A COVID-19 surge in the month of December has caused over 100 NBA players to return positive tests and enter the league’s COVID health and safety protocols. Several teams have been impacted more than others, with as many as 13 players on one team being placed in the protocols at the same time.
MORE: Which NBA players are in COVID-19 health and safety protocols?
As of Dec. 30, the NBA has postponed a total of 11 games due to teams’ lack of available players. Per NBA rules, a game is postponed when a team has fewer than eight available players.
Below, you will find the list of games that have been postponed and a tally of teams most affected.
NBA games postponed in 2021-22
NBA games postponed by team
Bulls, Nets, Raptors: three games Nuggets: two games 76ers, Cavaliers, Hawks, Heat, Magic, Pelicans, Pistons, Spurs, Trail Blazers, Warriors, Wizards: one game
To combat availability issues, the NBA and NBPA reportedly made amendments to the league’s hardship exemption on Dec. 20, allowing teams to sign a replacement player for each positive COVID-19 case on their respective rosters.
In some cases, however, replacement players were also placed within the COVID health and safety protocols, which, in conjunction with injuries, has resulted in the most recent postponements.
When will make up games be rescheduled?
Unlike the 2020-21 season, when the truncated 72-game schedule was announced in two halves, the 82-game schedule for the 2021-22 season was announced in full. Games will likely be rescheduled in accordance with the travel of affected teams.
In the instance of the Bulls and Raptors, two games between the teams needed to be rescheduled.
