The Portland Trail Blazers Close Their Practice Facility Following Three Positive Tests for COVID-19

It was not clear if any players tested positive.

Workouts begin at the Trail Blazers practice facility in Tualatin. (Bruce Ely / Trail Blazers)
By Matthew Singer

The Portland Trail Blazers are closing their training facility five days before the team's first preseason game after three members of the organization recently tested positive for COVID-19.

General manager Neil Olshey announced the closure in a statement issued this morning.

"Over the past four days, we have had three positive COVID test results within our organization," Olshey said. "Out of an abundance of caution, having completed contact tracing, we are closing our practice facility today for deep cleaning while we run confirmatory tests."

The identities of the organization's members who tested positive were not disclosed, and it was not clear if any players tested positive.

On Dec. 2, the NBA announced that 48 players out of 546 tested positive for the  coronavirus following the first leaguewide tests prior to the start of the 2020-21 season.

The Blazers are coming off what is widely considered their best offseason in many years. The team is scheduled to play the Sacramento Kings in a preseason game at Moda Center on Friday, Dec. 11, with the truncated regular season kicking off in Portland on Dec. 23 against the Utah Jazz. No fans will be allowed in the building for either game.

Today, the Oregon Health Authority reported 1,290 new COVID-19 cases and six new deaths from the virus.

Related: CJ McCollum Questions the Blazers' Decision to Reopen the Team's Practice Facility.

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