READ MORE:<\/strong> Two years Ashes preparation wasted, says Atherton<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> Australia take giant step towards Ashes glory<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The virus-related numbers around the league are skyrocketing, and there\u2019s certainly a strong chance that some teams playing on Christmas this year will be without key players. <\/p>\n Milwaukee\u2019s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Atlanta\u2019s Trae Young, Golden State\u2019s Andrew Wiggins and Brooklyn teammates Kevin Durant and James Harden \u2014 all scheduled to be showcased on Christmas this year \u2014 are all sidelined right now.<\/p>\n It\u2019s possible each may be back soon. It\u2019s possible some may not be back by Saturday.<\/p>\n Nobody knows.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not all happening again is it,\u201d Hawks guard Kevin Huerter tweeted, the question that has undoubtedly been on plenty of minds in recent days.<\/p>\n https:\/\/twitter.com\/KevinHuerter\/status\/1472626100031393799<\/a><\/p>\n Sure seems like it is.<\/p>\n A year ago at Christmas, the pandemic was only keeping fans away from most arenas. Phrases like \u201chealth and safety protocols\u201d or \u201cin the protocols\u201d weren\u2019t truly yet part of the NBA lexicon. Now, there are more players dealing with virus-related issues than there are injuries.<\/p>\n And the NBA knows the numbers are almost certainly going to get worse before they get better; that\u2019s one of the reasons why they are now allowing teams to replace players who test positive without any salary cap or luxury tax repercussions. The league memo announcing that decision said the amended policy will be in effect until mid-January, at least.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to make these adjustments because of the situation,\u201d Phoenix coach Monty Williams said Monday. <\/p>\n \u201cTeams are at a competitive disadvantage when you have to lose a guy or two. Some of these teams, it\u2019s happening every other week, every week. I think the league is just trying to help teams out. It speaks to the importance of the G-League to have guys right there that are in shape and ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n Officially, last season\u2019s lineup of NBA Christmas games had exactly zero players sitting out because of virus-related concerns. Through Monday, the 10 teams scheduled to play on Saturday had a combined 36 players known to be in the protocols \u2014 not including Los Angeles Lakers coach Frank Vogel. That number will obviously change by the weekend, but the odds of it going to zero are pretty much nonexistent.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not the best situation in the world,\u201d Williams said, \u201cbut nothing is right now.\u201d<\/p>\n There were two Chicago games postponed last week, two Brooklyn games postponed this week, and five other games shelved as well to bring the total for the season to nine. For now, the five Christmas games all remain on as scheduled.<\/p>\n And the lineup for Christmas, picked by the NBA months ago, sure seemed like it would be more sparkly than this.<\/p>\n There\u2019s Atlanta at New York, a rematch of a playoff series from last season. Boston at Milwaukee, the traditional Christmas appearance as part of the perk package for reigning NBA champions. Golden State at Phoenix, a matchup of perhaps the two best teams in the league to date this season. Brooklyn at the Lakers, a game that many thought would be a potential NBA Finals preview a few months ago. And Dallas at Utah, which will give Rudy Gobert fans in France and Luka Doncic fans in Slovenia something to watch at 4:30 am on a Sunday.<\/p>\n Right now, neither the Hawks nor Knicks would be playoff teams. The Celtics, Mavericks and Lakers are all hovering around .500. Doncic is dealing with ankle soreness, which might impede his availability for Christmas. Davis won\u2019t play for the Lakers until probably late January, at the earliest, with a knee problem. Irving hasn\u2019t played for Brooklyn yet this season.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re all navigating uncertainty,\u201d Williams said.<\/p>\n There will certainly be arguments made by some suggesting that the league should pause, or postpone more games, since the numbers of players currently dealing with virus issues is massive \u2014 15 per cent of the league, give or take. When Gobert tested positive on March 11, 2020, the league shut down for four months. It\u2019s obviously a very different world now and a very different NBA, with 97 per cent of players vaccinated and more than 60 per cent boosted.<\/p>\n Yet the concerns are back and the future seems just as uncertain now as it did 21 months ago.<\/p>\n So, enjoy the Christmas games.<\/p>\n No one knows what comes next.<\/p>\n For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/em><\/strong> clicking here!<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n
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