The Portland Trail Blazers reported two members of the organization and one player testing positive for COVID-19 Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020, causing them to close down their practice facility to apply a deep cleaning.
Resuming Practice
Trail Blazers head coach stated:
The team will practice Tuesday but will be without three players [one] who tested positive; Zach Collins, who continues to rehab an injured ankle; and Jusuf Nurkic, who returned Sunday from his home country of Bosnia and must clear testing protocol before he can practice with the team.
League Clamping Down
The League is clamping down on teams not following league rules designed to minimize the spread of the virus. Teams that are found in violation of those rules could face forfeiting games or loss of draft picks.
The Trail Blazers re-opened their facility Monday for workouts. Coach Stotts refused to name the one player that tested positive and said:
the franchise is abiding by NBA protocols, aligned with CDC guidelines, and is conducting contact tracing for those who tested positive.
Trail Blazers only have a few days left of training camp before their first pre-season game Friday night against Sacramento. Full Practice has been scheduled to start today. Coach Stotts says:
this season was bound to be a challenge on several unusual levels.
Coronavirus testing for teams getting ready for the training camp started around Nov. 24. 48 players tested positive for the virus in the first week. There is no NBA bubble anymore so just like the NFL operating through this pandemic will be a challenge.
Written by Omari Jahi
Sources:
KGW: One Blazers player has tested positive for COVID-19, coach confirms, KGW Staff
The Oregonian: Trail Blazers workouts resume; 1 player among 3 positive COVID-19 tests within organization, Aaron Fentress
ESPN: Portland Trail Blazers close facility after 3 positive COVID-19 tests, Associated Press
Feature Image by Another Believer Courtesy of Wikimedia – Creative Commons License
Inset Image by James Schumacher Courtesy of Wikimedia – Creative Commons License
