The NBA postponed the Washington Wizards-Milwaukee Bucks game on Friday, not long after a concerned Bradley Beal said the Wizards were battling the league with only eight available players and six other players banned from the league’s health and safety protocol .
It’s the 17th NBA game to be postponed this season due to the league’s health and safety protocols and the sixth straight Wizards game to be canceled.
On Wednesday, the league cited the number of unavailable players for the wizards, contact tracing for other players on Washington’s roster, and the lack of practice time the team had before the scheduled game.
After a nine-day hiatus due to a coronavirus outbreak on the team, the wizards were released to return to training on Wednesday night. However, according to coach Scott Brooks, the team only had eight players and was basically shooting lightly.
The wizards were extremely concerned about playing in a game that not only limited the number of players available, but also lacked practice time and stamina after the long break. Washington hasn’t played against Phoenix since January 11th.
“We couldn’t go to the gym for a week,” Beal said on Wednesday night before the league’s decision to postpone the game. “It changes the rhythm and the form of the boys – honestly it’s like a recipe for injury. I think we’re fighting the league.”
Beal said he and Russell Westbrook planned to speak to Michele Roberts, the executive director of the National Basketball Players Association, about wizards’ ways to stay safe.
The Rifle Guard said that in addition to wizards wanting to stay injury free, players in the league had “mixed feelings” about wanting to keep playing and making money while keeping themselves and their loved ones safe.
“We already have injured players,” said Beal. “Now we have a large part of our team, like over 50%, with the virus … we hear from the league tonight, hear from them tomorrow and see what they want to do.”
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Before the postponement, the wizards Davis passed Bertans, Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija, Troy Brown Jr., Ish Smith and Moritz Wagner as for the game against the bucks due to health and safety protocols.
The wizards were expected to have Beal, Robin Lopez, Raul Neto, Garrison Mathews, Jerome Robinson, Isaac Bonga, Anthony Gill and Cassius Winston on hand after playing in Milwaukee.
Westbrook (Quad) has been re-rated and out this week and Thomas Bryant (left ACL) is out for the season. Westbrook did light work on the pitch Wednesday night and will travel with the team when they play again on that upcoming road swing. Washington’s next scheduled game is Sunday in San Antonio.
Brooks said he wasn’t sure when Westbrook would be allowed to play.
The Washington coach said the team couldn’t train until Wednesday evening. The wizards should practice again Thursday morning with about 15 to 16 hours between the two sessions and then travel to Milwaukee. Brooks and Beal felt that not only would the Wizards have been at a disadvantage with so little practice time, but they would have put their players at risk of injury.
“It will put us in a very difficult position to have a game Friday night,” said Brooks after the team’s easy practice session. “If they get us to play the game, of course we have to play the game. I don’t know how we can play it, but we’ll do our best whatever the league tells us to do.” I believe in the league. “
Before the decision on the Wizards Bucks game, the NBA postponed the Memphis Grizzlies-Portland Trail Blazers game planned for Wednesday night.
“”[COVID-19] is about everyone, “said Brooks.” This is not a joke. There are over 400,000 Americans [who] died with this virus. And we take it seriously. You are obviously concerned. “
Brooks also believes that due to health and safety protocols, the six wizards will likely not be able to rejoin the team on the upcoming street swing in San Antonio, Houston, and New Orleans.
“This virus is creative,” said Brooks. “It finds a way to penetrate and beat us and it hit us pretty badly … it will be some time before we’re back in shape and these are the guys who are healthy. The other players, there is more to be taken, but we’ll be fine. There are other things in the world that are pretty bad right now. “
