NBA to push on with Christmas fixtures despite risk of rescheduled times
New York, New York - Christmas Day in the NBA will go on without a halt as rescheduling of game times would be the only option, according to commissioner Adam Silver.
A league-wide memo was sent throughout the NBA on Tuesday informing teams scheduled for the five upcoming Christmas games to prepare for a possible time change.
Anticipating more postponements due to rampant Covid infections, the league’s priority is to fill the ABC television network time slots at 2:30 PM, 5 PM, and 8 PM EST.
The Knicks are set to host the Hawks in the first Christmas game at noon, but that could possibly get pushed back if a later game is postponed. Another option would be to move the Mavericks-Jazz game from 10 PM to an earlier tipoff.
Games currently in the prime-time slots are Celtics-Bucks (2:30 PM), Warriors-Suns (5 PM), and Nets-Lakers (8 PM).
The league also stated it may change a tipoff time as late as Christmas Eve but not on Christmas Day.
"No plans to pause the season"
The NBA doesn't want to postpone any Christmas games, as rosters stricken with Covid-19 infections can be filled with hardship exemption signings.
These "emergency" signings allow for teams to sign one player to a 10-day contract for every previously active player that enters the league’s Covid-19 protocols.
The Knicks, for instance, have already signed three players so far to 10-day contracts since Saturday.
Seven NBA games have been postponed this season, including five this week as the Omicron variant sweeps through the country.
"No plans right now to pause the season. We looked at the options and, quite frankly, we’re struggling to come up with the logic to pause," Silver said on ESPN Tuesday night. "With the way the virus is being transmitted around the world, it’s become obvious we’re going to have to learn to live with it."
Silver also declared that the league has no plans to pause the season but brought up the possibility of shortening the time in Covid-19 protocols for players who are asymptomatic and vaccinated.
Cover photo: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire