The National Basketball Association (NBA) Board of Governors voted 29 to one for the 2019-2020 season to return on July 31 with 22 teams. Portland Trail Blazers was the only team who pushed for a 20-team expanded playoffs.
The top eight teams of both the Western and Eastern Conferences will return to play as well as teams that are within six games of the 8th playoff team in each conference.
Returning along with the 16 playoff teams are New Orleans Pelicans, Portland, San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns for the West while it is Washington for the East.
To decide on the seeding, the 22 teams will be playing eight regular season games. If the 9th place team is within four games of the 8th seed, both teams will do a play-in tournament where the 8th seed requires a single victory only to officially enter the playoffs. The 9th seed, meanwhile, need two wins to qualify. The regular four-round playoff format with best-of-seven series will then follow.
The Spurs’ post season streak is still on with 22 consecutive playoff appearances dating back to the 1997-1998 season. However, it’s a long hard climb for at least a play-in as they have to go through Memphis Grizzlies, Blazers, Pelicans, Kings, and Suns. For Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks, on the other hand, the season is officially over for them.
The training camp of the 22 teams begins on June 30. Then, they will travel to Walt Disney World on July 7 where ESPN’s Wide World of Sports is based. Players will be tested daily for coronavirus disease 2019. If one of them is found to have contracted the disease, he will be immediately quarantined and given medical attention. Yes, games will continue but with no fans in attendance. With empty and almost quiet arenas, will the NBA follow Bundesliga’s (top-tier football league in Germany) example of playing recorded fan shouting and applause?
As per ESPN, “There will be up to seven games per day over roughly three weeks during the August regular season, which the NBA has branded ‘seeding games’, and it is likely that 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.”
Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins could be playing for the Blazers. They had enough time to recover from their leg injuries. With Damian Lillard, Collins and Nurkic, the Blazers are dangerous. Likewise, the Philadelphia Sixers improved their chances with both Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons healthy. Ja Morant (Grizzlies) and Zion Williamson (Pelicans) could battle for the 8th seed and whichever team qualifies, the Rookie of the Year award is a lock.
Kawhi Leonard won league titles with San Antonio and Toronto. He also won Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) while playing for both teams. He joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James as the only players in NBA history to get the said awards while playing for two different franchises. He now has the likelihood of being the only player to win three MVP’s with three different teams.
Who will be this year’s MVP? Is it Giannis Antetokounmpo or James? The league will have a peculiar season ending in its 77 years of existence. But first, let the games begin!/PN
