Two months into the 2021-22 NBA season, the league is feeling the effects of the latest COVID-19 surge.
In the first six weeks of the season, 16 players were placed into the league’s COVID health and safety protocols, which sideline any player that tests positive for COVID-19 for a minimum of 10 days. The month of December has marked a major uptick.
The numbers continue to grow, but, as of this writing:
There have been 70 NBA players who’ve entered health and safety protocols this month (out of 86 all season), and 50 of them have entered in the past week (12/12-12/18) alone.
— Baxter Holmes (@Baxter) December 18, 2021
MORE: Explaining the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols
Among players currently sidelined are former MVPs Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant and James Harden in addition to former All-Stars in LaMarcus Aldridge, Dwight Howard, Zach LaVine and Paul Millsap.
The Bulls have felt the impact more than any other team this season, as two of their games were postponed due to their having 10 players in health and safety protocols.
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Per NBA rules, a game is only postponed when a team has fewer than eight available players, but that issue had largely been avoided due to the NBA’s hardship exemption, which grants teams temporary roster spots in the event of an outbreak or several serious injuries. Both the Bulls and Nets, who currently have seven players in the league’s protocols, have made use of the hardship exemption up to this point in the season.
MORE: NBA’s hardship exemption, explained
Sporting News has the list of NBA players currently in the league’s protocols:
NBA players in COVID health and safety protocols
Boston Celtics (five players)
- Juancho Hernangomez
- Sam Hauser
- Al Horford
- Jabari Parker
- Grant Williams
Brooklyn Nets (eight players)
- LaMarcus Aldridge
- DeAndre Bembry
- Bruce Brown
- Jevon Carter
- Kevin Durant
- James Harden
- James Johnson
- Paul Millsap
Chicago Bulls (seven players)
- Troy Brown Jr.
- Ayo Dosunmu
- Alize Johnson
- Stanley Johnson
- Derrick Jones Jr.
- Zach LaVine
- Matt Thomas
Cleveland Cavaliers (one player)
Golden State Warriors (one player)
Indiana Pacers (head coach)
Los Angeles Lakers (five players)
- Avery Bradley
- Talen Horton-Tucker
- Dwight Howard
- Kendrick Nunn
- Austin Reaves
Memphis Grizzlies (one player)
Miami Heat (one player)
Milwaukee Bucks (four players)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Donte DiVincenzo
- Wesley Matthews
- Bobby Portis
Minnesota Timberwolves (two players)
- Anthony Edwards
- Taurean Prince
New York Knicks (six players)
- RJ Barrett
- Quentin Grimes
- Kevin Knox II
- Miles McBride
- Obi Toppin
- Immanuel Quickley
Orlando Magic (five players)
- Mo Bamba
- Ignas Brazdeikis
- RJ Hampton
- Terrence Ross
- Moritz Wagner
Philadelphia 76ers (one player)
Sacramento Kings (four players, head coach)
- Marvin Bagley III
- De’Aaron Fox
- Alex Len
- Louis King
- Alvin Gentry
Washington Wizards (one player)
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