Nevada set a one-day all-time record for confirmed new corona virus cases Tuesday with 1,104. That tops the prior mark of 1,099 on June 27, which was artificially inflated by several hundred on a catch-up from earlier delays and 1,004 new cases reported this last Friday.
A five-day stretch starting with that Friday is alarming indeed. A run of 1,004, 930, 845, 832, and 1,104 adds up to 4,715 new confirmed cases. This after a steady increase that started when Las Vegas re-opened many weeks ago (usually about 70-80% of Nevada’s cases and fatalities are in Clark County, home of Las Vegas).
Nevada’s totals may be much lower than those you see in big states like Texas (11,060 Tuesday), California (9,561), and Florida (9,194). But Nevada’s population is a lot less. Populations: California 39.5 million, Texas 29 million, Florida 21.5 million and Nevada 3 million.
NEW VACCINE SHOWS PROMISE
Biotech company Moderna announced promising results from its test of an experimental covid vaccination Tuesday. Of 45 patients tested in an early-stage human trial, all 45 produced antibodies.
These are still early days in the efforts to create a vaccine. But this great news from Phase 1 will allow Moderna to proceed to Phase 3 testing involving 30,000 participants later this month. Promising steps toward a potential vaccine available in 2021.
NFL UNVEILS OAKLEY MOUTH SHIELD TO DISCOURAGE TRANSMISSION
Because a vaccine won’t be available before the scheduled start of the NFL season, the league is hoping to use a new mouth shield created by sporting equipment company Oakley to discourage player-to-player transmission in practices and games.
The shield allows for easy breathing, but blocks the direct transmission of droplets. Players will be testing it during training camp. It’s not currently mandatory, as players and owners continue to negotiate safety protocols for the coming season.
TWO MORE NBA PLAYERS ANNOUNCE POSITIVE TESTS (PLUS NBA AND NHL SCRIMMAGE SLATES)
No bombshells along the lines of Russell Westbrook’s Monday announcement. But Harrison Barnes of the Sacramento Kings and replacement player Michael Beasley of the Brooklyn Nets both announced Tuesday that they had tested positive for covid.
Neither player was in Orlando yet. The league is hoping quarantine will hold once all cleared players are on site.
We’re now just a week away from the start of NBA scrimmages. All 22 teams in Orlando will play three scrimmages against other teams to prepare for the formal restart. Here’s a look at everyone’s opener over the first few days (all times Eastern)…
*Wednesday, July 22: LA Clippers vs. Orlando (3 p.m.), Denver vs. Washington (3:30 p.m.), New Orleans vs. Brooklyn (7 p.m.), Miami vs. Sacramento (8 p.m.).
*Thursday, July 23: Milwaukee vs. San Antonio (3 p.m.), Portland vs. Indiana (3:30 p.m.), LA Lakers vs. Dallas (7 p.m.), Utah vs. Phoenix (8 p.m.)
*Friday, July 24: Philadelphia vs. Memphis (3:30 p.m.), Boston vs. Oklahoma City (5 p.m.), Houston vs. Toronto (7:30 p.m.)
Early Tuesday evening, the NHL announced its exhibition game schedule. I’m going to squeeze in those openers here so you can print them out together with the NBA’s scrimmages (all times also Eastern). Exhibitions involving Eastern Conference teams will be played in Toronto, Western Conference teams in Edmonton.
*Tuesday July 28: Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia (4 p.m.), Toronto vs. Montreal (8 p.m.), Edmonton vs. Calgary (10:30 p.m.)
*Wednesday July 29: Tampa Bay vs. Florida (noon), Colorado vs. Minnesota (2:30 p.m.), Washington vs. Carolina (4 p.m.), St. Louis vs. Chicago (6:30 p.m.), NY Rangers vs. NY Islanders (8 p.m.), Vancouver vs. Winnipeg (10:30 p.m.)
*Thursday July 30: Dallas vs. Nashville (4 p.m.), Boston vs. Columbus (7 p.m.), Vegas vs. Arizona (10 p.m.)
As long as the quarantines hold…things are about to get very busy for sports fans and bettors!
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS LAST MLS TEAM TO TAKE THE FIELD
We had to skip MLS coverage yesterday because of so many major headlines. Let’s get caught up.
As expected, the league moved a team from Group A to Group B to create six equal four-team groups after the withdrawals of Nashville from the six-team Group A, and Dallas from the four-team Group B. Chicago transported to Group B, and was rewarded with a 2-1 upset over Seattle.
Those Sounders played two games before Vancouver played even one. The Whitecaps are finally in action Wednesday night vs. San Jose. Group B Standings: Chicago 1-0-0, San Jose 0-0-1, Seattle 0-1-1, Vancouver 0-0-0.
Here are odds in Wednesday’s only game, which kicks off at 9 p.m. ET.
San Jose vs. Vancouver
Three-way: San Jose -127, Vancouver plus 316, draw plus 297
Goal Line: San Jose -0.75 goals (-101), Vancouver plus 0.75 goals (-120)
Over/Under: 3 goals (Over plus 103, Under -125)
National media coverage has been muted for this event so far. Though the knockout rounds could prove exciting, they will be battling other league restarts for eyeballs. See if you can pick up some potential edges by scouting group play. This soon-to-be-overshadowed market could be slow to react to important developments.
Other Stories of Interest
*NFL is supposed to start soon, but doesn’t have a plan (Wall Street Journal)
*College football’s 2020 season in trouble (USA Today)
*What would a Spring 2021 college football schedule look like? (ESPN)
*Philadelphia cancels large events for six months (KYW news radio)
*One in three young adults vulnerable to severe covid (NY Post)
*Researchers create heated air filter that kills covid (NY Post)
VSiN Clips/Tweets on Betting Restarts
*Mitch Moss and Pauly Howard talk to Anthony Curtis about gambling tips (Follow the Money)
*Michael Lombardi and Patrick Meagher discuss Dak Prescott (Lombardi Line)
*JVT examines the Nashville/Arizona NHL qualifying round matchup (The Edge)
