Not sure if I.D.I.O.T. (mods, feel free to shut this down if you disagree), but at some level as we talk about the stretch run and the playoffs, we should be cognizant that there is a non-zero chance that the NBA playoffs could get cancelled this year due to COVID-19. I live in Asia (though not China), and it's already affecting nearly everything here -- I've seen so many sporting events and major gatherings cancelled in parts of the continent the past month (and already pre-cancelled through April)...e.g., all schools in Japan have been cancelled through at least the beginning of April. To put some perspective as to how quickly this has been spreading in some places -- on February 18, South Korea had 30 confirmed cases. As of today, less than two weeks later, they have well over 4,000 confirmed cases (476 new cases today alone). TL;DR, feel free to post anything here as it relates to the cross-section of NBA and COVID-19. I'll start: Portland Trail Blazer CJ McCollum not signing autographs citing coronavirus
Count me as one that thinks sports in USA (including NBA) will be impacted by this, especially with all the traveling they do and places they visit. Imagine if someone on a NBA team, especially during the playoffs, tests positive with this.
I also live in Asia (not China), and it's terrifying. It's been around ten days that I have not leave my home. I hope it doesn't outbreak anywhere else.
Silver will cancel the playoffs with Rockets leading the Lakers 3-0, after Lebron starts a coughing hoax. Lebron can’t handle the smoke Lebron exiting playoffs @don grahamleone can you do the Lebron face honors with this one.
Dmorey the real MVP for cutting relations with China before this got out of hand. The last thing we need is some pre-season games in China come october.
I was honestly thinking about this and seeing a way that the NBA might carry on with the playoffs but just for broadcast TV. You'd have empty arenas, with a few journalists and the dumb PA going on. Maybe they could even add an applause track or something. That way they wouldn't surrender all the TV revenue, all of us locked in our houses would have something to watch, and they wouldn't have to cancel the season. Honestly, if an NBA player gets COVID-19, it probably barely registers as a sniffle in most cases. People under 30 are almost always getting a mild case if they show any symptoms at all. The worry is 10,000 fans packing an arena, touching handrails, high-fiving, and exhaling on each other.
this reminded me of the opening paragraph of Paul Ehrlich's The Population Bomb. "People. People. People. People."
They can play basketball wearing face mask and rubber gloves. How can the refs blow the whistle, though?
It wouldn’t surprise me if the virus spreads among the players. This could possibly cause a suspension of the season. A player gets the virus, plays against another team, and the virus rapidly goes from team to team. Players are already in public places where they could pick up the virus. If a few players get the virus I could see other players not wanting to play.
Brought me back to a WWE classic - Rock vs Mankind in an Empty Arena Match. If NBA follows this example then it could work. Use the whole arena. Have the game spill over into the locker rooms, etc.
