NEW YORK — Commissioner Adam Silver believes the NBA has been “crystal clear” that the 2017 All-Star Game only stays in Charlotte if a North Carolina law goes.
Political and business leaders he’s spoken with in the state believe it will, so he’s holding off for now on setting any deadlines for when the NBA might act.
Silver said last week that the law that limits anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay and transgender people was “problematic” for the league, but he believed dialogue was more useful than ultimatums at this point, so has continued discussions with North Carolina officials.
“The sense was that if the NBA could give us some time, they in the community of North Carolina were optimistic they would see a change in the law. They weren’t guaranteeing it and I think which was why my response was the event still is 10 months from now, we don’t need to make a decision yet,” Silver said Thursday during a meeting of Associated Press Sports Editors.
“We’ve been, I think, crystal clear that we believe a change in the law is necessary for us to play in the kind of environment that we think is appropriate for a celebratory NBA event, but that we did have some time and that if the view of the people who were allied with us in terms of a change … was that the situation would best be served by us not setting a deadline, we would not set a deadline at this time.”
The North Carolina law directs transgender people to use public toilets corresponding to the sex that is listed on their birth certificate.
The law also excludes LGBT people from state anti-discrimination protections, blocks local governments from expanding LGBT protections, and bars all manners of workplace discrimination lawsuits from state courts.
THURSDAY’S GAMES
RAPTORS 101, PACERS 85: DeMar DeRozan rebounded from his postseason shooting slump, scoring 21 points, and Kyle Lowry also added 21 to help Toronto roll at Indiana.
The Raptors lead the best-of-seven first-round series 2-1 and have reclaimed the home-court advantage they squandered by losing the series opener last weekend.
Indiana was led by Paul George, who had 25 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Rookie Myles Turner scored 11 of 17 points in the second half.
But after the opening minutes, the game was never close.
DeRozan’s early scoring flurry spurred a 13-4 first-quarter run that gave Toronto a 21-13 lead. The Raptors never trailed again.
THUNDER 131, MAVERICKS 102: Kevin Durant bounced back from the worst shooting game of his playoff career with 34 points and Oklahoma City retook control of its first-round series with a victory at Dallas.
Durant had seven field goals midway through the second quarter on nine shots after he needed 33 to get there in a Game 2 loss that followed a 38-point win in the opener.
NOTES
HAWKS: Guard Dennis Schroder did not practice because of an injured left ankle and remains questionable for Game 3 of the playoffs against the Boston Celtics.
WARRIORS: Stephen Curry was ruled out of Thursday’s Game 3 against the Houston Rockets because of a sprained right ankle.
HORNETS: Forward Nicolas Batum was ruled out for Saturday night’s Game 3 of the series against the Miami Heat with a sprained left foot.
WIZARDS: Scott Brooks, who had a 338-207 record in seven years with Oklahoma City, agreed on a five-year deal to coach Washington.
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