Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty
After multipleNBA players and staff membersrecently tested positive for COVID-19, the league announced that it would be forced to postpone a slew of games through Tuesday.
On Sunday, the NBA shared a news release onTwitter, stating, “The next games for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers, as well as the next two games for the Brooklyn Nets, have been postponed because of players and staff members entering the NBA’s Health and Safety Protocols.”
Placement into the NBA’s Health and Safety Protocols is indicative of a positive COVID test and requires players to be benched for 10 days, or two negative COVID tests within 24 hours in order to return to the court.
Sunday’s games between the Denver Nuggets and the Brooklyn Nets, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Atlanta Hawks, and the New Orleans Pelicans and the Philadelphia 76ers have all been pushed back, as well as Monday’s game between the Orlando Magic and the Toronto Raptors and Tuesday’s match-up between the Washington Wizards and the Brooklyn Nets.
The Nets also made an announcement viaTwitter, confirming the cancellation of Sunday’s game against the Nuggets and Tuesday’s game against the Wizards.
They added, “Any tickets held for Sunday’s and Tuesday’s games will automatically be valid for the rescheduled dates, which will be communicated once the new dates have been finalized. No additional action is needed at this time from ticket holders.”
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers shared a medical update on itsTwitterpage, revealing that players Jarrett Allen, Lamar Stevens, Dylan Windler, Denzel Valentine, and RJ Nembhard would be joining Isaac Okoro and Evan Mobley in being sidelined due to the league’s COVID safety protocols.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski,97 percent of the league’s players are vaccinated, while 60 percent have reportedly received their booster shots.
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On Saturday, it was announced thatKyrie Irvinghad entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols — less than 24 hours after the Brooklyn Nets revealed he would be returning to the team part-time.
Now, Irving must return negative tests for five consecutive days before he is eligible to return to action. Once eligible to return, however, Irving will still be unable to play in the Nets' home games due to New York City’s COVID-19 guidelines, as he remains unvaccinated.
source: people.com
