Virus wreaks havoc again
The NBA on Sunday postponed a total of five games involving nine teams in response to rising coronavirus numbers, raising the number of contests that have been pushed back this season to seven.
Called off were three Sunday games: Cavaliers at Hawks, Nuggets at Nets and Pelicans at 76ers. Also shelved were the Magic’s game against the Raptors on Monday in Toronto and the Wizards’ road game vs. the Nets on Tuesday.
The postponements came on the same day that the Hawks announced All-star guard Trae Young entered the league’s health and safety protocols and the Lakers said coach Frank Vogel was added to the list.
Leaguewide, through Sunday afternoon, there were at least 68 players who have either been ruled out to play — or in the case of the postponed games, would have been ruled out — because they’re in the protocols. That number has soared in recent days, with the NBA just one of many sports leagues worldwide dealing with a rapidly worsening issue.
U.S. officials are expecting a wave of breakthrough infections among the vaccinated given the surge of holiday travelers and gatherings expected in the coming days.
The NBA has said 97% of players are fully vaccinated and somewhere around 60% had received boosters as of last week. It wasn’t clear how many of the current positive cases involve those who are ineligible for a booster shot or those who have chosen not to receive one.
Also not clear is how many of the NBA cases involve asymptomatic players. The NFL has revised its protocols so that only unvaccinated players and those experiencing possible symptoms of COVID-19 will be tested. The NHL has six teams shut down through Christmas because of outbreaks, and numerous college games have been canceled in recent days.
“It is what it is. Just trying to stay safe as possible and that’s all you can do,” Lakers guard Russell Westbrook said of the NBA’S rising numbers. Westbrook was briefly in the protocols late last week, before returning at least three negative coronavirus tests and being cleared to return to play without missing a game.
The league and the National Basketball Players Association have been discussing a plan in which teams in desperate need of players would be able to sign reinforcements to 10-day contracts but without those deals impacting salary cap and luxury tax figures. That deal hasn’t yet been finalized, though talks are continuing.
The Nets alone have 10 players, plus some staff, in the protocols.
“It’s just crazy,” Nets forward Blake Griffin said.
The Nets’ list of players in protocols includes Kevin Durant, James Harden and — even though he’s still not yet able to play — Kyrie Irving, who has sat out all season for not complying with New York City’s vaccine mandate. The team reversed course Friday and said Irving would be welcomed back “for games and practices in which he is eligible to participate,” knowing he’d still miss two games at the Knicks and one game each against the Raptors and Warriors.