HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night has been postponed after coronavirus cases and James Harden’s violation of the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols left the Rockets without the league-mandated eight players available.
The NBA announced the postponement in a release that said three Rockets players had returned tests that were either positive or inconclusive and that four other players were quarantined because of contract tracing.
The release also said that Harden was unavailable for the game because of a violation of health and safety protocols after video of the disgruntled star surfaced on social media where he was without a mask at a crowded party in a private event space Tuesday night. Rumors have swirled for months that Harden wants to be traded, but the superstar has refused to address the situation.
A ninth player was unavailable for the game because of an injury, leaving the Rockets without enough players to play Wednesday night.
Houston’s injury report released Wednesday morning that Ben McLemore and rookie KJ Martin were not with the team and were self-isolating and that DeMarcus Cousins was questionable because of a sprained right ankle.