2020 NBA Schedule Release: 1st-Half Slate, TV Info to Be Revealed on Friday

The NBA is planning to unveil the first half of its 2020-21 schedule on Friday. 

Marc Stein of the New York Times passed along the league's announcement, adding the first half of the season covers games from Dec. 22 through March 4. 

In addition to its schedule release, the NBA did confirm Wednesday that the season will open on Dec. 22 with a doubleheader featuring the Golden State Warriors vs. Brooklyn Nets at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the Los Angeles Clippers taking on the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers at 10 p.m.

The league also unveiled its Christmas Day quintupleheader:

Although the league initially planned to complete an 82-game season after a shortened campaign because of the coronavirus pandemic, it was forced to take on a new time frame since the late finish to the 2020 playoffs made it unrealistic to start in late October as usual.

The NBA will play a 72-game regular season, with an All-Star break currently planned from March 5-10 to divide the first and second halves.

Key Storylines

Who Will Challenge the Lakers in Loaded West?

Anthony Davis' arrival in Los Angeles last offseason to play alongside LeBron James vaulted the Lakers to the top of the Western Conference. They finished with a 52-19 record to earn the top seed before cruising through the playoffs en route to the franchise's 17th championship.

James, Davis and Co. will form the team to beat in the conference once again, but there's no shortage of potential contenders hoping to take them down.

The L.A. Clippers should be motivated after blowing a 3-1 lead against the Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals. Their superstar duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George could benefit from the addition of some depth scoring, though.

Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans are a team on the rise. Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball join Williamson to create one of the league's most promising cores.

The Golden State Warriors should swiftly move back into the conversation as Stephen Curry returns, though another injury to Klay Thompson may keep the Dubs out of true title contention.

Other playoff teams last season include the Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers.

Then you have the Phoenix Suns, one of the best teams in the bubble, and the Memphis Grizzlies, who narrowly missed out on the postseason.

It doesn't take a mathematician to figure out that's far more than eight teams that will be battling just to make the playoffs in the West, which will once again be a gauntlet.

Are the Nets Set to Take Over the East?

Brooklyn had to wait a year while Kevin Durant recovered from a ruptured Achilles, but the tandem of KD and Kyrie Irving is now ready to take flight.

Add in Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert, Taurean Prince, Jarrett Allen and DeAndre Jordan, and the Nets have the pieces to immediately rise toward the top of the Eastern Conference.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks will look to put their recent postseason disappointments in the rearview mirror to maintain their place atop the East standings.

The Miami Heat will want to build off their tremendous run to the NBA Finals, which was unexpected after they finished fifth in the conference during the regular season with a 44-29 record.

While other teams, led by the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics, are also capable of making some noise, they likely won't receive nearly as much attention as the Philadelphia 76ers.

Doc Rivers arrives to coach the Sixers after being quickly hired following his departure from the Clippers. He'll be tasked with helping a talented roster, led by Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, reach its potential as a championship contender, something that's been elusive in the past few years.

The Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic were the other playoff teams from the East last season.

Meanwhile, it's always worth monitoring the New York Knicks as they attempt to end a seven-year playoff drought, though they're probably at least a few years from championship contention.