Nets, warriors to play first pro empty-arena game in us as result of coronavirus

EXPLORE MORE SAN FRANCISCO — The coronavirus pandemic will force the Nets and Warriors to play behind closed doors Thursday at Chase Center. It will be the first empty-arena game in U.S. pro

sports as a result of the virus, with more NBA games likely to follow. “Due to escalating concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, and in consultation with the City and County of San

Francisco, [Thursday] night’s game vs. the Nets at Chase Center will be played without fans. Fans with tickets to this game will receive a refund in the amount paid,” the Warriors said in a

statement. With the spread of the coronavirus across more than 100 countries labeled a global pandemic by the World Health Organization, the Nets — and the public — miss the days when the

biggest health story surrounding this game was Kevin Durant’s Achilles in what was expected to be his return to Golden State. The Warriors had planned a video tribute, however Durant won’t

attend the game. “For me, it’s unprecedented. It’s a unique situation,” Nets interim coach Jacque Vaughn said. “Everyone is trying to make the best of it, keep things business as usual and

listening to the league about any precautions they care to take.” The San Francisco Health Office issued an order banning gatherings of more than 1,000 people. As a result, the Warriors are

tentatively planning to play their home games without fans. ESPN reported Wednesday the consensus among NBA teams is to continue playing games without fans in attendance, and a resolution is

expected Thursday. “I’ve never done it and never been around it. Do you still get pregame music to go along with that? I’m not sure what all gets cut off,” said Vaughn, joking that in quiet

arenas, the TV and radio audiences might hear what actually happens on court. “Maybe going to add a few more mics, pick it all up. It’s going to be silent if you had no one in there.

Squeaks and — I’ll tell my kids to cover their ears — there’ll be a little profanity out there for sure.” DeAndre Jordan — who often plays to the crowd with his thunderous dunks — admitted

that playing in an empty arena will be difficult. “It’s very serious. But at the same time a lot of us play for the love of the game, but also for the fans,” Jordan said. “That would be

extremely tough for us to play a scrimmage, a practice-site scrimmage.” DeAndre Jordan — who often plays to the crowd with his thunderous dunks — admitted that playing in an empty arena will

be difficult. “It’s very serious. But at the same time a lot of us play for the love of the game, but also for the fans,” Jordan said. “That would be extremely tough for us to play a

scrimmage, a practice-site scrimmage.” On Monday, the NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS said they would restrict pregame and postgame media access. The NBA closed locker rooms Tuesday, but now things

have gone a step further. While some international games and Division III college tilts have been held without fans, this will be the first of its kind domestically at the professional level

because of COVID-19. “Once the game actually starts and you see another team out there, it’ll be weird but I think we’ll kind of get into that flow fairly easily,” Warriors star Stephen

Curry told reporters. “But just that lead-up to it, there’s going to be a lot of big eyes out there just kind of observing how different the situation and the atmosphere is trying to play an

actual NBA game that counts with no fans in the seats.” Said Warriors GM Bob Myers: “There’s a lot of different opinions on what should be done, what could be done, but I think we would all

agree, and we’re also always taught it’s better to be safe than sorry, so we’re choosing that course along with the city.” French wing Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot said he’s experienced the

empty-stadium phenomenon before. “For me it already happened back in Europe. I don’t know what were the circumstances,” Luwawu-Cabarrot said. “It’s weird games. But if they happen, we just

need the whole team to stick together.” New York has more cases of coronavirus than any other state except Washington. Meanwhile, the Nets are now just one game into a week-long, four-city

West Coast trip, all in California, a coronavirus hot zone. “Obviously New York’s one of the highest cases of the virus in the States right now, and at the end of the day, you just try and

be as cautious as possible,” Joe Harris said. “The biggest takeaway for me is just how quickly it spreads and how contagious it is, so [if] one person gets it in the NBA, it seems like

everybody will probably get it.” After beating the Lakers Tuesday at Staples Center — on the first night of the NBA’s new closed locker room policy — now the Nets will play behind closed

doors Thursday in San Francisco, head back to Los Angeles for the second half of a back-to-back Friday against the Clippers, and wrap the trip up Sunday in Sacramento. “Overall I think we’ve

been cognizant of the direction that we’ve been given as far as washing your hands, being as sanitary as you possibly can in any situation,” said Vaughn. ------------------------- Garrett

Temple was upgraded to probable (left ankle sprain), while Harris was ruled out after suffering a left ankle sprain Tuesday night.