and, starting Tuesday, those on the bench to start a game must wear masks until they enter the contest. Those are a few of the ways the NBA has changed amid the virus.“All this is a little bit like the Twilight Zone,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said when asked about the mental strain of playing amid a pandemic. “Everything looks the same.
In many ways, it can operate in a similar way. But we all know it is different. And that has a different effect on different people, for sure.”Part of the new guidance from the league: that social distancing guidelines still need to be followed when mental health services are provided at a team facility, and that teams should offer “ample availability for telehealth services” where players can meet with.