NBA 2020 season restart: Where to watch, match schedule, teams and all you need to know ahead of the tournament
In June, the NBA had announced the resumption of the regular-season schedule for the 22 teams involved in the league’s July restart near Orlando, including all game dates, times, opponents, and television information. As per a USA Today Sports report, the games will be held beginning July 30 at three different arenas within the Walt Disney World Resort. No fans will be in attendance, as part of the league’s comprehensive safety plan to mitigate Covid-19 risks.
Background
The playoffs were originally scheduled to begin on April 18. However, the league suspended the season on March 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic and after players tested positive for Covid-19. On June 4, the NBA Board of Governors announced the plans to restart the season on July 31, which was then approved by members of the National Basketball Players Association on June 5. As per various reports, under this plan, the 22 top teams in the league at the time of the suspension will play eight additional regular season games to determine playoff seeding, and 16 of those clubs will then play in a conventional post-season tournament.
According to USA Today Sports, each team’s eight matchups were loosely based on upcoming opponents at the time of this season’s March 12 suspension, as well as approximate strength of schedule. For example, the Rockets were scheduled to play Dallas later in March, so that’s who they will begin with in Florida.
The NBA is using three different venues on the ESPN Wide World of Sports campus: The HP Field House, Visa Athletic Center and a site Disney calls The Arena.
Upcoming matches
On July 30, the season will resume with a TNT doubleheader as the Utah Jazz faces the New Orleans Pelicans (6:30 pm ET) and the LA Clippers meet the Los Angeles Lakers (9 pm ET). A doubleheader on July 31: Boston Celtics vs the Milwaukee Bucks (6:30 pm ET) and the Houston Rockets vs the Dallas Mavericks (9 pm ET). Aug 1 schedule will begin with a matchup between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets (1 pm ET). Aug 2 will see Portland Trail Blazers taking on the Celtics (3.30 pm ET) and the Bucks meeting the Rockets (8:30 pm ET). According to the NBA website, the seeding games will conclude on August 14. If a play-in is required to determine the eighth playoff seed in either conference, it will take place on Aug 15-16. The first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs will begin on Aug 17. The conference finals begin on September 15. The NBA Finals begin September 30.
NBA has also stated the rules. The seven teams in each conference with the best records (regular-season games + seeding games) will have clinched a playoff spot. The usual tie-breaker scenarios will be in place for those seeds. The eighth seed could potentially come down to a play-in tournament. As per the NBA website, "If the team with the eighth-best record in its conference is more than four games ahead of the team with the ninth-best record in the same conference, no play-in tournament will be necessary. The final playoff berth will simply go to the team with the eighth-best record (regular-season games + seeding games)."
"But if the team with the eighth-best record in its conference is four games or fewer ahead of the team with the ninth-best record in the same conference, then we'll have a battle for the final spot between those two teams. The tournament will basically be a best-of-two series -- where the No. 9 seed will have to win two head-to-head matchups to take over the No. 8 spot."
Where to watch
Fans can watch the games on TNT, ESPN, ABC, and NBA TV. Click here for the full schedule and detailed timings.