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Tim BontempsESPN
BOSTON – The Boston Celtics may find themselves extremely limited for their game against the Miami Heat at TD Garden on Sunday, as a result of NBA health and safety protocols.
In the team’s latest injury report, released around 5:30 pm Eastern time on Saturday, nine of the team’s 17 players were listed – seven of them because of positive COVID-19 tests or contact tracking as a result of them, including stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
The Washington Wizards, meanwhile, were without Bradley Beal for the home game against the Miami Heat on Saturday night due to health and safety protocols. He was placed there as a result of tracking contact with Tatum, a source confirmed a report from The Athletic to ESPN.
The two St. Louis natives – who are close friends and share the same coach, Drew Hanlen – spent much of the game defending each other and chatting on the court afterwards.
Washington has played this week with three teams – Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and Celtics – who have tested positive and multiple players on the protocols.
In addition to the three Celtics who had to stay out of Friday’s victory over Washington – Robert Williams III, who tested positive, and Grant Williams and Tristan Thompson, who were out due to contact tracking – four more appeared in the report Saturday: Tatum, who was listed as doubtful; and Brown, Javonte Green and Semi Ojeleye, all questionable.
If those seven – along with Romeo Langford (wrist) and Kemba Walker (knee), who remain out with injuries – are all considered unable to play in Sunday’s game, Boston would be left with a minimum of eight players available to face Miami. Six of these players – Marcus Smart, Jeff Teague, Payton Pritchard, Carsen Edwards, Tremont Waters and Aaron Nesmith – are guards, in addition to the Daniel Theis and Tacko Fall centers.