NBA postpones its first two games of the season because of COVID-19 amid Bulls’ outbreak
NBA postpones its first two games of the season because of COVID-19 after 10 Bulls players enter the league’s health and safety protocol due to infections or contact tracing
- The NBA has postponed the next two Bulls games after forward Alize Johnson became the team’s 10th player to enter the league’s health and safety protocol
- Tuesday’s game against the visiting Pistons and Thursday’s matchup with the Raptors were both postponed. Makeup dates have not been announced
- These marked the NBA’s first COVID-related postponements of the 2021-22 season after the league postponed 31 games during the 2020-21 campaign
- The NHL, meanwhile, has had to postpone several games due to outbreaks with the Calgary Flames, Ottawa Senators, and New York Islanders
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The NBA has postponed the next two Chicago Bulls games after forward Alize Johnson became the team’s 10th player to enter the league’s health and safety protocol on Monday.
Tuesday’s game against the visiting Detroit Pistons and Thursday’s matchup with the Raptors in Toronto were both postponed. Makeup dates have not been announced. ESPN is reporting that the Chicago Department of Public Health had concerns about the Bulls playing at home this week.
These marked the NBA’s first COVID-related postponements of the 2021-22 season after the league postponed 31 games during the 2020-21 campaign. The NHL, meanwhile, has had to postpone several games due to outbreaks with the Calgary Flames, Ottawa Senators, and New York Islanders.
The NBA has postponed the next two Chicago Bulls games after forward Alize Johnson (pictured) became the team’s 10th player to enter the health and safety protocol on Monday
NBA All-Star Zach Lavine is among the 10 Chicago Bulls players who’ve entered the protocol
Johnson tested positive Monday, according to multiple reports. The league’s health and safety protocol is for any player or staff member infected with COVID-19 or deemed a close contact of someone who has.
Players in the health and safety protocols are required to be sidelined at least 10 days or record two negative COVID-19 tests in a 24-hour period before they can return to the team.
Johnson is just the latest casualty for the COVID-plagued Bulls.
While point guard Coby White is returning from the health and safety protocol, nine other players remain sidelined, including All-Stars Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, as well as Troy Brown Jr., Matt Thomas, Derrick Jones Jr., Ayo Dosunmu and Stanley Johnson.
Last week, both the Pacers and Raptors canceled practiced out of an abundance of caution after Indiana coach Rick Carlisle tested positive for coronavirus.
All NBA coaches are required to get the injection, and although players aren’t facing any mandate, 97 percent of them have received both doses of the vaccine, according to the league.
While point guard Coby White is returning from the health and safety protocol, nine other players remain sidelined, including All-Stars Zach LaVine (left) and DeMar DeRozan (center), as well as Troy Brown Jr., Matt Thomas, Derrick Jones Jr., Ayo Dosunmu and Stanley Johnson
