COVID-19 has run rampant throughout the NFL, NBA and NHL this week. Games have been canceled, postponed and delayed all across the country.
It appears the game between the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night will still be played. But not without COVID issues.
Terrence Ross, Mo Bamba, R.J. Hampton and Mo Wagner entered the league's health and safety protocols on Thursday night, leaving the Magic without them for the 115-105 loss to the Miami Heat the following night.
They will all remain out for Saturday's game. The Magic called up four players from their G-League affiliate — the Lakeland Magic — before Friday's game in order to hit the NBA's minimum for available players.
The Nets have similar issues. They have had eight players enter COVID protocols over the last couple of days.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving joined the list on Saturday.
James Harden, LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre’ Bembry, Bruce Brown, Javon Carter, James Johnson and Paul Millsap were already in protocols prior to Saturday.
It was expected to be Irving's first game for the Nets this season until he entered protocols.
The Nets opened 1.5-point favorites. The line ballooned all the way up to Nets -6.5, after the Magic continued to report COVID issues. But after Durant and Irving entered protocols, it moved back the other direction.
The line currently sits at Nets -5.5 on the vast majority of sportsbooks.
Patty Mills is expected to suit up for the Nets on Saturday despite the Nets saying he would get a rest day; they don't have the luxury of sitting guys right now.
They currently have nine players available for tonight's game. If the Nets roster falls below eight, the game is postponed.
