LAS VEGAS – That earthquake that rocked Southern California on Friday night and was subsequently felt in Las Vegas was the first time Dallas Mavericks summer league coach Mike Weinar had ever experienced an earthquake.
“I was in my hotel room on the 46th floor,” Weinar said. “My thoughts and prayers go out, especially to the epicenter (Ridgecrest, Calif.) where it occurred.
“But it was a scary situation. Obviously, it sounds like everything is OK here in Las Vegas, but I certainly send thoughts and prayers to all of those involved.”
The earthquake registered a 7.1 on the Richter scale and reportedly was 11 times stronger than the one that rocked Ridgecrest on Thursday. It also forced MGM Resorts NBA Summer League officials to postpone games that were being played at the time.
In the meantime, guard Daryl Macon was in an unusual spot when Friday’s earthquake hit.
“I was in an Uber,” Macon said. “It was pretty cool to me. I’ve never been in anything like that, so it was pretty cool to me.”
Former Mavs guard Elston Turner said he was in the outlet mall in Las Vegas when the earthquake hit.
“I was in the store looking at clothes on a rack and the whole building started moving, and I started moving,” said Turner, who is an assistant coach with the Houston Rockets. “Everything was spinning like I had a bottle of liquor.”
Turner said he was in an earthquake years ago in Los Angeles, but it was a little tremor.
“This one lasted a little longer, as I can recall,” Turner said. “Of course, like everybody else I went outside and tried to get out from under anything. Let’s hope that’s the end of it.”
Experts are predicting that another earthquake – perhaps even more powerful that the one that hit on Friday – could happen in the coming weeks.
“This is my fist earthquake experience,” Weinar said. “I’ve been through tornadoes, I’ve been through hurricanes. I grew up in North Florida, so were used to knowing it’s coming.
“With hurricanes, you know it’s coming in a week and you can prepare for it. I was watching film in my room and all of a sudden the room started shaking. Scary situation.”
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