Pandemic reminders abound
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The 76ers and the NBA are receiving reminders that the coronavirus pandemic is not over.
The Sixers posted a 127-124 overtime victory Monday night over a Charlotte Hornets squad that was minus three key starters and two rotation players because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
It marked the second game that guards Lamelo Ball and Terry Rozier, center Mason Plumlee, and reserve forward Jalen Mcdaniels missed after testing positive on Saturday. Meanwhile, reserve point guard Ish Smith, a former Sixer, missed his first game while in protocols. They will be sidelined at least 10 days or have to get two negative tests within 24 hours in order to return.
The Sixers know what that’s like, with members of their roster having missed a combined 27 games this season with positive COVID-19 tests — and even that number is a bit misleading.
Tobias Harris missed Friday’s 98-96 victory in Atlanta with lingering effects of COVID. Following that game, coach Doc Rivers said Harris was dealing with the flu. However, the starting power forward tested negative for the flu. The belief is the 104-degree temperature, sinus, and upper respiratory infections he started experiencing shortly after Wednesday night’s 88-87 loss in Boston were the spin-off of his previous COVID diagnosis. His symptoms didn’t ease up until Sunday morning.
Harris finished with 21 points on 7-for-18 shooting to go with 11 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in a team-high 40 minutes, 50 seconds in Monday’s victory over the Hornets (14-12). He was game-best plus-13
for the Sixers (13-11), winners of two straight games.
“Obviously, being in the bed the last couple of days, I still have symptoms for my whatever we want to call it at this point,” Harris said. “But I was just trying to work my way out there and see how I was going to feel out there.”
Aside from feeling a little fatigued, he felt good after getting through the first four minutes.
Harris, a well-conditioned athlete, still has moments when he’s having a tough time catching his breath.
But this is nothing new for the Sixers.
Seth Curry missed six games last season after testing positive for COVID in January. He dealt with the aftereffects for the rest of the season.
“This is not like an advantage or disadvantage,” Curry said following Monday’s shootaround at the Spectrum Center. “Everybody is going through it throughout the league. It’s not like we’re the only ‘team’ that’s going through it.”
The Chicago Bulls had
three players — Demar Derozan, Coby White and Javonte Green — sidelined for Monday’s game against the Denver Nuggets due to being in protocols. Last week, Nuggets guard Austin Rivers, the son of the Sixers’ coach, entered protocols. And Indiana Pacers guard Justin Holiday also tested positive last week. These are just some of the teams affected.
The Hornets dealt with COVID the previous two seasons. As a result, Hornets coach James Borrego said his squad is taking a next-man-up approach to games.
“We’ll get those players back,” Borrego said. “But this is not going to define our season right here. It’s only going to make us better down the road.
“So we move forward. … That’s the bottom line.”
Curry acknowledged that the Sixers’ combined 27 missed games due to COVID are currently the most in the league. But he thinks other teams will have a similar experience as the season goes along.
“Everybody is going to feel it in some sense,” he
said. “It’s like a sprained ankle, honestly. You’ve got to deal with it.”
Joel Embiid’s nine games missed because of COVID-19 were the most on the team. Backup swingman Matisse Thybulle was sidelined seven games. Reserve guard Isaiah Joe missed five games. And Harris was out six games.
Harris, Embiid, and Thybulle all looked good in their first games back, only to appear fatigued or playing subpar basketball in following games.
The aftereffects of COVID have hit Harris the hardest and might linger for while.
“I empathize with anybody,” Rivers said. “But it’s still a competition when the game starts. As we’ve proven, you can win games with guys out.”
Rivers, however, is concerned about how COVID will affect all of his players.
He doesn’t know what to do other than tell them to be safe and smart.
“You just see it all over,” Rivers said. “Football players are getting it. Everyone is getting it. So it’s got to be a concern.”