That has been the question facing not just sports leagues, but every person, every family and, yes, every business in this country since this whole global pandemic started.

Is it really worth it to take that trip out to the grocery store?

Most people think, yes, what about to go toe work?

Well, your answer probably changes depending on how much you need that job to make rent.

Or what about letting your kids play with a neighbor?

What if then the neighbor test positive for co vid?

And either you get it to or even if you don't?

You're told that you and your spouse and your kids need to spend a week without leaving your house, just to be sure you're not spreading it.

Will that play date have felt worth it?

Right now, the MBA is still answering that question with yes, even is the number of affected teams and players mount?

Just this afternoon, the league announced that both tonight's Pelicans Mavericks game and Tuesday's Celtics Bulls game were being postponed due to covert issues.

The 3rd and 4th such postponements of this three week old NBA season and the number of players across the league are in covert related protocols is mushrooming.

11 on Wednesday, 15 on Thursday now jumps to 26 on Friday, 27 on Sunday.

We're still getting the full count from today.

Here's Brad Stevens walking off the court yesterday after the Celtics Heat game had to be postponed.

That game was called Dudakovic issues on the Miami side.

But I'm guessing the postponement was actually a relief to the Celtics, who as of yesterday only had eight players available themselves.

Now that would have, actually, technically have been enough NBA rules this season.

Say, if you've got eight, you have to take the court and play because, frankly, they need to get games in.

And eight is where they've drawn the line on the bare minimum to make that possible.

But, of course, that is not sitting well with everyone.

Take what happened Saturday with the Sixers after Cove.

It and its accompanying precautions ripped through the Philadelphia locker room.

Doc Rivers said he didn't think the team should be playing that going ahead with only eight or nine guys would cause too much wear and tear on the players who were on the court, including stars like Ben Simmons and Joe L.

A.

And B.

Now the league disagreed.

So the Sixers ended upholding and beaten Simmons out of that day's game against Denver anyway, listing them with minor injuries, bringing their number of healthy bodies to seven.

Maybe they were hoping that would trigger a postponement, But it didnt, since neither the injuries to Simmons nor AM Beat had previously been reported to the league.

And look, I don't know the exact conversation between the team and league officials, but to outside eyes.

The message from the embassy sure seem to be, Hey, we know no team wants toe only play games that count in the standings with the severely undermanned team.

But you can't just forced the postponement by sitting a couple extra players to get under that eight benchmark.

It's a message the MBA further amplified this afternoon when it find Philadelphia 25 grand in relations to Simmons sitting.

And if you think all of this has caused some rankling in team front offices, you would be correct, are a dreamer.

Janowski reports that one general manager told ESPN quote.

They tell us it will be better later in this season.

But I just hope this doesn't break the league in the next few weeks Now, which also reports there is now a Special Board of Governors meeting happening tomorrow and that the league's GM zehr, scheduled to have a conference call today to go over whether protocols should be further tightened.

For example, right now on road trips, players are allowed to have a guest or two from that city visit.

Their hotel room is supposed to be a family member or close friend.

I don't know how much longer that's going to be allowed.

There's also new scrutiny on players from opposing teams, hugging or talking without masks after a game.

Still bottom line.

At least right now, the MBA is expected to tell teams the league is moving forward, even if the competitive balance is a mess, even if the stop start nature of the protocols leaves some players more vulnerable to injury.

After all, this isn't just a play date.

This is an 8 to $10 billion a year business.

The effects of just shutting down until players are vaccinated would be catastrophic to that business both short and long term when those diving for their fainting couches today say, this is about the money.

Yeah, absolutely.

It is about the money.

Pro sports have always been about the money, and you are perfectly within your rights to be disgusted with that if you choose.

But it's also the reason the NFL, Major League Baseball college football played through postponements and positive test.

It's just that the degree of difficulty was always going to be harder for the MBA, which played several games a week indoors, with fewer bodies available for team and what now is the absolute worst spike of this virus?

So should the N B A go back to a bubble?

Good luck convincing players to be locked away from their families for the next eight months.

Should the league expand rosters?

Seems like it.

Should the guidance change on how teams hold in person meetings and practices, or whether they hold them at all?

Maybe for those who made fun of Allen Iverson about practice all those years ago, the Cleveland Browns would like a word.

The hard reality is that all MBA teams all they have faced so far in the short season.

It is going to continue, probably getting worse before it gets better.

As long as the league plays basketball in a pandemic, is it worth it?

So far, the league and its players say yes, thanks for watching ESPN on YouTube for live streaming sports and premium content subscribed to ESPN plus.