NBA postpones 2021 All-Star weekend in Indianapolis to 2024 originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The NBA and Indiana Pacers announced Wednesday that they are postponing 2021 All-Star weekend in Indianapolis until 2024.
As COVID-19 cases rise across the country, the league cited public health conditions as the reason for postponing the festivities, which were originally scheduled to take place from Feb. 12-14, 2021. Now, it’s slated for Feb. 16-18, 2024. Bankers Life Fieldhouse will host the All-Star game, itself, on Feb. 18.
“While we are disappointed that the NBA All-Star Game will not take place in Indianapolis in 2021, we are looking forward to the Pacers and the city hosting the game and surrounding events in 2024,” commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.
The league maintains plans to hold All-Star weekend in Cleveland in 2022 and Salt Lake City in 2023.
Indianapolis’ last and only time hosting the All-Star game was in 1985 and marked Michael Jordan’s first of 14 appearances for the East. The contest has lived in infamy ever since because of an alleged plot by Jordan’s teammates -- chiefly, Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas and George Gervin -- to freeze him out.
Jordan, then a rookie, scored seven points, took nine shots and played 22 minutes in the game -- the latter two marks the lowest among East starters.
Two nights later, he dropped 49 points, pulled down 15 rebounds, dished out five assists and swiped four steals in a 13-point home victory over the Detroit Pistons. Only Jordan.
