Harden, after quarantine, likely able to play in opener
James Harden will be in quarantine until today, meaning the Houston Rockets star could be eligible to play Saturday when his team is to finally open its season in Portland.
The Rockets were scheduled to play Wednesday against Oklahoma City, a game postponed for a variety of coronavirus issues. Among them was Harden declared unavailable to play after the NBA determined he violated the league’s health and safety protocols.
Meanwhile, the league announced Thursday that out of the 558 players tested for COVID-19 in the week starting Dec. 16, there were two new confirmed player positive tests.
But the Rockets-Thunder game is the only one to be postponed so far this season.
Under NBA rules, a team needs eight healthy players to play, and the Rockets were one short Wednesday. They have 16 players on the roster, and nine were out: One was injured; three returned tests that were either positive or inconclusive for coronavirus; four other players are quarantined as part of the virus protocols; and Harden was ineligible.
The NBA’s medical staff determined Harden needed to quarantine for four days, which started Tuesday, before he can return to practice, games or team activities. The league was still reviewing to see if any other quarantine decisions were needed for other Rockets players.
Hard en was fined $50,000 on Wednesday by the NBA, which said he violated protocols. The league prohibits attending indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people or entering bars, lounges, clubs or similar establishments.
Video of the disgruntled star surfaced on social media, where he was shown without a mask at a crowded party in a private event space Monday night.
BROOKLYN BRINGS DURANTIRVING SHOW TO BOSTON >> The pairing of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant created big expectations for the Brooklyn Nets, and the duo did not disappoint in their debut.
The pairing also created a desire by the NBA’s television partners to give the Nets as many nationally televised games as possible, and that includes the league’s five-game Christmas Day showcase today when Brooklyn visits the Boston Celtics.
Because of injuries, the Nets and their fans waited 18 months to see Durant and Irving together. Durant was recovering from rupturing his Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals with Golden State, while Irving was limited to 20 games in 2019-20 due to shoulder injuries in a season in which he averaged 27.4 points.
On Tuesday, the Nets rolled to a 125- 99 win
against the Warriors in the NBA’s season opener. Irving scored 26 and Durant had 22 against his old team. They combined for 17- of-32 shooting in a game Brooklyn led by as many as 38.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Irving said. “And I’m grateful that we could let our games do the talking.”
CAVS F WINDLER HAS BROKEN LEFT HAND >> Cavaliers rookie forward Dylan Windler broke his left hand in the season opener, another unlucky medical setback for the player. The team said Thursday that Windler suffered a fourth metacarpal fracture (on his ring finger) when he took a hard fall in the third quarter against the Charlotte Hornets. X-rays after the game were negative, but further tests revealed the fracture.
Windler, who missed last season with a lower leg stress fracture he sustained before preseason training camp, will be re- evaluated in a week. The team said only that he will begin a rehab program and did not provide any timeline for his return.