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SPORT Dialuna 20 December 2021
NBA postpones 5 more games; Young, Vogel enter protocols

(AP) - The NBA on Sun-
day postponed a total of
five games involving nine
teams in response to ris-
ing coronavirus numbers,
raising the number of
contests that have been
pushed back this season to
seven.

Called off were three Sunday
games: Cleveland at Atlanta,
Denver at Brooklyn and New
Orleans at Philadelphia. Also
called off were Orlando’s
game at Toronto on Monday
and Washington’s game at
Brooklyn on Tuesday. — tested positive for COV- day’s games, those were the Russell Westbrook said of the been finalized, though talks
ID-19, according to a person only games the NBA had NBA’s rising numbers. West- are continuing.
The postponements came who spoke to The Associated pushed back during this out- brook was briefly in the pro-
on the same day that Atlanta Press on condition of ano- break — with more than 50 tocols late last week, before Brooklyn’s list of players in
announced star guard Trae nymity because the team did players placed on the proto- returning at least three nega- protocols includes Kevin Du-
Young entered the league’s not release that specific detail. cols list in recent days. tive tests and being cleared to rant, James Harden and —
health and safety protocols return to play without miss- even though he’s still not yet
and the Los Angeles Lakers They join Isaac Okoro and But on Sunday, the league ing a game. able to play — Kyrie Irving,
said coach Frank Vogel had Evan Mobley, who entered added significantly to the who has sat out all season
also been added to the list. the protocols previously. list of postponements, with The league and the National for not complying with New
teams simply not having Basketball Players Associa- York City’s vaccine mandate.
Vogel won’t be on the bench enough players to compete. tion have been discussing a The team reversed course
The Cavaliers had five play-
ers enter protocols on Sun- when his team plays Sunday Brooklyn alone has 10 play- plan in which teams in des- Friday and said Irving would
day, the team said. All five — at Chicago. David Fizdale ers — plus some staff — in perate need of players would be welcomed back “for games
center Jarrett Allen, forwards will coach in Vogel’s place, the protocols. be able to sign reinforce- and practices in which he is
Lamar Stevens and Dylan the Lakers said. The Bulls are ments to 10-day contracts but eligible to participate,” mean-
Windler and guards Denzel returning to the court after “It is what it is. Just trying to without those deals impact- ing road games except for
Valentine and RJ Nembhard having two games postponed stay safe as possible and that’s ing salary cap and luxury tax those in San Francisco, which
last week. Through Satur- all you can do,” Lakers guard figures. That deal has not yet also mandates vaccines.

New York Mets hire Buck Showalter as manager

sive Cohen, who is spending Showalter has managed the Jiménez in the bottom of the
freely on players and eager to Arizona Diamondbacks, 11th inning.
win quickly since buying the Texas Rangers and Balti-
bungling franchise in No- more Orioles. He compiled Baltimore also finished last in
vember 2020. a regular-season record of the AL East three times dur-
1,551-1,517-1 (.506 winning ing Showalter’s eight full sea-
Houston bench coach Joe percentage) from 1992-2018, sons, including his final two.
Espada and Tampa Bay bench winning three AL Manager He was replaced by Brandon
coach Matt Quatraro were of the Year awards and taking Hyde following a 47-115 de-
the other finalists for the job. all his teams besides Texas to bacle in 2018 as the Orioles
Neither has any major league the playoffs at least once. overhauled baseball opera-
managing experience, and tions and embarked on a full
(AP) — Buck Showalter is not been announced. Showalter was thought to be The Yankees (1996) and Dia- rebuild.
back on the bench in New the frontrunner all along. mondbacks (2001) both won
York. An official announcement the World Series in the first Since then, Showalter has
from the club is expected in Each of the three met sepa- season after Showalter left. worked as an MLB Net-
Nearly 30 years since mak- the next few days. rately with Cohen in person He led Arizona to 100 wins work analyst and on Yankees
ing his name in pinstripes, this past week during a sec- in 1999 before losing a play- broadcasts with YES. Previ-
Showalter has been hired as Showalter has managed more ond round of interviews. off series to the Mets. ously, he had a similar role at
manager of the Mets as he re- than 3,000 big league games ESPN.
turns to the Big Apple to take over 20 seasons, giving the New York also interviewed His most recent manage-
over his fifth major league Mets an experienced bench former Tigers and Angels rial gig came with Balti- Wired tight but with a sense
team. boss for the first time since manager Brad Ausmus as more, where he spent eight- of humor, Showalter is well-
Terry Collins’ seven-year well as ex-Oakland manager plus seasons from 2010-18. known for his baseball acu-
The former New York Yan- tenure ended after the 2017 and current Dodgers bench Showalter guided the Orioles men, dogged preparedness
kees skipper replaces Luis campaign. coach Bob Geren, who was to three playoff appearances, and meticulous attention to
Rojas, let go in early October the Mets’ bench coach under one division title and a berth detail. He’s already at ease in
following two losing seasons. New York has been search- Collins when they reached in the 2014 AL Champion- New York’s large and pres-
Mets owner Steve Cohen an- ing for solid leadership ever the 2015 World Series. ship Series, where they were surized media market, with
nounced the move Saturday since — in the dugout and swept by Kansas City. relationships that go back de-
afternoon on Twitter. the front office. The 65-year-old Showalter cades to his time managing
joins Hall of Famers Casey He was heavily criticized, the Yankees.
Showalter received a three- Showalter certainly carries Stengel, Yogi Berra and Joe however, for leaving domi-
year contract, according to a credibility, with a long his- Torre as managers of both nant closer Zack Britton in The Mets declined their 2022
person familiar with the deal. tory of turning around losing the Mets and Yankees. Dallas the bullpen during the 2016 option on Rojas’ contract
The person spoke to The As- teams. No doubt that made Green held both jobs as well. AL wild-card game, which Oct. 4, a day after they fin-
sociated Press on condition him an attractive candidate In addition to building a the Orioles lost 5-2 in Toron- ished 77-85 and third in the
of anonymity because the to new Mets general manager winner across town during to on Edwin Encarnación’s NL East following a second-
length of the agreement had Billy Eppler and the aggres- the 1990s with the Yankees, three-run homer off Ubaldo half melt