NBA To Resume Games July 31 In Orlando With Lakers, Clippers, 19 Other Teams
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - Lakers and Clippers fans, rejoice.
The NBA is expected to approve a plan this week to restart the season July 31 with 22 teams - including both Los Angeles franchises - playing in Orlando, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
While details of the format are still being fleshed out, 13 Western Conference teams and nine Eastern Conference teams will play eight regular season games per team under the plan.
In addition to the Lakers, Clippers and 14 other playoff teams, New Orleans, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento and San Antonio in the West and Washington in the East will play in Orlando.
The format reportedly requires a double-elimination format for the eighth seed and a single elimination for the ninth. It also raises the possibility of a Lakers-Clippers championship series, although the Finals structure is still unclear.
The plan is expected to be officially approved during a NBA Board of Governors call Thursday morning, according to the report.
If approved, the league would be on the verge of playing its first games since the season was abruptly postponed in March after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus.