NBA says strict protocols will be in place for All-Stars
Parties may be part of NBA All-Star weekend next month.
They just won’t include NBA All-Stars.
Players taking part in All-Star weekend in Atlanta will largely have to remain in their hotels when not at the arena, the league told teams on Monday, and all players and coaches — whether part of All-Star events or not — will have to continue getting tested daily for COVID-19.
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association agreed on those rules, the league said in the memo laying out the health and safety protocols that will apply during the break.
The league plans to announce starters for the All-Star Game on Thursday, and the reserves on Feb. 23.
The first half of the season ends March 4, and All-Star event participants arrive in Atlanta on March 6. The game and skills contests are March 7 and — for some teams — games will resume March 10, or a day earlier than initially planned. Other teams will resume play on March 11 and March 12.
All-Star participants will be traveling to Atlanta by private planes or cars, facilitated by the NBA, and must arrive by 7 p.m.
on March 6. They’ll be tested that night and again on game-day morning.
Each player can bring up to four guests, examples of which include family members, longtime close friends, agents and child-care providers. In some cases, players may be permitted to bring up to six guests, provided the additional names on their list are their children. They will not be permitted to exceed the list of four for additional friends or agents.
All guests will have to participate in seven days of at-home quarantine — with exceptions for essential activities — starting Feb. 27, and return four negative coronavirus tests from March 2 through March 5.
Players not participating in All-Star events may travel in the U.S., including Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, during the break. But they must obtain private accommodations for those trips, not hotels or resorts, and are “strongly recommended” to travel private as well.
Other protocols put in place for this season will continue to apply, such as the ones barring players and coaches from going to bars, lounges and clubs and participating in “indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people.”
All players will need to be in their team market, or the market where their season will resume, two days prior to the first game coming out of the break.
Monday’s games
WASHINGTON — Bradley Beal scored 37 points in an entertaining matchup with ex-teammate John Wall, and the Wizards beat the undermanned Houston Rockets 131-119 on Monday night in Wall’s return to Washington.
Wall, traded in December for Russell Westbrook and a first-round pick, had season highs of 29 points and 11 assists for the Rockets, who were missing leading scorer Eric Gordon along with Victor Oladipo, Christian Wood and P.J. Tucker. Houston dropped its sixth straight.
Westbrook had 16 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds for his sixth triple-double of the season — his first in a Wizards win — and 152nd of his career.
JAZZ 134, 76ERS 123: In Salt Lake City, Jordan Clarkson scored a season-high 40 points to power streaking Utah past Philadelphia in a matchup of conference leaders despite a career-best 42 points from Ben Simmons.
Clarkson hit a career-high eight 3-pointers and Donovan Mitchell added 24 points to help the Jazz overcome an early 14-point deficit. Utah (23-5) has won eight straight games and 19 of 20.
Philadelphia was minus big man Joel Embiid, a late scratch because of back tightness.
NETS 136, KINGS 125: In Sacramento, Calif., Kyrie Irving scored a season-high 40 points, James Harden had his fifth triple-double with Brooklyn and the Nets beat Sacramento as injured Kevin Durant watched from the bench.
Irving went 15 of 22 and made nine of the Nets’ franchise-record 27 3-pointers. Harden had 29 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds, his ninth straight game with a double-double. The club record is 10.
KNICKS 123, HAWKS 112: In New York, Julius Randle scored a season-high 44 points, making a career-best seven 3-pointers and leading New York past Atlanta for its third straight victory.
Randle added nine rebounds and five assists, finishing one point shy of his career high. RJ Barrett added 21 points and rookie Immanuel Quickley had 16 for the Knicks.
BULLS 120, PACERS 112, OT: In Indianapolis, Zach LaVine scored 12 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter to help Chicago force overtime, and the Bulls then pulled away from Indiana. Chicago had lost 10 straight against Indiana and eight straight on the road in the series.
WARRIORS 129, CAVALIERS 98: In San Francisco, Stephen Curry scored 36 points in three quarters and Golden State routed Cleveland.
Draymond Green tied his career high with 16 assists as the Warriors sent the Cavaliers to their eighth straight loss.
Collin Sexton led the Cavaliers with 23 points. Cleveland shot 38.9% from the floor and was winless on its five-game road trip.
CLIPPERS 125, HEAT 118: In Los Angeles, Marcus Morris had season highs of 32 points and six 3-pointers, and the Clippers beat Miami for their fourth straight victory.
The Clippers won without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, who were out for the second straight night because of injuries. The Clippers have won eight of 11.
Jimmy Butler had 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Heat. Bam Adebayo added 27 points and 12 rebounds, and reserve Tyler Herro scored 27 points.
Ivica Zubac added 22 points for the Clippers. Lou Williams had 18 points and 10 assists, and two-way player Amir Coffey had a season-high 15 points and a careerhigh five 3-pointers.