The start of the next NBA season is still pending after COVID-19 completely altered the schedule of the 2019-2020 season.
Only seven teams are left in the bubble. Miami is just waiting for whoever will come out of the dog fight between the Raptors and the Celtics. In the other Conference, the Clippers and the Lakers are on a collision course. Many say that the real Finals will happen in the Western Conference Finals.
However, for the players, it is not the quality of the matchup that is important. Instead, it is the feeling of hoisting up the Larry O’Brien trophy that matters. Whichever team wins it all this season may enjoy an extended period of being champions.
Next NBA season will start after December 1
When the NBA restart plan was announced, it included a plan for the next NBA season. The date set then was December 1. However, it was still premature at that time to determine what will happen with the COVID-19 situation. Since the announcement, the United States saw a huge jump in the number of positive cases across the country.
Ironically, Florida became the hotspot of the virus. It goes to show just how unpredictable the situation is. As such, the NBA league’s office has decided to postpone the 2020-2021 season until a later time. What is guaranteed is that it will not start earlier than December 1.
The NBA Draft Night, scheduled November 18, may also be moved to a later time. Shams Charania reports that the dates for the Draft and the 2020-2021 NBA season opener remain fluid.
NBA’s league office informed Board of Governors today that the 2020-21 season won’t begin earlier than Christmas Day, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. Nov. 18 Draft date, 20-21 start date remain fluid.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 10, 2020
What’s the plan for the next season?
Because of COVID-19, fans are still expected to be barred from attending live games. This is foreseen to continue until next year until a vaccine or the cases in the United States dramatically drops.
As of the moment, the plan for the next NBA season hasn’t been finalized. There are reported plans being talked about doing regional bubbles. The plan is to fly multiple teams to a hub and play as many games as they can in a time period. After this, they go home to their families for rest and then travel again to another hub.
Another plan is just to house the entire NBA league inside a bigger bubble than the Orlando facility. The only viable option for this plan in Las Vegas.
The biggest consideration for these plans is the mental health of the players. The players need their families and friends to live with them. Otherwise, they can suffer mental issues because of just playing basketball day in and day out.
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