NBA: Teams that break virus protocols may lose games, picks
NBA teams that do not comply with league rules designed to minimize the spread of the coronavirus this season could face major penalties such as forfeiting games or draft picks, the league told its franchises Saturday. Those rules apply both when teams are at home and when they are on the road, the NBA said. The household members of those Tier 1 and Tier 2 individuals are also being urged to get flu shots. The league made clear in the final protocols that if teams donโt take the health and safety rules seriously, a serious price will be paid. One key addition to the final version of the NBA protocols: Teams, when they go on the road, will have some freedoms and will not be forced to stay in their hotels when not practicing or playing.
NHL could go with temporary realignment for next season
The NHL could go with a temporary realignment of its teams for next season during the COVID-19 pandemic. The league also is contemplating a reduced schedule and temporary hubs. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said realignment could help with ongoing travel restrictions for Canada and mandated quarantines for visiting certain states in the United States. But details are still being worked out in talks between the league and NHL Playersโ Association. The NHL finished last season in bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton, Alberta, but Bettman has ruled out using bubbles for an entire schedule.