Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic latest affected by coronavirus as NBA nears 100 cases | NBA News

Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic is the latest to be put in health and safety protocols as coronavirus cases among players nears 100 – threatening the Christmas schedule.

Currently there are 95 players from 22 teams dealing with a Covid-related issue with Doncic now a major doubt for the Mavericks game against Utah, part of the NBA’s five-game Christmas line-up.

The news comes after another two games were earlier postponed, Toronto’s trip to Chicago and Brooklyn vs Portland, taking the total number of virus-related postponements so far this season to nine.

By league rules, teams must have at least eight healthy players for a game to go ahead with the NBA confirming neither the Raptors nor the Nets had enough eligible players.

The Nets have had each of their last three games postponed which means the earliest they are likely to play again is Saturday, where their scheduled to visit the Lakers in the fourth game in the Christmas period.

On the situation, LA Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony said: “It’s unpredictable, right? What we’re dealing with, it’s bigger than basketball.

“You just don’t know what’s going to happen, who it’s going to affect, how it’s going to affect somebody, the amount of time you will be out due to your health, what you’re feeling, the symptoms

“And then on the other hand, some people don’t have symptoms.

“You don’t know what to do right now. I think that’s the frustrating part for everybody.”

The Nets have what is believed to be a league-high 10 players in the health and safety protocols, a list that includes Kevin Durant, James Harden and even though he has yet to play this season, Kyrie Irving.

Out of the 10 teams scheduled to play on Christmas there is currently a combined 44 players in the protocols.

Teams are being allowed to sign players to replace those sidelined by positive tests, and at least 40 such hardship contracts which don’t count against a team’s salary cap have been executed in the last few days.

Among those signed is 40-year-old Joe Johnson on a 10-day deal, re-joining the Boston Celtics after last appearing in the NBA in 2018.

Despite the on-going situation, Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed the NBA have no plans to pause the season.