NBA’s ‘tentative’ start date would see playoffs begin in August

By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com

The NBA has a date in mind when it comes to the start of the 2020 NBA Playoffs, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.

Per Shams, the league's 'tentative' start date for postseason play would include an Aug. 16-17 start date for the potential play-in tournament before an official start on Aug. 18. With 22 of the league's 30 teams returning to action for eight regular season games before beginning the postseason, a play-in tournament will only occur if the No. 9 seed finishes within four games of the No. 8 seed at the end of those eight games. The West paused with five teams within six games of the No. 8 seed while the nine-seed Wizards were the only non-playoff East team within striking distance of the No. 8 seed Magic, sitting five and a half games out of playoff contention at the time of the league's suspension back on Mar. 11.

From there, the NBA would begin their second round as late as Sept. 1, their conference finals would start on 15, and the NBA Finals would begin on Sept. 30, and go as late as Oct. 12 if necessary.

In other words, if all goes well with their return, the NBA is essentially looking at an every-other-day format this postseason.

The NBA's plans to return involve the league setting up camp at Orlando's Disney World, and with players facing certain restrictions while in Orlando, which reportedly include not being allowed to visit the location's theme parks while in town. While there are obvious hurdles that come with by all means being locked down at Disney's complex for over two months, the NBPA successfully voted the approve the 22-team format and return plan last Friday.

Jayson Tatum and the Celtics, who returned to the Auerbach Center for some individual workouts this week, entered the pause with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference, at 43-21.