Another game lost to COVID
Philadelphia-OKC is called off close to tip-off
The NBA postponed yet another game Sunday because of coronavirus concerns, and the Memphis Grizzlies said center Jonas Valanciunas will not play Monday because of the league’s health and safety protocols.
The NBA said the Philadelphia at Oklahoma City game, scheduled for Sunday night, could not be played because the 76ers did not “have the league-required eight available players to proceed” because of contact tracing.
It was the 13th game called off since Jan. 10 because of virus issues, a span in which the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have stiffened protocols and even added testing with hopes of keeping the season going without much in the way of additional problems.
“Nobody is complaining,” Detroit coach Dwane Casey said. “It’s different. We have to go with the flow. We trust and believe in the NBA, that they’re doing what’s right for us and our families.”
That 76ers-Thunder determination was made about 90 minutes before the planned start time. The 76ers played in Memphis on Saturday night, losing 106-104 in a game Valanciunas played 20 minutes.
The Grizzlies said he would be unable to play Monday against Phoenix because of the league’s protocols — which could mean many different things including a positive test, an inconclusive test or possible exposure to someone who is positive for COVID-19.
It is the second time this month that the protocols have flagged Valanciunas. He was pulled at halftime of Memphis’ game against Brooklyn on Jan. 8 because of some sort of virus-related issue, but was back on the court for the Grizzlies’ next game Jan. 11 against Cleveland.
“False alarm. Everyone around me is healthy and I am cleared to get back on the court,” Valanciunas wrote on Instagram last week.
Sunday’s postponement is the first for Philadelphia and Oklahoma City since this latest wave of virus issues in the NBA started earlier this month, and raised the total to 18 teams that have seen at least one game called off since Jan. 10. The Thunder also had a game in Houston called off Dec. 23 because the Rockets did not have enough players eligible to play, in large part because of contact tracing issues.
Cleveland’s game in Washington on Sunday also was called off, as was the planned rematch between the clubs on Monday. Those decisions were made last week when the Wizards said nine players — six with positive COVID-19 tests and three others snagged by contact tracing — were not cleared to be on the floor.
Sunday games
BULLS 117, MAVERICKS 101: In Dallas, Lauri Markkanen had 29 points and 10 rebounds, and Garrett Temple scored 15 of his season-high 21 points in the second quarter as Chicago ended a four-game losing streak with a victory over Dallas .
Dallas star Luka Doncic passed Michael Jordan on the career list with his 29th triple-double, finishing with 36 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists. Doncic is tied with Grant Hill for 15th place.
KNICKS 105, CELTICS 75: In Boston, Julius Randle scored 20 points with 12 rebounds and RJ Barrett had 19 and 11 to help New York snap a five-game losing streak and beat Boston.
Jaylen Brown scored 25 for Boston, which had won five in a row but suffered its biggest blowout and lowest-scoring output of the season.
JAZZ 109, NUGGETS 105: In Denver, Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points, Donovan Mitchell added 18 and Utah beat Denver in a rematch of their first-round playoff series last season that the Nuggets won in seven games.
Rudy Gobert had 15 points and 13 rebounds in a game in which Mitchell struggled with his shot, going 7 of 20 from the field. But Mitchell hit a clutch fadeaway with 1:01 remaining, and had seven assists to help the Jazz win its fifth straight.
PELICANS 128, KINGS 123: In Sacramento, Calif., Zion Williamson had 31 points and six rebounds, and Steven Adams made a pair of clutch free throws with 17.9 seconds remaining to help New Orleans overcome a 43-point performance by Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox.
Brandon Ingram scored 22 points, Eric Bledsoe added 21 and Adams had 12 for the Pelicans.
CLIPPERS 129, PACERS 96: In Los Angeles, Marcus Morris Sr. scored a season-high 20 points to lead seven players in double figures as Los Angeles defeated Indiana for its first four-game winning streak of the season.
The Clippers made 19 of 39 from longrange. The Pacers were 11 of 38.