Two more NBA games were postponed by the league on Monday due to Covid-19 and contract tracing issues, bringing the total to four in the virus-shortened 2020-21 season.

The New Orleans Pelicans game at Dallas on Monday and the Boston Celtics game Tuesday at Chicago were both delayed over unspecified health and safety protocol issues.

The league also said it would meet with the National Basketball Players Association on Monday about possible modifications in the joint safety protocols.

There has been concern expressed by coaches about the health and safety of players being forced into playing unusually high numbers of minutes due to depleted rosters being forced to take the court.

The latest postponements will mark three consecutive days of lost games for the NBA after Miami's matchup on Sunday against the Celtics in Boston was called off because the Heat were unable to field a minimum eight players due to Covid-19 issues.

The Celtics had been reduced to the minimum eight players by virus issues with seven players missing due to the virus or contact tracing.

The Heat were still scheduled to play on Tuesday night in Philadelphia, where the 76ers had only a minimum eight available players, just seven of them healthy, for a home loss Saturday to Denver.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that the Heat's available players would travel from Boston to Philadelphia while players deemed at risk through contact tracing would be flown to Florida to quarantine.

The first NBA game to be postponed this season due to Covid-19 issues was on December 23 between Oklahoma City at Houston.

Dallas has three players listed as out due to the NBA Covid-19 protocols -- Jalen Brunson, Josh Richardson and Dorian Finney-Smith -- and Maxi Kleber listed as questionable for the same reason.

Scott Tomlin, the Mavericks' vice president of basketball communications, told the Dallas Morning News that the team would have had at least eight players available on Monday, but the league chose to postpone the contest "to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and other personnel" as contact tracing continues.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said before the season started on December 22 that the league, which completed the disrupted 2019-20 season in a quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida, expected disruptions as it forged ahead in teams' home markets with coronavirus still surging.

"We do anticipate there will be bumps in the road along the way," Silver said in December, adding that's why the schedule for only the first half of the season had been released.

"We know it's possible we may have to reschedule games along the way," he said.

Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said Saturday he trusted the procedures the league had put in place to limit spread of Covid-19, but he said losing so many players to contact tracing posed a danger to those remaining with increased minutes on the floor, wear and tear and the push to perhaps play through injury.

"That's long-term health with the accumulation of games," he said. "So I'm actually more concerned about that than I am actually about Covid."

Two more NBA games were postponed by the league on Monday due to Covid-19 and contract tracing issues, bringing the total to four in the virus-shortened 2020-21 season.

Two more NBA games were postponed by the league on Monday due to Covid-19 and contract tracing issues, bringing the total to four in the virus-shortened 2020-21 season. The New Orleans Pelicans game at Dallas on Monday and the Boston Celtics game Tuesday at Chicago were both delayed over unspecified health and safety protocol issues. The league also said it would meet with the National Basketball Players Association on Monday about possible modifications in the joint safety protocols. There has been concern expressed by coaches about the health and safety of players being forced into playing unusually high numbers of minutes due to depleted rosters being forced to take the court. The latest postponements will mark three consecutive days of lost games for the NBA after Miami's matchup on Sunday against the Celtics in Boston was called off because the Heat were unable to field a minimum eight players due to Covid-19 issues. The Celtics had been reduced to the minimum eight players by virus issues with seven players missing due to the virus or contact tracing. The Heat were still scheduled to play on Tuesday night in Philadelphia, where the 76ers had only a minimum eight available players, just seven of them healthy, for a home loss Saturday to Denver. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that the Heat's available players would travel from Boston to Philadelphia while players deemed at risk through contact tracing would be flown to Florida to quarantine. The first NBA game to be postponed this season due to Covid-19 issues was on December 23 between Oklahoma City at Houston. Dallas has three players listed as out due to the NBA Covid-19 protocols -- Jalen Brunson, Josh Richardson and Dorian Finney-Smith -- and Maxi Kleber listed as questionable for the same reason. Scott Tomlin, the Mavericks' vice president of basketball communications, told the Dallas Morning News that the team would have had at least eight players available on Monday, but the league chose to postpone the contest "to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and other personnel" as contact tracing continues. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said before the season started on December 22 that the league, which completed the disrupted 2019-20 season in a quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida, expected disruptions as it forged ahead in teams' home markets with coronavirus still surging. "We do anticipate there will be bumps in the road along the way," Silver said in December, adding that's why the schedule for only the first half of the season had been released. "We know it's possible we may have to reschedule games along the way," he said. Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said Saturday he trusted the procedures the league had put in place to limit spread of Covid-19, but he said losing so many players to contact tracing posed a danger to those remaining with increased minutes on the floor, wear and tear and the push to perhaps play through injury. "That's long-term health with the accumulation of games," he said. "So I'm actually more concerned about that than I am actually about Covid."

NBA postpones games at Dallas and Chicago due to Covid-19

Seven Women's NBA players have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of Monday's scheduled team arrivals at a Florida bubble, with one team delaying its arrival until at least Saturday.

The 12-team league announced on Monday tests of 137 WNBA players between June 28 and July 5 returned seven positives for coronavirus, although no names or clubs were revealed.

Under US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations followed by the league, players who test positive will self-isolate until being cleared by a physician, generally after two negative tests at least 24 hours apart.

The Indiana Fever will delay travel to the IMG Academy at Bradenton, Florida, by at least five days, the league said, "in an abundance of caution due to the CDC's close contact self-quarantine requirements."

Players and staff from the other 11 clubs were set to arrive Monday at IMG Academy to start a virus-delayed 2020 season.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced last month the league would stage a season at IMG Academy that would include 22 games for each team without spectators starting in late July after pre-season training workouts.

Cases of COVID-19 have spiked in Florida in recent days after state officials welcomed teams into bubble isolation plans to stage seasons. The NBA and Major League Soccer are using bubbles at Disney World in Orlando to play games despite the deadly virus.

Seven Women's NBA players have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of Monday's scheduled team arrivals at a Florida bubble, with one team delaying its arrival until at least Saturday.

Seven Women's NBA players have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of Monday's scheduled team arrivals at a Florida bubble, with one team delaying its arrival until at least Saturday. The 12-team league announced on Monday tests of 137 WNBA players between June 28 and July 5 returned seven positives for coronavirus, although no names or clubs were revealed. Under US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations followed by the league, players who test positive will self-isolate until being cleared by a physician, generally after two negative tests at least 24 hours apart. The Indiana Fever will delay travel to the IMG Academy at Bradenton, Florida, by at least five days, the league said, "in an abundance of caution due to the CDC's close contact self-quarantine requirements." Players and staff from the other 11 clubs were set to arrive Monday at IMG Academy to start a virus-delayed 2020 season. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced last month the league would stage a season at IMG Academy that would include 22 games for each team without spectators starting in late July after pre-season training workouts. Cases of COVID-19 have spiked in Florida in recent days after state officials welcomed teams into bubble isolation plans to stage seasons. The NBA and Major League Soccer are using bubbles at Disney World in Orlando to play games despite the deadly virus.

Seven Women's NBA players positive, Fever delays trip

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NBA postpones games at Dallas and Chicago due to Covid-19

Seven Women's NBA players positive, Fever delays trip