Pacers center Domantas Sabonis has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols and will miss Monday’s game vs. the Clippers, the team announced today (Twitter link).
If he registered a false positive or inconclusive test result, Sabonis could clear the protocols quickly. But if he tested positive for COVID-19, the big man figures to be sidelined for at least five or six days unless he can return two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart before then.
Sabonis, who recently missed four games due to an ankle sprain, had been terrific since returning, averaging 22.5 PPG, 16.5 RPG, 9.0 APG, and 1.5 BPG on 65.4% shooting in games in Oklahoma City and Dallas on Friday and Saturday.
With Sabonis unavailable, the Pacers could find themselves pretty shorthanded up front. Myles Turner (left foot) is also out, while Goga Bitadze (right foot) is questionable to play. As James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star writes, rookies Isaiah Jackson and Terry Taylor should be in line for larger roles, especially if Bitadze is ruled out.
As our tracker shows, Sabonis one of just seven players currently in the health and safety protocols, with the league’s COVID-19 situation looking a lot better than it did a month ago.
Pair him with Giannis & they go back 2 back
Probably not
With Embiid resting today & Sabonis out as well… man todays games are gonna be boring, not much to be excited about them, right?