The announcement basketball fans have been waiting for could be here at any moment.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski , the NBA’s Board of Governors could approve a plan before Thursday is over that would allow 22 teams to play in Orlando.
Wojnarowski tweeted:
The NBA's Board of Governors has a 12:30 PM ET call on Thursday with the intention of approving the league's plan for a 22-team return-to-play in Orlando, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/Sh7k6ylCdz
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 3, 2020
So the NBA's inviting 22 teams to Orlando: 13 Western Conference, 9 Eastern Conference. Eight-regular season games per team. Play-in for the 8th seeds. July 31-October 12. Vote tomorrow to ratify.
The NBA's back.— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 3, 2020
In addition, The Athletic‘s Shams Charania explained how the play-in tournament would work.
“If the ninth seed is more than four games behind the eighth seed, the eighth seed earns the playoff spot,” Charania reported. “If the ninth seed is four or fewer games behind, then the eighth and ninth seed will enter a play-in tournament that is double-elimination for the eighth seed and single-elimination for ninth.”
Wojnarowski tweeted that the teams included in this plan are the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trailblazers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, and the Washington Wizards.
Sources: Joining the 16 current playoff teams in Orlando: New Orleans, Portland, Phoenix, Sacramento and San Antonio in the West and Washington in the East. If the 9th seed is more than 4 games behind the 8th, No. 8 makes playoffs; Fewer than 4 games, a play-in tournament.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 3, 2020
Time will tell!
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