The 2019-20 basketball season was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020-21 season started and already has a series of hiccups. The NBA is no different than the real world. We’ll keep you posted with COVID-19 NBA updates.
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March 7
Embiid, Simmons Out of ASG
The NBA is ruling out Embiid and Simmons for All-Star Game, source tells ESPN. https://t.co/PSiQ8xiOMo
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 7, 2021
Feb. 28
Bulls-Raptors Game Postponed
The Raptors; Sunday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls postponed because they couldn’t field the required eight players. It is unclear whether Toronto will be able to return to the court before the All-Star break this coming weekend.
Feb. 26
COVID-19 Ravages Raptors’ Coaching Staff
Nick Nurse and five other members of the Raptors coaching staff will not be on the bench tonight vs. the Rockets due to health and safety protocols pic.twitter.com/l6VhGqTiw5
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 26, 2021
Feb. 15
Spurs-Pistons Ppd.
Tuesday’s scheduled game vs. Detroit has been postponed. pic.twitter.com/GSemgE7MuE
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 15, 2021
Jan. 25
Spurs-Pelicans Called Due to COVID Issues
The league says the postponement is “due to contact tracing within both the Spurs and Pelicans, neither team has the league-required eight available players to proceed.” https://t.co/xF5zSEPvec
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) January 26, 2021
Jan. 20
Grizzlies’ Issues Lead to Postponement
Per NBA: "The game scheduled for tonight between the Grizzlies and Trail Blazers has been postponed in accordance with the league’s Health and Safety Protocols. Because of ongoing contact tracing within the Grizzlies, the team will not have the league-required eight available."
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) January 20, 2021
Jan. 17
Thunder-Sixers Postponed
Philly-OKC postponed, per NBA: pic.twitter.com/TFwKjKzjN1
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) January 17, 2021
Jan. 15
Karl-Anthony Towns Tests Positive
— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) January 15, 2021
Another Game Is Called Off: Grizzles-TWolves
Per NBA, "The game scheduled for tonight between Grizzlies and Timberwolves at Target Center has been postponed in accordance with the league’s Health and Safety Protocols. Because of ongoing contact tracing within Timberwolves, the team does not have the league-required eight."
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) January 15, 2021
Jan. 13
More Games Postponed
Two NBA games Friday postponed: Wizards-Pistons and Warriors-Suns.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 13, 2021
Pelicans Lose Williamson
Updated Injury Report: Zion Williamson is OUT for tonight’s game (Health and Safety Protocols) pic.twitter.com/WesMg9dQQK
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 13, 2021
Jan. 12
Another Celtics Game Called Off
The @NBA has announced the following: pic.twitter.com/Z7W04Tzf2n
— Orlando Magic PR (@Magic_PR) January 12, 2021
Jan. 11
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 11, 2021
Pelicans-Mavericks Postponed
The Dallas Mavericks-New Orleans Pelicans game tonight has been postponed, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 11, 2021
Jan. 10
Celtics-Heat Postponed
The Boston Celtics-Miami Heat game tonight has been postponed, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. A Heat player has returned an inconclusive test, and team does not have required eight players to proceed with game tonight due to contact tracing.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 10, 2021
Jan. 9
Celtics Losing All-Star Jayson Tatum
Boston Celtics All-NBA star Jayson Tatum is expected to enter quarantine and miss 10-to-14 days due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 9, 2021
Jan. 8
76ers Battle COVID Issues
The 76ers are expected to have multiple players miss time due to contact tracing and are still awaiting results of today’s coronavirus testing, sources tell ESPN. Those players were in close contact with Seth Curry, who sources say returned a positive test on Thursday.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 8, 2021
Jan. 3
Big Troubles for Clippers’ Support Staff
ESPN Sources: Several members of Clippers support staff are quarantined in Salt Lake City after a positive coronavirus test. Contact tracing led back to eight people attending a New Year’s Eve meal at a presidential suite in the team hotel with intermittent mask-wearing.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 3, 2021
Dec. 25
Rockets’ Woes Grow
The Rockets have several players — including John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and possibly more — currently facing seven-day quarantine per NBA contact tracing protocol, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 25, 2020
Dec. 23
Rockets Opener Postponed
Tonight’s scheduled Houston Rockets season opener at Toyota Center vs. the Thunder has been postponed in accordance with the NBA’s Health & Safety Protocols. Information regarding the rescheduled date of the game will be made available at a later time.
📝 https://t.co/Ce1xyQrNRw pic.twitter.com/ho3SNNYGAT
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) December 23, 2020
Dec. 2
Dozens of Positive Tests Among NBA Players
The NBA and NBAPA announce that of the 546 players tested for COVID-19 during the initial return-to-market testing phase, 48 have returned positive tests. pic.twitter.com/TJ5Oc6RDtj
— Cassidy Hubbarth (@CassidyHubbarth) December 2, 2020
Nov. 20
Raptors Have to Start Season in Tampa
⚡️ “Raptors to play in Tampa after Canadian government denies home games” by @TorontoStar https://t.co/Rmc5bGnqRL
— Toronto Star (@TorontoStar) November 20, 2020
Nov. 11
NBA Update: No Fans at Blazers Games to Start Season
After careful consideration in collaboration with the NBA and public health and state officials, fans will not be allowed in Moda Center for the beginning of the NBA season. https://t.co/OAPe6sDNRZ
— Moda Center (@ModaCenter) November 11, 2020
Nov. 10
Knicks Shut Down Facility After 3 Positive Tests
The New York Knicks have shut down their facility after employees tested positive for coronavirus.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 11, 2020
NBA Update July 16, 2020
Rudy Gobert Tests Positive; Season Paused
As the COVID-19 pandemic started to gain steam in North America, few people took it seriously at first. That includes Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who was essentially Patient Zero. After testing positive on March 11th, the league shut down all activities indefinitely. The previous day, Gobert had been at a press conference joking around – touching everything on the tables and microphones to indicate how silly the whole thing was.
After Gobert tested positive, other players caught it and the rest of the country started to get weighed down by the pandemic, it became clear that the NBA had made the right call.
NBA Settles On Bubble In Disneyland
In the height of the pandemic, there were all sorts of conjectures as to what would happen with the rest of the season. Some players had suggested that due to the coronavirus – as well as Black Lives Matter protests – that it would be best to end the season. However, after several calls with players-only and then the players and the league, they settled on a format and a location. While leagues like Major League Baseball plan to allow teams to play in their respective stadiums, the NBA decided their best course of action would be to house the players in one, specific location. After thinking about different sites in Las Vegas or Florida, they landed on Disneyworld in Orlando to plant their campus.
Will Play-Out Regular Season, Then Head To Playoffs
The NHL was also mid-season and decided to go straight to the playoffs but the NBA has gone a different route. Instead, they are going to play out eight more regular-season games to give teams that were close to being in the playoffs at the point the season was paused (mostly in the Western Conference) an opportunity to make the playoffs. After that, they are going to have their regular postseason as per usual.
One big change is that teams will obviously not have home-court advantage. That’s normally a big edge in the NBA but given the circumstances, everyone will be at a neutral site.
Bubble Drama Playing Out
The NBA’s bubble has been quite entertaining as players have been posting every day. Some players have already broken quarantine (Richaun Holmes left the campus to pick up food). Others have been sent home after testing positive for COVID-19 (Michael Beasley). Several Brooklyn Nets have decided to skip the remainder of the season. We could see more players pulling out as this continues. There are also rumors about players trying to sneak in females and models. In fact, Instagram model Anna Mya tweeted that she already received an invite.
Season Continues On July 30th
The 2019-20 NBA season will resume playing on July 30th. We’ll have a double-header that day with the Utah Jazz taking on the New Orleans Pelicans at 6:30 PM ET. That will be followed by the Clippers (-1) taking on the Lakers (+1) in the late game.
