Toronto Raptors will be Short-Handed vs. Pistons

The Toronto Raptors are scheduled to play the Detroit Pistons in Tampa Bay on March 3rd but will be missing several key contributors to the team for the game. 

The Raptors will be without Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, Malachi Flynn and Pat McCaw because of the NBA’s health and safety protocols for tomorrow’s game against the Pistons. That is in addition to Nick Nurse and several other coaches.

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) March 2, 2021

Even though the Pistons are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, no NBA team is bad enough to look past. The Raptors are the most recent team to battle against COVID and have had to call up members of their G-League team, Raptors 905. 

Jalen Harris and Donta Hall have been recalled from Raptors 905.

OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Malachi Flynn, and Patrick McCaw are all OUT tomorrow due to health and safety protocols.

— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) March 2, 2021

Earlier this year, the Washington Wizards and San Antonio Spurs both battled COVID-19 outbreaks and had to re-schedule games as well as play short-handed. There will be more teams that have to battle this throughout the year, and it will be especially interesting to see what happens if this takes place during the last few weeks leading up to the playoffs.

Photo Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports