Basketball

About a year after the helicopter crash that killed, among others, Kobe Bryant, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has announced that the pilot made a crucial mistake before the crash.

It said the pilot lost his bearings in the clouds of the hilly area near Los Angeles on Jan. 26, 2020. He was prohibited by law from continuing the visual flight into the clouds, but he did so anyway, the NTBS chairman said.

Shortly before the crash, he said, the pilot told air traffic controllers he was climbing with his helicopter and had almost broken through the clouds. In fact, however, the Sikorsky S-76B skidded and sank, he said.

Technical problems with the helicopter had previously been ruled out.

Lead by LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers are the NBA champions for 2019/2020 after a 106:93 victory over the Miami Heat on Sunday, closing the series in 4-2. LeBron delivered a great performance, logging his first triple-double in the Finals with 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists.

The Lakers tied Boston Celtics with NBA championships, while LeBron James celebrated his 4th NBA title, and being the NBA Finals MVP.

Miami Heat are in the NBA Finals, with the title of the East Conference after a 4:2 series against Boston Celtics.

The Heat will face Lakers, the winner of the West Conference, for the 2020 NBA title. The first game will be Wednesday, September 30.

Los Angeles Lakers are in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010, with the title of the West Conference after a 4:1 series against Denver Nuggets.

LeBron James was the man of game 5 with a 38-point triple-double.

The Lakers now wait for the winner of the East Conference, either Boston Celtics or Miami Heat. Miami Heat leads the series 3:2.

The Milwaukee Bucks boycotted Wednesday NBA playoff game five against Orlando Magic to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake. Blake was shot seven times by a police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and is paralysed.

Bucks player George Hill told The Undefeated: "We're tired of the killings and the injustice."

Some NBA players didn't want to resume the season after Minneapolis police killed George Floyd. They decided to play, but with most players kneeling during the National Anthem and wearing Black Lives Matter T-shirts during pregame warmups.

Basketball player Joshiko Saibou has been released from his contract with German club Telekom Baskets Bonn after participating in protests against Covid-19 measures in Berlin. Saibou, previously, had also been posting conspiracy theories about the virus on social media.
Saibou and his girlfriend, Alexandra Wester, shared photos of their participation in the demonstration against Covid-19 measures on social networks. In the photos both were seen without mouth-nose protection and without distance from other people.
"The German clubs are currently working meticulously on hygiene concepts for the fans next season and for special health and safety guidelines," Bonn managing director Wolfgang Wiedlich said in a statement. "Therefore, we can’t be responsible for a permanent risk of infection, which the player Saibou represents to his teammates and other BBL teams."

The Athletic's Shams Charania has reported that the NBA and NBA Players Association are in talks of allowing players to replace their names on the jersey with social justice statements. After players and fans had voiced concerns that there are too many more significant things going on in the world to play basketball, the organizations are discussing how to make a statement to show the importance of these events and let players express their support.

Alba Berlin won the BBL title for the 9th time with a 75:74 victory against MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg Sunday at the Audi Dome in Munich. This title is the second 2019/2020 season silverware for Alba, that in February won the German cup.

The last time the team from Berlin won the German title was back in 2008.

The forward player for the Cleveland Cavaliers has announced that he has committed $500,000 through his foundation to the psychology department of the University of California, Los Angeles. In the past, he has been vocal about his own history and struggles with mental health, namely panic attacks and anxiety. The donation has been committed on Monday, a day after he received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for his efforts in mental health.

Alba Berlin have beaten EWE Baskets Oldenburg on Wednesday and will now face MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg, that the day before won their game against ratiopharm ulm.

The finals will be played in two games, the first one Friday at 18:30(UTC) and the second Sunday at 13:00(UTC).

Berlin does not win the BBL title since 2008, while this could be the first silverware for Ludwigsburg.

The easyCredit BBL starts its semifinals today with a match between MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg and ratiopharm ulm. The game takes place in the Audi Dome, Munich, at 13:00(UTC). The second leg of the semifinal will happen next Tuesday, at 18:30(UTC) also in the Audi Dome.

In the other semifinal EWE Baskets Oldenburg will face ALBA BERLIN, with games happening on Monday and Wednesday at 18:30(UTC).

In a joined statement Michael Jordan and the Jordan brand announced that they'll commit $100 million over 10 years to support "organizations dedicated to ensuring racial equality, social justice and greater access to education".

The NBA's Board of Governors voted and approved a plan to finish the 2019-20 season at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. ESPN reports the proposal of a tournament with 22 teams had a 29-1 vote.

The league is targeting a July 31 as a start date. Each team will play eight games with a play-in tournament for the final seed in each conference before the playoffs

The plan now needs formal approval from the National Basketball Players Association before the league can move forward.

The NBA is planning a Thursday vote of the Board of Governors -- with an expectation that owners will approve Commissioner Adam Silver’s recommendation on a format to re-start the 2019-20 season in Orlando on July 31.

Silver, who has been closely working with the National Basketball Players Association, has yet to reveal when or how a formal decision will ultimately be made.

The Executive Board of the Euroleague announced the 2019-20 seasons of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup are cancelled. Both tournaments were suspended on March 12 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

During a remote meeting on Monday, May 25 the Board also decided that current EuroLeague and EuroCup clubs confirmed places for 2020-21 season.

EuroLeague 2020-21 season teams are Alba Berlin, Anadolu Efes Istanbul, AX Armani Exchange Milan, Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade, CSKA Moscow, FC Barcelona, FC Bayern Munich, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, Khimki Moscow Region, KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv, Olympiacos Piraeus, Panathinaikos OPAP Athens, Real Madrid, Valencia Basket, Zalgiris Kaunas and Zenit St Petersburg, and will start on October 1st.

Bavarian State Government endorsed the easyCredit BBL concept for a playoff tournament to appoint the 2020 German Basketball Champions. The easyCredit BBL Final Tournament 2020 will be played in Munich's Audi Dome by ten teams -- the other seven clubs of the BBL decided not to compete in the tournament

German Basketball paused its competitions on March 8, due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The clubs of easyCredit BBL unanimously agreed in a video conference to end the 2019/2020 season if corresponding official permits for the necessary training and game operations is obtained.

It is planned the season with continue with playoffs at one location with FC Bayern Munich Basketball, MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg, HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim, ALBA BERLIN, EWE Baskets Oldenburg, RASTA Vechta, Brose Bamberg, BG Göttingen, ratiopharm ulm and the FRAPORT SKYLINERS.

The location will be announced on Monday, May 4th, 2020.

Associated Press reports NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the league players will receive 25% less in paychecks starting May 15.

The decision was made in concert with the National Basketball Players Association, with the league saying it would “provide players with a more gradual salary reduction schedule” if games are officially canceled or the rest of the season is totally lost.

“I think there is a sense that we can continue to take the leading role as we learn more in coming up with an appropriate regimen and protocol for returning to business,” Silver said.

The National Basketball Association announced that it will suspend the season after a player was tested positively for the coronavirus. The suspension was made public after a player from Utah Jazz got infected.