By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
With the end of the year slowly nearing, the NBA has been getting progressively more COVID-19 cases and, at the moment, a few teams have been struck stronger than the others.
The latest cases happened among the Pacers and the Raptors. Indiana’s coach Rick Carlisle tested positive as did Toronto’s president Masai Ujiri.
Ujiri, who said he is fully vaccinated and has received a booster shot, said he tested positive after attending an event.
The NBA warned players earlier this week that any unvaccinated player with temporary visa status will be unable to re-enter the United States. Unvaccinated players won’t be able to play games in Toronto against the Raptors starting Jan. 15, as a new Canadian law requires all visitors to be fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls and the Charlotte Hornets have whole potential lineups sidelined with outbreaks among their ranks.
Chicago’s Derrick Jones Jr. was the lastest and the fifth Bulls player in nine days to enter the health and safety protocols, joining Matt Thomas, DeMar DeRozan, Javonte Green and Coby White.
The Bulls are fully vaccinated. Players who enter protocols must isolate for ten days or until they return two negative PCR tests 24 hours apart.
When it comes to the Hornets, LaMelo Ball, Jalen McDaniels, Mason Plumlee, Terry Rozier and Ish Smith have all been sidelined. Charlotte lost their first players after the game against the Bulls.
Memphis also has some players out with coronavirus. In fact, their star player Ja Morant as well as Dillon Brooks have been sidelined.