Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams watches from the bench during the first half of the NBA preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 18, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
The Phoenix Suns’ home games against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday and the Golden State Warriors on Friday were postponed, the NBA announced.
The Hawks’ game was postponed on Wednesday morning, while news of the postponement of the clash with the Warriors came late in the afternoon.
The Suns gave their players the day off on Tuesday after the Washington Wizards, which Phoenix played on Monday night, announced that two players had been placed under COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Washington canceled its practice on Tuesday “out of caution.” Wojnarowski added that some Assistants have since tested positive, and the league confirmed that both postponements are due to contact tracking procedures affecting Phoenix.
Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro adds that no Suns have tested positive for coronavirus since the Washington game, but Phoenix will have to pass additional tests, as there is a time lag between transmission and positive tests for the virus.
The two Washington players under protocol are striker Rui Hachimura and central Moe Wagner. Hachimura started and played 28 minutes on Monday in the win over the Suns, while Wagner recorded 22 minutes off the bench. Both players were officially listed as questionable for Washington’s game against Utah Jazz on Wednesday.
That game was postponed because the Wizards will not have a minimum of eight active players, like the Wizards game on Friday against the Detroit Pistons.
The Suns had originally scheduled a professional day for Tuesday, a time for players to come to the training facility to do the treatment, work in the weight room and do the tests. That was canceled, the team told ArizonaSports.com’s Kellan Olson.
Before playing against the Suns, the Wizards had games against the Heat, Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, all of which dealt with coronavirus problems due to contact tracking.
After the news that the Atlanta-Phoenix game has been postponed, pivot Clint Capela posted on Twitter: