Rockets and Pacers Reportedly Joined Knicks in Initially Resisting Banning Fans From NBA Games

We were all quick to pile on James Dolan and the Knicks last night when it was first reported that they held out against an NBA proposal to play games behind closed doors without fans out of an abundance of caution over the COVID-19 virus. In so many cases, dumping on Dolan feels wholly justified -- in this case, however, singling him out on this issue doesn't pass muster.

Per Adrian Wojnarowski, the Knicks weren't the only holdout. The Rockets and Pacers were similarly resistant to the idea of playing games in empty arenas.

ESPN Sources: Besides the Knicks, two other teams on the Board of Governors call Wednesday expressed reservations on eliminating fans from games without first receiving a formal governmental mandate to do so: Houston and Indiana. https://t.co/ikwsRQ7Agq
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 12, 2020

Of course, the NBA later rendered all of this moot by making the stunning but understandable decision to suspend the 2019-20 season after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus on a preliminary basis.

Sadly predictable that James Dolan and Tilman Fertitta would be on the same page about this issue. https://t.co/ch2ny6FGaq
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) March 12, 2020

We're still learning about the extent of COVID-19's reach, but along with inevitable lifestyle adjustments come wholesale changes across global sport. More dominoes will fall.

Before too long, squabbles over how to play games will feel quaint by comparison; rather, we'll quite possibly find ourselves reckoning with how long we'll have to wait before anyone plays a competitive game at all.