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'Slap in the face' NBA All-Star Game will be March 7 in Atlanta

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/02/11/asg.jpg"/><figcaption>The NBA displays a tribute to Wuhan on the jumbotron during the 69th NBA All-Star Game on February 16, 2020 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. <em>File photo. Joe Murphy, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>NEW YORK - The NBA on Thursday confirmed plans to hold an All-Star Game next month, with commissioner Adam Silver defending the move as &quot;the right thing to do&quot; despite an outcry from star players led by LeBron James.</p><p>The league announced Thursday that the 70th NBA All-Star Game will be played March 7 in Atlanta along with such skills events as the Dunk Contest and 3-Point Shootout.</p><p>&quot;NBA All-Star in Atlanta will continue our annual tradition of celebrating the game and the greatest players in the world before a global audience,&quot; NBA commissioner Adam Silver said.</p><p>It comes during a mid-season break that originally was meant to give every player a rest after more than a month was shaved off the usual off-season gap as Covid-19 delayed the finish of the 2019-20 NBA playoffs.</p><p>James and other players have been scathing about the decision to go ahead with the game in recent weeks, with the Los Angeles Lakers star describing it as a &quot;slap in the face.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/02/17/21/atlanta-mayor-says-people-should-not-travel-for-nba-all-star-game">Atlanta mayor says people should not travel for NBA All-Star Game</a></li></ul><p>Silver told ESPN that he understands the complaints but called it &quot;the right thing to do&quot; to play the game.</p><p>&quot;I certainly hear the other side of this issue,&quot; Silver said. &quot;It seems like no decisions during this pandemic come without uncertainty and come without risk. This is yet another one of them.</p><p>&quot;And yet it&#x27;s my job to balance all those interests and ultimately it feels like the right thing to do to go forward.&quot;</p><p>Final voting for the All-Star Game starters was to be announced later Thursday with James having been the top vote-getter overall in last week&#x27;s partial totals. The format will see the top vote-getters from both the Eastern and Western conferences named captains and squad selectors, so it&#x27;s likely Lakers superstar James will serve as captain in a game he&#x27;d rather not be playing.</p><p>&quot;We came off a short off-season of 71 days and then coming into season we were told we were not going to have an All Star Game so we would have a nice little break,&quot; James said earlier this month. </p><p>&quot;Then they throw an All-Star Game on us like this. It is pretty much a slap in the face.&quot;</p><div><strong>&#x27;DON&#x27;T WANT TO DO IT&#x27;</strong></div><p>The league and the National Basketball Players Association struck a deal for the contest that will see $2.5 million committed to Covid-19 relief organizations and historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).</p><p>While the charity benefit aspects will please players, the idea of losing even one day off their only meaningful rest break in a season that will stretch the NBA Finals into late July didn&#x27;t sit well with several players likely to compete.</p><p>&quot;We all know why we&#x27;re playing it,&quot; Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard said earlier this month. &quot;There&#x27;s money on the line. It&#x27;s an opportunity to make more money.&quot;</p><p>Players were expecting a week off for a mid-season break after agreeing to return before Christmas with only a two-month off-season.</p><p>The NBA Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest will be staged before the All-Star Game with the Dunk Contest taking place during halftime.</p><p>Extra Covid-19 safety precautions atop the NBA&#x27;s normal protocols include private travel to and from Atlanta, the creation of a &quot;mini bubble&quot; environment within one hotel for players and coaches and enhanced Covid-19 testing.</p><p>Silver said Atlanta was chosen to host because the telecasting network is based there.</p><p>There will be no spectators, parties or special events and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms wants fans to stay away.</p><p>&quot;Under normal circumstances we&#x27;d be grateful for the opportunity to host the NBA All-Star game, but this isn&#x27;t a typical year,&quot; she tweeted. </p><p>&quot;I&#x27;ve shared my concerns w/ @NBA &amp; @ATLHawks &amp; agree this is a made-for-TV event only &amp; people shouldn&#x27;t travel to Atlanta to party.&quot;</p><div><strong>js/rcw</strong></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zt53bbkxBz0?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>NEW YORK - The NBA on Thursday confirmed plans to hold an All-Star Game next month, with commissioner Adam Silver defending the move as "the right thing to do" despite an outcry from star players led by LeBron James.</p>

NEW YORK - The NBA on Thursday confirmed plans to hold an All-Star Game next month, with commissioner Adam Silver defending the move as "the right thing to do" despite an outcry from star players led by LeBron James.