen before. In the days following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the world watched to see how NBA players -- who'd dedicated the season's restart to social justice -- would respond. The best of the NBA bubble (2:07) The NBA was able to restart its season and crown a champion; check out the best moments from a historic time in NBA ⦠-- Baxter Holmes, How NBA players adjusted to life inside the bubble, For the players, the first three weeks after arriving in the bubble were relatively smooth. South Beach. Little did the NBA know that the outside world would soon encroach on the bubble in unexpected ways. And when starting Lakers point guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 4:58 left in the first quarter, the score read: Trail Blazers 8, Lakers 24. Getting there wasn't easy. The rest of that day's games were eventually postponed, and the players' action led to three days without games -- and a far bigger impact across sports. The group, in partnership with Referee Operations, oversees the Game Review Program to help drive improvements in referee performance and rules clarification initiatives. No portion of this site may be duplicated, redistributed or manipulated in any form. The NBA is the most popular sports league on social media, and the Digital Media team manages all of the league’s social platforms. Santa Cruz Warriors Warriors Featuring 26 teams with one-to-one affiliations with NBA franchises for the first time ever during the 2017-18 season, the league offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. League transactional lawyers administer policies governing the transfer and relocation of teams, the approval of new arenas, and the regulation of team ownership and debt. It serves as a consultant and adviser to the league’s Senior Leadership Team on the strategic direction for the company and on individual initiatives. So the bubble needed to provide more than basketball -- it needed to become a home away from home for everyone involved, for better or worse. Basketball Strategy & Analytics also leads strategic initiatives focused on innovating and improving the NBA game, such as rules changes, improvements to the competition format and implementation of technologies to improve player health, game integrity and fan engagement. According to the Elias Sports Bureau research, the duels between Jamal Murray and Donovan Mitchell that saw them score more than 40 points apiece twice in this series marks the first time that a pair of opposing players have done that multiple times in a playoff series. Then he led Portland to a 126-122 win over Memphis in the NBA's first play-in game to determine a playoff spot since 1956. It was taking place on Aug. 24, 8/24, the numbers that the late Kobe Bryant wore. Basketball returned, again, on Aug. 29 and it didn't take long for the playoffs to surprise and delight fans (well, except the fans of the teams on the wrong end of the surprising results).