Mavs player tests positive for COVID-19, additional 2 remain in quarantine in Denver

Editor’s note: This story has been updated.

The growing wave of coronavirus problems in the NBA hit the Mavericks Friday when, according to two sources, one player tested positive for COVID-19 and had to place two others in quarantine for contact detection.

All three of the players, according to the sources, stayed in Denver while the rest of the players and team personnel returned to Dallas by team plane.

The Mavericks are expected to host Orlando on Saturday night. Although the sources said that the two Mavericks were quarantined negatively tested for the coronavirus, NBA protocols stipulate that the players must remain in quarantine for at least seven days.

Although the Mavericks of Friday afternoon did not disclose the identities of the players who stayed in Denver, it appears that star guard Luka Doncic is not one of them, based on an Instagram video he posted from the team plane .

The NBA season began on December 22 and matches remained uninterrupted, despite the COVID-19 incidents across the country. In recent days, however, several teams have encountered virus problems.

On Monday, it was learned that Nets star Kevin Durant had experienced a quarantine period of seven days due to exposure to someone who tested positive for the virus.

On Thursday, it was reported that Philadelphia guard and former Maverick Seth Curry tested positive for COVID-19, and that several teammates will miss games due to contact detection.

On Thursday night, the Mavericks’ opponent, Denver, learned on Thursday night that Michael Porter Jr., who has missed all four games, will remain in the league’s health and safety protocol indefinitely.

And before the Mavericks’ revelations Friday, the Boston Celtics learned that center Robert Williams III tested positive for COVID-19 and that their teammates Grant Williams and Tristan Thompson will miss time while in quarantine.

Before the Mavericks’ Thursday night overtime against the Nuggets, coach Rick Carlisle discussed the problems of actually creating a travel bubble while following the 134-page health and safety protocols distributed to all 30 teams before practice camps. .

In a question about Carlisle, a reporter described COVID-19 as fickle.

“I think fickle is friendly,” Carlisle said. ‘It’s much worse than just fickle.

” Part of the medical protocols and performing 24-hour testing and rapid testing is that if someone tests positive, there is a period of slightly more than 24 hours in which there is an incubation period. And during the first 24 hours, it is believed that someone who contracts it is not contagious.

‘The system allows a positive test of the group to be quarantined to get another test that it was positive. To make it all work, you need to follow the details of the daily protocols. ”

Carlisle said the Mavericks have the best medical / training staff in the NBA, led by the player’s director of health and performance, Casey Smith, head athletics coach Dionne Calhoun and athletics coach Heather Mau.

“We just have to stay steadfast and understand that there are no guarantees,” Carlisle said. ‘If you’re trying to create a travel bubble, which we do as a league, there are definitely more variables. But the hope is that if someone throws a positive test out there that they can be pulled out of the group and that you can continue from there. ‘

On Friday, it happened to a Maverick, and it resulted in two others going into quarantine. Now the Mavericks and other NBA teams will get ready for everything that comes next.

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