There are seven new positive coronavirus test results among the 456 league players tested since February 24, per an announcement from the NBPA. It’s the highest number of positives the NBA has had in a week since mid-January.
Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets that several of these positive results stemmed from the Raptors, who have had to postpone two games after an outbreak on their team.
Pascal Siakam will have missed at least four games as he continues to quarantine through the All-Star break. The Raptors forward returned an inconclusive result on a coronavirus test a few days ago — it’s unclear if he has subsequently tested positive. Several Raptors coaches tested positive as well, though they wouldn’t count toward the seven cases announced by the league today.
Sources are blaming the COVID-19 spread among the club on erratic face mask use by coaches, Charania adds. Toronto can finally field enough players to return to the court this evening against the Pistons.
The league is surely hoping that it will be able to curb these outbreak-prompted game postponements as it looks ahead to a packed post-All Star break home stretch. Thus far this season, 31 games have been postponed due to health and safety protocol-driven absences.
Tape the shields to their faces! No, they dont have to keep hollering at people, or have their mouth visible when they do. Why support this hollering tradition? Only in sports. Bring fans back, leave the ACs out.