WESTBROOK, MORE STARS OUT
Russell Westbrook entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols Thursday, joining Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brooklyn’s James Harden as past league MVPs currently sidelined by coronavirus concerns.
Westbrook played 42 minutes for the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night in their overtime win at Dallas. The Lakers said he would not play tonight in Minnesota, along with four other players because of virus issues and two more because of injuries.
All that means the Lakers would have no more than 10 available players on their roster for the game against the Timberwolves.
If granted permission by the NBA to sign reinforcements and temporarily exceed the roster-size limit, the team was planning to sign former All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas to a 10-day hardship contract Friday, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the pending league approval.
As of Thursday evening, there were at least 39 players — roughly 8 percent of the league’s total player roster — from at least 13 different teams known to be in the league’s protocols. Chicago had a league-high eight players known to be in protocols, one more than Brooklyn. Harden and Antetokounmpo both entered the protocols earlier this week.
Washington coach Wes Unseld Jr., speaking to reporters in Phoenix before the Wizards’ game there Thursday, said the rise in numbers — in the NBA, other leagues and around the country — is “a huge concern.”
“Protocols are put in place,” Unseld said. “We’ve been testing for some time now with the cases that we’ve had. It’s not unusual. It’s not unique to our team. Obviously,
look around the landscape of the league and this country; there’s been a dramatic uptick in cases. Knock on wood, the severity of those cases and the rate of hospitalizations don’t appear to be as dramatic. But it’s still very real.”
Thursday’s games
Nets 114, 76ers 105: Kevin Durant scored 34 points, making a four-point play with the game tied and 1:46 left, and host Brooklyn beat Philadelphia for another short-handed victory.
The Nets were missing seven players because of coronavirus health and safety protocols but still had Durant, the NBA’s leading scorer who added 11 rebounds and eight assists.
Pacers 122, Pistons 113: Chris LeVert scored 20 of his 31 points in the first half and Indiana handed visiting Detroit its 13th straight loss. LeVert was 12 of 18 from the field. Justin Holiday added 17 points for Indiana, shooting 5 of 15. Detroit is an NBA-worst 4-23.
Suns 118, Wizards 98:
JaVale McGee scored 17 points, Deandre Ayton added 15 and host Phoenix cruised past Washington to tie Golden State for the NBA lead at 23-5.
Knicks 116, Rockets 103:
Immanuel Quickly hit seven 3-pointers and scored 24 points to help visiting New York beat Houston.
Wednesday’s late games
Kings 119, Wizards 105:
De’Aaron Fox scored 28 points and host Sacramento won the fourth quarter 35-16.
Grizzlies 113, Trail Blazers 103: Desmond Bane scored 23 points, Dillon Brooks had 22 and Steven Adams had 14 rebounds as visiting Memphis outscored Portland 33-21 in the fourth quarter.
Jazz 124, Clippers 103:
Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points and Rudy Gobert had 20 points and 17 rebounds as host Utah cruised.