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Tim BontempsESPN
BOSTON – The Boston Celtics could find themselves too short for their game against the Miami Heat at TD Garden on Sunday thanks to NBA health and safety protocols.
In the team’s latest injury report, which was released around 5:30 pm on Saturday, nine of the team’s 17 players were listed – seven of them due to either COVID-19 positive tests or find contact results, including stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
The Washington Wizards, meanwhile, were without Bradley Beal for their home game against Miami Heat Saturday night due to health and safety protocols. He was placed there as a result of a communications breach with Tatum, a source confirmed a report by The Athletic to ESPN.
The two natives from St. Louis – who is close friends and shares the same trainer, Drew Hanlen – spent much of the game defending each other and had a conversation on the court afterwards.
Washington has already played three teams this week – the Brooklyn Nets, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Celtics – who have had good tests and multiplayer in the protocols.
In addition to the three Celtics who had to sit out on Friday ‘s win over Washington – Robert Williams III, who tested positive, and Grant Williams and Tristan Thompson, who were out due to contact damage – four others appeared on Saturday’s report: Tatum, who was listed as a suspect; and Brown, Javonte Green and Semi Ojeleye, who were all skeptical.
If those seven – along with Romeo Langford (wrist) and Kemba Walker (knee), who live out with injuries – are all deemed unable to play in Sunday’s game, Boston would be down to the lowest eight available players. Miami. Six of those players – Marcus Smart, Jeff Teague, Payton Pritchard, Carsen Edwards, Tremont Waters and Aaron Nesmith – are guards, as well as Daniel Theis and Tacko Fall substitutes.