NBA 2020-21 Start Date, Calendar, Format and Schedule

The Los Angeles Lakers subjugated the 2019-20 NBA title on October 11, 2020 after the season got postponed due to COVID-19 Pandemic. Habitually, the Regular season used to begin in October and will go on up to next year April. The ensuing season is getting started on December 22, 2020 tentatively.

Despite this not following the regular trend, there is a necessity for the resting of the players. So, it is up to them to decide the date for the regular season, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), which is the 30-member team of the top NBA players approved at the start of the season in the year end.

Even though NBPA approved, many star Players still expressed their objection, considering it is too soon to start the season. LeBron James of Lakers and many other lead players were facing issues with this date, as they finished the finals of last season just prior. The main consideration of this disagreement is not having enough time for practice. Also, with many new players registering in the coming season, training is the key feature for the effective formation of the team.

Danny Green of Oklahoma City Thunder tweeted that many key players may say “I am not going to be there” in late October. Inaugurating the event before this Christmas night is also a major quagmire for the players. After those controversies, players are agreed to start the season after the prime reason for the quick start of the season. LeBron James played a pivotal role in confirming the date of this season.

Normally it will be the 82-game Schedule in all seasons, but due to the shortage of time, it got dented to the 72-game schedule. Each team will play 72 games in this season.

What is the reason for the quick start of the NBA?

The prime reason behind this ‘too soon’ beginning is to tackle the financial crisis that occurred due to the COVID 19 Pandemic. To adjust the financial clutches of the League and the players, this quick start is happening. NBA TV ratings are petty while comparing to the NFL, so delaying is not making any sense.

The urging of Television partners for streaming games on Christmas day for enriching the finance side is also a major determinant factor of the date of the season. This authorizes the NBA to give a room for customary Christmas day slate, in which the five Christmas games will be telecasted. ESPN, the biggest television partner of the NBA, wants to telecast the Christmas games on their channel.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics is having a start date of July 23, 2021, so the NBA is in the stage of quick on the trigger to end the season before. If we want to witness NBA stars in the Olympics, the December 22 start is the foremost one. This permits the NBA finals to be finished in June before July 23 Olympics.

 NBA Calendar 2020-21 (Tentatively)

NBA Schedule 2020-21

Once the training is commenced, the schedule of the first half of the regular season will be disclosed and the second half schedule will be publicized by the closing stage of the first half. The Schedule is not released fully because there may be some postponements in the course of games.

NBA Format 2020-21

Each brigade will play three games with each intraconference opponent with two home games and one road games

Every five teams within the division will play every five teams of other intraconference divisions twice at home and all five teams from the left over intraconference division twice on the road.

Each game will play two games against each interconference opponent, each pair accenting one home game and one road game.

The Play in Tournament

The Play-in Tournament which was added to the calendar is same as the last year’s series between Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzles. This was explained via a tweet by Adrian Wojnarowski, the Play-in Tournament still did not approve by the Board of Directors and that was just a formal gesture. He also stated to be placed in the Playoffs, No.7 and No.8 team have to win once and No.9 and No.10 to hit twice.