(RADIO.COM Sports) All-Star weekend is always a highlight of the NBA calendar, though it always figured to have a different look this year with COVID-19 continuing to pose challenges. The NBA resumed in December following the shortest offseason in league history (just 73 days passed between the Finals and Opening Night) and has a midseason break planned for March 5-10. But it won't be a break for everyone.
The league and players' union are finalizing plans to reinstate the All-Star Game, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The game will take place at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on March 7, Wojnarowski reported. Indianapolis had been set to host the All-Star Game this season but will instead host in 2024.
Rather than devoting an entire weekend to the event, the All-Star festivities will be condensed into a single night in an effort to transport players in and out of Atlanta as quickly as possible. It’s unclear what that would mean for All-Star staples like the slam dunk and 3-point contests, which are traditionally held Saturday, not to mention the celebrity and rookie games, which are usually staged Friday of All-Star weekend. Testing and safety protocols are still being "ironed out," per Wojnarowski.
Suns point guard Chris Paul, who has served as president of the National Basketball Players Association since 2013, is on board with the plan, according to the report, with proceeds from the game benefiting both COVID-19 relief efforts and historically black colleges around the country.
Playing the game in Atlanta, which last hosted it in 2003, arguably makes the most practical sense considering the TNT studios, which are also in Atlanta, are only a short drive away. That would allow TNT’s television crew easy access to the event without traveling to a remote location that would require extensive COVID testing and other safety measures.
Fan voting has already commenced with All-Star balloting open until Feb. 16. Team LeBron won the All-Star Game last season, with MVP honors going to Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, who contributed a game-high 30 points on impressive 11-for-18 shooting, including 8-of-14 from downtown.
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