Hockey gods, hear my prayer. Could you hip check that COVID-19 creep so hard into the boards the virus can’t get back up? Could you find a way to get Denver fans back in an eerily empty arena before the NHL playoffs begin? Yes, we need our vaccines and peace of mind, first and foremost.…
Kiszla: In weird, lonely slog of NHL’s season of COVID, grit counts as much as skill in Avs’ 3-0 victory over San Jose — The Denver Post
The Memphis Grizzlies finally are back on a basketball court and hoping to get back to playing games. The Grizzlies returned to practice Wednesday night after having their last five games postponed because of contact tracing within the team and the length of time they were unable to practice.They had been allowed to do individual workouts with one coach over the past couple days, and coach Taylor Jenkins said it was great to be back. “It’s definitely been unique,” Jenkins said. “But I think our entire team, a lot of credit to our players, our staff to adjust obviously working really closely with the league on what are the best courses of action over the last dating back to when we were in Portland. But everyone’s handled it really well.”The NBA stopped play last March with the Grizzlies in Portland for a road game against the Trail Blazers the next night. They were in Portland again last week on a five-game winning streak only to have the first of a back-to-back with the Trail Blazers postponed, followed quickly by the next four games. “Man, I’m starting to think Portland don’t like us man,” Grizzlies guard Ja Morant said with a laugh. Morant said he feels the Grizzlies have held each other accountable following league protocols to stay safe with COVID-19. Jenkins said center Jonas Valanciunas is working through those protocols along with another unnamed player and hopes Valanciunas returns soon. “All we can control is every time that we have an opportunity to work, we make the most of it,” Jenkins said. “So obviously, the last week has put us in a test, you know, but I think our guys rose to the occasion.”The Grizzlies currently have had a league-high six games postponed, tied with Washington. The Wizards went 13 days between games after six players tested positive for COVID-19 and three others had to sit out because of contact tracing. Memphis will have gone 12 days without games if it plays in San Antonio on Saturday. The Spurs had Monday night’s game with New Orleans postponed but beat Boston on Wednesday night. The NBA has postponed 22 games this season, 21 since Jan. 10. The Grizzlies still are waiting for Jaren Jackson Jr. and Justise Winslow to return from injuries sustained last summer in the bubble. Once Memphis resumes playing, it is looking at playing 41 games in potentially 67 days. At least Morant is healthier. The NBA Rookie of the Year had only been back two games from a sprained left ankle when the Grizzlies were forced to stop playing. He’s played only five of Memphis’ 13 games so far. “I took this time to allow my ankle to heal even more and continue to get stronger to you know, be back to the Ja, you know, who’s just jumping around and stuff,” Morant said. “So I feel like although it was tough, it was good for me.”___Follow Teresa M. Walker at https://twitter.com/TeresaMWalker___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Grizzlies back to practicing, hope to resume season quickly — The China Post, Taiwan
Pro Football Hall of Famer and “Good Morning America” host Michael Strahan has tested positive for COVID-19 and is self-quarantining, according to people familiar with the situation.
‘GMA’ host, ex-NFL great Michael Strahan reportedly has COVID-19 — Las Vegas Review-Journal
Now knowing they’ll have to stay away from San Jose for longer than they had first hoped, some Sharks players have been busy trying to find out what it will mean for them to be the home team in another city. Sharks coach Bob Boughner said Sunday that players have been reaching out to the…
Sharks make plans after early February games at SAP Center are nixed — Red Bluff Daily News
For the second time this season, the USC men’s basketball team has had to postpone a game shortly before tip-off due to COVID-19 issues within the program. On Thursday, the Trojans’ game at Stanford was postponed indefinitely due to “a suspected COVID-related issue within our program,” USC tweeted out 14 minutes before the team was…
USC men’s basketball game with Stanford postponed due to COVID-19 issue with Trojans — Orange County Register
As the NBA really goes through it with the COVID-19 pandemic, having to postpone games left and right thus far in the first few weeks of its season, the league has made some tight amendments to its health and safety protocols. And if the strict new restrictions weren’t telling enough, they’re taking the updates seriously. […]
NBA Rumors: Security To Enforce Rules Against Midcourt Hugs, Handshakes — NESN.com
By TIM REYNOLDS Contact tracing issues for the Memphis Grizzlies meant they would not have enough players eligible to play in Portland on Wednesday night, leading to the 16th game postponement for coronavirus-related reasons by the NBA this season. Of those, 15 have come since Jan. 10 and the number could rise again soon: Memphis…
Grizzlies-Blazers called off; NBA stresses new protocols — Lowell Sun
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – The Carolina Hurricanes have closed their training facility and postponed games through at least Saturday due to COVID-19 cases within the program. The NHL announced the closure and postponement Wednesday afternoon due to five Carolina Hurricanes Players being on the NHL’s COVID Protocol Related Absence List. The NHL is revising the […]
COVID-19 cases force Hurricanes to close training facility, postpone games through Saturday — WNCT
Contact tracing issues for the Memphis Grizzlies meant they would not have enough players eligible to play in Portland on Wednesday night, leading to the 16th game postponement for coronavirus-related reasons by the NBA this season.Of those, 15 have come since Jan. 10 and the number could rise again soon: Memphis is scheduled to play in Portland on Friday as well. The league has not made any announcement about whether that game will happen as planned.By NBA rule, teams must have eight eligible players for games; the Grizzlies would not meet that threshold because of “ongoing contact tracing,” the league said.The decision about the Portland-Memphis game came on the same day that the league, in a memo sent to teams and obtained by The Associated Press, reiterated some of the new stiffer protocols that were agreed to last week.Starting with Wednesday’s games, the NBA told teams to have their security officials “stationed near the half-court line during pre-game warmups and post-game to provide reminders to players and staff and encourage compliance” with the rules regarding interaction.The NBA, last week, said players must maintain six feet of distance as much as possible during pre-game warmups and post-game meetings — a rule that has not been followed in many circumstances, even with the additional urging from the league about its importance.Players, the NBA reminded Wednesday, must limit their interactions to elbow bumps and fist bumps. Hugs and handshakes are not permitted, and when players are exchanging pleasantries after games they remain “strongly encouraged to wear facemasks during any such interactions,” the league said.Included in Wednesday’s guidance from the league: a reminder that speaking face-to-face while unmasked raises meaningful risks of transmission. The league has also said that should a player test positive after such an interaction, the other player could have to quarantine because of his possible exposure.The Grizzlies have not played in Portland since April 3, 2019. They were scheduled to play there on March 12, 2020 — the day after the NBA suspended its season because of the coronavirus pandemic.Portland is the 20th NBA team to have at least one game called off in the last two weeks. Memphis had its game at Minnesota last Friday called off after Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns revealed that he tested positive for COVID-19.Postponed games, when possible, will be made up in the second half of the season, which will take place from March 11 — the one-year anniversary of last season shutting down because of the pandemic — through May 16. The league has not yet released that half of the schedule and isn’t expected to do so until late February at the earliest.Players who test positive must undergo a battery of exams before being cleared to return to play, such as cardiac tests. Those ruled out by contact tracing have been able, in most circumstances, to return after a quarantine period provided they continue to test negative for COVID-19.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Grizzlies-Blazers called off; NBA stresses new protocols — The China Post, Taiwan
Jayson Tatum’s status for the Celtics’ game in Philadelphia on Friday remains in question. “To be determined,” Brad Stevens said after Tuesday’s practice. Though Robert Williams practiced after 10 days in isolation due to a positive COVID-19 test, Tatum and Carsen Edwards have yet to be cleared. “Carsen and Jayson will not be traveling,” Stevens…
Cltics Notebook: Tatum return ‘to be determined’ — Boston Herald
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said his league won’t jump the line for coronavirus vaccines.
Adam Silver: There’s value in NBA players setting example of getting vaccinated — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports
Monday’s game in Miami between the Heat and the Detroit Pistons was pushed back five hours.
Heat-Pistons game delayed to allow for additional testing — WOODTV.com
The view from left field 