Three more NBA games were postponed on Friday, including one in Minnesota, just a couple of hours before it started, as the league continues to try to control coronavirus outbreaks in teams.
Among the cases revealed on Friday was that of Karl-Anthony Towns, who said he had tested positive for COVID-19. Dominican Jacqueline Cruz, Towns’ mother, passed away in April from the disease.
Towns lost six other family members to the coronavirus.
The Washington Wizards reported as six of their players tested positive. They disabled three other members, after tracing their contacts and determining that they were likely exposed to the virus.
“I pray every day that this virus nightmare ceases and that everyone takes it seriously, taking all necessary precautions,” Towns wrote on social media.
The game between the Wolves and the Memphis Grizzlies was postponed, as were the games in which the Wizards would have hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday and Monday.
“The NBA had long considered that this period would be very difficult,” acknowledged Tommy Sheppard, general manager of the Wizards. And I wasn’t kidding. “
The total of postponed games amounted to 13 since the beginning of the season. Of that number, 12 were postponed from Sunday alone, involving 16 of the NBA’s 30 teams.
Four Washington parties have been postponed. Boston and Phoenix have been affected by three postponements each.
The Celtics were back on the court Friday night against Orlando. It’s Boston’s first game in a week.
“We are all very grateful to be here, to have the opportunity to play and compete,” said Celtics coach Brad Stevens.
Miami, which lost two games in Philadelphia this week with just eight players available, would have back even six of its eight players affected by COVID-19 on Saturday. Time has been lost this week, mainly from contact tracing.
The Heat will face Detroit. Jimmy Butler will remain out, as will Avery Bradley, the team reported.
The Wizards just hope to have their players back to resume training. No basketball has been played at their facility for much of this week.
Washington has just six players available, affected by problems that have ranged from those related to the coronavirus to the injuries of Russell Westbrook and Thomas Bryant.
The Wizards last played Monday, against Phoenix. When very soon, they will play again Wednesday in Charlotte, but even that calculation seems optimistic, given the few opportunities to practice in the next few days.
A three-game stay for the Suns at home was postponed because they didn’t have enough players available.
Meanwhile, the NBA sought to redouble measures to prevent the contagion from continuing. He recently contacted Magic coach Steve Clifford to advise him to pay more attention to his mask use during games.
Clifford’s answer was terse.
“Yes sir,” he said.
He did not argue. Know the rules and how important it is to follow them.
It has been a difficult week for the NBA. Along with the players’ union, this week he tightened the protocols that players must adhere to during this delicate period, and coaches also need to be more careful on safety issues – particularly when it comes to wearing masks.
The correct use of face masks is part of life today, not just in the NBA, as part of efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus. But when coaches feel the need to yell – which, to be honest, is quite common – many are still overcome by the desire to remove their mask and make sure they are heard without the confusion that a thin piece of cloth can cause.
“It’s not always easy,” says Toronto coach Nick Nurse of wearing masks during the game. “Sometimes we are planning plays or on the court, and I’m doing everything to try to keep my mask on and get my players to understand me, and after trying for the third time they tell me ‘coach, I can’t hear what he’s saying’ , so one tries to remove it quickly. But I must try to limit it as best as possible. And sometimes, in the heat of battle, it’s difficult. “
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