Will Hornets and Mavericks play Wednesday? An update on Mavs’ COVID-19 issues
The Dallas Mavericks will be shorthanded if they get to play the Hornets on Wednesday, but the Mavs could have star big man Kristaps Porzingis back.
The Mavs flew to Charlotte Tuesday afternoon, after their game Monday against the New Orleans Pelicans was postponed over COVID-19 protocols. Five Dallas players were listed as out on the NBA’s 5:30 p.m. injury report: Jalen Brunson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber, Dwight Powell and Josh Richardson.
However, Porzingis is listed as probable to play. This would be his first game this season following right knee surgery.
Teams must have a minimum of eight players on the active roster to play, under NBA rules. The Mavericks have 12 available, assuming there are no additional injury or illness issues between now and the 7 p.m. tipoff at Spectrum Center.
This game is a rematch of the Dec. 30 game in Dallas, in which the Hornets blew out the Mavs, 118-99. The 6-5 Hornets are on a four-game winning streak.
The Hornets list only Cody Zeller (broken left hand) on the injury report.
The NBA is having increasing COVID-19 concerns, after finishing last season in a bubble in Florida. Four games have been postponed in the past three days.
In conjunction with the players association, the NBA announced new rules Tuesday intended to slow the spread of the virus. Among those provisions: Telling players and staff to stay in their residences when not working for “at least the next two weeks” when in home markets, and prohibiting players from leaving hotel rooms on the road for non-work purposes.
The Hornets haven’t been heavily affected by COVID-19 issues so far. Guard Malik Monk missed 10 days during the preseason after testing positive, and rookie Nick Richards missed a game in Atlanta for contact tracing.
This story was originally published January 12, 2021 at 2:51 PM.
