Coronavirus

The end of the basketball drought is (possibly) in sight -- with NBA commissioner Adam Silver targeting a July 31 return to the 2020 season.

The league notified team owners about the goal date on Friday ... in hopes to finally continue action after suspending the season on March 11.

It's a bit of good news for NBA fans, but one big question that still remains -- will the Association skip straight to the playoffs, or will it allow teams to earn their spots in the postseason?

According to Shams Charania, the league is considering 4 possible scenarios ...

Option 1 -- Go straight to the playoffs with the 16 teams that are currently at the top of each conference

Option 2 -- Allow the top 20 teams to compete in group/stage play

Option 3 -- Have 22 teams continue the season and have a play-in tournament to determine final seeding

Option 4 -- Bring all 30 teams back and have a 72-game season with play-in tourney

Of course, most NBA players (like LeBron James) want the season to come back ... but Blazers superstar Dame Lillard recently said he won't play if Portland doesn't have a "real shot" at earning a postseason berth.

Julia Roberts is making a political statement with her face mask -- one that's sure to irk President Trump ... on so many levels.

The actress stepped out Thursday wearing a face covering with former President Barack Obama's face on it. Julia was strolling around the Malibu Country Mart as she did her part to mitigate the spreading of the coronavirus.

Let's face it, she was also further politicizing face coverings -- something the current POTUS started by refusing to wear one ... even though his own administration's guidelines say everyone should in public. Arguably, Trump's adamant stance is why we've seen clashes around the country over face masks.

Of course, 45 trashes 44 every chance he gets ... so the Oscar winner's pandemic fashion statement would no doubt get a thumbs down from the White House.

We're confident in saying ... Julia wouldn't give a crap.

Melvin Gordon didn't hold back when he was asked about the possibility of playing in fan-less stadiums in 2020 ... saying it used to happen to him all the time in his Chargers career!!

"Bro, we didn't have fans anyway!" Gordon said with a laugh.

Of course, MG ain't really wrong ... Chargers games over the past few seasons became famous for being overrun by opponents' fan bases -- but hearing Gordon say it so bluntly was still SAVAGE!!

"We didn't have many Chargers fans, I'm going to be honest," Gordon explained in an interview this week with his former Wisconsin teammate, Marcus Cromartie. "We didn't have many Chargers fans at the game."

Don't worry, L.A. faithful ... Gordon still praised the few of you out there, saying, "Much loyalty, love, but we didn't have many!"

Gordon added, "I ain't really missing out on much!"

This isn't the first time the running back has taken a shot at the Chargers' lack of support at their own games ... remember, he was publicly pissed at his former squad for playing the Steelers' rally song during their own HOME game in 2019.

Gordon doesn't have to worry about any of that anymore if the COVID-19 pandemic subsides ... he's in Denver now -- where fans are notorious for being loud as hell at games.

Roger Federer is finally #1 on the Forbes Highest-Paid Athletes list -- but it's all because two superstars took a pay hit thanks to COVID.

The 38-year-old tennis superstar reportedly raked in $106.3 million from June 1, 2019 to June 1, 2020 (in pre-taxed earnings) from prize money and endorsements.

Federer earned $6.3 million in prize money -- but the bulk of his financial haul comes by way of endorsements ... $100 MILLION from deals with companies like Uniqlo, Credit Suisse, Mercedes-Benz, Rolex and more.

Cristiano Ronaldo clocks in at #2 ($105 million) and Lionel Messi is #3 ($104 million) ... but Forbes points out their take would have been higher if not for the coronavirus pandemic.

"The two soccer icons earned a combined $209 million during the past 12 months, a $28 million drop from 2019, due to salary reductions at many European soccer clubs when league play was halted in March," Forbes says.

Might not be a big deal to you ... but we know some athletes take the Forbes list VERY seriously -- remember when Conor McGregor told Ronaldo to his face that he was coming for that top spot?!

Rounding out the Top 5 is Neymar ($95.5 M) followed by LeBron James ($88.2 M).

Other notable athletes include Tiger Woods at #8 ($62.3 mil), Carson Wentz at #10 ($59.1 mil), Conor McGregor at #16 ($48 mil), Tom Brady at #21 ($45 mil) and Naomi Osaka at #29 ($37.4 mil).

2019 marks the second year in a row Floyd Mayweather's failed to make the list ... after being the highest-paid athlete of the decade.

The George Floyd killing is sparking massive protests in Minneapolis, and the local NAACP is helping protesters ... by distributing face masks and tips for coping with the danger.

The Minneapolis NAACP plans to help protesters in the city by not only providing face coverings so they can stay safe in the age of COVID-19 but also by teaching techniques on meditation and deep breathing to help relax and cope with Floyd's death ... Leslie Redmond, president of the Minneapolis NAACP tells TMZ.

Leslie says folks in Minneapolis are so upset by Floyd's killing, there is no end in sight to the protests ... so the NAACP is stepping up with face masks, which will come in handy in the face of a respiratory pandemic posing danger to large gatherings.

As for those coping mechanisms ... the Minneapolis NAACP is holding health and wellness Facebook Live sessions aimed at young people, where they can learn to meditate and breathe deeper to relieve stress.

The deep breathing lessons are a case of tragic irony ... Floyd's slow death came at the hands of a cop kneeling on his carotid artery, while witnesses filmed and George told the officer he couldn't breathe.

As we reported ... the protests and riots in Minneapolis have seen violence and looting.

The Minneapolis NAACP says the riots are a byproduct of years of neglect from the city and businesses, coupled with the pandemic.

Leslie says folks in Minny are starving, literally and figuratively, and Floyd's killing is the straw that broke the camels back. She says the NAACP has been trying to sound the alarm for years that something like this could happen, and while she's sad it's descended to this point, she's not surprised.

Redmond says the NAACP looks at the riots and protests "as an uprising of oppressed and hurt people" ... and she says the solution is simple -- police need to stop killing black people.

The NAACP is hoping folks take their messaging to heart ... Leslie says a lot of the protesters in the streets are kids who don't mean harm, and they're just frustrated and need someone to provide guidance.

Is that Dennis Rodman? Why is he putting a 9-pack of toilet paper in the middle of a busy street during a rainstorm?

Is he signing that guy's cast? Smoking a cigar? Aggressively hitting on women?

Is that a cop? He's definitely wearing a mask. Why isn't anyone else?

SO MANY QUESTIONS! BARELY ANY ANSWERS!

Welcome to another edition of, "The Bizarre Adventures of Dennis Rodman!!"

Here's the deal ... this video was shot on Sunday at the American Social gastropub in Ft. Lauderdale.

Witnesses tell us Rodman showed up with some friends around 3:45 PM and seemed to be on a mission to entertain.

No one seems to know where Rodman found the toilet paper -- but he was flaunting it like it was still Week 1 of quarantine!

At one point, he ran the TP into the street -- but we're told a police officer who was in the area instructed him to pick it up. Dennis complied.

Thousands of runners will NOT be flooding the streets of Beantown in September ... as the 124th Boston Marathon has been officially scrapped in exchange for a virtual race.

The Boston Athletic Association made the call to go virtual on Thursday ... after Mayor Martin Walsh canceled the in-person race (which was rescheduled to Sept. 14) due to COVID-19.

The decision marks the FIRST time the race has ever been canceled. Thanks, coronavirus.

Here's how it's gonna work -- runners can get in their 26.2 miles between September 7-14 and still get their medal ... IF they provide proof they completed the race within 6 hours.

The BAA will still offer virtual Marathon Week perks like champions interviews and panel discussions ... but no in-person events will take place.

On top of that, all runners who signed up for the original April 20 race will be offered a full refund.

FYI -- Usually, more than 30,000 people participate in the Boston Marathon.

Unclear how many people will run "virtually" -- but props to everyone who gives it a shot!

GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!!!!

After a 3-month break, the English Premier League is finally set to return to the pitch ... with all clubs agreeing to continue the season on June 17, according to the BBC.

The plan is to pick things back up with fan-less games next month, starting with Aston Villa vs. Sheffield United and Manchester City vs. Arsenal.

The season has been suspended since March 13 due to COVID-19 ... and the league now has 92 match-ups to make up.

FYI -- there have reportedly been 12 positive coronavirus results within the league out of 2,752 administered tests ... and the plan is to continue testing all players and staff twice a week.

According to the BBC, if any player were to test positive for COVID-19 after the season picks up, he must self-isolate for 7 days.

The decision to resume games comes one week after clubs resumed non-contact training ... and one day after agreeing to resume contact workouts.

Sports are slowly starting to come back ... with the UFC, pro wrestling and golf all hosting fan-less events.

Keisha Lance Bottoms believes the majority of Americans know the man in charge is "not very smart" ... and she's urging everyone to use common sense and good judgment to get through this pandemic safely instead of following his political lead ... especially over masks.

The Mayor of Atlanta joined "TMZ Live" to talk about the politicization of COVID -- which is just crazy -- and the alarming images in her fair city, showing hundreds of people partying in close quarters without masks.

Bottoms says the silent majority has been responsible, and it would be a tragedy for a relatively small group to trigger a resurgence of the virus.

The problem, of course ... some people -- probably many -- are taking their cues from President Trump, who is clearly using masks as a moniker for his re-election campaign ... defying doctors and scientists and instead relying on untrained, gut instinct on what drugs to take and how to stay safe. Mayor Bottoms couldn't make sense of it ... because it doesn't make sense.

The UFC has been cleared to host fights in Vegas again -- starting this weekend -- and Dana White is fired up!!!

The Nevada State Athletic Commission has formally approved two upcoming events -- May 30 and June 6 -- to go down at the UFC's APEX facility in Sin City.

Of course, the UFC hosted 3 back-to-back-to-back events in Jacksonville, Florida earlier this month while Nevada was still shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But now, NV is opening up -- and the UFC has the green light.

We spoke with Dana White who tells us, "I am so excited to be back in Vegas!!!"

"Our APEX arena is incredible and the production value we can provide to fans is next level and it’s a safe environment for my fighters and my staff."

White says fighters, coaches, staffers and everyone else involved will all be thoroughly screened and tested -- just like in Jacksonville.

The May 30 card is huge -- Tyron Woodley takes on Gilbert Burns ... and Mackenzie Dern fights Hannah Cifers.