NBA takes 2020-21 season outside protection of the bubble

Agencies | Washington

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

For its next trick, the NBA will try to complete a season outside a bubble. 

Just 71 days after superstar LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers won the championship in a coronavirus-free special environment in Orlando, the NBA starts its 2020-21 season Tuesday, with home and road games, fans in some areas and many unknowns, Deutsche press agency (dpa) reported. 

This will be closer to a normal season but also present the problems of positive tests and postponed games that have affected the National Football League and college football and basketball in the United States. 

"It's going to be a different season," Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks said. "Some players might get corona, get sick, not be able to be with the team for 10 days. I think that's going to be a big part." 

The NBA announced 48 players were positive in return-to-market testing in late November. It was down to eight on December 10 and one on December 16. 

Media reports said players received a 134-page manual that calls for rapid testing in home and road markets, limiting travelling team parties to 17 players among 45 employees, and prohibiting visits to bars, fitness centres and public gatherings of 15 or more people. 

Players testing positive will miss at least 12 days and may return only after the absence of symptoms or consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart. Active rosters were expanded from 13 to 15 players. 

Teams will play 72 games - 10 less than usual - including some consecutive contests against the same foe to limit travel. The Toronto Raptors are playing in Tampa, Florida to avoid mandatory border-crossing quarantines. 

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle called a recent trip to Milwaukee "a good experience. We actually had the entire hotel to ourselves. There will be situations like that this year." 

Local guidelines will keep many arenas empty. The Cleveland Cavaliers are allowing just 300 fans per game and the Orlando Magic up to 4,000, with mandatory face coverings for all and testing for those close to the court. 

"The health and safety of everyone connected to our game will be top priority," Magic chief executive Alex Martins said. "Our goal is to make everyone feel comfortable that extensive safety precautions have been taken for the return to Amway Center."  

Last season ended on October 11, making this the shortest off-season ever for America's four major pro sports. However, eight teams have been off since March, when the NBA suspended last season due to the outbreak. 

On the court, James, fellow superstar Anthony Davis and the Lakers will try to repeat, having added veterans Dennis Schroeder of Germany, Marc Gasol of Spain, Montrezl Harrell and Wes Matthews. 

"For me personally, the bull's-eye has always been on my back - or my front - since I entered the league," James said. "You add in the Laker name on top of that, the Lakers franchise, the bull's-eye has been on this franchise for a long time as well." 

Challenging the Lakers in the Western Conference should be the Denver Nuggets with their international 1-2 punch of Serbian centre Nikola Jokic and Canadian guard Jamal Murray and the Mavericks led by Doncic. 

The Los Angeles Clippers still boast the star tandem of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George but had a tumultuous off-season as reports surfaced of preferential treatment for Leonard and George criticizing departed coach Doc Rivers. 

Even more disjointed are the Houston Rockets, who saw the departure of general manager Daryl Morey and coach Mike D'Antoni, traded All-Star Russell Westbrook to Washington and are sitting on a trade demand from superstar James Harden, who skipped the start of training camp. 

"Since I’ve been here, there’s nothing that’s being said about it," Harden said. "Right now, I’m just focused on being here."

In the East, the Milwaukee Bucks traded for guard Jrue Holiday before signing two-time defending MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of Greece to a record five-year, 228 million dollar extension, taking him off the 2021 free-agent market.

"I just wanted the team to be improved and be better," Antetokounmpo said. 

The Heat re-signed Bam Adebayo and Slovenian Goran Dragic and added veterans Avery Bradley and Mo Harkless to a young team led by All-Star Jimmy Butler. The Boston Celtics return with young stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown but lost forward Gordon Hayward in free agency. 

Both will face a challenge from the Brooklyn Nets, who hired Hall of Famer Steve Nash as a coach to guide the superstar pairing of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, both returning from injuries. 

"We know the monsters that are getting together on all these different teams," Irving said. "The league is just gonna be that much more exciting."