It is reliably learnt that the NBA’s board of governors approved a restart plan that involves holding the remaining NBA games including the 2019-20 season playoff games at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.
According to the plan, twenty-two teams out of the 30, will take part in the 2019-20 season’s conclusion. They include the 16 franchises in playoff position at the time of the NBA’s suspension March 11 and the six teams within six games of a playoff berth. Those six consist of the Washington Wizards, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs.
The 22 Teams will play eight regular-season games apiece before a possible play-in tournament for the eighth seed in each conference. The league will then hold its typical four-round playoff consisting of best-of-seven series.
The restart training camp kicks in on June 30, and on July 7 all 22 teams travel to Orlando. The reminder of the 2019-20 season starts on July 31. There will be up to seven games per day played over roughly three weeks during the August regular season, which the NBA has branded “seeding games,” and it is likely there will be weekday afternoon playoff games during the first round. Sources say the league will use three different facilities at first to stage games: The Arena, HP Field House and Visa Athletic Center, all at the Wide World of Sports Complex. As things progress, it will be reduced to two sites and then one.
The latest possible date for the NBA season’s conclusion will be Oct. 12, which is when a hypothetical Game 7 of the NBA Finals is scheduled. So if the plan goes through as schedule, NBA will back on the TV screens for the sports fan to enjoy. The Toronto Raptors definitely will miss their fans since they are their true inspiration on the playing field.
