Sixers superstar Joel Emiid calls out the NBA as it fails in stopping the outbreak of COVID-19 among multiple teams.
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As of Wednesday morning, 60 players had entered the league’s health and safety protocols this season, including 43 over the past two weeks, per ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.
Several teams are in the midst of outbreaks, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, and Charlotte Hornets. The Bulls have seen two games postponed because 10 of their squad members are out due to COVID-19 protocols.
The Nets are currently without seven players, while the Lakers are down five. The Charlotte Hornets and Sacramento Kings also have five players under protocols, while the New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks have four each.
So far, 63 NBA players have entered into Covid protocols this season — including 47 in December. Two head coaches — Indiana’s Rick Carlisle and Sacramento’s Alvin Gentry and one top team executive — Toronto’s Masai Ujiri — are also in protocols.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 16, 2021
Some of the league’s best players are currently in COVID-19 protocols, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden. So now it should become a major concern for the league and even though they realised it late, it might still stop the outbreak.
Joel Embiid criticizes the NBA’s management of their most recent COVID-19 outbreak
Although the Philadelphia 76ers have just one player out due to the protocols in Georges Niang, their leader Joel Embiid came out to speak of the league’s mishandling of the whole COVID-19 situation this season.
Joel Embiid on increase in NBA COVID cases:
“I thought last year there was great precautions in place and this year it was just all over the place and I just thought it was unprofessional and that’s where we are now.”
Full quote below: pic.twitter.com/6lTPtm0aGy
— Yaron Weitzman (@YaronWeitzman) December 17, 2021
Rarely anyone in the league understands the severity of the infection from the virus more than the Philadelphia big man who recently recovered from COVID-19. And has openly accepted his near-death experience.
Joel Embiid opened up about his experience with COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/CovP6nXhjI
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 28, 2021
Though there have been outbreaks in multiple teams now, there haven’t been any postponements apart from the Chicago games. The league and franchises have clearly failed to control the outbreaks, which should have been easier for them having done it twice.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 17, 2021
Also read: “The Utah Jazz is still the same team, Rudy Gobert protects all of them”: MarcusSet featured image Morris Sr. believes the three-time DPOY blankets the poor defense of his Jazz teammates
There could be more postponements on the way if the NBA continues this way. Increased testings would surely help but similar strict rules like last season should be adopted if the league wants to stop the outbreak.
