“It gave me the push, the motivation to go. I found strength in myself to do something for others even when,” said Towns, 25. “I told D’Lo [Russell] when he asked me, ‘It’s always easy to do the right thing when it’s easy for you. But it’s very hard to do the right thing when it’s very inconvenient for you.’ And that is why I went. I knew it was the right thing to stand up for racial injustice and to find ways to help the youth and spread the message that this police brutality and racial injustice has to stop. Especially in a community that has given me the opportunity to live the life I live. …Chicago Bulls Face Masks

Although James said he has become accustomed to distractions as his teams near the championship -- a racist epithet was spray-painted on the gate of his L.A. home on the eve of the 2017 Finals, for instance -- Irving's comments were unavoidable.

And then there’s the 25-year-old newcomer best suited to raise their ceiling and evolve their offense: Wood, who averaged 22.3 points and 9.5 rebounds and shot 41 percent from downtown in his last 15 games. Some might judge that late-season surge as more flash than substance. But Houston is betting on him as a late-blooming star who will be the most complementary luxury item Harden and Wall have ever played with.

"Those were iconic moments," Spoelstra said. "Not just for our organization, but in this league. To be able to do what he did and inspire an entire organization and team. As it's happening, you're in the middle of it, but you're still able to step back and acknowledge that this is really uncommon ..."Orlando Magic Face Masks Face Masks

"It's just more understanding what the landscape is and what the situation is going into the future," Curry said. "We want to be competitive, we want to be in a situation where we're competing for championships every single year. I want to be a part of that. And that's the goal."Sacramento Kings Face Masks

The memo also reinforces rules around nationally televised games that have been in place for multiple seasons, stating that teams are prohibited from resting healthy players for a "high-profile, nationally-televised game." It states that any team that chooses to do this will be fined at least $100,000.

The Golden State Warriors' "Operation Dub Nation" plan to fill the Chase Center to 50% capacity -- a proposal that included rapid COVID-19 testing for every person who entered the arena -- was rejected by the San Francisco Department of Public Health.Minnesota Timberwolves Face Masks