The 2020-21 NBA season is only weeks old, but the league is dealing with multiple postponed games. Positive COVID-19 tests have resulted in teams being unable to put enough men on the court. The league requires an eight-man roster for each game, but the coronavirus has made this impossible for some teams.
According to TMZ Sports, the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics were unable to face off on Sunday due to the coronavirus. The postponements continued on Monday and impacted two more matchups. The Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans moved back their game, as did the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls. Similarly, the Philadelphia 76ers had an issue after Seth Curry tested positive.
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“The National Basketball Association games scheduled for tonight between the New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Arena and tomorrow between the Boston Celtics at United Center have been postponed following the league’s Health and Safety Protocols,” the league said in a statement. “The NBA and NBPA will be meeting today about modifying the league’s Health and Safety Protocols.”
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber entered isolation on Sunday due to coronavirus. He will miss 10-14 days due to health and safety protocols. He also reported that two other players tested negative after being exposed and expected to remain so. They still have to quarantine for seven days.
The Bulls have dealt with multiple coronavirus issues dating back to Dec. 31. Forward Chandler Hutchison and guard Tomas Satoransky both tested positive, while Lauri Markkanen and guard Ryan Arcidiacono were labeled as close contacts. Arcidiacono and Markkanen have remained in the safety protocol while continuing to test negative.
The Celtics, on the other hand, will miss the second consecutive game due to multiple players testing positive followed by contact tracing. Robert Williams and Jayson Tatum both tested positive last week. Jaylen Brown, Semi Ojeleye, Grant Williams, Tristan Thompson and Javonte Green are all missing time as part of contact tracing. The Celtics are also missing Kemba Walker and Romeo Langford due to injuries. These losses mean that the Celtics can not put the minimum players on the court.
The NBA halted operations on March 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic and remained in limbo until July. The league held the restart and the playoffs in the Orlando bubble, completing the remainder of the 2019-20 season. The league showed that it could prevent coronavirus spread in the bubble and created hope for a full season in 2020-21. Now there are more concerns due to the latest positive tests.
