The NBA’s decision to postpone the Grizzlies‘ next three games – despite the team only currently having one confirmed case of COVID-19 – represents an evolution in the league’s approach to the virus and to the 2020/21 schedule, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
For most of the season, when a player has tested positive for the coronavirus, the NBA has conducted a contact tracing investigation for a day or two, then required players to self-isolate for one week if they’re deemed to be a close contact to the person who tested positive. If the affected team still has at least eight players available after the initial investigation, that team has continued playing its games as scheduled.
As Wojnarowski explains, today’s decision to postpone three Grizzlies games essentially means “parking a team and taking them out of circulation” once the club has a player test positive.
There’s no indication at this point that Memphis’ one positive case will result in a larger outbreak, but the league – which tightened many of its COVID-19 protocols last week – appears committed to minimizing the risk of creating a chain reaction among its teams.
If the NBA continues to err on the side of caution and takes teams off the schedule for several days at a time once a player tests positive, it would mean certain teams spend longer periods on the sidelines. However, the hope would be that fewer total teams would be affected by contact tracing and possible positive tests.
While I’m sure this is a smart decision from a health standpoint – I don’t think we’ll see the playoffs start “on time.”
This season is going until Late July most likely.
Yeah with this new strain they talk about being more contagious. I guess you have to be more strict. They shouldn’t be dealing with outsiders. Gotta isolate in every way possible.
I wish they would’ve done that with the Mavs. Instead we played 3 games 5-6 men down and lost all 3 games.
They would’ve lost anyways
They played more than 3 games since this happened…they won their first 2 or 3
Everyone had the same rules. Now it seems we have different rules, way stricter… to stop the avalanche when it’s just a snowball.
Same with the Rockets. They had to play 8 games while they were down anywhere from 4 to 9 men and lost six of those eight games.
COVID-19 is forcing the NBA to make some Grizzlie decisions !!
Wonder if all these covid protocols will lead to a new CLAWS in the CBA
No mid court hugging allowed. Might I also suggest no drawing charges, no boxing out, no posterizing.
Better not be hugging Harden. If he’s out there partying lol.
dont hug him – that’s tampering!
This either will be a 50 game season, or it may never end…I guess most everyone will have a vaccine by August, so maybe playoffs in September?
How were these guidelines not settled upon before the season started? Now the NBA has an issue where they’ve changed the rules after other teams have already been impacted. Multiple teams were forced into playing short rotations despite calls to postpone.
It’s mind boggling that a multi-billion dollar business, couldn’t put together a contingency plan for something everyone knew was coming.
*mock* Why can’t they get the virus right!