Right as the Phoenix Suns were falling apart against the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Semifinals, they were apparently dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak, according to Sam Amick and Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

While there was only one player out of the six individuals (also an assistant coach and support staff) who tested positive, one has to wonder if the virus going around had an impact on how the Suns finished that series. Per policy, The Athletic didn't release the name of the player who tested positive, which happened a day after Game 7.

Phoenix went up 3-2 in the series against Dallas before getting destroyed in the final two games, including a truly embarrassing 33-point home loss in Game 7. From the very start, the Suns looked like they didn't know how to play basketball and never stood a chance.

Phoenix didn't hold in-person exit meetings at the facility after the loss to Dallas because of the outbreak, which now has some wondering if the team was following league rules for testing. As of right now, there's no evidence of a breach in protocols, but that won't stop speculation:

The Suns, who privately insist there was no breach of protocol, declined to comment publicly for this story.

“I think it’s very clear that nobody wanted to report stuff,” said one source with knowledge of the Suns’ positive tests who was not authorized to speak publicly about them. “And this is where it gets dicey.”

A league spokesman told The Athletic, “The NBA has seen no evidence to suggest any rules violations by Suns players or staff.” A league source added the NBA could always revisit the situation if new information emerged.

Even the Mavs apparently had some concerns about a Suns outbreak, with rumors of one starting around Game 5. There were other important figures around the NBA who missed time in the playoffs for positive COVID-19 tests, but questions remain about testing protocols.