SUMMARY
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NBA players begin daily COVID-19 tests this weekend ahead of next month’s start of the 2020-2021 season under health and safety procedures outlined by the league to clubs.
The guide unveiled Saturday, November 28, details protocols regarding the upcoming campaign, set to start December 22 with preseason contests opening December 11 and training camps launching next week.
Last season was completed in a bubble at Orlando after being halted in March by the COVID-19 pandemic. This season will see 72 games per club which are to be staged at empty home arenas.
The league is to announce its upcoming season schedule in the next few days.
Individual workouts through Monday will be voluntary, followed by required individual workouts Tuesday through Saturday and required group workouts set for December 6-10.
Among the key provisions of the protocols, which mention no criteria that might cause the NBA to suspend the season, were a small number of cases or independent COVID-19 positives not requiring a season shutdown.
Anyone testing positive can return to work by going 10 or more days after the first positive test or onset of symptoms or produce two negative tests at least 24 hours apart.
Any player who tests positive, even if without symptoms, must wait 10 days and then be monitored in solo workouts for two more days before returning to the team.
An anonymous tip line will be established to report possible safety protocol violations, something that was also used in the Orlando bubble.
Team travel parties will be limited to 45 people, 17 of them players, as they visit arenas across the nation.
Preseason
The defending champion Los Angeles Lakers will open the NBA preseason schedule against the Los Angeles Clippers as part of a 49-game exhibition slate.
The league booked tuneup games from December 11-19 ahead of the planned December 22 league start.
Each club will have at least two preseason contests, one at home and one on the road, and no more than four.
The Lakers will play the maximum, with home games against the Clippers on December 11 and 13 and road games at Phoenix on December 16 and 18.
The Toronto Raptors, set to play home games in Tampa, Florida, due to COVID-19 restrictions involving US-Canada travel, will entertain Miami at Tampa in a December 18 preseason contest.
The upcoming season schedule, featuring 72 games for each club, has not yet been released. It will be revealed in two segments, the first including games from December 22-March 4 and the next from March 11-May 16 to be released late in the first-half portion of the season. – Rappler.com
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