Two months into the 2021-22 NBA season, the league is feeling the effects of the latest COVID-19 surge.
In the first six weeks of the season, 16 players were placed into the league's COVID health and safety protocols, which sideline any player that tests positive for COVID-19 for a minimum of five days. The month of December marked a major uptick.
As a result, these games have been postponed:
- Warriors vs. Nuggets (Dec. 30)
- Heat vs. Spurs (Dec. 29)
- Nets vs. Trail Blazers (Dec. 23)
- Raptors vs. Bulls (Dec. 22)
- Wizards vs. Nets (Dec. 21)
- Magic vs. Raptors (Dec. 20)
- Pelicans vs. 76ers (Dec. 19)
- Nuggets vs. Nets (Dec. 19)
- Cavaliers vs. Hawks (Dec. 19)
- Bulls vs. Raptors (Dec. 16)
- Pistons vs. Bulls (Dec. 14)
Per NBA rules, a game is only postponed when a team has fewer than eight available players, but that issue had largely been avoided due to the NBA's hardship exemption, which grants teams temporary roster spots in the event of an outbreak or several serious injuries.
NBA.com has the list of NBA players currently in the league's protocols:
NBA players in COVID health and safety protocols
Boston Celtics (one player)
- Marcus Smart
Charlotte Hornets (one player)
- Kelly Oubre
Denver Nuggets (one player)
- JaMychal Green
Detroit Pistons (one player)
- Frank Jackson
Houston Rockets (one player)
- Armoni Brooks
LA Clippers (two players)
- Luke Kennard
- Nicolas Batum
Los Angeles Lakers (one player)
-
Sekou Doumbouya
Memphis Grizzlies (four players, head coach)
- Kyle Anderson
- Tyus Jones
- Killian Tillie
- Desmond Bane
- Taylor Jenkins
Miami Heat (two players)
- Markieff Morris
- Tyler Herro
Minnesota Timberwolves (one player)
- Jordan McLaughlin
Oklahoma City Thunder (one player)
- Kenrich Williams
Phoenix Suns (one player)
- Ish Wainright
Sacramento Kings (one player)
- Tyrese Haliburton
San Antonio Spurs (one player)
- Tre Jones
Utah Jazz (one player)
- Hassan Whiteside
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