Philadelphia 76ers goalie Seth Curry returned a positive test for coronavirus, which the team learned about near the start of its 122-109 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night, sources told ESPN.
Sixers will stay overnight in New York and will begin tracking contacts Friday morning, sources said. The team will do a new round of testing on Friday in accordance with the league’s health and safety protocols.
Curry, who played Thursday’s game with left ankle pain, spent the first quarter on the bench before Sixers became aware of a positive test, sources said. He was wearing a mask for the first quarter, along with assistant coach Sam Cassell and center Joel Embiid.
Curry then left the courthouse and headed for solitary confinement. He left Barclays Center separately from the team.
Embiid, who has a 3-month-old son, told ESPN that he intends to self-quarantine his family until he is satisfied he has not contracted the virus.
Philadelphia is set to play at home against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.
Sixers coach Doc Rivers, Curry’s father-in-law, said before Thursday’s game that Curry suffered an ankle injury late in Philadelphia’s 141-136 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night, in which Curry scored 28 points. on 11 for 14 shooting 36 minutes.
Rivers said he had no “idea” when Curry was injured. Shake Milton started in his place against the Nets.
“I know he was in the game [Wednesday] … I think somewhere in the fourth quarter it’s late, “Rivers said.” But as long as he’s out, I guess it’s everyday. I don’t think it’s a serious injury, but it’s what needs to be done. “
Curry appeared to be sitting in the front row of the bench early Thursday night, sitting next to Cassell and two places away from Dwight Howard backup center, until the big veteran man sat on the baseline to stretch before entering game.
When Embiid headed for the bench with 3:05 left in the first quarter, he sat in the chair directly to Curry’s left, where he stayed for the rest of the first quarter.
At the start of the second quarter, Embiid was still in his place and Cassell was still in his, but Curry’s place was empty. And it seemed to stay that way for the rest of the game.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Tim Bontemps contributed to this report.