From a bubble that was bombarded with many issues, the NBA has gone through a roller-coaster year following the pandemic scare.
With many adjustments, crazy free-agency signing, supermax contract bombs, internal issues, and off-court struggles that happened before the year-end, the NBA will now officially start the new season heading into the Christmas opener.
The decision was made by the NBA management and the NBA Players Association, wherein the two groups agreed to schedule the new season in late December.
It was a gamble for the NBA after projecting that a revenue loss amounting to up to $1 billion is likely possible if the league will start in January.
For the 2020-2021 Season, here are the tentative dates you should not miss:
NBA Preseason (December 11-19, 2020)
NBA Regular Season [first half] (December 22, 2020, to March 4, 2021)
NBA All-Star Break (March 5-10, 2021)
NBA Regular Season [second half] (March 11-May 16, 2021)
NBA Play-in Tournament (May 18-21, 2021)
NBA Playoffs (May 22 - July 22, 2021)
NBA 2020-2021 Schedule
The pandemic has paved the way for the NBA to adjust the regular season from an 82-game schedule to a 72-game arrangement. Here are the following schedules that you should not miss for the season's opening.
December 22 (Tuesday Opener)
Golden State Warriors vs. Brooklyn Nets (7 p.m. on TNT)
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers (10 p.m. on TNT)
December 23 (Wednesday)
Charlotte Hornets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (7 p.m.)
New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers (7 p.m.)
Miami Heat vs. Orlando Magic (7 p.m.)
Washington Wizards vs. Philadelphia 76ers (7 p.m.)
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics (7:30 p.m. on TNT)
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Toronto Raptors (7:30 p.m.)
Atlanta Hawks vs. Chicago Bulls (8 p.m.)
San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies (8 p.m.)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets (8 p.m.)
Detroit Pistons vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (8 p.m.)
Denver Nuggets vs. Sacramento Kings (9 p.m.)
Utah Jazz vs. Portland Trailblazers (10 p.m.)
Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns (10:30 p.m.)
December 25 (Wednesday, Christmas Day)
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Miami Heat (Noontime at ESPN)
Golden State Warriors vs. Milwaukee Bucks (2:30 p.m. at ABC)
Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics (5 p.m. at ABC)
Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers (8 p.m. at ABC/ESPN)
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets (10:30 p.m. at ABC)
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the All-Star 2021 scheduled?
The All-Star events for the 2020-2021 Season will be held on February 16-18, 2021. Previously, the NBA, together with the Indiana Pacers, announced an earlier date of February 12-14, 2021, but it was postponed due to the pandemic. Future updates regarding the All-Star 2021 will be broadcasted at a later date.
What is a Play-In tournament, and how will it be implemented?
The NBA implemented a rule which involves the ranked 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th teams in the western and eastern conferences to play a pre-playoff decider during the regular season closer. It begins with the No. 7 teams hosting the No. 8 teams in both conferences. They will conduct the Play-In Game, and the winner between them will become the 7th seeded team of the conference.
Between the No. 9 teams and the No. 10 teams in each conference, the winner will move to the final round of qualification. The loser from the No. 7 and No. 8 games will battle the winner from the No. 9 and No. 10 games. Whoever wins the final phase of the decider will be declared as the 8th seeded team of the conference.
What will happen to the Raptors this season?
The Toronto Raptors' homestand will be in Tampa, Florida, for now. Further adjustments will be observed during this period.
How will the NBA teams handle the fans' attendance?
To know more about each team's in-arena attendance, visit here.
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