BOSTON – The Boston Celtics could be extremely short for their game against the Miami Heat at TD Garden on Sunday due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
In the team’s latest injury report, released Saturday around 5:30 p.m. ET, nine of the team’s 17 players were on the roster, seven of them due to positive COVID-19 testing or contact tracking as a result. of them including stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards didn’t count on Bradley Beal for their game in Miami against the Heat on Saturday night due to health and safety protocols. He was placed there as a result of contact tracing with Tatum, a source confirmed in a report by The Athletic to ESPN.
The two St. Louis natives, who are good friends and share the same coach, Drew Hanlen, spent much of the game protecting each other and had a conversation on the field after the game.
Washington has already played three teams this week, the Brooklyn Nets, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Celtics, who have had positive tests and several players in the protocols.
In addition to the three Celtics who missed Friday’s victory over Washington, Robert Williams III, who tested positive, and Grant Williams and Tristan Thompson, who were out for contact tracking, four others appeared in Saturday’s report. : Tatum, who was listed as questionable and brown; Javonte Green and Semi Ojeleye, all questionable.
If those seven, along with Romeo Langford (wrist) and Kemba Walker (knee), who remain injured, are deemed unfit to play in Sunday’s game, Boston would be left with the minimum of eight players available. Miami Six of those players – Marcus Smart, Jeff Teague, Payton Pritchard, Carsen Edwards, Tremont Waters and Aaron Nesmith – are shooting guards, in addition to Daniel Theis and Tacko Fall centers.