Nba, Irving can play in Brooklyn: from March 7 via Covid vaccine obligation

“If there are no surprises this week, on March 7 we will remove the vaccination requirement for access, among other things, to sports arenas”. With this tweet, the mayor of New York Eric Adams offers a sensational assist to the restart of the Nets, “freeing” Kyrie Irving for the home games that are now forbidden to him as he is not vaccinated.

the situation

–

The city of New York had introduced a vaccination requirement under the DeBlasio administration that prevented those who had not been shot against Covid from accessing sports arenas such as Barclays Center, home of the Nets, and Madison Square Garden, where they play. the Knicks. It is a rule that also prevents home team athletes (but not away team athletes) from entering arenas. A situation that for Irving, a staunch opponent of the vaccine, means not being able to play the home games of his team. A situation that had prompted the Nets to suspend him indefinitely, only to then reinstate him part time in December (just what they said they did not want at the beginning of the season) in the midst of the Covid emergency. Since returning to the field in early January, Irving has only played 15 away games so far, traveling at 25.1 points and 5.3 assists per game with his peak reached. Saturday night in Milwaukee with 38 points.

return

–

If the stop to the vaccination obligation were confirmed (and even if the internal rules of the Barclays Center allowed it), Irving would be fully available to coach Nash from March 13, from the derby with the Knicks, and would be available for all the last 15 matches. seasonal. Kyrie is out this week, as the Nets play two home games and one in Toronto: Canada prevents unvaccinated people from entering the country. If the vaccination stop were confirmed, Brooklyn would then have Irving fully available for the playoffs, unless a cross with the Raptors.