Wednesday's Celtics-76ers Game Could Be In Jeopardy
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Celtics and the 76ers are supposed to play each other for the first time this season on Wednesday night, but that matchup may have to wait. The 76ers are dealing with their own COVID-19 issues at the moment, which could potentially put that tilt in jeopardy.
Update: Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said Tuesday that the team will travel to Philly and that he was told Wednesday's game was never really in jeopardy.
Philadelphia had only nine players available for Saturday's loss to Memphis, and then had Sunday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder postponed because the team didn't have the necessary eight players available to play. Two more players were sidelined due to contact tracing, after Memphis big man Jonas Valanciunas entered quarantine following Saturday's game.
The situation could clear up in time for Wednesday night's tip at the Wells Fargo Center, but that matchup could just as easily become the latest game to be postponed this season due to COVID-19. It's unclear when any of Philadelphia's players will be cleared to return, though the team did travel back to Philadelphia on Monday and had no new positive cases to report.
Though Sunday was Philadelphia's first game of the season to be postponed, the team has dealt with COVID issues since Seth Curry tested positive back on Jan. 7. The 76ers played with only eight players on Jan. 9, before COVID concerns resurfaced over the weekend.
The Celtics, meanwhile, had three games postponed last week due to NBA protocols. Jayson Tatum, Robert Williams and Carsen Edwards remain sidelined due to health and safety protocols -- with Tatum and Williams reportedly testing positive over the last two weeks. Celtics head coach Brad Stevens wasn't sure if any of those three would travel with the team to Philadelphia later this week.
