Pandemic forcing NBA players to work out with what's on hand, just like the rest of us

MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo is spending much of his time during the coronavirus-imposed hiatus working out, helping care for his newborn son and playing occasional video games.What the reigning MVP isn’t doing very often is shooting baskets since the NBA has closed team practice facilities.“I don’t have access to a hoop,” the Milwaukee Bucks forward said Friday during a conference call. “A lot of NBA players might have a court in their house or something, I don’t know, but now I just get my home workouts, (go) on the bike, treadmill, lift weights, stay sharp that way.”The hiatus is forcing thousands of athletes, pro and otherwise, to work out from home as they try to keep in shape.

With season on hold due to COVID-19, Bucks' Kyle Korver working to 'make the best of this'

MILWAUKEE -- With the NBA season on hold as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Milwaukee Bucks guard Kyle Korver is focused on things he can control.Instead of working at Fiserv Forum, Korver is processing the COVID-19 pandemic like everyone else."I think I'm trying to find the silver linings," said Korver. "There's a ton of time to reconnect with my family, my kids.

Bucks, Packers donate money raised to local hunger relief efforts

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Bucks and Green Bay Packers teamed up to sell limited edition t-shirts after the Packers' playoff run with intent to donate money raised to hunger relief efforts.The $37,500 raised will benefit both Paul's Pantry in Green Bay and Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin in Milwaukee.The shirts -- that featured both the Bucks and Packers logos -- were sold for $19.95 and were available for purchase during the Packers’ playoff run at the Bucks Pro Shop at Fiserv Forum, at the Packers Pro Shop at Lambeau Field and online.Wisconsin sports teams have historically supported each other throughout their seasons in a variety of ways, including attendance at games, video board shout-outs and social media posts.

FOX Sports Wisconsin to replay Bucks classics in April

MILWAUKEE -- FOX Sports Wisconsin will replay six memorable Milwaukee Bucks games in April starting Wednesday, April 1.The games span from 1972 to 2019 and will air from April 1 through Wednesday, April 15.A playoff game between the Bucks and Chicago Bulls from 2015 will be the first to air.

NBA shuttering facilities, as more teams face positive tests

LOS ANGELES -- The NBA has told its teams to close their training and practice facilities to all players and staff starting Friday, a development that came on a day where four more teams revealed they have had players or staff test positive for the coronavirus.The Los Angeles Lakers said Thursday that two of their players tested positive, and Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics said he tested positive as well.

NBA commissioner says league will consider many ideas if play can resume

NEW YORK -- The NBA is considering an idea where some players would be quarantined or isolated for purposes of being able to compete against one another and provide basketball fans with some sort of diversion from the coronavirus pandemic.NBA Commissioner Adam Silver revealed that notion as one of several items under consideration by the league right now during the shutdown caused by the pandemic.

NBA says virus hiatus will likely last 'at least' a month

MIAMI — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday night that the league’s hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic will likely last at least a month, or roughly what would have been the remainder of an uninterrupted regular season.“What we determined today is that this hiatus will be, most likely, at least 30 days," Silver said on TNT's “Inside The NBA" while making his first public comments since the league suspended play Wednesday night after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus, or COVID-19.

'We have to cut staff:' No Bucks, Admirals games 'going to impact everyone' in Deer District

MILWAUKEE -- With the NBA and AHL suspending their seasons indefinitely as a result of concerns over the coronavirus, officials with businesses in Milwaukee's Deer District surrounding Fiserv Forum said Thursday, March 12 no Milwaukee Bucks games and no Milwaukee Admirals games would mean a big blow for the service industry.The Milwaukee Bucks were supposed to take on the Boston Celtics at Fiserv Forum Thursday night.

NBA suspends season amid coronavirus; Jazz player 'preliminary tested positive'

MILWAUKEE -- The NBA suspended its season “until further notice" after a Utah Jazz player tested positive Wednesday, March 11 for the coronavirus, a move that came only hours after the majority of the league's owners were leaning toward playing games without fans in arenas.Now there will be no games at all, at least for the time being.

AP Source: Majority of NBA owners leaning toward playing without fans

MIAMI -- The majority of NBA owners are leaning toward a proposal to temporarily play games without fans in the buildings in response to the global concerns surrounding the coronavirus, a person with direct knowledge of the talks said.NBA owners met via teleconference Wednesday and have more talks scheduled Thursday with the intention of finalizing plans so an announcement can be made by the league, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no details had been made public.The owners discussed an option to temporarily suspend play of all games, but the idea of playing without fans — and stressing that it would be for the short term — is what received the most support.Thursday's Brooklyn at Golden State game will be played without fans, but that will be because of local edict and not because of any leaguewide mandate.

James surges, Giannis sits and a reminder health is the key

LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James was making a statement on the court when the Milwaukee Bucks had to make one of their own.Giannis Antetokounmpo had been hurt two nights earlier while losing to James and the Los Angeles Lakers, and on Sunday afternoon they said the reigning MVP had a minor sprain of his left knee and would miss at least two games.Shortly after, James and the Lakers closed out the Clippers for another big win.

Pro sports to restrict access to locker rooms to protect players from exposure to coronavirus

NEW YORK — The NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer are closing access to locker rooms and clubhouses to all non-essential personnel in response to the coronavirus crisis, the leagues announced in a joint statement Monday night.The leagues said they made the decision “after consultation with infectious disease and public health experts.” The NBA, in a call with teams earlier Monday, stressed that the move is not to ban reporters but to ensure the safety of players and staff in those areas.The statement, in part, read: “Given the issues that can be associated with close contact in pre- and post-game settings, all team locker rooms and clubhouses will be open only to players and essential employees of teams and team facilities until further notice.

'It's serious:' NBA urges fist bumps vs. high 5s amid coronavirus; Bucks adding hand sanitizers 

MILWAUKEE -- The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus climbed to 11 on Wednesday, March 4 with a patient succumbing in California — the first reported fatality outside Washington state — as federal authorities announced an investigation of the Seattle-area nursing home where most of the victims were stricken.Whether it's a Milwaukee Bucks game at Fiserv Forum or neighborhood shops, public places can be veritable Petri dishes, and officials at Fiserv Forum and elsewhere noted coronavirus to be top of mind.