The Washington Wizards on Wednesday announced the postponement of their upcoming game against the Milwaukee Bucks because of a coronavirus outbreak that has sidelined several players, including forward Rui Hachimura.
The clash, scheduled for Friday in Milwaukee, will be the sixth game the Wizards have called off because of an outbreak that has prevented them from dressing the minimum of eight healthy players required under league rules.
The Wizards, who last played on Jan. 11, had initially planned to resume their season at Milwaukee without Hachimura and five other players who unavailable under the league's health and safety protocols.
But in an announcement posted online Wednesday, the team said the game had been postponed "due to the number of unavailable players for the Wizards, contact tracing for other players on our roster, and the length of time preceding the game during which the team was unable to practice."
The Wizards held their first practice since the outbreak on Tuesday without the six players currently quarantining.
"We had eight guys, so it wasn't much, but we did the best we can. It's definitely a tough situation," Wizards head coach Scott Brooks said.
It is unclear whether Hachimura is among the multiple Wizards players who have tested positive for the virus.
The 22-year-old from Toyama Prefecture is averaging 13.6 points and 4.6 rebounds after seven games in his second NBA season. He missed Washington's first four games this season with an eye infection.