On January 12, the league and the players’ union announced new health protocols to deal with a series of game delays. Among the new rules, players and employees were instructed to stay in their homes or hotels when on the move, except for team activities and essential tasks. After a recent game between the Miami Heat and the Nets, a security officer interrupted Nets guard Kyrie Irving’s attempt to exchange T-shirts with Heat’s Bam Adebayo – much to Irving’s astonishment. (Irving put on a shirt for Adebayo after the next game, two days later.)
Other players also participated in the All-Star game. On Friday, Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum, who was selected for his first All-Star team last season, said: “I feel that, for the most part, they did a great job trying to keep us safe,” he said to calls, “although you can’t control everything. But I understand the concerns about that, especially in Atlanta. “
His teammate Kemba Walker, four times All Star, told reporters on Friday that he agreed with James.
“He’s a smart man,” said Walker. “He’s out there. He’s a leader. Many things he says are correct. He feels what he feels. I’ll probably be on vacation. “
Earlier this week, De’Aaron Fox, the Sacramento Kings’ chief guard, said holding the game would be “stupid”.
“If we have to wear masks and do all that for a normal game, what is the point of bringing back the All-Star game?” Fox told reporters. “Obviously, money makes the world go around, so it is what it is.”
At the moment, NBA virus game postponements have decreased. The most recent was on Monday, when the Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets were due to play in Denver. Two days later, the league said in its weekly report that no new players had tested positive for coronavirus. In the previous week, there was one case, a marked reduction from the 27 reported in the previous two weeks. In January, several teams lost several players because of infections and contact tracking, but now most teams are no longer losing anyone for that reason.
NBA players – like much of the country – are under enormous mental strain, as Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors said in a podcast interview posted on Friday. He said this season has been particularly difficult with longer days as a result of daily testing and restrictions on league protocols.