The Oklahoman & NewsOK

NewsOK: Oklahoma City News, Sports, Weather & Entertainment

No positive COVID-19 tests among NBA players for second consecutive week

By Jeff Zillgitt
USA TODAY
Published: Wed, July 29, 2020 1:44 PM

The NBA’s bubble concept continues to work.

For the second consecutive weekly testing period, no NBA players tested positive for COVID-19, according to a release from the league and the National Basketball Players Association.

This time, 344 players were among the group tested daily (it was 346 in the last round of testing), and it’s more promising news for the league as it gets ready to restart its season Thursday with two games at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Florida.

While the league still has more than two months remaining until the conclusion of the NBA Finals, its plan to finish the season in a bubble-like environment with daily testing for everyone on the NBA campus is working well so far.

This news is a stark contrast to what’s happening in Major League Baseball, where the Miami Marlins have had their season suspended due to a COVID-19 outbreak on the team.

Appearing on "Good Morning America" on Wednesday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he is anxious but confident as the league monitors what’s happening in MLB.

"Obviously, we're seeing what's happening in baseball with the Marlins, so it's something we continue to track very closely," Silver said. “Having said that, we have confidence in the protocol that we designed. …

“Jokingly, and it may not be so funny, we say, ‘The safest place in the world might be on this campus at Disney right now.’ ”

The league developed extensive health and safety protocols in consultation with multiple infectious disease, medical and public health experts and prepared a 113-page document with detailed guidelines and expected practices.

In the first round of testing when players arrived on the campus, just two tested positive, according to results released on July 13. On July 20, the league announced zero positive tests.

Related Photos
<strong>Feb 24, 2020; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; A detail view of a game ball in the second quarter of a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports</strong>

Feb 24, 2020; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; A detail view of a game ball in the second quarter of a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

<figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-67938787d85e6e98c766e63842a73eca.jpg" alt="Photo - Feb 24, 2020; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; A detail view of a game ball in the second quarter of a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports " title=" Feb 24, 2020; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; A detail view of a game ball in the second quarter of a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports "><figcaption> Feb 24, 2020; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; A detail view of a game ball in the second quarter of a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports </figcaption></figure>
Comments