Yet another game on the Chicago Bulls schedule is now delayed due to COVID-19 related issues. On the night of Feb. 28, the Bulls were set to hit the road to (what would usually be north of the border) face the Toronto Raptors and head coach Nick Nurse. To make travel easier in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Raptors are playing in south Florida this year.
COVID-19 related issues did strike again, though, as the meeting between the Bulls and Raptors set for Feb. 28 is postponed. The Raptors reportedly (per NBA official release and Shams Charania of The Athletic) didn’t have enough players to don’t have the minimum number of mandatory players to get ready for this game.
The NBA requires at least eight players to be ready to go for each game this season. Due to contact tracing and testing requirements from the league’s health and safety protocols, the Raptors did not have the minimum number of players required to go this weekend.
Due to positive test results and ongoing contact tracing within Raptors, the team does not have the league-required eight available players to proceed. https://t.co/xaFRktmWl4
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 28, 2021
This is now the third game that the Bulls had pushed back in the wake of COVID-19 related issues. There were meetings with the Boston Celtics (Jan. 27) and Memphis Grizzlies (Jan. 12) that were also delayed in the wake of COVID-19 issues.
What’s next for the Chicago Bulls
This means that the next game up for first-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Bulls will come against the star duo of big man Nikola Jokic and guard Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets at home at the United Center on March 1.
That now gives the Bulls two more games before the All-Star Break arrives. Star shooting guard Zach LaVine will be participating in the All-Star festivities this year. And the All-Star Break is set to transpire from March 5-10.
The last game that the Bulls played in came on Feb. 26 at home, in an eventual nine-point loss to the Phoenix Suns. They still have won three of their last games, and five of their last seven, en route to sporting a record of 15-17.