© Joe Camporeale | 2020 Feb 12
This is a very weird time. On Thursday night, the Warriors were scheduled to play the Brooklyn Nets at Chase Center, in an arena empty of all but players, staff, and media due to the COVID-19 coronavirus. Now they will not, as the league suspended all games until further notice after it was discovered Jazz center Rudy Gobert has contracted the coronavirus on Wednesday night.
Literal moments before tipoff, a Jazz team doctor reportedly came sprinting out on the floor and talked to the referees before contacting the league office and postponing the game. Soon after, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Gobert, who jokingly touched the microphones and recording devices of reporters, had tested positive.
Utah Jazz All-Star Rudy Gobert has tested positive for coronavirus, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
Sources say Gobert is feeling good, strong and stable — and was feeling strong enough to play tonight.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 12, 2020
While that all played out, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was on KNBR with Tolbert, Krueger and Brooks, when Rod Brooks broke Kerr the news (around the 11:40 mark).
“This could be such a major health crisis that ultimately we might look back and go ‘Who cares about the results of the NBA that year. I could be way more serious than that,’” Kerr said. “Let’s hope that all these measures we’re taking really lead somewhere productive, and we’re able to keep things in control and in check and people are able to remain healthy and safe and we can get back to our normal lives, but really scary stuff.”