After more than four months of unexpected halt, the NBA finally resumed in the Orlando Bubble with the scrimmage games. Just a fortnight ago, we saw the beginning of the seeding games that allowed 22 top teams to lock horns to fix their places in the NBA playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers became the first team to occupy the top seeding in the Western Conference. We have 15 teams that have cemented their places in the playoffs. With the exception of one, because the play-in games will determine the 8th seeding in the Western Conference.
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Up next in the NBA Orlando Bubble
The Phoenix Suns, unfortunately, got out of the tournament even after a clean 8-0 bubble record. Too bad for Devin Booker and the squad. We now have Memphis Grizzlies facing the Portland Trail Blazers on August 15 at 2:30 PM ET (ABC).
If the Grizzlies win, they’ll again play on August 16 at 4:30 PM ET (ESPN). This play comes into effect because of the change in rules which forced a play-in tournament between the #8 and #9 seed teams, if the #9 seed is within 4 games of the #8 seed. So it remains to be seen whether Lakers will get the Blazers or Grizzlies in the first round.
No team will have a home-court advantage this time. It will be a neutral venue for every team. They will play the games in the traditional format of best-of-seven. Also, since there is no requirement of an air-travel, the teams can play back-to-back games without a day’s off that would conventionally happen.
Down below is the entire NBA 2019-20 schedule-
- July 30-Aug 14: 2019-20 season resumes with seeding games
- Aug. 15-16: Play-in tournaments
- Aug. 17: Playoffs begin
- Aug. 20: NBA Draft Lottery
- Aug. 31-Sept. 13: Conference semifinals
- Sept. 15-Sept. 28: Conference finals
- Sept. 30: NBA Finals begin
- Oct. 13: Last possible date for Game 7 of NBA Finals
- Oct. 16: 2020 NBA draft
- Oct. 18: Free agency begins at 6 p.m. ET
- Dec. 1: Opening night for 2020-21 season
NBA Playoffs 2019-20 Round 1 schedule and where/when to watch-
Here is the entire NBA playoffs detail listed for you:
Monday, Aug. 17, Game 1
- No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Utah Jazz, 1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
- No. 2 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 7 Brooklyn Nets, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN
- No. 3 Boston Celtics vs. No. 6 Philadelphia 76ers, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
- No. 2 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 7 Dallas Mavericks, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
Tuesday, Aug. 18, Game 1
- No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Orlando Magic, 1:30 p.m. ET, TNT
- No. 5 Miami Heat vs. No. 4 Indiana Pacers, 4 p.m. ET, TNT
- No. 5 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 4 Houston Rockets, 6:30 p.m. ET, TNT
- No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. Play-in Winner, 9 p.m. ET, TNT
Wednesday, Aug. 19, Game 2
- No. 2 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 7 Brooklyn Nets, 1:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
- No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Utah Jazz, 4 p.m. ET, TNT
- No. 3 Boston Celtics vs. No. 6 Philadelphia 76ers, 6:30 p.m. ET, TNT
- No. 2 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 7 Dallas Mavericks, 9 p.m. ET, TNT
Thursday, Aug. 20, Game 2
- No. 5 Miami Heat vs. No. 5 Indiana Pacers, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN
- No. 5 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 4 Houston Rockets, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
- No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Orlando Magic, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN
- No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. Play-in Winner, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
Friday, Aug. 21, Game 3
- No. 2 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 7 Brooklyn Nets, 1:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
- No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Utah Jazz, 4 p.m. ET, TNT
- No. 3 Boston Celtics vs. No. 6 Philadelphia 76ers, 6:30 p.m. ET, TNT
- No. 2 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 7 Dallas Mavericks, 9 p.m. ET, TNT
Saturday, Aug. 22, Game 3
- No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Orlando Magic, 1 p.m. ET, TNT
- No. 5 Miami Heat vs. No. 4 Indiana Pacers, 3:30 p.m. ET, TNT
- No. 5 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 4 Houston Rockets, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN
- No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. Play-in Winner, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Sunday, Aug. 23, Game 4
- No. 3 Boston Celtics vs. No. 6 Philadelphia 76ers, 1 p.m. ET, ABC
- No. 2 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 7 Dallas Mavericks, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
- No. 2 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 7 Brooklyn Nets, 6:30 p.m. ET, TNT
- No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Utah Jazz, 9 p.m. ET, TNT
Monday, Aug. 24, Game 4
- No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Orlando Magic, 1:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
- No. 5 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 4 Houston Rockets, 4 p.m. ET, TNT
- No. 5 Miami Heat vs. No. 4 Indiana Pacers, 6:30 p.m. ET, TNT
- No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. Play-in Winner, 9 p.m. ET, TNT
Full NBA playoff schedule pic.twitter.com/HaAQ9fY60u
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) August 14, 2020
The NBA Playoff games that will take place only if need be…
Tuesday, Aug. 25, Game 5
- No. 2 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 7 Brooklyn Nets, TBD, TBD*
- No. 2 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 7 Dallas Mavericks, TBD, TBD*
- No. 3 Boston Celtics vs. No. 6 Philadelphia 76ers, TBD, TBD*
- No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Utah Jazz, TBD, TBD*
Wednesday, Aug. 26, Game 5
- No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Orlando Magic, TBD, TBD*
- No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. Play-in Winner, TBD, TBD*
- No. 5 Miami Heat vs. No. 4 Indiana Pacers, TBD, TBD*
- No. 5 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 4 Houston Rockets, TBD, TBD*
Thursday, Aug. 27, Game 6
- No. 2 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 7 Brooklyn Nets, TBD, TBD*
- No. 2 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 7 Dallas Mavericks, TBD, TBD*
- No. 3 Boston Celtics vs. No. 6 Philadelphia 76ers, TBD, TBD*
- No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Utah Jazz, TBD, TBD*
Friday, Aug. 28, Game 6
- No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Orlando Magic, TBD, TBD*
- No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. Play-in Winner, TBD, TBD*
- No. 5 Miami Heat vs. No. 4 Indiana Pacers, TBD, TBD*
- No. 5 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 4 Houston Rockets, TBD, TBD*
Saturday, Aug. 29, Game 7
- No. 2 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 7 Brooklyn Nets, TBD, TBD*
- No. 2 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 7 Dallas Mavericks, TBD, TBD*
- No. 3 Boston Celtics vs. No. 6 Philadelphia 76ers, TBD, TBD*
- No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Utah Jazz, TBD, TBD*
Sunday, Aug. 30, Game 7
- No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Orlando Magic, TBD, TBD*
- No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. Play-in Winner, TBD, TBD*
- No. 5 Miami Heat vs. No. 4 Indiana Pacers, TBD, TBD*
- No. 5 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 4 Houston Rockets, TBD, TBD*
*If necessary
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Even after their poor show, LeBron James‘ Lakers are still a favorite to win, followed by Kawhi Leonard‘s Clippers and Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s Bucks.
Who, according to you, is going to lift the NBA title? Help us know your views in the comments.