German basketball returns in bubble format, protests likely

DÜSSELDORF, Germany (AP) — German basketball will show how the NBA’s future could look with teams living in a bubble, no fans in the arena and likely anti-racism protests on the court. The Basketball Bundesliga returns Saturday after a three-month break caused by the coronavirus pandemic with a 10-team tournament in a closed “bubble” in Munich. The plan has strong similarities to the project approved by the NBA board on Thursday for a closed 22-team format starting July 31 at the Disney campus near Orlando, Florida. Players in Germany will live in hotels closed to the public and undergo coronavirus testing.