After Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the Coronavirus, the NBA announced that the season would be suspended and games to resume at a later date.
In addition to the NBA season being postponed, the NBA G-League also postponed the remainder of the season, as well as Major League Soccer. The last game that was completed was a win by the Dallas Mavericks over the Denver Nuggets. Atlanta Hawks forward Vince Carter checked in during the Hawks loss last night for maybe the final time in his career. A weird way to end a storied career.
When the Jazz arrived at the arena, Gobert was feeling fine and able to play, but tested positive for the virus. Once that was discovered, the arena was emptied, and the game was postponed. The Jazz players were quarantined at the arena, unable to leave until the middle of the night. Shortly afterwards, Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell tested positive for the coronavirus.
Players who recently played the Jazz were told to self-quarantine.
There are 259 games remaining this season, with teams fighting for playoff spots and championship aspirations, no one knows when or if games will resume.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban took an initiative to continue to pay the arena employees, even though games aren’t being played. Other owners across the league have followed.
The NBA will take appropriate and timely measures moving forward, with a plan to address NBA teams sometime Thursday afternoon. This is something the league has never experienced before, with postponements of the season in the past usually because of contract disputes.
With the virus being global and ultimately deadly, the safety of everyone involved is more important than basketball games. The players have expressed concern for all fans and anyone involved.
