A few weeks after being badly eliminated by the Mavs after a completely failed Game 7, the Phoenix Suns are back in the news. We have just learned that the Cactus obviously had to manage the start of a COVID cluster in preparation for this decisive match. Information that raises questions about the proper application of NBA protocol.
This story that will surely make people talk comes from The Athletic : in preparation for the decisive Game 7 of their series against the Mavs, the Suns would have seen the beginning of a cluster linked to COVID emerge. Bryan Gates, the assistant coach of the Cactus, was first tested positive and then placed in solitary confinement at the end of Game 6. After this first case, the American media reports that several other members of the Suns (among the staff but also the players) reportedly said they felt bad between games 6 and 7.. But with a COVID protocol largely eased by the NBA in recent weeks, some might have been tempted to slip through the cracks by avoiding getting tested. A positive result would have penalized the team, which was playing its season at that time. Disturbing information, supported by the comments of sources close to the team, reported by the two journalists Sam Amick and Joe Vardon:
“It seems clear that no one wanted to report. And this is where it gets tricky. »
Anonymous source with knowledge of Suns positive tests ahead of Game 7 against Mavs
No additional reports and therefore no isolation: Phoenix was able to play this match with all his players, but perhaps not all his forces. The horrible first half they offered can be explained at least by the panic behind the scenes and the mismanagement of this affair. And beyond this decisive match, the potential cluster left its mark. A player whose name is not mentioned tested positive and placed in solitary confinement after the match, as did several staff members, for a total of at least 6 confirmed cases. The rest of the post-elimination operations therefore had to be managed by videoconference in Arizona. On the Mavs side, we quickly heard about rumors about the Phoenix cluster, and we kindly alerted the NBA to it. The League, for its part, agreed with the Suns through one of its spokespersons:
“The NBA has not collected any evidence suggesting rule violations by Suns players or staff. »
Either way, it was a pretty shady deal that went down late in the series between Phoenix and Dallas. A story that brings back the lack of clarity of the NBA’s lightened COVID protocol. But there could well be change again, since the League leaves itself the possibility of opening an investigation according to the next elements revealed.
Definitely, the Suns are having a bad end to the season. Between the surprise elimination at home against the Mavs, the doubts about the future of several team executives, Deandre Ayton in the lead, and now this story which resurfaces, the climate is not the best in Arizona right now. However, we will have to work now to get back into action next season.
Source texte : The Athletic
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