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A32 sports
Diaranson 23 september 2020

Silver to CNN: A later NBA season may disrupt Olympic plans

everyone else in the bubble. be 12 players; there were an-
A typical NBA season has a other 34 players competing
regular season that lasts for for other countries at the Rio
nearly six months, followed Olympics as well.
by about a two-month post-
season. If next season is typi- Several NBA coaches are also
cal — and there’s no way of planning to coach in the To-
knowing that it will be, or kyo Olympics or in qualify-
even could be — a January ing: San Antonio’s Gregg
start could mean a June or Popovich will coach USA
July regular-season finish, Basketball and be assisted by
with playoffs concluding in Golden State’s Steve Kerr
August or September. That and Atlanta’s Lloyd Pierce;
could greatly affect Olympic Golden State associate head
plans. coach Mike Brown is set to
coach Nigeria; Toronto as-
sistant Sergio Scariolo will
The rescheduled Tokyo coach Spain and Raptors
Olympics are set to begin head coach Nick Nurse will
July 23 and run through Aug. lead Canada in qualifying and
8 — if those games are held. then the Olympics should it
Final qualifying rounds for qualify.
the 24 teams still bidding for “These are highly unique and
the four remaining spots in unusual circumstances,” Sil-
the 12-team men’s basketball ver said. “And I think just as
field would begin in June. it is for the Olympic move-
“There are a lot of great U.S. ment, it is for us as well. And
players, and we may be up we’re just going to have to
against a scenario where the sort of find a way to meld and
top 15 NBA players aren’t mesh those two competing
(AP) — NBA Commission- son, then shifted its focus to need to learn.” competing in the Olympics, considerations.”
er Adam Silver said Tuesday the chance of a late Decem- but other great American The U.S., Nigeria, Australia,
that his “best guess” is that ber start, and now the target The NBA hasn't played in players are competing,” Sil- Spain, Argentina, Iran, France
next season will not start has apparently moved again. arenas filled with fans since ver said. “And, obviously, and host Japan have qualified
until at least January, plus “I continue to believe that March 11, when the league there are many NBA players for the Olympic men's bas-
acknowledged that the later- we’re going to be better off suspended its season because who participate in the Olym- ketball field already. Among
than-usual schedule could getting into January,” Sil- of the coronavirus pandem- pics for other countries. the top international teams
mean top U.S. men’s players ver said in a discussion with ic. A very small number of That’s something we’re go- still hoping to qualify: Greece
miss next summer’s Tokyo Bob Costas during part of the fans — maybe 30 or 40 per ing to have to work through.” (which could have two-time
Olympics. “Citizen by CNN” event. game — have been allowed USA Basketball has been reigning NBA MVP Giannis
“The goal for us next season to watch inside the NBA's planning for various possible Antetokounmpo), Serbia (led
Silver, a guest in a series of is to play a standard season ... restart bubble at Walt Dis- scenarios in recent months by Denver's All-NBA cen-
panel discussions on CNN, an 82-game season and play- ney World in recent weeks, but can’t make any concrete ter Nikola Jokic), Lithuania,
did not indicate that any de- offs. And further, the goal all of them family members plans until it sees what the Russia and the Czech Re-
cisions are finalized. The would be to play games in or close friends of players. next NBA schedule officially public.
league was originally hoping home arenas in front of fans, Those guests all are tested looks like. The U.S. roster
for a Dec. 1 start to next sea- but there’s still a lot that we daily for coronavirus, like for the Tokyo Olympics will

West Ham plays despite virus cases, Spurs game called off

(AP) — The coronavirus took charge of West Ham in ment. in the fourth division, may club is deemed to be unable
dominated Tuesday's English Moyes’ absence. West Ham Orient, a London-based team have to forfeit the game if the to fulfil the fixture.
League Cup schedule as West led the game 2-0 at halftime.
Ham played despite its coach West Ham did not say when
and two players having tested its players and coaches gave
positive, while Tottenham's their samples to be tested or
game was called off. how much contact Moyes
and the two players had with
West Ham said manager Da- the rest of the team since
vid Moyes and players Issa then. West Ham's last game
Diop and Josh Cullen only was a 2-1 loss to Arsenal on
found out their test results Saturday.
after they had arrived at the Earlier, the match between
London Stadium to play Tottenham and Leyton Ori-
against Hull. ent was called off two hours
“The manager and both before kickoff on Tuesday
players immediately left the because Orient players con-
stadium and have returned tracted the coronavirus.
home,” West Ham said. “All
three, who are asymptom- “Discussions are ongoing be-
atic, will now follow Public tween the relevant stakehold-
Health England and Premier ers in regards to the implica-
League guidelines and proto- tions of the fixture not taking
cols.” place,” the English Football
League, which organizes the
Assistant coach Alan Irvine competition, said in a state-