DALLAS — The NBA has been on hiatus for twelve days. The first league to suspend play due to the spread of COVID-19 set the trend in the sports world. Now, as with everything else, sports are on hold.
But Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is maintaining optimism that the NBA could return sooner than most think.
"Hopefully by the middle of May, we're starting to get back to normal and the NBA is playing games," Cuban said. "Maybe not with fans, but we're playing it because sports plays such an important role. You know, people want something to cheer for, people want something to rally around, people want something to be excited about."
"I'm proud of Adam Silver," Cuban said. "I'm proud of the NBA and the way we've reacted. I think we've led the way, and hopefully will lead the way out of this.
"I mean you know no one has perfect information right now, and so all decisions are tough. But, you know, if I had to guess based off the people I've talked to at the CDC and other places -- I would say that the over under would be June 1, and I'm taking the under."
If Cuban's prediction were to come to fruition, the NBA could play the roughly 15 to 18 games that teams have remaining from mid-May to mid-June, and start the playoffs in late June.
"I mean, sports is what we need right now and... I think the NBA is ready to play that role," Cuban said.
So how do we get there?
"Really, one thing we've got to get to a point where our scientists have come up with, not a cure, but a therapy that we know minimizes the impact of the virus," Cuban said, "so that if we get this into a person quickly enough that they are not going to die and be hopefully they won't be scarred or damaged for life.
"Once we do that, then we have a path out. And I think we're not there yet, but we're getting closer and closer closer. Once we have a medical light at the end of the tunnel, where we know what the worst case is, then we can start venturing outside and being in groups of 10 and instead of being by ourselves right and then groups of 25 and then 50 and go from there. So I think that that's the first step. And I think that's gonna happen a little bit faster than we originally expected."
Over the weekend, Commissioner Adam Silver said the league is considering all options but did not share a definitive for when play would resume.
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