PHOTO: AP
ATLANTA Even in the strangest NBA All-Star Game of them all, LeBron James was still the perfect captain.
Team LeBron showed off its high-flying and long-range skills during a dominating run to close out the first half, setting up a 170-150 romp over Team Durant in the league s 70th midseason showcase Sunday night (Monday, Manila time).
This one sure was different than the previous 69 All-Star contests.
Determined to pull off an exhibition that is huge for TV revenue and the league s worldwide brand, the NBA staged the game in a mostly empty arena in downtown Atlanta, a made-for-TV extravaganza that was symbolic of the coronavirus era.
PHOTO: AP
PHILADELPHIA 76ers teammates Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons were ruled out of Sunday s NBA All-Star Game (Monday, Manila time) after being flagged by coronavirus contact tracing, prompting some players to question again why the exhibition was being played during a pandemic.
The 76ers and the NBA learned of the situation with Embiid and Simmons which stemmed from getting haircuts on Saturday night and made the decision Sunday morning that neither could play about nine hours before the scheduled tipoff.
The game in Atlanta is going forward as scheduled. It s just an unfortunate time in the world where our health and safety should be at the front of the helm, All-Star Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers said Sunday from Atlanta. I personally didn t agree with the game but, you know, it is what it is.