NBA: James Harden available to play against Blazers

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ANKARA (AA) - Houston Rockets star James Harden will be available to play against the Portland Trail Blazers for the next game.

Harden violated the coronavirus protocols after attending the indoor party on Dec. 21

But he will not miss the next game since this was his first offense which took place on Christmas, according to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

"The precedent is that discipline gets ratcheted up. It’s Christmas, it was the first offense. Frankly, to your point, the $50,000 is the limit of my authority under the Collective Bargaining Agreement," he said Thursday.

“If the game had taken place last night, as scheduled, and he was unavailable because of his own actions, he would’ve missed a game and a paycheck. We are just beginning these protocols, and it seemed fair in the first instance. It’s Christmas," he added.

The Wednesday's game between the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City was delayed by the NBA over COVID-19 cases at the Rockets. Harden was fined $50,000.