The NHL has revised a COVID-19 prevention arena protocol just one day after it was established after emphatic protests from the players.

On Wednesday night, the NHL sent a memo to all of its teams and COVID compliance officers that detailed a handful of new safety protocols. The additional measures came during a week in which the New Jersey Devils, Buffalo Sabres and Minnesota Wild all postponed multiple games due to outbreaks among players and at least one head coach.

In the memo, the NHL established a new policy on player access to the arena on game night. The protocol stated that players were "not permitted to arrive at the game arena more than 1 hour and 45 minutes before puck drop," unless it was for the treatment of injuries. The rationale was that the restricted entry time would "minimize the period of time for possible exposure and transmission of COVID-19 while Players are gathered at the arena."

On Thursday afternoon, the NHL revised that policy. The new language reads "players and coaching staff are being advised, whenever practicable, to arrive at the game arena no more than 1 hour and 45 minutes before puck drop, except to receive necessary treatment or to engage in preparations in advance of the game." Essentially, the policy went from being a mandate to a suggestion.

The change came after NHL players voiced concerns, both publicly and behind the scenes, about the restricted access to the arena.

"There are certain protocols that seem like no-brainers. But as far as that one in particular, it becomes a struggle," one NHL veteran told ESPN. "It's also about the health of the player on the ice: If we're not able to prepare for a game as we regularly prepare, we run the risk of injury. Especially in a season that's more condensed."

Andrew Copp of the Winnipeg Jets said the players "would be fighting [the rule] for sure" in expressing his personal unhappiness with it.

"Some of the protocols obviously in place, like virtual meetings, the spreading out guys in the room, I really understand that part," Copp said. "But not being allowed in the facility until an hour and 45 [minutes]? I mean, we got guys that show up here before 4 o'clock for 7 o'clock games. This is pretty much the only place we're allowed to come. We're not going to each other's houses. We're not going to restaurants. We're not pretty much not doing anything. The one place that we've made a safe space is the locker room and the rink. I don't see what the difference is between a 5:15 and a 4:15 entrance."

Other players seemed more amenable to the rule, like Alex Tuch, who is the NHLPA rep for the Vegas Golden Knights.

"Obviously, it's a little bit different than what we usually do before games," said Tuch, whose coaching staff and star defenseman Alex Pietrangelo have been in the NHL COVID protocols this week. "The NHL is working tirelessly to try and prevent COVID spreading as much as possible. Our team is willing to abide by any protocol, and we're going to continue to do so as long as the league sees it necessary. We know firsthand what it can do."

Detroit head coach Jeff Blashill said the NHL's concerns about the arena are understandable.

"The problem in ice hockey is that we play in a rink where the humidity is dry and the air is cool. My understanding, in the research I've done, is that it potentially lets that virus sit right there in the air. It doesn't dissipate," he said. "So we're in this situation that we're in. We have to do the best we can. The fact that games are getting postponed is unfortunate. But from our perspective, we have to do the best that we can with the protocols in place."

The other newly established COVID-19 protocols for the NHL included the removal of glass shielding behind the benches for better air circulation, game day meetings being conducted virtually, the potential deployment of air filtration units around player benches and a mandate that teams submit plans for their home and away dressing rooms that puts at least six feet between players at their stalls.

"Our priority has been and will continue to be to act conservatively with an abundance of caution, understanding that there are many things about the transmission of COVID-19 that are still being discovered. As a result, we won't hesitate to take additional measures as indicated by what we are learning and as directed by our medical advisers," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said.

The NHL has had around 100 players on its "COVID Protocol Related Absences" list this season, for everything from positive tests to mandatory travel quarantines. It has postponed 22 games so far in the 2020-21 campaign.

Sources tell ESPN that there has been a renewed push to get rapid COVID testing to go along with its daily PCR testing. The NBA is currently using rapid tests before tipoff of each game. While some NHL arenas have rapid testing for those who enter the building, daily rapid testing of players has been used "where deemed helpful or necessary," according to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly - such as when a team returns from a slate of postponed games.

According to sources, the biggest concern about widespread rapid testing in the NHL isn't as much about cost as it is about finding the inventory of tests necessary to accomplish that task on a daily basis.

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has weighed in on a debate about refereeing by saying many officials in Spain were likely to favour his club's great rivals Real Madrid.

Pique, in an interview on YouTube show "Post United" on Thursday, said that if the vast majority of La Liga referees supported Real Madrid, they would naturally be partial to that team when refereeing their games.

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The central defender, recovering from a long-term knee injury, was reacting to Spanish media reporting comments from former referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez that many officials in Spain were Real Madrid fans.

Iturralde said the split between Real Madrid and Barca supporters on the officials' list was "90% to 10%."

"Even subconsciously, how are they not going to give more decisions to one side than the other?" Pique queried. "While I respect the professionalism of the referees and I know they try to do their best, when a moment of doubt comes..."

Pique also spoke about the drama surrounding teammate Lionel Messi, who has stated he will wait until the end of the season before deciding where his future lies.

Among the clubs that are said to be courting Messi is Paris Saint-Germain, which even prompted Barca coach Ronald Koeman to say the French giants talk about Messi "too much." Koeman also chided PSG star Angel Di Maria's "disrespectful" claims on a potential Messi move.

"It's surprising that a player from an other team would say that, you'd have to ask him why," Pique said about Di Maria's comments. "I see [Messi] as focused as ever."

Pique was similarly coy on his thoughts about the exit of Luis Suarez from Barca to league leaders Atletico Madrid last summer, where the Uruguay striker is currently having a strong season.

"Ask the one who let him go. That's not my fault," Pique said, referring to Josep Maria Bartomeu, who resigned as club president in 2020.

On Bartomeu's well-documented ouster, Pique said: "When you try to escape from problems and you delegate and you don't appear, everything becomes very complicated. Problems are not solved by themselves. The club needed more leadership, for the president to show his face."

Reuters contributed to this report.

MLS announced that it has once again extended its deadline for negotiating a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the MLS Players Association (MLSPA) for 24 hours until 11:59 p.m. ET on Feb. 5.

The extension is the second one granted by MLS in the last week after the league said on Jan. 29 it would extend talks through 11:59 p.m. ET on Feb. 4. MLS said that if a deal was not reached by then it would terminate the CBA and lock the players out. But with the two sides locked in negotiations, the decision was made to continue talks.

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An MLS statement read: "Major League Soccer and the MLSPA continue to meet daily to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the League in 2021 and beyond. Although we have not finalized a new Collective Bargaining Agreement and remain apart on some key issues, discussions this week have been productive, and we have made progress.

"Since the negotiations have reached an advanced stage, the League has extended the negotiating period by 24 hours to provide every opportunity to finalize an agreement by 11:59 p.m. ET on Feb. 5."

The primary sticking point has been MLS' insistence that the CBA be extended by two years through 2027. This would have the effect of delaying the jump in compensation that typically comes with a new CBA. More importantly, such an extension would provide the league with considerable distance from the 2026 World Cup -- co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico -- and take away considerable leverage from the MLSPA to negotiate improved terms in the run-up to the tournament and the subsequent years after.

Last week, the MLSPA offered to extend the length of the deal by one year to 2026, reduce the salary cap every year from 2022-25, as well as reduce the percentage of revenue from TV rights in 2024 to 12.5 percent. In return, the MLSPA asked that the threshold for free agency in 2025 and 2026 be lowered to 23 years of age and four years of service. The current threshold is 24 years of age and five years of service. Overall, the offer amounts to $53 million in concessions over the life of the CBA.

Sources tell ESPN that earlier this week, the players authorized the union's bargaining committee to open up new negotiating points in a bid to extract additional concessions from MLS.

MLS is seeking between $100m and $110m in concessions from the MLSPA.

The threat of a lockout came after MLS reopened CBA negotiations by invoking a force majeure clause back on Dec. 29 due to the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the slow rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, MLS feels it is looking at another year with little to no fans in the stands. Given its reliance on gameday revenues, MLS feels its finances will be severely impacted, and thinks the players should bear some of the sacrifices.

The union has countered that MLS' approach to the negotiations wasn't done out of financial necessity but rather financial opportunism. The MLSPA made $150m in concessions over the life of the deal when it signed the latest CBA last June.

The invoking of the force majeure clause opened up a 30-day window for the two sides to negotiate a revised CBA. Because an agreement wasn't reached within that window, either side could've nullified the CBA.

In January, MLS announced that training camps ahead of the 2021 regular season would commence on Feb. 22. The regular season is set to begin on April 3.

Jose Mourinho was right: It is easy to manage Chelsea, especially if their opponents play like his Tottenham Hotspur team did in a 1-0 loss to the Blues.

The Tottenham manager had a wry smile on his face when suggesting in the prematch press conference that "I don't think it's very difficult to coach" the Blues, citing his success there as a manager in addition to league titles for Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte.

This was Thomas Tuchel's first big test since succeeding Frank Lampard, but he cannot have imagined it would ever be this comfortable, even if the scoreline suggests a degree of jeopardy right until the end.

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The outcome was only in doubt due to Chelsea's profligacy in front of goal, a hangover from the Lampard era which Tuchel will need longer than 10 days to fix. It reflects well on him that there are clear signs of change already, however, with the Blues adapting quickly to a 3-4-3 system and a demand for short, sustained passing paired with a high defensive line and regular interchanging of positions.

If there were any early nerves, Spurs' passive approach allowed the visitors to settle, just as was the case a week earlier when a fragile Liverpool team were allowed to find their rhythm to emerge with a comfortable away win over Mourinho's team.

Tottenham ceded the initiative from the outset, relying on the contain-and-counter style that briefly threatened to see them enter the Premier League title race, particularly after beating Manchester City 2-0 in November.

That day, they had four shots in 90 minutes, scoring with their only two on target. They had seven on Thursday night, the principal difference being that Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min were then in the midst of a devastatingly efficient run -- far outperforming their expected goal return for those who place importance on such statistics -- and at the back, Eric Dier was marshalling an extremely well organised defence to force their opponents into over-committing players.

Spurs have lost their way defensively since and, without Kane, there is nobody able to link the play to maximise Son's counter-attacking threat.

It is curious, then, that Mourinho chose to set up in a similar fashion despite previously admitting this does not play to Carlos Vinicius' strengths.

And Mourinho's approach is predicated seemingly more than any other on scoring the first goal. Vinicius had a moment inside the first 10 minutes when he could have released Son, free in space to his left as Spurs broke. Yet Vinicius, on his first Premier League start, struggled to control the ball for a moment and the chance was gone.

It was a microcosm of what Spurs were missing and given the fine margins Mourinho's style required to go in his team's favour, hugely significant, particularly as Chelsea monopolised possession, registering 77 percent of the ball in the opening 20 minutes.

That Chelsea hadn't registered a shot on target in that time - and required a penalty to take the lead - was evidence of Tuchel's forwards still searching for their best form.

Timo Werner's wait for a League goal extends into 13 games, but he was better here restored to a centre-forward role - on a ground where he excelled for RB Leipzig last season, scoring the winner from the penalty spot. He won the penalty this time, being fouled by Dier in the box as the England defender flailed his legs carelessly in the box.

Jorginho netted the spot kick and, although Spurs showed a little more invention thereafter, they did not register a shot of any description until the 79th-minute. Vinicius could have snatched a point at the death, but headed Serge Aurier's cross wide from six yards out.

Once again, none of Chelsea's attacking players found the net. They needed goals from Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso to beat Burnley, but Tuchel once again found a framework in which his off-form players could still be threatening.

Callum Hudson-Odoi was again a menace in a more advanced position, while Mason Mount proved he is far more than a Lampard pet-project, excelling again and the unluckiest not to score.

Spurs never got themselves in a position to capitalise and the lack of attacking intent calls Mourinho's methodology into question. He remains capable of securing one-off results -- and there is an EFL Cup Final to come in April -- but the suspicion remains it is extremely tough to triumph over a 38-game season with such conservatism. This post-Manchester United Mourinho was supposed to be more adaptable.

Mourinho can point to the absence of Kane, Sergio Reguilon and Giovani Lo Celso, but ostracising Dele Alli -- injured for this game -- and limiting Gareth Bale's involvement (he was an unused substitute here) appear increasingly counter-intuitive.

And in any case, this looks like being a season defined at the top end even more than usual by the teams that cope with their absentees the best.

Manchester City lead the table despite being bereft of a recognised striker until Gabriel Jesus returned to action last week.

Liverpool's centre-back crisis has led Jurgen Klopp to name 12 different partnerships there this season. Injuries in this COVID-19 affected campaign are inevitable and Mourinho cannot hail chairman Daniel Levy's work in assembling this squad one minute and then act as though securing results in difficult circumstance is beyond him the next.

After Spurs suffered their third consecutive League defeat for the first time since February 2012 and Mourinho was beaten in back-to-back home games for the first time ever, the Portuguese threw in a swipe at referee Andre Marriner.

Mourinho: "I told him something that he knows already, which is I consider him one of the best referees in the Premier League. He is a referee I have a big admiration [for] and that gives me a good position to tell him that I didn't like he performance.

"Reguilon means something for our attacking football, Harry Kane means something for our attacking football, Lo Celso means something again for our attacking football, a good Dele Alli that we didn't have yet but we hope we can have in the future, means something for us.

"And not just what they mean, but they mean we don't have many options to rotate and in the end we finish with people with some signs of fatigue because of the accumulation of matches.

"The second thing is confidence. They are very important to play football. When a team has a period when the results are not good, you need that click back to go back to normality."

Postmatch comments aside, Mourinho was sodden on the touchline by the end, despite periodically wiping himself down with a white towel throughout the match. Spurs played like he'd thrown it in before kickoff.

CHICAGO -- The White Sox have agreed to a minor league contract with veteran catcher Jonathan Lucroy, giving them another option behind Yasmani Grandal, according to multiple reports.

The 34-year-old Lucroy appeared in one game with Boston last season, serving as an eighth-inning defensive replacement on opening day of the pandemic-shortened season. In 2019, he batted .232 with eight homers and 36 RBI in 101 games with the Angels and Cubs.

The deal, which is pending a physical, was first reported by FanSided.

Grandal and James McCann were the primary catchers for the White Sox last year, forming one of the best duos in the majors. But McCann became a free agent and agreed to a $40.6 million, four-year deal with the New York Mets.

Zack Collins, a first-round pick in the 2016 amateur draft, also should be in the mix for the backup job behind Grandal. The White Sox also have Yermin Mercedes and Seby Zavala on their 40-man roster.

Lucroy made his big league debut in 2010 with Milwaukee. The two-time All-Star is a .274 hitter with 108 homers and 545 RBI in 1,203 games, also playing for Texas, Colorado and Oakland.

Lucroy was one of the majors' most productive catchers from 2011-16, but his numbers have dropped off in recent years. He had a big league-best 53 doubles with the Brewers in 2014.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR, ARCA and NBC Sports announced Thursday the broadcast coverage schedule for this year’s slate of grassroots races across TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold and NBCSN.

The television and streaming calendar includes events in the ARCA Menards Series East and West, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing.

All races from the ARCA Menards Series East and West, and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will air live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.

NBCSN will air tape-delayed coverage of every race from the three series – except those that are combined ARCA Menards Series events – for a total of 27 race broadcasts.

The ARCA Menards Series East season fires up with the Jeep Beach 175 at New Smyrna Speedway on Monday, Feb. 8 at 7:40 p.m. ET, airing live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.

NBCSN will provide tape-delayed coverage of the event on Monday, Feb. 15 at 10:30 p.m. ET.

The General Tire 125 at Sonoma Raceway marks the first NBCSN ARCA Menards Series West race of the season.

It will air live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold on Saturday, June 5 at 5 p.m. ET before NBCSN provides tape-delayed coverage on Wednesday, June 9 at 4 p.m. ET.

The 2021 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour campaign begins at Martinsville Speedway on Thursday, April 8 at 8 p.m. ET live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.

NBCSN coverage of the event will air on Wednesday, April 14 at 5 p.m. ET.

The 55th annual World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna Speedway features nine consecutive nights of racing from Feb. 5-13.

TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold will provide coverage of the entire World Series of Asphalt, which includes NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series events, highlighted by super late models, pro late model and tour-type Modifieds.

“NBC Sports is a tremendous partner that provides incredible support for the growth of racing at all levels,” said Brandon Igdalsky, NASCAR managing director, touring series. “Showcasing NASCAR and ARCA grassroots racing on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold and NBCSN spotlights fiery competition, provides a platform for upcoming stars, and best of all, provides our passionate fanbase with the entertainment they crave.”

The TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold NASCAR Roots package that includes the ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Pinty’s Series and select NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series events is available for $2.99/month.

The full TrackPass package, which includes NASCAR Roots, IMSA and American Flat Track events is available for $4.99/month.

Complete event/air dates and times for all three series on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold and NBCSN are below. All times are ET and the schedule is subject to change.

2021 ARCA Menards Series East Schedule

2021 ARCA Menards Series West Schedule

2021 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Schedule

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is expected to return after a shaky season in which the team finished 31st in total offense and points scored, a source told ESPN.

Although Garrett will stay, there will be some changes to the Giants' offensive staff, among them the possibility of internal alterations when it comes to the responsibilities of those currently on staff. Increased responsibility for quarterbacks coach Jerry Schuplinski, wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert and tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens is possible.

In addition, the Giants are currently searching for a new offensive line coach with assistant line coach Ben Wilkerson and former Houston Texans line coach Mike Devlin among those being interviewed. Tolbert is also reportedly in the running to be the Minnesota Vikings' offensive coordinator.

This was the expected outcome with Garrett despite the Giants' offensive struggles, especially after the coaching carousel had spun for weeks and there was no word on his future. The belief is that some stability for quarterback Daniel Jones and the offense could be valuable.

Jones has already had two offensive coordinators and systems in his first two NFL seasons.

"As far as the potential of Jason leaving, of course it makes you a little antsy," general manager Dave Gettleman said after the season. "Just imagine, anybody, any of you guys, having your fourth editor in four years. It's the same thing. It's no different. We'll adjust and adapt and do what we have to do and obviously anything we do moving forward, Daniel is a big part of it. We're certainly conscious of that piece, to answer your question."

Garrett, 54, came to New York after nine seasons as the Dallas Cowboys' head coach. But it was at the request of ownership that first-year coach Joe Judge looked at the former Giants backup quarterback to be his coordinator.

Despite Judge signing off on it, the marriage seemed arranged and wasn't perfect in Year 1. It became evident that Garrett might not be the perfect match with Judge when offensive line coach Marc Colombo was fired midseason. Colombo and Garrett had spent years together in Dallas. Colombo wasn't happy that Judge was bringing in veteran offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo as a consultant, and the situation deteriorated from there.

DeGuglielmo's contract has since expired, and he is not expected to return, according to multiple sources.

Sources also told ESPN that Judge was very hands-on with the offense (much as he was with the offensive line) and that it seemed to create a noticeable "tension" with Garrett. That could have been because of the results. The Giants (6-10) topped 23 points just once in the final 11 games. Only the New York Jets ranked below them in points and total offense.

Jones also didn't make the strides they were hoping to see in his second season while the offense stumbled continually. He produced just 12 touchdowns this past season but had 16 turnovers.

The Giants were also more aggressive when Kitchens stepped in to call plays while Garrett was unavailable because of a positive COVID-19 test. Judge was especially complimentary of the job Kitchens, a former offensive coordinator and head coach in Cleveland, did in Garrett's absence.

Garrett sidestepped a question late in the season about whether he would return for a second season with the Giants.

"I'm just excited about the opportunity we have this week," he said before the season finale against the Cowboys. "Really, I've just tried to stay in the moment in any position I've had as a player or coach in the NFL. That's typically when you play your best and coach your best. That's really what I'm focused on."

Judge also didn't seem thrilled with the effectiveness of the offensive system. He was hardly effusive with praise for Garrett when asked what he wanted to see from the offense next year. In fact, he didn't even mention Garrett's name.

"Well, I'm always going to look for our offense to evolve with the players we have in it. To me, the priority is getting good players in here, which I think we have, and then put them in positions where they can make plays," he said.

Before his nine-season stint as the Cowboys' head coach, Garrett was Dallas' offensive coordinator. But he hadn't called plays since 2012. The Giants' offense also took a serious hit when star running back Saquon Barkley tore his knee in Week 2.

Barkley, along with Garrett now, also is expected back for next season.

The watch list of 20 players for the 2021 John R. Wooden Award was announced Monday in a race that is shaping up as a matchup of Iowa's Luka Garza -- the nation's leading scorer and last season's Wooden runner-up -- against the field. With roughly a month to play in the regular season, ESPN.com's panelists sized up Garza's candidacy, while trying to identify someone else who might have a case to challenge him for the honor.

What's the top three of your Wooden ballot look like right now? If forced to make a case for someone other than Iowa's Luka Garza at the top, could you make a reasonable argument?

Myron Medcalf, senior college basketball writer: The top of my ballot is Luka Garza, Jared Butler and Corey Kispert. Ayo Dosunmu is right there. The other Gonzaga guys -- Jalen Suggs, Drew Timme, too -- but I just think Garza separated himself from the pack a long time ago.

The greatest difference is the rest of the guys on the list have a stronger supporting cast. Gonzaga is stacked. Baylor, too. Butler went 6-for-18 on Saturday against Auburn and Baylor still won by double-digits. He went 2-for-11 against Texas Tech last month and Baylor still found a way to win.

Illinois has four players not named Dosunmu averaging at least eight points, including Kofi Cockburn, who is averaging a double-double. But Garza is carrying Iowa. He doesn't have that level of depth to help his team beat good opponents if he struggles. His worst night this season was a 6-for-18 (16 points) effort in a victory over UNC. Four days later, UNC struggled early against North Carolina Central as it stumbled to a 5-4 start. He had 30 points against Gonzaga and Iowa still lost by double-digits. Imagine what would have happened if he had gone cold that day?

He's shooting 46% from the 3-point line. At 6-foot-11. If the Wooden Award is this sport's MVP, then Garza has a Teflon case. A more interesting discussion is, "Who will join Garza on the list of first-team All-Americans?" But national player of the year? The strong collection of talent behind him is in a tight race for second place.

Jeff Borzello, college basketball insider: Garza clearly is at the top, then I'll go with Butler and Dosunmu. There should probably be a Gonzaga player in that mix, but Drew Timme, Corey Kispert and, to a lesser extent, Jalen Suggs split the vote.

I'm not sure there's a legitimate argument for picking anyone besides Garza -- but I think I could make a case for Butler if really pushed. Look, he's the best guard in college basketball and he's doing it on one of the clear-cut two best teams in the country. I also think he's playing his best basketball at the right time. He was tremendous against Kansas and Oklahoma State a couple of weeks ago, then had 21 against Texas on Monday night. Butler was an All-American-caliber player last season and his numbers are up across the board this season: scoring, passing, shooting, adding a couple of steals. He's also really difficult to handle late in games.

Baylor hasn't been in a close game yet this season -- zero games within an eight-point margin -- but Butler's second-half efforts are a big reason for that. He turned it on late against Texas Tech, was on fire against Oklahoma State coming out of halftime, and seems to have a stretch every game where he buries three or four shots in a row to give the Bears breathing room.

John Gasaway, college basketball writer: On the one hand, I could really get behind a campaign to replace Garza with Butler as the consensus national player of the year. The following fun fact can change day to day, but there have been stretches this season in which Butler has simultaneously had both the highest assist rate and the highest steal rate in Big 12 play. And that's coming from a guy who's making the same (ridiculous) percentage of his 3s as Garza, and is doing so at a higher volume. Put it this way: There's little doubt in my mind that Butler's been the best all-around player in the country this season. If you're going to war, you want him on your side.

But then I think about it some more and what I'm going to call the "Medcalf test" pushes my POY vote back to Garza. If Baylor lost Butler, the Bears very well might still finish the regular season undefeated. If Illinois lost Dosunmu, my No. 3 pick, coach Brad Underwood, would give more minutes to Andre Curbelo (granted, losing some perimeter scoring in the process). If Gonzaga lost Timme, or Kispert, or Suggs, the Bulldogs likely would still run the table heading into the NCAA tournament. But, as Myron rightly indicates, if Iowa lost Garza, the whole essence of the Hawkeyes would collapse in an instant.

Fran McCaffery has what on paper is the best offense in the country and he can make that claim because Luka Garza is on the floor. Jordan Bohannon and Joe Wieskamp have combined to make 75 3s this season because help defenders are drawn to Garza like a magnet. The Hawkeyes generate more shots by far than any other Big Ten offense because Garza is a high-usage star with a ridiculously low turnover rate. Subtract him from the team and the whole high-efficiency machine grinds to a halt. Garza is my pick for POY.

Joe Lunardi, ESPN bracketologist: It's Garza, if only because Iowa -- without his offense -- would be nowhere near the Top 10. The rest of the Top 10 has an average defensive efficiency ranking of 17.9; Iowa checks in at No. 117. The topic has been beaten to death, but there will almost certainly come a night in March when not even Garza can score enough to save the Hawkeyes. In the meantime, he and Iowa are incredibly fun to watch. My vote goes to Big Luka, with a Wendy's franchise thrown in as a sponsor's bonus.

Having said all that, Butler is having an extraordinary season. At the offensive end, he is efficient and deadly with a shooting line of .536 FG/.446 3PT/.756 FT. Those are near-video game numbers for a guard (and, if you really want your eyes to roll, look at Garza's). These are the best two players in the country by a wide margin, with the added bonus for Butler being that his defense keys a Baylor team that punishes opponents at both ends. Garza's overwhelming numbers will get him the trophy, but Butler's all-around excellence is driving an undefeated season.

I'm taking the easy way out for third place, declaring a three-way tie among the Gonzaga trio of Kispert, Timme and Suggs. Someone from the Zags has to be on the list and each is critical to Gonzaga's ongoing dominance. Honorable mention to Cameron Krutwig of Loyola Chicago. The best mid-major player in the country went to the Final Four as a freshman and is headed back to the NCAA tournament as a senior. Kofi Cockburn is rightfully praised, but he's not even the best center in his own state.

Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox evidently does not support the NBA having an All-Star Game this season, saying "it's stupid" for the league to hold the event amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sources told ESPN earlier this week that the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association were working toward an agreement for an All-Star Game on March 7 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

When asked Wednesday night whether he had heard about the All-Star Game possibly returning, Fox indicated that the league's decision was financially driven.

"If I'm going to be brutally honest, I think it's stupid," Fox said after leading the Kings to a victory over the Boston Celtics. "If we have to wear a mask and do all of this for a regular game, then what's the point of bringing the All-Star Game back?

"Obviously, money makes the world go round, so it is what it is."

Despite his reference to the NBA's coronavirus-related protocols, Fox said he is "not really worried" about playing in the All-Star Game if selected.

"If I get voted in, so be it," he said.

Fox, 23, is having an outstanding season with the Kings, averaging 22.3 points and 6.6 assists per game. He was not among the top-10 Western Conference guards in the initial fan vote returns, which were announced Thursday.

Fox also was asked Wednesday night whether he would choose to play in the game if he were selected to the Western Conference roster.

"You know you get fined -- if you're supposed to be in it and you're not hurt and you decide not to play, that's a hefty fine," he said. "So hell yeah, I would play in it."