NBA Approves New 22-Team Format To Complete The Season
Published June 17, 2020 by Sol FH
The NBA will be back in action from July 31 but limited to a new 22-team format.
Last Thursday, the NBA board of governors voted to approve a 22-team format to restart the current regular season on July 31 in Orlando, Florida. The board of governors voted 29-1 in favor of reopening the league, with only the Portland Trail Blazers voting nay to the proposal.
"The Board's approval of the restart format is a necessary step toward resuming the NBA season," NBA commissioner Adam Silver related in a statement. "While the Covid-19 pandemic presents formidable challenges, we are hopeful of finishing the season in a safe and responsible manner based on strict protocols now being finalized with public health officials and medical experts. We also recognize that as we prepare to resume play, our society is reeling from recent tragedies of racial violence and injustice, and we will continue to work closely with our teams and players to use our collective resources and influence to address these issues in very real and concrete ways."
The agreement states that the league will start with 13 Western Conference teams and nine Eastern Conference teams playing eight regular-season "seeding" games. There will also possibly be a tournament for the eighth seed and playoffs at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
The leading 16 teams in both conferences will be joined by teams currently within six games of eighth place in the two conferences -- New Orleans, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio, and Washington.
The agreement is dependant on an agreement with Walt Disney Co., to play out all remaining games at Walt Disney Resort.
The regular season will be extended by 16-days with five or six games every day. There will only be limited courts so there will be a break of 4-5 hours between games for each of the 3 courts at Disney Resort.
Players will need to follow strict guidelines and maintain daily Covid-19 testing. If a player tests positive for the coronavirus, that player will be removed from the team to quarantine, while the rest of the team continues.
