NBA practices expected to resume today
NBA teams are expected to get the go-ahead to reopen practice facilities for limited use as early as today, less than two months after the Covid-19 pandemic forced the suspension of the season.
With head and assistant coaches barred, and scrimmages forbidden, the workouts are unlikely to resemble business as usual for the NBA.
However, it would be a step towards normalcy for a league whose season was upended in dramatic fashion in March, when a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the coronavirus.
Players will be required to wear face masks inside team facilities, "except during the period when they are engaged in physical activity", according to a league memo.
Teams must also thoroughly disinfect any equipment used, from basketballs to weight-room equipment.
Modifications to stay-at-home orders could be a factor in which teams can resume workouts, with some US states reopening and others maintaining strict social distancing procedures.
The Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets are among those considering opening facilities right away, according to media reports, with Texas and Colorado stay-at-home orders having expired.
With much of the professional sports calendar on hold, many leagues across North America are considering whether and how their seasons could restart.
Major League Soccer returned to training on Wednesday with strict rules in place, while Nascar plans to resume competition on May 17 without fans. - REUTERS
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