The NBA will be keeping the same playoffs format but each team will have to  play eight games at the start

By Nicole Ganglani | Photo from NBA.com

After  84 days in hiatus, the NBA announced that it is likely to return on Jul. 31 at Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando. 

The NBA board of governors approved a competitive format which includes 22 teams who will compete for the Larry O’Brien trophy. According to The Athletic’s NBA insider Shams Charania, 29 out of 30 NBA general managers voted to resume the season with a new format. The approval of the NBA’s general managers is only the first step for the NBA to retrieve its season.

“The Board’s approval of the restart format is a necessary step toward resuming the NBA season,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.  “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,” says NBA commissioner Adam Silver in a statement released by the NBA. 

The competitive format proposed by the NBA board works this way: 16 out of the 22 teams (eight per conference) coming back are the only ones going to make it to the playoffs. Before the playoffs take place, there will be eight exhibition games or what the NBA refers to as a “play-in tournament” which will determine who makes it to the playoff brackets. Just like the traditional format, teams that are in the same conference will go up against each other first then battle against the other conferences’ best team in the finals. 

The playoffs will keep the same format, specifically the first round, semi finals conference finals and the finals. Moreover, the NBA announced that the NBA Draft will likely take place on Jul. 31 and the beginning of the 2020-2021 season could take place by Dec.1, 2020. 

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