Report: Suns Claim COVID-19 Outbreak in Playoffs Loss to Mavs
The Dallas Mavericks experienced an exciting playoff run that ultimately ended in the Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors. At the pinnacle of that run, Dallas came back from a 3-2 series deficit in the second round to take down the league-leading Phoenix Suns in seven games.
Luka Doncic, who made the All-NBA First Team for the third time in four seasons, obliterated the Suns on their home court in Game 7, scoring the same amount of points (27) in the first half as the entire Phoenix roster en route to a 123-90 victory.
Three weeks later, a report by The Athletic claims the Suns experienced a COVID-19 outbreak near the tail end of the series.
“The Phoenix Suns were managing a COVID-19 outbreak as their season fell apart, multiple sources told The Athletic, with six individuals — including one player — testing positive either late in the Western Conference semifinals or the day after Game 7.”
Given that the Mavs reportedly started hearing rumors of a COVID-19 outbreak as early as Game 5, questions are being raised as to whether or not teams are following NBA protocols properly.
“A league spokesman told The Athletic, ‘The NBA has seen no evidence to suggest any rules violations by Suns players or staff.’ A league source added the NBA could always revisit the situation if new information emerged.”
Although this might be viewed by many as being an excuse for the Suns’ poor play in the final games of the series, it could be the reason why Doncic was sick during the first two games of the West finals as well.
Regardless, history will always remember how the Mavs dominated the Suns. Phoenix players felt well enough to mock Doncic in Game 5 after they won big, so the report of a COVID-19 outbreak happening among mostly staffers shouldn’t affect the narrative that the Mavs simply outclassed the Suns. Suns forward Mikal Bridges certainly isn’t making any excuses.
“I mean credit to them, everybody played really well,” said Bridges on JJ Redick's "The Old Man & the Three" podcast. “I just didn’t think that would happen, especially Dallas. Dallas is good, but I remember besides this playoffs, I don't think I lost to them, the Suns haven’t lost to them in years.
“So every time we play them it’s like, ‘oh we have their number. We have their number’ and them mother******* got us.”
