The NBA has been forced to postpone multiple games following a spike in COVID-19 cases sweeping the league.
The New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks game scheduled for Monday has been delayed, and the Boston Celtics matchup with the Chicago Bulls, which was initially slated for Tuesday. Over the weekend, the Miami Heat game against the Celtics, scheduled for Sunday, was also postponed due to COVID-19 concerns.
The Mavericks currently have three players out due to COVID-19 concerns. Seth Curry of the Philadelphia 76ers also tested positive for COVID-19 last week.
The league will meet with the National Basketball Players Association on Monday to try and come up with their next steps in combating the virus within the league. Sources told ESPN that that meeting would reexamine shootarounds and practice lengths, socializing on the court both pregame and postgame, as well as additional restaurant dining restrictions and stricter mask-wearing protocol.
The NBA was praised for its use of the bubble over the summer. However, commissioner Adam Silver says that bubble is not an option for a full season due to the mental and emotional toll on the players isolated in Orlando, Florida, away from family and fans.
