NEW YORK — Dear Knicks fans and Madison Square Garden staffers, omicron and the NBA’s TV contract may screw up your Christmas.
The league sent out a memo Tuesday informing teams scheduled for the five Christmas games to prepare for a possible time change. The fear is the virus outbreak will force a postponement, and the memo stated the league’s priority is to fill the ABC time slots at 2:30 p.m., 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
The Knicks host the Hawks in the first Christmas game at noon, leaving their matchup as a candidate to get pushed back if a later game is postponed. Another option would be to move the Mavericks-Jazz game from 10 p.m. to an earlier tipoff.
Games currently in the prime-time slots are Celtics-Bucks (2:30 p.m.), Warriors-Suns (5 p.m.) and Nets-Lakers (8 p.m.).
In the memo, the league stated it may change a tipoff time as late as Christmas Eve but not on Christmas. Of course, the league believes and hopes that no Christmas games will be postponed as rosters stricken with COVID-19 infections can be filled with hardship exemption signings. The Knicks, for instance, have already signed three players to 10-day contracts since Saturday.
Seven NBA games have been postponed this season, including five this week as the omicron variant swept through the country. Swapping tipoff times fulfills TV contracts but would obviously be a major headache to any fans who purchased tickets around their Christmas plans. There’s also the logistical nightmare of informing MSG workers on short notice they’re needed at a different time on Christmas.
There’s already guaranteed to be a diminished product on the court. Six Knicks are currently in COVID-19 protocols, including RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley. The Hawks are also decimated with Trae Young, Clint Capela and Danilo Gallinari all testing positive within the last three days.
It could resemble more of a G-League matchup than a marquee Christmas NBA game.
Commissioner Adam Silver declared Tuesday 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.
Silver said 90% of the recent positive tests sequenced have been the omicron strain and only a “very small number” of breakthrough cases included players who received booster shots. Ninety-seven percent of the players received a vaccine shot but only 65% were boosted, according to Silver.
“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. “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.”
