Much of the United States realized the severity of COVID-19 following the abrupt suspension of the NBA season back in March. A multi-billion dollar enterprise that is enjoyed by millions stopping on such short notice helped highlight the severity of a situation that was to many people just fodder for memes.
The NBA finished its season with a bubble in Orlando, Florida, and was considered a success in both the quality of play and the handling of the pandemic. From the start of the bubble in July to the last game of the NBA finals in October, not a single player tested positive for COVID-19. This represents a stark contrast to the NBA’s current situation.
At this point, three NBA games have been canceled due to players either testing positive for the virus or having to go into isolation due to exposure. An NBA team needs at least 8 players in order to play, and any fewer means that a team can not play. As of Monday, the canceled games were a Sunday game between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat, a Tuesday game between the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls, and another Tuesday game between the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans. The Boston Celtics received positive tests from players Jayson Tatum and Robert Williams, which thus forced several other players to go into isolation. The Dallas Mavericks closed their practice facility Sunday due to COVID related issues but there is no confirmation as to who tested positive.
The NBA has come under scrutiny for its COVID-19 protocols which have perhaps made things worse. There have been situations in which a player will either test positive or be contacted for contact tracing purposes in the middle of a game. On January 7th, Philadelphia 76ers player Seth Curry was notified that he had tested positive during a game against the Brooklyn Nets. Waiting on test results during a game represents a chance for a greater number of people to be potentially exposed. The NBA and the National Basketball Players’ Association met on Sunday to discuss safety protocols moving forward.
Brendan McPherson | IG @brendan_mcpherson
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