Published 18:30 IST, June 5th 2020
NBA return: Schedule, impact of draft, key dates and other crucial details
The NBA's Board of Governors have finalised the NBA 22 team format for the NBA return in July. Here's all you need to know about the schedule and draft picks.
Advertisement
NBA is closing in on a restart after a long hiatus due to coronavirus pandemic. While NBA return is t yet official, league's owners approved commissioner am Silver's NBA 22 team format to resume 2019-20 season at Walt Disney World in Orlando on Thursday. NBA return is w dependent on NBPA (National Basketball Players Association), whose approval of NBA 22 team format is likely to be completed by Friday according to reports. While re are still details like NBA restart schedule to be ironed for NBA return, here is everything one needs to kw about NBA 22 team format, NBA playoffs 2020 and NBA draft date.
Advertisement
NBA return: NBA 22 team format
Top eight teams of each conference qualify for NBA playoffs, which means NBA return format h been marked out as a 16-team event. But it would have been unfair to franchises within striking distance of NBA playoffs 2020 berth, who lost out on anywhere from 13-16 games to stretch ir run. With NBA return likely to scheduled in August, NBA 22 team format was agreed to provide extra game time for players to get back into rhythm, while it also gives a chance for teams to mount a successful challenge to make it to NBA playoffs 2020. re were suggestions of bringing back 16 teams or even all 30, but league's owners approved NBA 22 team format proposal by a 29-1 vote.
| TEAM | Remaining matches |
|
BOSTON CELTICS |
vs. Bucks, Wizards, Raptors, Nets, Wizards, Blazers, Grizzlies, Heat |
|
BROOKLYN NETS |
vs. Clippers, Kings, Wizards, Celtics, Magic, Clippers, Magic, Blazers |
|
DALLAS MAVERICKS |
vs. Suns, Clippers, Kings, Blazers, Suns, Rockets, Jazz, Bucks |
|
DENVER NUGGETS |
vs. Spurs, Lakers, Clippers, Thunder, Raptors, Heat, Spurs, Thunder |
|
HOUSTON ROCKETS |
vs. Lakers, Blazers, Kings, Bucks, Mavericks, Pacers, 76ers, Raptors |
|
INDIANA PACERS |
vs. 76ers, Heat, Suns, Magic, Rockets, Kings, Clippers, Lakers |
|
L.A. CLIPPERS |
vs. Nets, Pelicans, Mavericks, Nuggets, Suns, Nets, Pacers, Thunder |
|
L.A. LAKERS |
vs. Rockets, Nuggets, Jazz, Jazz, Raptors, Pacers, Trail Blazers,* Heat or Magic* |
|
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES |
vs. Blazers, Jazz, Spurs, Thunder, Bucks, Pelicans, Pelicans, Celtics |
|
MIAMI HEAT |
vs. Bucks, Pacers, Thunder, Nuggets, Suns, Celtics, Raptors, *Lakers or Trail Blazers* |
|
MILWAUKEE BUCKS |
vs. Celtics, Heat, Grizzlies, Wizards, Rockets, Wizards, Mavericks, Raptors |
|
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS |
vs. Kings, Jazz, Clippers, Spurs, Grizzlies, Kings, Grizzlies, Magic |
|
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER |
vs. Jazz, Wizards, Grizzlies, Nuggets, Heat, Nuggets, Suns, Clippers |
|
ORLANDO MAGIC |
vs. Pacers, Kings, Nets, Nets, Pelicans, 76ers, Raptors, Lakers or Trail Blazers* |
|
PHILELPHIA 76ERS |
vs. Pacers, Wizards, Raptors, Blazers, Suns, Rockets, Magic, Spurs |
|
PHOENIX SUNS |
vs. Mavericks, Pacers, Clippers, Mavericks, 76ers, Wizards, Heat, Thunder |
|
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS |
vs. Grizzlies, Rockets, Mavericks, 76ers, Celtics, Nets, Lakers,* Heat or Magic* |
|
SACRAMENTO KINGS |
vs. Pelicans, Nets, Mavericks, Rockets, Magic, Pelicans, Pacers, Spurs |
|
SAN ANTONIO SPURS |
vs. Nuggets, Grizzlies, Pelicans, Jazz, Jazz, Nuggets, Kings, 76ers |
|
TORONTO RAPTORS |
vs. 76ers, Celtics, Nuggets, Lakers, Bucks, Rockets, Heat, Magic |
|
UTAH JAZZ |
vs. Thunder, Pelicans, Grizzlies, Lakers, Lakers, Spurs, Spurs, Mavericks |
|
WASHINGTON WIZARDS |
vs. Celtics, Thunder, 76ers, Nets, Bucks, Celtics, Suns, Bucks |
Advertisement
NBA return: NBA playoffs 2020 and season end
Each of 22 teams invited to Orlando for NBA return will play eight "seeding" games that will constitute conclusion of 2019-20 season. Teams will return to ir schedule from league was suspended in March, and if ir opponent is t part of NBA 22 team format, y have to skip tie and move to next. Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Miami Heat and Orlando Magic are four teams who would be unable to complete eight games in above-mentioned format, and league is likely to pit m against each or to complete ir NBA return schedule.
Once each team has played out its remaining 8-game NBA restart schedule, 1-7 seeds in each conference, are likely to be locked in. In that case, if . 9 seed is within four games of . 8 seed, re will be a play-in series for final spot of conference. Once eight seeds in each conference are determined via mechanisms above, NBA playoffs 2020 will commence with tritional 7-game series format.
Advertisement
NBA return: NBA draft date and or key dates
NBA 22 team format is likely to create complications for draft picks for 2020/21 season. 14 teams that don't make playoffs will enter draft's lottery, but lottery order will be based off standings as of March 11, when season was suspended. This means a team participating in NBA 22 team format in Orlando, cant fall below a team that wasn't in terms of lottery odds and draft positions cant be improved by tanking games. According to Shams Charania of Athletic and ESPN's rian Wojnarowski, NBA draft lottery will reportedly be held on August 25, while NBA draft date is likely to be October 15. Here are or key dates for NBA return:
Advertisement
- June 15: International players return to markets
- June 21: All players report
- June 22: Coronavirus testing begins
- June 30: Beginning of training camps
- July 7: Travel to Orlando
- July 31: Resumption of 2019-20 season
- August 25: NBA Draft Lottery
- October 12: Game 7 of NBA Finals (if necessary)
- October 15: NBA Draft 2020/21 Draft
- October 18: Begining of free ncy
- vember 10: Franchises begin Training camps for 2020-21 season
- December 1: Opening night for 2020-21 NBA season
18:30 IST, June 5th 2020