Toronto Raptors’ virus problems are worsening as the game against Chicago Bulls is postponed

Two days after the Toronto Raptors beat the Houston Rockets with several coaches – including head coach Nick Nurse – and star striker Pascal Siakam sitting out for NBA health and safety protocols, the Raptors had postponed Sunday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls because they could not line up the required eight players.

It is unclear whether Toronto can return to court next weekend before the All-Star break. The Raptors will host the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday before taking on the Celtics in Boston on Thursday.

There is no word on whether the Rockets’ game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday night in Houston should be delayed due to the problems with the Raptors.

After the announcement came out that Nurse, his coaching staff and Siakam were all unavailable for Friday’s game, Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said the NBA – which determines whether games are played or not – ultimately determined that the testing program rigorous. enough that it would be safe for the Raptors and Rockets to play.

“We spoke to the NBA,” Webster said. “One way to think about it is that we get tested twice in the morning, so if those tests are negative, that gives you permission to participate in activities that day, and then you can even get into the test later. do some more tests. the day if you worry about it. I think when the negative tests came back this afternoon, I think that gave the NBA the comfort that we are clear for today at least. “

And while the Raptors won on Friday with veteran assistant Sergio Scariolo first serving as head coach in an NBA game – after a decorated European and international career, including coaching at Real Madrid and, for more than a decade, leading it. Spanish national team – it turned out to be clear only for that match.

This will be the first test of the NBA’s attempt to get every team to 72 games played this season. The league released the schedule for the second half of the season last week, one in which different teams tried to jam many games in a small number of days. In the case of the Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs, they are scheduled to play 40 games in 68 days.

Toronto, on the other hand, would play 36 games in 67 days. That number will now increase by at least one, and possibly even three. While the goal of the NBA is to have each team play the scheduled 72 games, sources have said the league is aware that not all 30 teams may be able to make it to that number. There is limited flexibility within the schedule to add games, or to add dates to the calendar, as the NBA wants the playoffs to be completed in time for the scheduled start of the Olympics in late July.

The competition will host an abbreviated All-Star Weekend in Atlanta starting today, one week from today, combining the Saturday night events (the Skills Challenge, the Three-Point Match and the Slam-Dunk Match) and the All-Star Game into one night in the face of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, the league has tightened its health and safety protocols significantly in recent weeks to try to limit the spread of the virus. For weeks it seemed like no team-wide outbreaks would occur, but in the past two weeks, the Spurs, Charlotte Hornets and now the Raptors have postponed several games due to the virus.