NBA Christmas Day COVID update, odds: Thursday's Nets-Blazers game postponed, putting marquee matchup with Lakers in doubt

The NBA schedule is taking more hits because of the current COVID surge, and it could end up affecting the Christmas Day slate.

The Brooklyn Nets, the favorite to win the NBA title, had their third straight game postponed because they don't have enough players to field a team. The Nets are scheduled to play a road game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day at 8 p.m.

Superstars Kevin Durant and James Harden are out, and Kyrie Irving also is among the league-high 10 players in the NBA's health and safety protocols as of Tuesday. 

Irving had been out all season after refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but he was planning return to the Nets as a part-time player. New York City has a vaccine mandate in place, so the plan was for Irving to play in road games, but he tested positive one day after it was announced that he would rejoin the team.

Players who test positive are required to quarantine for 10 days and can be cleared to return if they show  two negative tests at least 24 hours apart. Harden entered the league's health and safety protocols on Dec. 14. so he could be back by Christmas Day, but Durant and Irving were added on Dec. 18. 

A stipulation for Irving's return also was that he test negative for five consecutive days. The team has taken a lot of heat for reversing course from its original stance and allowing him to play without being vaccinated.

On Tuesday, the league informed the 10 teams scheduled to play Christmas Day that the NBA schedule could change if the COVID surge affects any of Saturday's games. The league's priority will be filling the ABC broadcast time slots. Those games currently feature Boston at Milwaukee at 2:30 p.m. ET, Golden State at Phoenix at 5 p.m. ET and Brooklyn at Los Angeles at 8.

ESPN is scheduled to broadcast Atlanta at New York at noon ET and Dallas at Utah at 10:30 p.m. ET. Either of those games could be moved to ABC, and the decision could be made as late as Friday.

Brooklyn vs. Los Angeles and Golden State vs. Phoenix are the most enticing matchups of the day. The Nets are the +260 favorite to win the NBA title in the latest NBA futures odds from Caesars Sportsbook. The Warriors are the +600 second choice, followed by the Bucks (+750), Suns (+900) and Lakers (+1000).       

Wednesday's Raptors vs. Bulls matchup also was postponed, as Toronto has eight players in COVID protocols. Forward OG Anunoby was the latest added to a list that also includes star guard Fred VanVleet. Toronto's game against the Orlando Magic also was postponed earlier this week.

The postponements increased to nine the number of games pushed back because of COVID as the Omicron variant continues to wreak havoc on the sports world.

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