Harden violated COVID protocols, Rockets-Thunder postponed

Houston Rockets guard James Harden Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

NBA finds James Harden violated COVID protocols, postpones Rockets-Thunder game

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 12/23/20

The Houston Rockets’ opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder has been postponed, and James Harden had a part to play in that.

The NBA announced that the Rockets game has been postponed because the team would not have been able to dress the league-required eight players in order to play. In a statement, the league said that three Rockets players returned either positive or inconclusive COVID-19 tests. Four other players were forced to quarantine as a result of those tests. In addition, Harden is singled out for having violated the league’s health and safety protocols.

Houston is the first NBA team unable to field a roster. Their opener against OKC is postponed, NBA says pic.twitter.com/4SruDxf4v9

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) December 23, 2020

Harden’s violation is likely tied to what he says was a dinner he attended to celebrate a friend’s promotion. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported earlier Wednesday that Harden told league investigators he believed he had been in compliance with the protocols, but the NBA clearly did not see it that way.

We know the identity of a handful of players who would not have played had the game gone ahead. With eight players ineligible to play for various reasons, however, the NBA had no choice here. It’s not what the league wanted on the second night of the NBA regular season.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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