With just five hours before tip-off Wednesday, the San Antonio Spurs’ home game against the Miami Heart was postponed, according to a release from the NBA.
The Heat couldn’t get eight available players for the game, since the team is dealing with multiple players in health and safety protocols, as well as a number of injuries.
12 players are currently out for the Heat. Six players are in health and safety protocols, while six other players are dealing with injuries.
This is the Spurs’ first postponed game of the 2021-2022 season. San Antonio is also dealing with players in health and safety protocols, as Dejounte Murray has been in protocols and missed the last two games, and Devontae Cacok went into protocols earlier Wednesday.
The Spurs will now have Wednesday and Thursday off and their schedule will resume Friday in Memphis.
Friday the Spurs will begin a seven game road trip and their next home game in the AT&T Center will take place January 12, 2022 against the Houston Rockets.
The Spurs currently sit 10th out West with a 14-19 record. They’ve been playing better basketball since Thanksgiving, going 10-6 in their last 16 games.
The Spurs have the 10th best offense through 33 games and 14th ranked defense.
Regarding Friday’s game against Memphis, it’ll be interesting to see if Murray will be able to play with the league changing the quarantine period from 10 to 5 days for players who clear protocols.
Murray went into health and safety protocols Sunday, so Thursday would be his 5th day in protocols. If he’s cleared from protocols, it’ll be interesting to see if he is available for Friday’s game.
The Spurs have been very cautious when players return from protocols. Earlier this season Jakob Poeltl missed five games in health and safety protocols. The Spurs kept him out an additional two games for reconditioning.
Jock Landale also missed five games in protocols earlier this season and the Spurs kept him out an additional game for reconditioning.
