3 Questionable Celtics against heat due to health and safety protocols

With just 10 games in the season, the Celtics have already been dramatically affected by COVID-19.

Striker Jayson Tatum and center Robert Williams reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 in the past few days. Center Tristan Thompson and striker Grant Williams were instructed to be quarantined for seven days from Friday due to close contact with the virus.

Now swingman Jaylen Brown, striker Semi Ojeleye and point guard Javonte Green have been included in the Celtics’ injury report on Saturday due to health and safety protocols. All three players are questionable for Sunday’s game against the Heat.

Saturday’s injury report marks a similar situation to Thursday’s injury report. Robert Williams Grant Williams, Thompson and point guard Carsen Edwards were placed on the injury report that day and were considered questionable for Friday’s game against the Wizards. Only Edwards was removed from the injury report as he was not considered a close contact for COVID-19. Robert Williams, Grant Williams and Thompson were downgraded to Friday after they tested positive for the virus or were considered close contact, forcing the three to begin a quarantine period.

If Brown, Ojeleye and Green are quarantined, the next Celtics games could be in danger. In the possible scenario where all three players are forced to quarantine, they will have only eight active players (including two-way players Tacko Fall and Tremont Waters) for the next three games, which is the league’s minimum requirement to play a game.

With a minimum of eight active players in the league, teams can be forced to give up games if they do not have eight active players. The previous Saturday, the 76ers had only eight active players due to a reported COVID-19 test, health and safety protocols and injuries to other players. The 76ers decided to dress up striker Mike Scott, who has a knee injury, with the intention of not playing him so that they could have eight active players to avoid losing the game against the Nuggets.

The league has already postponed a game due to health and safety protocols. Only on the second day of the season, the Rockets’ game against Thunder was postponed because Houston was unable to dress eight players due to health and safety protocols.