Earlier today, the NBA officially announced that in yesterday's "New York derby" between the Nets and the Knicks, the Nets will be fined $50,000 for allowing Irving to enter the team's locker room, violating local epidemic prevention regulations in New York and the league's health and safety agreements. Later, NBA celebrity Woj added that although Irving can enter the court, but not into the working environment, and in the Nets home Barclays Center, the locker room is considered part of the Nets' working environment, so the NBA will fine the Nets, not personally Irving.
This season, Irving because of the reluctance to get the new crown vaccine, so that he has not been able to play in the team's home game, considering that the Knicks are also in New York, so in the away game with the Knicks, Irving can only watch from the sidelines, although there has been news that New York will gradually relax the relevant epidemic prevention policies and regulations, allowing Irving to become a "full-time player" and participate in home games after that, but so far Irving has not received a clear answer. And after yesterday's "New York derby" game between the Nets and the Knicks, Durant also called on New York Mayor Eric Adams to retract the city's vaccine policy in an interview with the media: "There are already people in this building who have not been vaccinated, and they can still enter the building, so Eric, I hope you can solve this problem." 」 ”
In fact, at the beginning of the season, Irving was once not allowed to step into the arena to participate in any activities, but then gradually obtained the unsealed, not long ago he also deliberately watched his alma mater Duke University and Virginia Tech's NCAA game at the Nets' home barclays center, and this is also his first appearance at the Barclays Center this season, and Irving did not wear a mask on the sidelines, which is basically no different from playing on the court, but unfortunately the relevant epidemic prevention regulations in New York, As a result, Irving still can't continue to get the opportunity to play at home, which also caused the dissatisfaction of Nets center Zhuang Shen, and wrote directly on Twitter: Be reasonable. ”
However, today, he was fined by the NBA, and Irving's desire to get a chance to play at home in a short period of time should be minimal, which also makes the previous statement that he may completely "lift the ban" in mid-March and become a full-time player. The Nets have 13 games to play, including 8 home games, and if New York's epidemic prevention regulations are still not released, Irving will also be determined to miss these 8 games, and in the April 7 away game with the Knicks, Irving will also not be able to play. This is indeed a tough test for the Nets, who aim to return to the top 6 in the East.
The current situation is indeed a bit embarrassing for Irving and the Nets, either you let Irving completely unable to enter the stadium, or you allow Irving to play directly, let him be a spectator but not let the game, this policy is indeed a bit "formalistic", and the Nets must also be prepared for the worst, if Irving is bound to miss these 9 games (8 home and 1 away), Durant and other role players will have to take more responsibility.
Now with a temporary 35-33 loss in the East, the eighth Net, and the sixth Cavaliers are a full 4 win difference, it is true that they are still very likely to enter the playoff stage in the playoffs, but if Irving still can't play the home game in the playoffs, then the Nets may really have to return this season.