Harden back from protocols
NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets have enough players to fly to Los Angeles and play their Christmas showdown against the Lakers, though Kevin Durant might not be among them.
Coach Steve Nash said Thursday that James Harden has cleared the NBA’S health and safety protocols, but he said the Nets don’t expect any of their players still in the protocols to come out in time for the game. That would include Durant, the NBA’S leading scorer.
Brooklyn planning to play on Saturday is an obvious positive sign, as was Chicago coach Billy Donovan announcing after practice Thursday that the Bulls no longer have any players on the protocols list. The Bulls had as many as 10 on that list last week, when the league postponed two of their games as a result.
The Nets have had their last three scheduled games postponed — among the NBA’S nine postponements thus far — when a coronavirus outbreak left them with a league-high 10 players in protocols. Nash said Harden, Paul Millsap and Jevon Carter had also cleared protocols, though rookies Cam Thomas, Kessler Edwards and David Duke Jr. had since entered.
Teams need a minimum of eight players to start a game. Nash said the Nets have more than enough to do that.
But it’s unclear if they will have another practice before the game Saturday. Nash said it’s only in the last day that healthy players have been able to return to the practice facility for individual workouts.
“It’s tricky,” Nash said. “We haven’t been able to do a lot, but we do what we can and we’ll continue to just adapt as the rules and mandates come in.”
By Thursday afternoon, based on team injury reports or similar disclosures, there were 92 players from 22 teams dealing with a virus-related issue — often a positive test, though not always.
The list included stars such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic and Trae Young. All three are scheduled to be part of the NBA’S five-game holiday schedule.
Meanwhile, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said the NBA and the NBPA are continuing discussions on whether to change the current protocols about returning to play after a positive test — something that typically has taken 10 days or more in most cases. The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because nothing had been finalized.
Wizards’ Beal out vs. Knicks
Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal has entered the league’s health and safety protocols and was not in the lineup for Thursday night’s game at New York.
The protocols require players to be sidelined at least 10 days or record two negative COVID-19 tests in a 24-hour period before
they can resume basketball activities.
Beal is averaging 23.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists this season.
Bulls’ Caruso to miss 7-10 days
The Bulls announced guard Alex Caruso would miss 7-10 days with a left foot sprain initially suffered during Monday’s game vs. the Rockets.
The 6-foot-4 Caruso has been averaging 8.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
The Bulls signed forward Ersan Ilyasova and guard Mac Mcclung to 10-day contracts.