NBA fans in California will not be watching live basketball anytime soon as the raging coronavirus outbreak is seen to make people stay at home. In the next few months, large gatherings in the state will remain prohibited, and that means sporting events like NBA games cannot be staged.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Tuesday that the enforced lockdown would not be lifted until the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 spread has come under control. The governor said he wants to see first that cases of hospitalization "flatten and start to decline," before the restrictions are adjusted.
It is clear that public events will not be permitted, and possibly it will be the case in the months ahead. Newsom said concerts, fairs, and sporting events that will attract a big audience will not be in the cards for an extended period, indicating that the state will not sanction the holding of games watched by thousands, said the report from KPBS.
From the updates provided by Newsom, it is apparent that physical distancing will be the norm from months on, and the chance is next to nil that the NBA games will return, at least in California. This is bad news for both the Lakers and the Clippers, which, before the games were halted, have been leading the race in the western part of the competition.
As deaths due to the coronavirus continue to increase, authorities are left with no choice but to keep people from stepping out of their homes. The infection is still out of control, so the likelihood of contracting the bug is quite high, and the vaccine to neutralize COVID-19 is not expected to arrive until early 2021.
The NBA knows the pandemic is serious. Players have caught the virus, including two from the Lakers roster, so league officials are extra cautious about making the decision that could endanger lives unnecessarily.
Still, the pressure is there to restart the season the soonest, which the NBA deems as important for the league's immediate and long-term viability. According to Clutch Points, a plan has been drafted to go ahead with the postseason and possibly wrap up the games by Labor Day.
Given that specific locations will not be available for a number of reasons, the league has indicated willingness to play the games at a neutral location, and Nevada has been floated around as a possible choice.
When the games resume under these circumstances, the best possible option for the NBA is to bar live spectators. Fans will have to settle watching the playoffs series and likely the NBA Finals too on TV, in case that can be arranged.
