76ers-Thunder called off as virus concerns still trouble NBA

Ar NBA game was called off Sunday because of coronavirus concerns, and Memphis Grizzlies said center Jonas Valanciunas will t play Monday because of league’s health and safety protocols.

NBA said Philelphia at Oklahoma City game, scheduled for Sunday night, could t be played because 76ers did t “have league-required eight available players to proceed” because of contact tracing.

It was 13th game called off since Jan. 10 because of virus issues, a span in which NBA and National Basketball Players Association have stiffened protocols and even ded testing with hopes of keeping season going without much in way of ditional problems.

“body is complaining,” Detroit coach Dwane Casey said. “It’s different. We have to go with flow. We trust and believe in NBA, that y’re doing what’s right for us and our families.”

That 76ers-Thunder determination was me about 90 minutes before planned start time. 76ers played in Memphis on Saturday night, losing 106-104 in a game where Valanciunas played 20 minutes.

Grizzlies said he would be unable to play Monday against Phoenix because of league’s protocols — which could mean many different things including a positive test, an inconclusive test or possible exposure to someone who is positive for COVID-19.

It is second time this month that protocols have flagged Valanciunas. He was pulled at halftime of Memphis’ game against Brooklyn on Jan. 8 because of some sort of virus-related issue, but was back on court for Grizzlies’ next game Jan. 11 against Cleveland.

“False alarm. Everyone around me is healthy and I am cleared to get back on court,” Valanciunas wrote on Instagram last week.

Phoenix’s game in Memphis on Monday is scheduled to be Suns’ first game in a week. Suns said y would be missing three players for virus-related issues, but team has t said if that's because of contact tracing or positive tests.

“re was a lot that happened this week, so much out of our control," Suns coach Monty Williams said Sunday. “We understood what league was trying to do as far as keeping everybody safe. It's just a different world we live in."

Minnesota, which h a game Friday called off after Karl-Anthony Towns revealed he tested positive, is scheduled to play Monday in Atlanta. Ricky Rubio has also been ruled out by Timberwolves for virus-related reasons.

Wolves didn’t take off for Atlanta on Sunday until after 7 p.m. EST, several hours behind schedule, presumably for tests to be processed and ensure that Minnesota would have eugh players able to take floor.

Sunday’s postponement is first for Philelphia and Oklahoma City since this latest wave of virus issues in NBA started earlier this month, and raised total to 18 teams who have seen at least one game called off since Jan. 10. Thunder also h a game in Houston called off Dec. 23 because Rockets did t have eugh players eligible to play, in large part because of contact tracing issues.

Cleveland’s game in Washington on Sunday also was called off, as was planned rematch between clubs on Monday. Those decisions were me last week when Wizards said nine players — six with positive COVID-19 tests and three ors snagged by contact tracing — were t cleared to be on floor.

A positive for Wizards: ir six healthy players were able to return to team practice facility Sunday for 1-on-0 workouts. earliest Washington will play is Wednesday at Charlotte. If that game happens, it will be end of a nine-day break for Wizards.

A number of or NBA players remain ineligible to play because of league’s protocols, including Miami’s Jimmy Butler and Avery Brley — both of whom will miss a fourth consecutive game Monday when reeling Heat play host to Washington. And Jayson Tatum missed ar game Sunday for Boston, also with “protocols” cited as reason, and Celtics were beaten by New York Knicks.