Christmas season filled with apprehension in the omicron phase of pandemic

The run-up to Christmas is usually marked by anticipation, not apprehension, for the NBA: handpicked rivalries gleam on the schedule, teams break out festive jerseys, players unveil new sneakers and television executives prepare for some of the season’s highest ratings.

Throughout this week, though, the dread that built up over the first few weeks of March 2020 has returned thanks to the rapid spread of the omicron variant. More than 120 players, including stars like Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, Luka Doncic and Trae Young, have entered the league’s coronavirus health and safety protocols in December, while the league has been forced to postpone nine games since Dec. 13 due to a lack of available players.

While NBA officials aspired for a return to normal in October and enjoyed a highly competitive start to the 2021-22 campaign, the league is now stuck coping with its third pandemic season, leaving ESPN executive David Roberts to admit this week that his network’s Christmas Day coverage was a “fluid situation” and that the “hope” was that they could air all five games as planned with multiple teams beset by outbreaks.

Commissioner Adam Silver has found himself facing the same question that circulated in the days before Rudy Gobert’s positive test nearly two years ago: Should games continue?

“No plans right now to pause the season,” Silver said. “We have looked at all the options, but frankly we’re having trouble coming up with what the logic would be behind pausing right now. This virus will not be eradicated, and we’re going to have to learn to live with it. Our ability to find a way to keep operating is also significant to show that there are ways, despite living in this COVID era, that we can find a safe and responsible way to keep going.”

Nets

Brooklyn has enough players to fly to Los Angeles and play its Christmas showdown against the Lakers, though Kevin Durant might not be among them. Coach Steve Nash said that James Harden has cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols, but he said the Nets don’t expect any of their players still in the protocols to come out in time for the game. The Nets have had their past three games postponed.

Bulls

Chicago coach Billy Donovan announced after practice that the Bulls no longer have any players on the protocols list. The Bulls had as many as 10 on it last week, when the league postponed two of their games. Chicago did use the NBA’s COVID-19-related hardship allowance to sign forward Ersan Ilyasova and guard Mac McClung to 10-day contracts.

Timberwolves

Karl- Anthony Towns joined the list of Timberwolves in the NBA’s COVID19 health and safety protocols.