After missing nearly a month due to a positive COVID-19 test, Celtics big man Tristan Thompson returned earlier this week, a welcome sight for a Boston team struggling to play consistently. However, Thompson detailed a difficult battle with the virus while he was away from the team.
“That s–t’s no joke,” Thompson told reporters, including Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald (Twitter link). “That was a battle. I had all the symptoms except losing my taste and smell, so at least I could enjoy my food.”
Thompson, 30, has appeared in 38 games (31 starts) in his first season with the Celtics, averaging 7.9 PPG and 8.3 RPG. While his production is down, Boston is happy to have some size back in the frontcourt, especially given Thompson’s postseason experience. In the meantime, Thompson is looking forward to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
“…I’m definitely going to get the vaccine as soon as I can get it,” Thompson said, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (Twitter link).
Check out more news and notes from the Atlantic Division:
- Celtics head coach Brad Stevens announced that trade deadline acquisition Evan Fournier will not travel with the team during its upcoming road trip, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (Twitter link). Fournier has appeared in four games for the Celtics since being shipped to Boston, averaging 11.5 PPG off the bench, but is currently sidelined due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
- Alize Johnson‘s second 10-day pact with the Nets is ending this Sunday and it remains to be seen what the team does with him. Johnson said he wants to keep showing the club “that I belong and I wanna be here,” per NetsDaily. Brian Lewis of the New York Post breaks down the Nets’ upcoming decision on whether or not to keep Johnson.
- After missing a series of games due to an ankle injury, Landry Shamet is expected to return for the Nets on Saturday, Lewis writes in a separate story. Brooklyn has dealt with a series of injuries but are slowly seeing players return, including Kevin Durant after a two-month absence.
- While it remains unclear when it will happen, Sixers guard George Hill, whom the team acquired at the trade deadline, expects to return this season, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports (Twitter link). “No one knows the timetable yet,” Hill said. “But I will be back this season for sure. I will be back before playoffs for sure.”
Only one months?
I thought Thompson tested positive is in January
How is Kadarshian doing?
Alize Johnson will almost definitely be signed by the Nets by the time his 10-day contract ends tomorrow. They can use the prorated taxpayer mid-level exception to sign him for up to three years. The rule is it drops in value from its original $5.7M by 1/146th for every day from 2/27/21 on. That leaves approximately $4M. I’d figure he’d get about $600K for the rest of this season and about $1.7M apiece for each of the next two seasons. The Nets will probably let Spencer Dinwiddie’s DPE expire because it doesn’t appear anyone has become available that would be worth using it on for the rest of this season.
Covid seems to have more longterm impacts on oversized athletes than what science may be aware of. TT may still be affected at playoff time, who knows.
Otherwise Tristan would be likely contribute more to Boston in the playoffs than he has in the RS, due to his annoying talent of having an unusually mobile upper body, but being grudging about using it, sometimes not until it is too late. He seems to need to be energized/motivated enough to get to using his talent, twisting around for rebounds and being Boston’s X factor. That would provide confidence for next year.
But covid.
Yeah CoVid hasn’t been around enough to know what the longterm effects even are. Hope him and everyone else that gets it can continue playing and have long careers
Covid is the flu so relax puppet
Yeah, like the fruit of a Buckeye is just a nut.
X%sure u look goods having your puppet strings played with…is today double or triple mask Sunday…kinda of weird no mass deaths from opening day for the Texas Rangers
Nets play Lakers on ABC. Announcers will get bored again, like last game in this slot, bc nobody at espn seems to be aware that the Lakers are missing their stars and are notvthat good. BRK should have a couple of them around healthy & blow them out.
Well didn’t that age well. They do best with Harden. Irving does not calm a team down by himself, though if he stayed in, maybe the Nets could get momentum.
First ejection for both players says Breen!