The NBA has a plan for returning to the courts

Bob
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Posted on: June 2, 2020 6:45 pm EDT

Professional basketball could be coming, but possibly not until the end of July

More than two months have passed since all four major sports leagues in the US paused due to the coronavirus pandemic. Basketball fans that are tired of reruns of old matches can get ready, as the NBA has given its official target day to return to basketball action. Just a few days after the NHL announced its plans to resume the 24-team playoff tournament, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed July 31 to be the date the league is targeting to comeback, according to The Athletic.

The NBA was the first major league to suspend sports action after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus. Now, the league is planning on one single venue to host all games at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World in Orlando. Last Friday, the NBA’s board of governors discussed the plants to restart; however, they weren’t able to reach a final determination as to what would be the format used for what is left of the season.

One survey conducted among general managers from several teams reported that most executives are willing to jump right into the playoffs. According to many reports, this means that, potentially, only 16 of the league’s 30 teams will be traveling to this isolated site.

There are still other scenarios that are being considered; for instance, a World Cup-like Group Stage with 20 teams, as well as a play-in tournament for the final seeds. This would allow the full 72-game regular season to conclude, which allows teams to participate and still collect the revenue they get from deals with local channels that broadcast the games and that is usually received after 70 games.