The NBA was able to finish the 2019-2020 season with very limited problems regarding COVID-19. However, this cannot be said for the start of the 2020-2021 season.
The main reason the NBA was able to finish the 2019-2020 season after it was suspended was because everyone: the players, coaches, refs were all in the same bubble at Disney World. Fast forward to now, each team is playing at their home arenas despite their not being any fans in attendance.
At first this did not seem like a bad idea. The players and coaches would be able to play at their home arena in their home city and would also not be away from their families. At the current moment, it is looking like this plan is not working out the way the NBA had planned.
It was just announced that three games slated to be played this weekend were postponed making it a total of 13 postponements. Teams such as the Wizards, Celtics, and 76ers have had or are still dealing with a COVID outbreak. Stars like Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Kevin Durant have all missed time whether they tested positive for COVID-19 or were a close contact.
The NBA recently updated their health and safety protocols making them more strict. The NBA can only hope that it will help limit the spread of COVID-19 or else they will really have to consider moving to a bubble like they did over the summer.
