Can Las Vegas Rescue The Utah Jazz Season?

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Can Las Vegas rescue the Utah Jazz season? It seems that maybe the league’s best hope of returning this summer to close out the 2019-20 NBA season. According to Chris Mannix of the Sports Illustrated, Sin City might be the perfect city to solve the league’s coronavirus crisis.

With roughly 15 regular-season games and the entire postseason remaining on the league’s docket, the NBA will likely have to find a way to finish the season on an abbreviated schedule that may include trimming the numbers of games played to close the regular season, as well as the length of each postseason series.

According to Mannix, the playoffs could feature a best of five series in both the opening round of the postseason and the Finals, while the conference quarter and semifinals could be a win or go home one-game matchup.

In the latest Jazz Notes Podcast, I broke down Las Vegas’ already stellar relationship with the NBA which features the league’s summer tournament every July, as well as some of the issues returning to the floor might pose for the NBA.

Also covered in the podcast, multiple Jazz players have tried their hand ad podcasting recently, including Joe Ingles and Georges Niang who now host podcasts for the team.

Ingles hosts the podcast “Ingles Insight” with his wife Renae, covering topics within the team as well as their world as parents in the NBA.

Niang’s podcast “Drive & Dish” features fellow Jazz players as he takes a deeper look into how they’re spending their time during the pandemic while diving into the players’ personal lives including hobbies and interests.

In the latest episode of Drive and Dish from @UtahJazz forward Georges Niang, Donovan Mitchell sits down to discuss:

• His coronavirus diagnosis
• That night in OKC
• What he's missed most
• The Office
• Family
• Drumming

And more. https://t.co/c517jmcuar

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) April 3, 2020

Donovan Mitchell is preparing for his first-round matchup int he NBA’s 2k Tournament that kicks off Friday night on ESPN and ESPN2.

The tournament will feature 16 players including Mitchell playing in an elimination-style tournament, the winner will receive $100,000 to be donated to a charity of their choosing. Though the tournament begins Friday, Mitchell’s matchup with Japanese rookie Rui Hachimura won’t be played until Sunday morning.

Who would watch @spidadmitchell in the @NBA2K Tournament?#TakeNote https://t.co/qwzxKl5hSC

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 31, 2020

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Coronavirus Resources

• Have you or a family member been affected by coronavirus issues in Utah? KSL TV wants to hear from you. Contact KSL by emailing [email protected].
• What is COVID-19? Here’s What You Need To Know To Stay Healthy
• What We Know And Don’t Know About The Coronavirus
• Four Common Coronavirus Questions Answered
• The latest coronavirus stories from KSL TV can be found at our Staying Safe: Coronavirus section.
• Your Life Your Health: How can parents prepare their home, children against coronavirus?

How Do I Prevent It?

The CDC has some simple recommendations, most of which are the same for preventing other respiratory illnesses or the flu:

• Avoid close contact with people who may be sick
• Avoid touching your face
• Stay home when you are sick
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Always wash your hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

The CDC does not recommend wearing a face mask respirator to protect yourself from coronavirus unless a healthcare professional recommends it.

How To Get Help

If you’re worried you may have COVID-19, you can contact the Utah Coronavirus Information Line at 1-800-456-7707 to speak to trained healthcare professionals. You can also use telehealth services through your healthcare providers.

Additional Resources

If you see evidence of PRICE GOUGING, the Utah Attorney General’s Office wants you to report it. Common items in question include toilet paper, water, hand sanitizer, certain household cleaners, and even cold medicine and baby formula. Authorities are asking anyone who sees price gouging to report it to the Utah Division of Consumer Protection at 801-530-6601 or 800-721-7233. The division can also be reached by email at [email protected].