Odds Released Favor NBA Games Resuming Before June 1st
- You can wager on if the NBA will resume its season before June 1st
- Pistons big man Christian Wood became the third player to test positive for the coronavirus on Saturday
- Read below for the odds and a prediction on this prop
The NBA has only been on hiatus for a few days but fans are already clamouring for its return. The league announced the 2019-20 season will be delayed for at least 30 days this week due to the coronavirus pandemic, but few experts believe there will actually be basketball this time next month.
Will Next NBA Game be Played June 1st or Sooner?
| Outcome | Odds |
|---|---|
| Yes | -150 |
| No | +110 |
Odds taken March 14th.
Just two days ago, bettors had the opportunity to wager that the season would start before or after April 15th, and congratulations if you bet after April 15th because that now looks like a slam dunk.
Christian Wood the Latest to Test Positive
Detroit Pistons forward Christian Wood is the third player to test positive for the coronavirus the league announced Saturday. Wood, the first non-Jazz player to test positive, faced Utah on March 7, and put up 30 points versus Rudy Gobert and company.
Detroit Pistons‘ Christian Wood has tested positive for coronavirus, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. Wood had 30 and 11 rebounds against Rudy Gobert on Saturday night before a career-high 32 on Wednesday.
Sources say Wood has shown no symptoms and is doing well.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 15, 2020
According to Second Spectrum data, Wood and Gobert went head-to-head in the half court 63 times in their meeting and were even involved in an altercation. Wood proceeded to play against the Knicks the following day and the 76ers three nights later, so the question now becomes is anyone on either one of those teams also infected?
A Similar Case Study
On February 1, the Chinese Basketball Association suspended its league indefinitely due to the coronavirus. At that point the country had been dealing with the outbreak for over a month, and the amount of cases were staggering.
A month and a half later, China appears to have the virus somewhat under control, with fewer new cases popping up. As a result, the CBA has ordered all of its players to return and is hoping to resume the league on April 2.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver joins TNT to discuss the league’s decision to suspend game play. pic.twitter.com/p7TtruOKOG
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) March 13, 2020
Given that the United States were slow to react to the coronavirus outbreak, it’s unlikely the NBA can replicate a similar timeframe to the CBA. If it took the CBA at least two months to resume its season, I’d be willing to bet it takes the NBA longer. Two months from now is the middle of May, which means a June 1st return date is definitely in question.
The NBA will be Cautious
Unlike most professional sports leagues, the NBA seems to genuinely care about its players. They’re a forward thinking league that is quick to adopt new strategies and technology if it makes their game safer and more enjoyable. They were the first North American sports league to suspend their season due to the coronavirus and they will surely be the most patient about a return.
With so much uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus, expect the NBA to take a very cautious approach. They’ll put their players and fans first, and that will likely mean a lengthy delay.
Pick: No (+110)
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
