Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
Dallas Mavericks forward Kristaps Porzingis was fined $50,000 for violating the league’s COVID-19 protocols, the NBA announced Tuesday:
Players are not allowed to go to any bars or clubs regardless of vaccination status, but the league said Porzingis attended a club on May 23. The alleged incident came one day after the Mavericks earned a 113-103 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Saturday.
The league also clarified the difference between this case and that of LeBron James, who did not face punishment for a potential breach in protocols:
Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
When reached for comment on difference between Porzingis-LeBron James‘ situation, NBA spokesman Mike Bass: “While we understand the inclination to compare this incident to protocol violations by other players, including LeBron James, those facts are very different.” Statement: pic.twitter.com/MxbeDkVQz4
The NBA announced Tuesday that James was allowed to attend an outdoor event after being vaccinated.
Though Porzingis was in violation of league rules, he will not have to quarantine after the league’s medical experts determined his attendance “did not create risks related to the spread of COVID-19.”
This is a positive development for the Mavericks, which will continue their series against the Clippers on Tuesday.
Porzingis gave Los Angeles a lot of trouble when these teams battled in the first round last year, including his 34 points and 13 rebounds in Game 3. Unfortunately, a knee injury caused him to miss the final three games of Dallas’ 4-2 series loss.
The one-time All-Star was the Mavericks’ second-leading scorer this season with 20.1 points per game and led the squad with 8.9 rebounds per game.
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