ANOTHER G-League referee was called up by the NBA to work a game on Sunday (PH time) and another head coach entered the league’s health and safety protocols, on a day where the number of players on the list dropped considerably.
Ref Sha’Rae Mitchell was assigned the San Antonio-Detroit game. She becomes the fourth G League referee called up in a span of two days — three others worked games on Saturday — and is now the 15th woman in league history picked to work a regular-season game.
But there were signs that the league may be starting a return to normalcy. By Sunday, the number of players in the protocols had dropped back below the 100 mark after rising to around 125 earlier in the week.
A significant number of head coaches, however, remain unable to be at games: Atlanta’s Nate McMillan went into the protocols Sunday, the eighth head coach currently on that list and the 11th to deal with a virus-related issue already this season.
Los Angeles Lakers coach Frank Vogel rejoined his team Saturday.
The Hawks took six of what had been their league-high 12 players in protocols off the list Sunday, including Kevin Huerter and Danilo Gallinari.
Among the big names coming off the list is Dallas’ Luka Doncic, who hasn’t played since Dec. 10 — a 10-game absence so far, five with ankle issues and the last five after being put into the protocols. Doncic is in line now to return Sunday against Oklahoma City on Monday. (AP)