March 11th. The day that the NBA world came to a screeching halt after Rudy Gobert tested positive for Covid-19 and games were shut down on the spot. The NBA season was then cancelled/postponed at the time and shortly after, most states enacted a full or semi-lock down to their state. Since that time, sports has clawed it’s way back and the NBA will join Major League Baseball as they start their season again in the Orlando Bubble.
NBA players are currently staying at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. The NBA and the NHL both begin their playoff/pre-playoff format this week and are both in a ‘bubble’ system where both sports try to protect their players and staff from the spread of Covid-19 while also being able to continue their season.
And it seems to be working. The NBA and NHL have not seen a positive test while in the ‘bubble’ system while the MLB currently faces an outbreak for one of their organizations, the Miami Marlins. The Marlins have 19 positive tests on their roster and coaching staff and are currently on an indefinite pause and now creates a competitive controversy for the league that decided against a bubble system.
Both the NBA and NHL are doing daily tests as well as regulating the procedures and quarantining protocols in the bubble. 22 NBA teams will take part in a 8-game regular season (for seeding) and then the playoffs to complete the 2019-2020 season. The playoffs will include 16 teams and the NBA Finals will end no later than Oct. 13 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. In accordance with current guidelines developed with the league, public health experts and government officials, all of the games will be held without spectators.
“Of the 344 players tested for COVID-19 on the NBA campus since test results were last announced on July 30, zero have returned confirmed positive tests.
The 2019-20 NBA season resumes on Thursday, July 30 as the New Orleans Pelicans meet the Utah Jazz (6:30 p.m. ET) and the Los Angeles Lakers face the LA Clippers (9 p.m. ET) in a doubleheader on TNT.”
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