Coronavirus Update: NBA Games Inclined To Play Without Fans

The recent threat of the coronavirus has caused major effects in the sporting scene in the United States. One of these includes the Indian Wells Masters for tennis where the whole tournament was canceled as a precautionary measure against the virus. Now, the NBA is inclined to making a big decision regarding everyone’s safety for the games.

Teams are currently considering continuing their games with the condition of having no fans in attendance. The Golden State Warriors, per Adrian Wojnarowski, are planning to play foreseeable home games without fans in attendance. This is already in compliance with the San Francisco Health Office’s order in prohibiting gatherings of more than one thousand people in attendance.

The league is looking forward to following a similar route with allowing the games to push through with the exception of fans not being in attendance. Teams and the NBA are looking toward a resolution on Thursday.

The option of putting the games in hiatus was also considered. This, however, was overruled as the general direction of the rest of the teams wanted to continue without an audience in the arena. The New York Knicks, however, wanted to keep the games the same in this situation as they are waiting until a government-mandated order is implemented.

Lebron James was on record before saying he disagrees with the option of playing without fans. “If I show up to an arena and there ain’t no fans in there, I ain’t playing,” he shared, saying that the reason he plays is for the people.

In recent development across the league, the Oklahoma City Thunder were set to face against the Utah Jazz at the Chesapeake Arena. The Thunder broadcast team is said that the game was postponed due to one of the illnesses of Rudy Gobert. “Due to unforeseen circumstances the game, tonight has been postponed. You are all safe,” said the PA announcement.

Gobert was seen joking on the incident a few days ago during a press conference. He touched the microphones and recorders before heading out of the pressroom.