Thunder Managing to Avoid COVID-19 Spike

The coronavirus is again rearing its head, this time threatening the postponement of NBA games, and even the season.

Over the past several days, dozens of players have entered the league’s health and safety protocols,

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski recently reported that the league is considering making teams decimated by COVID-19 sign additional players in order to play out games.

Through Friday, Dec. 17, 84 total players have entered the leagues health and safety protocols, including 68 all in December.

The Bulls have had 10 different players enter the protocols, and the recent addition of Kyrie Irving brings the Nets’ total to eight.

The NBA isn’t the only professional sporting league dealing with the pandemic at the moment, as the NFL is currently rescheduling games due to outbreaks league wide.

There have also been schedule changes in the NHL and college basketball.

The Thunder, however, have thus far avoided the ordeal. Not one Oklahoma City player has missed a game yet due to health and safety protocols.

General manager Sam Presti announced before the season that all members of the team were vaccinated. The Thunder haven’t released any information as to which players have received their booster shots.

Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center has been opened to full capacity this season. At the beginning of the season, fans were required to show proof of vaccination or test negative within 72 hours.

The Thunder play the Clippers on Saturday at 7 p.m. in Paycom Center.

Los Angeles’ starting forward Marcus Morris Sr. has so far been the only player to enter health and safety protocols, but did so early Saturday.

Former OKC forward Serge Ibaka did not test positive, but did not travel with the team out of an abundance of caution.

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