With the NBA season nearing its halfway point, more and more players continue to enter the league’s health and safety protocols, as the omicron variant rips through the country.
After ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed on Thursday that Russell Westbrook will miss time because of COVID, people began to wonder aloud whether the NBA should temporarily pause its season.
“I tested positive for Covid-19 prior to my team’s departure to Orlando,” Westbrook wrote in a since-deleted tweet. “I’m currently feeling well, quarantined and looking forward to rejoining my teammates when I am cleared. Thank you all for the well wishes and continued support. Please take this virus seriously. Be safe. Mask up!”
Following that tweet, Woj reported that the Lakers now have five players in COVID protocol, including Westbrook, Avery Bradley, Malik Monk, Dwight Howard, and Talen Horton-Tucker.
With Westbrook and the four other Lakers out for the foreseeable future, that now makes 63 players total who have entered protocols this season, and 47 in December alone.
With that huge and sudden uptick, which is also being seen in the NFL some people are calling for the NBA season to be postponed until the spread of the virus slows down.
Check out what fans had to say about the increased threat of COVID to the NBA down below.
