The NBA today is opening fan All-Star voting at noon ET, so there "will be NBA All-Stars in 2021, even if there’s no All-Star Game on the calendar -- yet," according to Liz Roscher of YAHOO SPORTS. For now, the All-Star designation is "just ceremonial" after the league canceled the '21 game back in November, "citing public health conditions." The Pacers, scheduled to host in '21, will instead host in '24. More recently, reports have surfaced of a potential ASG in Atlanta in March (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 1/27). ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said having the All-Star Game in Atlanta is “realistic” because “when the league wants something to happen, anything’s realistic." This is especially true "if they have the support" of NBPA President Chris Paul. Windhorst: “Whether it should happen because this could be a superspreader event ... that's a different question. But the league is really pushing for this.” ESPN’s Matt Barnes: “As long as it’s safe, I’m all for an All-Star Game.” But ESPN's Rachel Nichols said there is "no arguing that it would be a bigger risk” to hold the game than not, but that is true of "every sporting event." Nichols added the passing of NBA TV’s Sekou Smith was a “reminder of the high stakes that the league is dealing with” (“The Jump,” ESPN, 1/27).
LATEST SCHEDULE MOVES: ESPN.com's Tim Bontemps noted the NBA "will adjust the existing schedule to avoid having to fill in too many games during the second half of the season." The league will "reschedule games that have already been postponed, where possible, between now and the league's scheduled midseason break in early March." It also will "reschedule games to the second half of the season" in order to "squeeze in more games where possible in the first half." To date, the NBA has had to postpone 22 games. The league and NBPA saw "only one new positive test this week" for COVID-19, "down significantly from the past two weeks, which saw the two sides report 11 and 16 positive tests, respectively" (ESPN.com, 1/27).
