Covid issues prompt NBA to postpone Bulls' next 2 games

CHICAGO — The NBA postponed the Chicago Bulls’ next two games on Monday, with 10 of the team’s players in the league’s health and safety protocols.

The Bulls were scheduled to host the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday and visit the Toronto Raptors on Thursday. No makeup dates were announced. The Bulls’ next game is now scheduled for Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers at home.

The team confirmed Monday that backup forward Alize Johnson became the 10th player to enter the protocols, joining a list that includes stars Zach LaVine and DeMar Derozan. Also on it are Troy Brown Jr., Matt Thomas, Coby White, Javonte Green, Derrick Jones Jr., Ayo Dosunmu and Stanley Johnson.

That left the Bulls with the eight available players, the league minimum to field a team. That list includes two players on two-way contracts in Devon Dotson and Tyler Cook, another signed to a 10-day contract last week in Alfonzo McKinnie, and rookie Marko Simonovic, who has played most of the season in the G League.

Players in the health and safety protocols must be sidelined at least 10 days or record two negative covid-19 tests in a 24-hour period before they can resume basketball activities.