76ers-Thunder game postponed due to COVID-19

Jan. 17 (UPI) -- Sunday night's game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder was postponed because of COVID-19 issues with the Sixers, the league announced.

In a statement, the NBA said the game was pushed back in accordance with its health and safety protocols. Because of ongoing contact tracing within the 76ers' organization, the team doesn't have the league-required eight available players to move forward with the game.

League sources told ESPN that the contact tracing is connected to the 76ers' loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.

The Grizzlies listed veteran center Jonas Valanciunas as out for Monday's game against the Phoenix Suns after he entered the league's health and safety protocols. Memphis then played the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday before its game on Friday was postponed due to contact tracing within the Timberwolves.

T-Wolves star big man Karl-Anthony Towns announced Friday that he tested positive for the coronavirus.

The 76ers have battled COVID-19 issues for more than a week. Veteran guard Seth Curry tested positive for the virus on Jan. 7, leaving the team shorthanded for the past two games.

Philadelphia played with only eight players against the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 9, and it had just nine players in Saturday's loss to the Grizzlies.

The 76ers are scheduled to host the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.