According to ESPN, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is expected to propose his plan for the NBA’s return to the Board of Governors this Thursday. Silver plans to introduce a 22-team return with all games played in Orlando, Fl.
The 22 teams will include the 16 current playoff teams, the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trailblazers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, and the Washington Wizards. Each of the 22 teams is expected to play eight games for playoff seeding purposes before the start of NBA Playoffs.
There are also stipulations including if the number 9 seed is more than four games behind, the number 8 seed will make the playoffs. If the number 9 seed is less than four games behind the number 8 seed, there will be a play-in tournament.
There has also been a debate about how many teams might get approved to resume the 2020 NBA season. Some reports say there might be as little as 16 teams, and others say there might be as many as 30 teams.
The NBA is holding a meeting on Thursday, June 4th, 2020, at 12:30 pm to discuss the return to action. Once the new format is approved, you can expect NBA betting lines to become available online.
Betting on the NBA was brought to an abrupt stop when the NBA suspended its season in March of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The NBA was the first major sporting league in the US to suspend its operations. Soon after the suspension, other US sporting leagues followed suit.
Many online sportsbooks that cater to US players over the age of 18 left 2020 NBA futures available with conditions that the season resumes. Online bettors who took those lines will have their wagers counted as long as all the requirements are met.
If the new format for the NBA’s return is approved, it could change the fate of some teams. The Kings are currently tied for the second-longest playoff drought ever at 13 seasons. The Suns have missed the last nine post-season playoffs, and the Spurs are currently tied with the longest post-season streak 22 seasons) in NBA history.
