The NBA has announced that the Pacers and Pelicans will makeup their “rained out” game March 21st. The two teams were supposed to play on February 7th, but were forced to postpone the game when the roof continued to leak water. Officials did not call the game until 9:45 pm, nearly two hours after the game was supposed to start.
The lengthy time it took to call the game is a much-maligned subject. “At the end of the day, it was all about player safety,” Pelicans general manager Dell Demps said to the New Orleans Advocate. “It’s just unfortunate the decision took so long to make.”
Smoothie King Center facility general manager Alan Freeman said to The Advocate that the arena recently underwent inspections and repairs. “We did spend a good bit sum of money patching up some areas we were able to identify,” Freeman said. “This caught us totally by surprises.”
While many fans were upset that the game was cancelled, player safety is a priority. With how quickly players move and dart around the court even the slightest moisture can be detrimental to a knee or ankle. The Pelicans have also announced they will accept tickets from February 7th and offer free parking to anyone for the March 21st rescheduled game.
