All-Star game up in the air
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LOS ANGELES • Indianapolis will now host the 2024 National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star game, leaving next year's showcase in limbo as the league grapples with scheduling changes due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was announced on Wednesday.
The city was supposed to host the 2021 game in February but the league said the worsening Covid-19 health situation had forced it to reschedule the event.
"While we are disappointed that the NBA All-Star game will not take place in Indianapolis in 2021, we are looking forward to the (Indiana) Pacers and the city hosting the game and surrounding events in 2024," said NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
"I want to thank... the entire Pacers organisation as well as the NBA All-Star 2021 host committee and the community of Indianapolis for working with us to reschedule our All-Star activities."
No details about next year's game and whether it will take place were released. Cleveland will play host in 2022 and Salt Lake City will do so in 2023.
The 2024 game will be played in February at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, the home of the Pacers.
Indiana has seen a spike in coronavirus deaths in the past month with a record 103 deaths on Tuesday, taking the state's total deaths to close to 5,500.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
