How Many Games Will There Be in the 2020-21 NBA Season?

The NBA is planning to start the 2020-21 season on December 22, 2020, and there are several ways to predict how many games will be played.

Introduction

It’s no secret that the NBA season is one of the most anticipated events of the year. But with the COVID-19 pandemic still raging on, fans are wondering how many games will be played in the 2020-21 season.

The answer isn’t as simple as it seems. The NBA has already released its schedule for the first half of the season, which will run from December 22, 2020 to March 4, 2021. But the league has yet to release its schedule for the second half of the season, which will depend on several factors, including the status of the pandemic.

One thing is for sure: there will be plenty of action for basketball fans to enjoy in the 2020-21 season. So far, there are plans for a 72-game regular season, followed by a play-in tournament for the seventh and eighth seeds in each conference. The playoffs will then follow the usual format, with each series being best-of-seven.

Of course, all of this could change if the pandemic forces the league to make further changes to its schedule. But based on what we know so far, it’s shaping up to be an exciting season!

What We Know So Far

The 2020-21 NBA season is set to begin on December 22, 2020. However, how many games will actually be played is still up in the air. The NBA is currently planning on playing an 82-game season, but that could change depending on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Let’s take a look at what we know so far about the 2020-21 NBA season.

The NBA’s plans

As the NBA tries to plan for the 2020-21 season, one of the biggest questions is how many games will be played.

The league is still hoping to play a full 82-game season, but that seems increasingly unlikely as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the United States. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last week that the league is looking at several scenarios for next season, including playing fewer games, starting the season in January or February or holding a shorter season similar to the one that was played this summer in Orlando.

“We hope to have a better sense in the next several weeks about what next season might look like,” Silver said. “Once we have that information, we’ll be able to start making decisions.”

One thing that seems certain is that there will be some sort of fans in attendance at games next season. Silver said last week that the league is working with teams on plans to have fans in arenas, though he did not give any specifics.

“Having fans in our arenas is critically important to us,” Silver said. “It’s something we miss terribly this year.”

The players’ perspective

The 2020-21 NBA season is up in the air. Players don’t know how many games there will be, when the season will start, or even where they’ll be playing. All they know is that they want to get back on the court and compete for a championship.

The players’ perspective is that they just want to play basketball. They miss the competition and the camaraderie of being in the locker room with their teammates. They miss traveling to different cities and playing in front of packed arenas. And, most of all, they miss the feeling of winning a championship.

The players’ union has been working tirelessly to get the league’s attention and to get them to agree to a fair deal. The union wants the players to have a say in how many games are played, where they’re played, and what the schedule looks like. They also want to make sure that players are compensated fairly for their skills and talents.

At this point, it’s unclear how many games will be played in the 2020-21 NBA season. But one thing is certain: the players want to get back on the court and compete for a championship.

When Will We Know More?

Commissioner Adam Silver said the NBA is targeting a December start for the 2020-21 season, but a lot will depend on the coronavirus pandemic. The league is in the midst of putting together several health and safety protocols to protect players and staff.

The NBA’s timeline

The NBA released its schedule for the rest of the 2020-21 season on Thursday, giving us a clearer picture of when things will pick back up following the All-Star break.

Here’s a look at the timeline for the rest of the season:

March 5: All-Star Game in Atlanta
March 11: First day of the second half of the season
May 16: Play-in tournament begins
May 22: NBA Draft Lottery
May 24: Last possible day for regular season games
July 22 – August 8: Olympics in Tokyo (dates TBD)
August 26 – September 12: FIBA Basketball World Cup in China (dates TBD)
September 29 – October 15: 2021 NBA Finals

The players’ timeline

It seems like every day we learn a little more about the upcoming NBA season. For example, we now know that the season will begin on December 22, 2020, and that each team will play 72 games instead of the usual 82. We also know that the playoffs will start in late May 2021 and that the Finals will be played in July.

But there are still many unanswered questions about the 2020-21 season. How many games will each team play? Will there be a midseason break? How will the league deal with positive COVID-19 tests?

We may not have all the answers yet, but here’s what we know about the timeline for the 2020-21 NBA season.

The first big event on the calendar is November 18, when player contract negotiations begin. On December 1, free agency opens and players can sign new contracts with any team. Training camps are slated to open on December 4, and the preseason will begin on December 11.

The regular season will tip off on December 22, although it’s possible that some games could be postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests or other circumstances. The All-Star Game is currently scheduled for March 7, 2021, but it’s possible that it could be canceled or rescheduled depending on how things progress with the pandemic.

The playoffs are currently scheduled to begin on May 22, 2021, and the Finals are set to start on July 8. However, it’s possible that these dates could change if necessary.

So far, everything is still up in the air when it comes to the 2020-21 NBA season. But as we learn more information, we’ll be sure to update this timeline accordingly.

Conclusion

The NBA season usually starts in October and ends in April, but the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the start date back to December. The season will be shorter than usual, with each team playing 72 games instead of the usual 82.