The NBA is Back: Schedule, Format Changes and More

The NBA returns tonight to tip off a season that will feature a shortened schedule and multiple changes to the format.

The 2020-21 NBA season gets underway tonight with a double-header on TNT. First up is Golden State at Brooklyn, followed by LA at, uh, Los Angeles. If you’re a Lakers Fan, it’s been less than three months since your team played a game. If you’re a Warriors fan, it’s been more than nine. It’s been both the shortest offseason in NBA history and the longest.

Following the unprecedented 2019-20 season—which, if you’re new to this, concluded with a Bachelor-style tournament in a “bubble” on the Disney World campus, with failed championship suitors sent home round-after-round until LeBron James and the Lakers put a ring on it in October—the NBA is set for a shortened 72-game regular season that runs from Christmas to mid-May. The All-Star break is scheduled from March 5-10.

To make the schedule more elastic in case of COVID-related postponements, the NBA is splitting the season into two parts; the slate of games between March 11-May 16 will be released “during the latter part of the First Half portion of the schedule,” according to the league. The other big change to the format is a modified version of the Play-In Tournament the league tried out in the bubble. This season’s Play-In Tournament (May 18-21) will include a “Seven-Eight” game and a “Nine-Ten” game in each conference to determine playoff seeding. Following those games, the winner of the “Nine-Ten” game will play the loser of the “Seven-Eight” game for the final playoff spot. This sounds like an awesome idea.

As mentioned, the opening tip of the season is tonight in Brooklyn, where the Golden State Warriors will be facing their old friend Kevin Durant in his debut with the Nets. That’s followed by a battle for STAPLES Center supremacy, as the Lakers begin their title defense against Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers. Both games will be on TNT, which will broadcast 66 games in the regular season and is available for both Sling Orange and Blue subscribers. To catch the 49 games scheduled for the ESPN family of networks, subscribe to Sling Orange. For even more NBA action, add our Sports Extra pack to get NBA TV. Hardcore hardwood fans can sign up for select Team Passes to watch their favorite out-of-market team. You can also score every game with a monthly-subscription to the NBA League Pass.

So Sling has plenty of options for both the casual and diehard NBA fan. Below, check out the national TV schedule through Jan. 1, and use the link at the bottom of this page to sign up for Sling Orange + Blue with the Sports Extra pack, and add Team or League Passes at checkout.

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