While the Philadelphia 76ers lost 113-91 on Monday night to the Cleveland Cavaliers, basketball didn't seem like the most important thing on Robert Covington's mind.
Just before the game, Covington learned of a tragic death to a close friend, according to Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
“I found out before the game that a friend of mine back home had gotten killed today,” Covington said. “It kind of threw my mental off right before the game. Wrong place at the wrong time.”
Covington had an off game, shooting 0-of-9 from the 3-point line and finishing the game with only two points. He's averaging a career-best 15.2 points and shooting 43.3 percent from behind the arc, a mark that was higher coming into the game against the Cavs.
But Covington was clearly affected on the floor, even though he wanted to be there for his team against a formidable opponent, per Camerato.
“I tried to play through it for my team and my teammates and everything, but it was just one of them tough games to deal with,” Covington said. “It kind of showed.”
The difficult part of dealing with a tragedy like this for an NBA player is the fact that they have to find a way to play basketball amid feelings of sadness. That's exactly what Covington said he will attempt to do before he suits up for Philadelphia's next game.
“Now I've got to sit up here and bounce back,” Covington said. “It's going to be a tough couple of days, but we've got another one coming up Wednesday. Hopefully I'll be able to lock myself back in and come back in Wednesday [with a] whole different attitude.”
The situation is reminiscent of what Isaiah Thomas went through last season when he learned of his sister's murder just one day before an important playoff game. He decided to play anyway, as did Covington on Monday.
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