Basketball is now finding its way back on the game and is expected to start on July 31, 2020, since few other sports have already begun. The NBA has decided to resume the game at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. This location is deemed to be a safe and ideal spot to host the game as it has extensive basketball facilities, abundant housing, and the ability to create a bubble campus for the league.
West and East Conference teams qualified for NBA 2019-2020. Image: Twitter The NBA is starting off with 22 teams - 9 from the Eastern Conference and 13 from the Western Conference out of the total 30 teams. The remaining 8 teams would not qualify for play-offs even after playing the rest of the matches; hence to keep the risk at a minimum, they have decided to carry on with the 22-team format. According to the NBA Communications - Each returning team would play eight seeding games, as selected from its remaining regular-season matchups.
At the conclusion of the seeding games, the seven teams in each conference with the best-combined records across regular-season games and seeding games would qualify for the playoffs. The 2019-20 season would conclude with a traditional playoff format with best-of-seven series in the first round, conference semifinals, conference finals, and the NBA Finals.
Under the NBA bubble campus plan, games would be closed to the public with only teams, broadcast crews, and essential personnel allowed in the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. It is a 220-acre arena that can stage several games daily. The idea for the venue was put forth by Keith Smith, a Walt Disney Company employee for nearly 20 years, working primarily at Walt Disney World. He had written in his article published in mid-April, about the various points as to why it would be "the ideal spot for the NBA to salvage its season" and hence sparked the idea of it. In addition, they have planned to use the crowd noise from the 'NBA 2k video game' since the arena will be devoid of fans and certain other extra officials. This is one way to keep the sporting spirit going on and also encourage the players to remind and give the atmosphere of the real NBA. Each team has allowed 35 members to be present during the game. The current bubble plan can accommodate about 1600 people altogether, hence families of the players are only allowed as the teams start leaving after elimination and play-offs.
The players are to be housed at three specific hotels across the Walt Disney World Resort. They would also be tested nightly for the coronavirus and if found would be kept in quarantine for at least a week. Their schedule for the pre-game quarantine has already been fixed and on July 7, the teams would be traveling to Orlando. Disney and the NBA have agreed to use the Coronado Springs Resort as the primary housing area during the Disney World-based season, according to Yahoo Sports.
They will have a lavish stay at the complex be it inside the bubble. After a tough game, NBA players can take a dip in the 90- by 120-foot pool built around a 50-foot-tall replica of a Mayan pyramid that features water streaming down the steps. For players looking for a cool plunge during the humid Orlando summer, the pool offers a slide with a jaguar at the top spitting water.
In addition to exercise facilities at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex, players can work out between games in the 24-hour hotel gyms at the Coronado Springs Resort and Gran Destino Tower. A mile-long jogging trail encircles the shimmering Lago Dorado. While the players are in the bubble complex, they are not allowed to visit the Walt Disney World Theme Parks during the resumed session. Well, it could be cool; meeting either LeBron James or Giannis up in the rides, but it surely wouldn't be possible this time. In regard to the opening of the theme parks for the guests from mid-July, players and their families quarantining at the resort hotels will not be allowed to enter the parks in an effort to prevent any possible spread of COVID-19.
They have speculated to begin the NBA finals from September 30, and if game 7 is required then October 12, is the given date. While players will come in rested after the coronavirus-forced break, playing every other day for a couple of months could lead to some heavy legs for veterans as the playoffs move on. NBA has also planned to postpone the next session of NBA 2020-2021 to December rather than October as usual.
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