Game 1 of Storm-Lynx Semifinal Starts Tuesday After Inconclusive COVID-19 Tests

Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals between the Seattle Storm and Minnesota Lynx is rescheduled for Sept. 22 after being postponed due to inconclusive COVID-19 test results.

Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals between the Seattle Storm and Minnesota Lynx has been rescheduled to take place on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 9 p.m. ET, the league announced. 

The game, which was originally scheduled to be played on Sept. 20, was postponed after inconclusive COVID-19 test results were returned from players on the Storm. All players in question have been cleared to rejoin the team after undergoing "extensive additional testing" outside one player who needs a second negative test result to return, per the WNBA's health protocols. 

“The health and safety of all players and staff continue to be our top priority," WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. After comprehensive consultation with health and safety specialists following the additional testing of Seattle’s players and staff as well as the implementation of contact tracing, we feel confident in moving forward with the Storm and Lynx taking the court for Game 1 of their Semifinals series. We are closely monitoring the situation and are coordinating with medical specialists."

To this point in the WNBA season, the league's bubble has held firm in regards to COVID-19 tests.

Two players, Kalani Brown and Glory Johnson of the Atlanta Dream, tested positive after arriving in Bradenton, but they did so in the league’s initial quarantine period. Both were sent off-campus to quarantine at a hotel. There was never an outbreak and the league has not recorded a confirmed positive test since Brown’s and Johnson’s in early July.

Los Angeles Sparks guard Te'a Cooper had an inconclusive test returned on Aug. 4 and needed consecutive negative tests before being allowed to play.

Seattle enters the matchup as the No. 2 overall seed in the postseason, having recorded a double-bye. The No. 4 Lynx knocked off the Mercury on Thursday in their single-elimination second-round game.