Positive tests, tracing force three more postponements

Contact tracing issues involving the Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards forced the NBA to postpone three more games Wednesday, raising the leaguewide total from this week to eight.

The NBA also revealed Wednesday that 16 players — by far the most in a one-week period since training camps started — returned positive COVID-19 tests between Jan. 6 and Tuesday. With 497 players tested, that reflects a positivity rate of 3.2%.

Phoenix’s home game Wednesday against Atlanta was called off, as was the Suns’ home game with Golden State on Friday. Also called: Friday’s game where the Wizards would have gone to Detroit. The reason in all three cases was the same, that the Suns and Wizards wouldn’t have enough players cleared to participate.

“Obviously, it’s not the typical NBA season that we’re all accustomed to,“Charlotte coach James Borrego said Wednesday. “But we’ll get through it.”

Dallas 104, at Charlotte 93: Luka Doncic had 34 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists and a career-high four blocks, Kristaps Porzingis scored 16 points in his return from a knee injury. Rick Carlisle become the 16th coach in NBA history to win 800 games.

Porzingis played for the first time since having knee surgery in October. He played 21 minutes, finishing six of 16 from the floor and four of nine from beyond the three-point arc.

Brooklyn 116, at New York 109: Kevin Durant scored 26 points as the solo superstar before soon centering a Big Three, leading the Nets — short-handed after agreeing to a trade for James Harden — past the Knicks. With point guard Kyrie Irving missing a fifth straight game for personal reasons, the Nets had just nine players.

Milwaukee 110, at Detroit 101: Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, and the Bucks beat the Pistons for the third time this month. It was the 20th career triple-double for Antetokounmpo.