By the time the NBA resumes its season in Orlando at the end of July, it will have been more than four and a half months since its hiatus. During that time, the world has changed dramatically as the COVID-19 pandemic has tightened its grip on the country and the Black Lives Matter movement has taken front and center in the fight for social justice reform.
Despite the many logistical challenges involved, the league is pressing on with the bubble league that will feature 22 teams and hundreds of team and league personnel housed on the Disney campus under strict quarantine protocols for more than three months.
Those teams will play an eight-game slate designed to bring the regular season to a close and determine playoff seeding. On Friday, we finally gained some clarity on how it will all pan out after the league released the schedule for the eight seeding games for all 22 teams.
BOSTON CELTICS
Fri. 7/31 MIL 6:30 PM
Sun. 8/2 POR 3:30 PM
Tue. 8/4 MIA 6:30 PM
Wed. 8/5 BKN 9:00 PM
Fri. 8/7 TOR 9:00 PM
Sun. 8/9 ORL 5:00 PM
Tue. 8/11 MEM 6:30 PM
Thu. 8/13 WAS TBD
DALLAS MAVERICKS
Fri. 7/31 HOU 9:00 PM
Sun. 8/2 PHX 9:00 PM
Tue. 8/4 SAC 2:30 PM
Thu. 8/6 LAC 6:30 PM
Sat. 8/8 MIL 8:30 PM
Mon. 8/10 UTA 3:00 PM
Tue. 8/11 POR 5:00 PM
Thu. 8/13 PHX TBD
HOUSTON ROCKETS
Fri. 7/31 DAL 9:00 PM
Sun. 8/2 MIL 8:30 PM
Tue. 8/4 POR 9:00 PM
Thu. 8/6 LAL 9:00 PM
Sun. 8/9 SAC 8:00 PM
Tue. 8/11 SAS 2:00 PM
Wed. 8/12 IND 4:00 PM
Fri. 8/14 PHI TBD
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Thu. 7/30 LAL 9:00 PM
Sat. 8/1 NOP 6:00 PM
Tue. 8/4 PHX 4:00 PM
Thu. 8/6 DAL 6:30 PM
Sat. 8/8 POR 1:00 PM
Sun. 8/9 BKN 9:00 PM
Wed. 8/12 DEN 9:00 PM
Fri. 8/14 OKC TBD
BROOKLYN NETS
Fri. 7/31 ORL 2:30 PM
Sun. 8/2 WAS 2:00 PM
Tue. 8/4 MIL 1:30 PM
Wed. 8/5 BOS 9:00 PM
Fri. 8/7 SAC 5:00 PM
Sun. 8/9 LAC 9:00 PM
Tue. 8/11 ORL 1:00 PM
Thu. 8/13 POR TBD
DENVER NUGGETS
Sat. 8/1 MIA 1:00 PM
Mon. 8/3 OKC 4:00 PM
Wed. 8/5 SAS 4:00 PM
Thu. 8/6 POR 8:00 PM
Sat. 8/8 UTA 3:30 PM
Mon. 8/10 LAL 9:00 PM
Wed. 8/12 LAC 9:00 PM
Fri. 8/14 TOR TBD
INDIANA PACERS
Sat. 8/1 PHI 7:00 PM
Mon. 8/3 WAS 4:00 PM
Tue. 8/4 ORL 6:00 PM
Thu. 8/6 PHX 4:00 PM
Sat. 8/8 LAL 6:00 PM
Mon. 8/10 MIA 8:00 PM
Wed. 8/12 HOU 4:00 PM
Fri. 8/14 MIA TBD
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Thu. 7/30 LAC 9:00 PM
Sat. 8/1 TOR 8:30 PM
Mon. 8/3 UTA 9:00 PM
Wed. 8/5 OKC 6:30 PM
Thu. 8/6 HOU 9:00 PM
Sat. 8/8 IND 6:00 PM
Mon. 8/10 DEN 9:00 PM
Thu. 8/13 SAC TBD
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Fri. 7/31 POR 4:00 PM
Sun. 8/2 SAS 4:00 PM
Mon. 8/3 NOP 6:30 PM
Wed. 8/5 UTA 2:30 PM
Fri. 8/7 OKC 4:00 PM
Sun. 8/9 TOR 2:00 PM
Tue. 8/11 BOS 6:30 PM
Thu. 8/13 MIL TBD
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Fri. 7/31 BOS 6:30 PM
Sun. 8/2 HOU 8:30 PM
Tue. 8/4 BKN 1:30 PM
Thu. 8/6 MIA 4:00 PM
Sat. 8/8 DAL 8:30 PM
Mon. 8/10 TOR 6:30 PM
Tue. 8/11 WAS 9:00 PM
Thu. 8/13 MEM TBD
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Sat. 8/1 UTA 3:30 PM
Mon. 8/3 DEN 4:00 PM
Wed. 8/5 LAL 6:30 PM
Fri. 8/7 MEM 4:00 PM
Sun. 8/9 WAS 12:30 PM
Mon. 8/10 PHX 2:30 PM
Wed. 8/12 MIA 8:00 PM
Fri. 8/14 LAC TBD
PHILADELPHIA 76ers
Sat. 8/1 IND 7:00 PM
Mon. 8/3 SAS 8:00 PM
Wed. 8/5 WAS 4:00 PM
Fri. 8/7 ORL 6:30 PM
Sun. 8/9 POR 6:30 PM
Tue. 8/11 PHX 4:30 PM
Wed. 8/12 TOR 6:30 PM
Fri. 8/14 HOU TBD
MIAMI HEAT
Sat. 8/1 DEN 1:00 PM
Mon. 8/3 TOR 1:30 PM
Tue. 8/4 BOS 6:30 PM
Thu. 8/6 MIL 4:00 PM
Sat. 8/8 PHX 7:30 PM
Mon. 8/10 IND 8:00 PM
Wed. 8/12 OKC 8:00 PM
Fri. 8/14 IND TBD
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
Thu. 7/30 UTA 6:30 PM
Sat. 8/1 LAC 6:00 PM
Mon. 8/3 MEM 6:30 PM
Thu. 8/6 SAC 1:30 PM
Fri. 8/7 WAS 8:00 PM
Sun. 8/9 SAS 3:00 PM
Tue. 8/11 SAC 9:00 PM
Thu. 8/13 ORL TBD
ORLANDO MAGIC
Fri. 7/31 BKN 2:30 PM
Sun. 8/2 SAC 6:00 PM
Tue. 8/4 IND 6:00 PM
Wed. 8/5 TOR 8:00 PM
Fri. 8/7 PHI 6:30 PM
Sun. 8/9 BOS 5:00 PM
Tue. 8/11 BKN 1:00 PM
Thu. 8/13 NOP TBD
PHOENIX SUNS
Fri. 7/31 WAS 4:00 PM
Sun. 8/2 DAL 9:00 PM
Tue. 8/4 LAC 4:00 PM
Thu. 8/6 IND 4:00 PM
Sat. 8/8 MIA 7:30 PM
Mon. 8/10 OKC 2:30 PM
Tue. 8/11 PHI 4:30 PM
Thu. 8/13 DAL TBD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
Fri. 7/31 MEM 4:00 PM
Sun. 8/2 BOS 3:30 PM
Tue. 8/4 HOU 9:00 PM
Thu. 8/6 DEN 8:00 PM
Sat. 8/8 LAC 1:00 PM
Sun. 8/9 PHI 6:30 PM
Tue. 8/11 DAL 5:00 PM
Thu. 8/13 BKN TBD
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Fri. 7/31 SAC 8:00 PM
Sun. 8/2 MEM 4:00 PM
Mon. 8/3 PHI 8:00 PM
Wed. 8/5 DEN 4:00 PM
Fri. 8/7 UTA 1:00 PM
Sun. 8/9 NOP 3:00 PM
Tue. 8/11 HOU 2:00 PM
Thu. 8/13 UTA TBD
UTAH JAZZ
Thu. 7/30 NOP 6:30 PM
Sat. 8/1 OKC 3:30 PM
Mon. 8/3 LAL 9:00 PM
Wed. 8/5 MEM 2:30 PM
Fri. 8/7 SAS 1:00 PM
Sat. 8/8 DEN 3:30 PM
Mon. 8/10 DAL 3:00 PM
Thu. 8/13 SAS TBD
SACRAMENTO KINGS
Fri. 7/31 SAS 8:00 PM
Sun. 8/2 ORL 6:00 PM
Tue. 8/4 DAL 2:30 PM
Thu. 8/6 NOP 1:30 PM
Fri. 8/7 BKN 5:00 PM
Sun. 8/9 HOU 8:00 PM
Tue. 8/11 NOP 9:00 PM
Thu. 8/13 LAL TBD
TORONTO RAPTORS
Sat. 8/1 LAL 8:30 PM
Mon. 8/3 MIA 1:30 PM
Wed. 8/5 ORL 8:00 PM
Fri. 8/7 BOS 9:00 PM
Sun. 8/9 MEM 2:00 PM
Mon. 8/10 MIL 6:30 PM
Wed. 8/12 PHI 6:30 PM
Fri. 8/14 DEN TBD
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Fri. 7/31 PHX 4:00 PM
Sun. 8/2 BKN 2:00 PM
Mon. 8/3 IND 4:00 PM
Wed. 8/5 PHI 4:00 PM
Fri. 8/7 NOP 8:00 PM
Sun. 8/9 OKC 12:30 PM
Tue. 8/11 MIL 9:00 PM
Thu. 8/13 BOS TBD
In addition, ESPN, ABC, and TNT all released their schedules for the nationally television games.
Fri, July 31 6:30 p.m. Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks ESPN, ESPN App
Fri, July 31 9 p.m. Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks ESPN, ESPN App
Sat, Aug. 1 1 p.m. Miami Heat vs. Denver Nuggets ESPN, ESPN App
Sat, Aug. 1 3:30 p.m. Utah Jazz vs. Oklahoma City Thunder ESPN, ESPN App
Sat, Aug. 1 6 p.m. New Orleans Pelicans vs. LA Clippers ESPN, ESPN App
Sat, Aug. 1 8:30 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Toronto Raptors ESPN, ESPN App
Sun, Aug. 2 3:30 p.m. Portland Trail Blazers vs. Boston Celtics ABC, ESPN App
Sun, Aug. 2 8:30 p.m. Milwaukee Bucks vs. Houston Rockets ABC, ESPN App
Mon, Aug. 3 6:30 p.m. Memphis Grizzlies vs. New Orleans Pelicans ESPN, ESPN App
Mon, Aug. 3 9 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz ESPN, ESPN App
Wed, Aug. 5 6:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers ESPN, ESPN App
Wed, Aug. 5 9 p.m. Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics ESPN, ESPN App
Sat, Aug. 8 8:30 p.m. Milwaukee Bucks vs. Dallas Mavericks ESPN, ESPN App
Sun, Aug. 9 3 p.m. San Antonio Spurs vs. New Orleans Pelicans ABC, ESPN App
Mon, Aug. 10 6:30 p.m. Toronto Raptors vs. Milwaukee Bucks ESPN, ESPN App
Wed, Aug. 12 6:30 p.m. Toronto Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ers ESPN, ESPN App
Wed, Aug. 12 9 p.m. LA Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets ESPN, ESPN App
Fri, Aug. 14 4 p.m. TBD ESPN, ESPN App
Fri, Aug. 14 6:30 p.m. TBD ESPN, ESPN App
Fri, Aug. 14 9 p.m. TBD ESPN, ESPN App
TNT’s schedule for the NBA’s resumed eight-game regular season (all times ET). pic.twitter.com/K4YdHkVoCM
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) June 26, 2020
There is some irony in scheduling the Utah Jazz as one of the opening games on July 30, as it was Rudy Gobert’s positive test that essentially shut the season down in mid-March and resulted in real antipathy among his teammates.
The season is resuming despite considerable trepidation among a certain segment of the players. Kyrie Irving recently led a Zoom call that was designed to offer rank-and-file players an opportunity to voice their apprehensions about the bubble scenario in Orlando, which include obvious safety questions amid the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns that the NBA’s return might distract from the Black Lives Matter movement that has gained so much traction since the murder of George Floyd.
Yet, only a small handful of players have announced that they won’t join their teams in Orlando, citing various reasons. Davis Bertans, who will be a free agent after this season, says the risk of injury is what’s keeping him at home, while Lakers guard Avery Bradley is skipping the games because of his daughter’s respiratory illness.
In the past week, several players have tested positive for COVID-19, including a trio of Sacramento Kings players — Buddy Hield, Jabari Parker, and Alex Len — though both Hield and Parker say they plan on playing in Orlando after a period of mandatory quarantine.
On Friday, the NBA announced that 16 players in all had tested positive for the virus during their initial round of pre-Orlando testing, though they did not release the names of those players. Commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged that none of the options for the planned restart are risk-free, but remained adamant that the league must simply start adapting to this new reality.
Silver has said previously that new cases inside the bubble won’t immediately trigger another stoppage of play, although players who test positive will be forced to undergo another period of quarantine. Wednesday marked the unofficial deadline for players to opt out of the bubble league, and the final rosters for each team have to be submitted to the NBA front office no later than June 30.
