2021 NBA: Ongoing Covid-19 Impact

Pablo's TB Lover

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DeadlySplitter

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"Sixers guard Seth Curry returned a positive test for the coronavirus, which the team learned of near the start of a loss in Brooklyn tonight, sources tell ESPN. He went to an isolation room immediately, and thereafter left arena separate from team. Curry spent the first quarter on bench before Sixers were made aware of a positive test, sources said. Curry then left the court-area and headed into isolation. Sixers are staying over in New York and will commence contact tracing in morning, sources said. " - Woj

View: https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1347402690796642304
 

HomeRunBaker

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"Sixers guard Seth Curry returned a positive test for the coronavirus, which the team learned of near the start of a loss in Brooklyn tonight, sources tell ESPN. He went to an isolation room immediately, and thereafter left arena separate from team. Curry spent the first quarter on bench before Sixers were made aware of a positive test, sources said. Curry then left the court-area and headed into isolation. Sixers are staying over in New York and will commence contact tracing in morning, sources said. " - Woj

View: https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1347402690796642304
Can someone explain to me how they go about “contact tracing” when a player on the team tests positive? Do they check to see who was next to him in the layup line, in the team huddle, near his locker, defending him in the walk-through?
 

benhogan

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Can someone explain to me how they go about “contact tracing” when a player on the team tests positive? Do they check to see who was next to him in the layup line, in the team huddle, near his locker, defending him in the walk-through?
I'm completely guessing here, but I think they muddle through the regular season. Then go Orlando bubble for the playoffs.

The NCAA tournament is going to a "Hoosier bubble" for March Quietness.
 

128

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Can someone explain to me how they go about “contact tracing” when a player on the team tests positive? Do they check to see who was next to him in the layup line, in the team huddle, near his locker, defending him in the walk-through?
I work in the UVA athletic department, and ACC teams are using computer chips that log how much time players and coaches spend in close proximity to each other. Not sure if there are ironclad rules about what it takes for a player or coach to be sidelined, or if that's up to each school.

Virginia plays at BC on Saturday and, for the second straight game, will be without most of its assistant coaches.
 

Jimbodandy

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I work in the UVA athletic department, and ACC teams are using computer chips that log how much time players and coaches spend in close proximity to each other. Not sure if there are ironclad rules about what it takes for a player or coach to be sidelined, or if that's up to each school.

Virginia plays at BC on Saturday and, for the second straight game, will be without most of its assistant coaches.
If it makes you feel any better, you can pull a couple of towel guys as assistants and coach to a win over BC.
 

TripleOT

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I just realized that Doc Rivers is now coaching his son in law. Doc has a two year old granddaughter. Hopefully there is no Covid spread in Seth’s family.
 

bigq

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Well we may see some of Tacko as a result but the bulk of the time Theis will be at the 5 or Boston will be playing a small ball lineup perhaps with Semi playing center.
 

lovegtm

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Sixers aren't until the 21st, so dodged a bullet there most likely. The Magic could be rough.

Honestly, we're making the playoffs and the team is good, so I don't give a shit. It will be pretty funny to watch if nothing else.
 

terrynever

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Multiple Sixers expected to miss time, according to Philly Inquirer. Another report, from Bucks County paper, says Philly is down to six players, which puts Saturday’s Denver game in jeopardy.

NBA injury report lists Joel Embiid, Danny Green, Tobias Harris, Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle, Vincent Poirier, and Paul Reed as questionable for Saturday’s 3 p.m. home game with the Denver Nuggets due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

https://www.inquirer.com/sixers/philadelphia-sixers-nba-seth-curry-brooklyn-nets-denver-nuggets-dallas-mavericks-covid-19-20210109.html
 
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HomeRunBaker

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The league needs to retreat into four bubbles until the siege is over.
I’ve been saying this forever but the union is so strong they were never going to agree to this for a full season. The only way they will is with a Covid work stoppage that affects their paychecks.

Where do the players fall in line for vaccinations? This has to be right around the corner, no? I have no idea, only asking.
 

Lose Remerswaal

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I’ve been saying this forever but the union is so strong they were never going to agree to this for a full season. The only way they will is with a Covid work stoppage that affects their paychecks.

Where do the players fall in line for vaccinations? This has to be right around the corner, no? I have no idea, only asking.
The union is strong, which is good. And the NBA is a sports game, not an essential industry, even if we think otherwise. Locking everyone up for six months to play basketball doesn’t make much sense. Hell, the NFL just got thru a four month non bubble season without missing any games and not more than a small percentage sevely affected by Covid.
 

128

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College hoops is postponing/canceling games right and left. At what point does the NBA start doing the same?
 

Jed Zeppelin

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I’ve been saying this forever but the union is so strong they were never going to agree to this for a full season. The only way they will is with a Covid work stoppage that affects their paychecks.

Where do the players fall in line for vaccinations? This has to be right around the corner, no? I have no idea, only asking.
I’m sure 450 doses could fall off the back of a truck somewhere.

Strippers are essential employees, yes? That basically makes NBA players the same by the transitive property.
 

lovegtm

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College hoops is postponing/canceling games right and left. At what point does the NBA start doing the same?
Never? No one thinks that the NBA regular season matters much anyway, so they get through it, make their money, have some weird seeding, and get to the playoffs.
 

DannyDarwinism

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Never? No one thinks that the NBA regular season matters much anyway, so they get through it, make their money, have some weird seeding, and get to the playoffs.
Yep. “Home” teams are currently under .500. I think we’ve discussed this in the gambling, player development and general team strategy threads, but there’s simply no reason to treat seeding as the priority it has been. Get healthy, get rotations set and hopefully chemistry for the new guys, and focus development for the young guns, then worry about who’s where in the standings.
 
Yep. “Home” teams are currently under .500. I think we’ve discussed this in the gambling, player development and general team strategy threads, but there’s simply no reason to treat seeding as the priority it has been. Get healthy, get rotations set and hopefully chemistry for the new guys, and focus development for the young guns, then worry about who’s where in the standings.
Easy to say when you're a fan of a team which should make the playoffs no matter what. What if you're a fan of a team that could be a top-four seed at best and miss the playoffs (and maybe even the play-in games) at worst?
 

Kliq

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I believe the NBA only has the first half of the season on the schedule at the moment, because they know they'll have to fit postponed games into the schedule. I'm sure they will try hard to make most of the games work, but they have a much better plan than the NFL or MLB did.
 

radsoxfan

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Cross posting from the Tatum thread as this is more of a general comment/question I don't know the answer to....

I wonder how they contact trace these guys. Obviously they all just played a game together and sat on the bench together without masks. Probably were in the lockeroom together that way also. By position groups? locker proximity? looking at pre and post game with cameras? Who went to dinner together after the game?

Given the current spread of COVID is sky high in the community, players are going to get this thing. Teams have to be as proactive as possible that no one is also out for contact tracing. Masks as much as possible, no locker room congregating, no in person position meetings, etc. I hope they are trying to do that.

Otherwise this thing is going to get shut down real quick.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Cross posting from the Tatum thread as this is more of a general comment/question I don't know the answer to....

I wonder how they contact trace these guys. Obviously they all just played a game together and sat on the bench together without masks. Probably were in the lockeroom together that way also. By position groups? locker proximity? looking at pre and post game with cameras? Who went to dinner together after the game?

Given the current spread of COVID is sky high in the community, players are going to get this thing. Teams have to be as proactive as possible that no one is also out for contact tracing. Masks as much as possible, no locker room congregating, no in person position meetings, etc. I hope they are trying to do that.

Otherwise this thing is going to get shut down real quick.
Yup I’ve been saying this for awhile now too. The NBA has to know what’s about to occur but if the players resist a bubble all you can do is let it play out to where the season is halted. At that point the parties come together and decide on a bubble to maintain revenue streams like last year. My guess anyway.
 

benhogan

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Easy to say when you're a fan of a team which should make the playoffs no matter what. What if you're a fan of a team that could be a top-four seed at best and miss the playoffs (and maybe even the play-in games) at worst?
Them's the breaks*. We have a global plague and a President inciting riots. Concern about play-in games or seeding has dampened. Please give us anything to take our minds off the daily headlines.

*I retain the right to change my tune if the C's lose the next 7 with Carsen Edwards playing PFo_O
 

TripleOT

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It’s going to be either:

Every player gets covid

Players are given the ultimatum: If you want your money this season, we go back into the bubble

Players get vaccines (horrible pr)

With the in your face nature of basketball, I don’t see how even the most stringent separation protocols are going to be effective.
 

lovegtm

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It’s going to be either:

Every player gets covid

Players are given the ultimatum: If you want your money this season, we go back into the bubble

Players get vaccines (horrible pr)

With the in your face nature of basketball, I don’t see how even the most stringent separation protocols are going to be effective.
Sounds accurate. I wouldn't be that surprised if the players union voted for "everyone gets covid or can voluntarily sit out." My impression is that the bubble really really sucked, lifestyle-wise.
 

ElUno20

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It's going to be players getting vaccinated. Too much money at stake and they arent going back to a bubble
 

lexrageorge

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I would expect that NBA and NHL players will get their shots in early February. There will be a bit of PR hit, but the NBA is also not responsible for the fact that only about 10% of the available vaccine doses have been put in arms.

Would not be surprised if there's a 1-2 week halt in the interim.
 

Minneapolis Millers

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Do we think every NBA player will agree to be vaccinated? Will the league require it as a condition of continuing eligibility to play? (This is gong to be an interesting dynamic across society, as various places/programs will likely require proof of vaccination for entry/participation.)
 

NomarsFool

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I think they should build in a week for makeup games every X weeks or so - whether that is every 4 weeks, 6 weeks, I don't know. It pushes the end of the season out - which I know they don't like, but that seems to be a small price to pay. Of course, they could also just let the post-poned games be canceled - but maybe that impacts television revenue.

For the playoffs, maybe they just do a bubble for the final 4 teams or whatever.
 

Light-Tower-Power

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I think they should build in a week for makeup games every X weeks or so - whether that is every 4 weeks, 6 weeks, I don't know. It pushes the end of the season out - which I know they don't like, but that seems to be a small price to pay. Of course, they could also just let the post-poned games be canceled - but maybe that impacts television revenue.

For the playoffs, maybe they just do a bubble for the final 4 teams or whatever.
Hopefully by the time the Conference Finals roll around in later June a bubble won't be necessary and we'll have asses in seats.

Edit: Maybe not asses in every seat, but at least some vaccinated fan attendance.
 
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Jed Zeppelin

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I am a selfish ass but if all of Congress can be first in line to get the vaccine then I have no problem sparing some 500 doses for players and coaches.

I think we may be a close to a "fuck it, whoever wants the vaccine can get it" reset of the whole rollout anyway, at which point the leagues will be at the top of the list just as they were for testing.
 

TripleOT

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Half the NY Fire Department refused the vaccine. Many health care workers are balking at taking the vaccine. Polling numbers show Black Americans at less likely to get the vaccine of any demographic group (that isn’t Republican).

In that regard, it would be good PR for all the league’s players to agree to get vaccinated.
 

terrynever

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Half the NY Fire Department refused the vaccine. Many health care workers are balking at taking the vaccine. Polling numbers show Black Americans at less likely to get the vaccine of any demographic group (that isn’t Republican).

In that regard, it would be good PR for all the league’s players to agree to get vaccinated.
Pretty sure we’ve all seen this. Lot of rednecks in the FDNY. And elsewhere.

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/fdny-gives-fbi-info-on-active-retired-members-at-us-capitol-riot/2821969/
 

Light-Tower-Power

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They'll never get all players to agree. Just not happening.
Could be wrong, but I'd bet that a large majority of NBA players, say 80%+, would be willing to take the vaccine. I think professional sports serve an essential function in our society and I don't think reserving a small number of doses for all the players, coaches, and other on-court personnel is bad optics. I'd imagine the number of doses they'd need is less than the number getting tossed in the garbage every day.
 

Kliq

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They'll get dragged on social media by some people; but people have way bigger problems with COVID to worry about than the NBA players receiving vaccines early. I imagine almost every NBA player will be willing to take the vaccine, with the exception of Mr. Chemistry. They have millions and millions of reasons to take it.
 

ElUno20

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Could be wrong, but I'd bet that a large majority of NBA players, say 80%+, would be willing to take the vaccine. I think professional sports serve an essential function in our society and I don't think reserving a small number of doses for all the players, coaches, and other on-court personnel is bad optics. I'd imagine the number of doses they'd need is less than the number getting tossed in the garbage every day.
If the bigger stars take it, publicly, it'll be a non issue. All the players will follow suit. Lebron specifically (if he hasnt gotten it already).
 

PseuFighter

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It's not the best press, but I think it's fine at this point to vaccinate players. I was initially against this, thinking it would be bad/wrong to have healthy 20/30 year olds skip the line, but their profession (argue it's not essential, fine) has them in close contact with lots of people, traveling regularly, and we've totally botched the rollout to this point that I don't think it's bad to dig up ~1000 doses to just get it done. There's also the economic impact; there are plenty of jobs beyond the players that rely on sports (again, fair to argue it's not essential, but the point remains).
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Half the NY Fire Department refused the vaccine. Many health care workers are balking at taking the vaccine. Polling numbers show Black Americans at less likely to get the vaccine of any demographic group (that isn’t Republican).

In that regard, it would be good PR for all the league’s players to agree to get vaccinated.
Not to hijack the thread or exonerate FDNY, but a good percentage of those who said that they wouldn't take the vaccine have already had COVID so they don't believe the vaccine is necessary or that they should get it before others who have not yet had it.

Don't remember the % but it was substantial.
 

OurF'ingCity

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It's not the best press, but I think it's fine at this point to vaccinate players. I was initially against this, thinking it would be bad/wrong to have healthy 20/30 year olds skip the line, but their profession (argue it's not essential, fine) has them in close contact with lots of people, traveling regularly, and we've totally botched the rollout to this point that I don't think it's bad to dig up ~1000 doses to just get it done. There's also the economic impact; there are plenty of jobs beyond the players that rely on sports (again, fair to argue it's not essential, but the point remains).
Yep, and I'd say the same thing for members of the entertainment industry more generally. Which obviously is a much larger pool, but I don't think it would be crazy to divert, say, a few hundred vaccines to cast and crew on a movie or TV show preparing for shooting/production.