The NBA is back. Let’s try that again. The NBA is back! Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the NBA is finalizing a plan to return to play to finish the 2019-20 season. All that’s missing is an official vote to ratify the decision.
The NBA is Finally Back, Per Adrian Wojnarowski
Report: The NBA will Return July 31st
NBA fans, rejoice! The long-awaited return of basketball is on the horizon. According to Wojnarowski, the league will return in Orlando, Florida on July 31st. Of the 30 teams, 22 will be invited, consisting of 13 teams from the Western Conference and nine from the Eastern Conference.
Once teams arrive in Orlando, there will be an eight-game regular season per team to determine playoff seeding. Then, there will be a play-in for the 8th seeds on either side.
So the NBA's inviting 22 teams to Orlando: 13 Western Conference, 9 Eastern Conference. Eight-regular season games per team. Play-in for the 8th seeds. July 31-October 12. Vote tomorrow to ratify.
The NBA's back.— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 3, 2020
The top eight teams from each conference will be invited as well as the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, and Washington Wizards. These teams will still have a chance to earn a playoff spot, so long as they finish within four games of the 8th seed.
If the 9th seed falls below four games behind the 8th seed, the 8th seed will make the playoffs. If they finish within four games, though, there will be a play-in series to determine which team gets the final spot. The series will be double-elimination for the 8th seed, but single elimination for the 9th seed.
The Last Word
The NBA is finally, finally back. It won’t be the same, but it’s a huge leap in the right direction. For the first time since the world fell into chaos in early March, there seems to be a glimmer of hope on the horizon.
The world needs sports. The NBA is one of the most popular sporting leagues across the entire globe, so perhaps the move will bring a little bit of hope and joy to fans of all nations. One more time, the NBA is back!
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
