Celtics guard Marcus Smart tests positive for COVID-19
By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
The Boston Celtics will not escape the COVID-19 outbreak unscathed, as Marcus Smart has confirmed that he tested positive for the virus that’s put life on hold for the entire sports world.
I was tested 5 days ago and the results came back tonight, which were positive. Ive been self quarantined since the test, thank goodness. COVID-19 must be taken w the highest of seriousness. I know it’s a #1 priority for our nations health experts, & we must get more testing ASAP pic.twitter.com/xkijb9wlKV
— marcus smart (@smart_MS3) March 19, 2020
The team confirmed the positive test involving a player on their roster, though they didn’t mention Smart by name.
“The Boston Celtics learned today that a player has tested positive for COVID-19,” the team said in a statement. “Testing was initiated because of exposure to a known positive case.
“The Celtics player, who is not exhibiting symptoms, has been in isolation for several days and will continue to do so while being monitored by team medical staff. The team is awaiting further testing results and will communicate them as appropriate. Taking steps to maintain the health and safety of everyone in our organization and across the NBA remains our top priority, and we will continue to work closely with health officials and the league in addressing this situation.”
While the virus has certainly gripped the sports world as a whole, COVID-19 has impacted the NBA the most out of the North American big four so far, beginning with Utah’s Rudy Gobert.
(Gobert, of course, was in Boston and played over 30 minutes in a Mar. 6 meeting against Smart and the Celtics.)
Since Gobert, whose positive test led to the postponement of a Jazz-Thunder game and then a complete suspension of the NBA season, there were confirmations of cases with members of the Nets (including Kevin Durant), and the C’s confirmation of a positive case comes the same day as positive tests involving players on the Sixers and Lakers.
Outside of basketball, the Yankees have had confirmed cases of COVID-19 within their organization, the Ottawa Senators announced an unnamed infected player one of their own, and Saints head coach Sean Payton confirmed his diagnosis.