NO NBA: The league has suspended its season until further notice after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the coronavirus.
Jazz center Gobert tests positive for coronavirus before game in OKC
The NBA has suspended the season in the wake of a Utah Jazz player testing positive for the new coronavirus.
The announcement comes shortly after Wednesday night’s between the Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder was postponed just before tipoff at Chesapeake Energy
Arena. A medical staff member from the Thunder came onto the floor and spoke with officials, and the teams were sent back to the locker rooms. The officials spoke with the league and the game was called off shortly thereafter.
Jazz center Rudy Gobert reportedly has tested positive for the virus officially known as
COVID-19, according to the Associated Press.
Marc Stein of the New York Times was the first to report the season had been suspended.
Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins released the following statement:
“As we’ve said from the beginning, the health and safety of our fans, employees, players and partners is our top priority and thus we fully support the NBA’s decision to postpone games. We will continue to stay in contact with the league, and local, state and federal health experts as we closely monitor this public health crisis. During this period of increased focus on public health due to COVID-19, we ask that our fans continue to practice healthy habits as outlined by the CDC.”
The Magic announced tickets already purchased for postponed games will be honored when the game is rescheduled. If games are not played or played in an empty arena, fans will have the option to receive a credit for a future game
or a refund. Fans can visit OrlandoMagic.com where ticket and future schedule information will be announced.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the league’s board of governors had a conference call with team owners earlier Wednesday to weigh options on how to proceed amid the virus outbreak, including eliminating fans from games or even going as far as suspending game operations for a period of time. Reportedly, most were leaning toward playing games without fans.
Some players, including Los Angeles Lakers’ all-star LeBron James, said they wouldn’t play if the league barred fans from attending. James later reversed his position and said he would follow the league’s guidance after learning more about the coronavirus.
That won’t be an issue now. Orlando Magic players weren’t thrilled with having to play in an empty arena, but they understand the caution being expressed by the NBA and other professional sports leagues.
“It’s crazy. I’d rather be safe than sorry,” Magic point guard Markelle Fultz said on Tuesday. “It’s crazy how it’s spreading and everything so I can understand them making changes. I’m just trying to avoid getting it, so whatever they’re trying to do to help, that’s what I’ll do too.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told a congressional committee Wednesday that his recommendation would be that the NBA not allow fans at games in response to the coronavirus.
The Magic were scheduled to play the Chicago Bulls on Thursday at Amway Center, where pop star Billie Eilish performed on Tuesday night. The arena already had been ramping up some precautionary measures, such as adding more hand sanitizer stations and posting extra signs that remind patrons to wash their hands and cover their coughs, among other prudent hygienic practices.
The Magic were set to play eight of their next 10 games at home.
Amid coronavirus concerns, the NBA, MLS, MLB and NHL closed locker room access to the media and non-essential personnel until further notice.
The Golden State Warriors on Wednesday became the first team to announce it planned to play games without fans. The city of San Francisco put a moratorium on gatherings of more than 1,000 people, so the Warriors were going to host the Brooklyn Nets, who currently lead the Magic by half a game for seventh in the Eastern Conference standings, on Thursday night in a game that would have been closed to fans.