Los Angeles (AFP)

The meeting scheduled for Sunday night between Boston and Miami has been postponed, the NBA announced, the Heat being unable to field a required minimum of eight players, a large part of its workforce being required to observe quarantine because of the coronavirus.

“The NBA game scheduled for tonight between Miami and Boston at TD Garden has been postponed in accordance with league health and safety protocols. Due to the Heat's contact case tracing, the team does not have the necessary eight available players required to participate in this meeting, "said the authority.

According to The Athletic site, a Miami player passed an inconclusive income test, which makes his teammates potentially contact cases.

This game is the second to be postponed since the start of the regular season.

The first was scheduled to pit Houston against Oklahoma City on December 23 and has still not been rescheduled.

The Boston-Miami outfit was already hanging by a thread this Sunday since the Celtics are also decimated by the Covid-19.

In the wake of Jayson Tatum's positive test, six other players are also required to remain in quarantine (Jaylen Brown, Javonte Green, Semi Ojeleye, Tristan Thompson, Grant Williams and Robert Williams).

To this list of absentees are added two injured, Romeo Langford (wrist) and Kemba Walker (left knee).

As a result, the Celtics have only eight able-bodied players left, which nevertheless allowed them to play this Sunday night against Miami.

The coronavirus has already struck since the start of the season Houston, Philadelphia, Washington, Brooklyn or even Dallas, also reduced by the imposed absence of several players, required to respect the league's health protocol by being in isolation for one week or even two.

© 2021 AFP