Report: NBA's 2020-21 2nd-Half Schedule Expected to Be Released in 2-3 Weeks
The NBA is reportedly planning to release the schedule for the second half of the 2020-21 season in two or three weeks.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported games for the second half will begin March 11, four days after the scheduled 2021 NBA All-Star Game. The slate is expected to include contests that were postponed in the first half due to COVID-19 protocols, along with the other remaining games so teams can complete the 72-game schedule.
Twenty-four games have been postponed during the 2020-21 season due to safety protocols. Two of those games have already been rescheduled on the first half of the season, leaving up to 22 games that will need moved to the second half. It's possible the league makes slight adjustments to its first-half schedule to accommodate more makeups.
The NBA has gotten a better handle of COVID-19 as the season progressed, thanks in large part to implementing more stringent policies. No players tested positive in the latest round of COVID testing, the first time this season the league has avoided any positive tests.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has expressed optimism about the league's plans moving forward, and the league has maintained it has no plans on stopping play.
Silver also said the league has considered having players get vaccinated for the virus as a PSA meant to raise awareness. However, the commissioner has maintained the league will not skip line over vulnerable communities and essential workers receiving the vaccine.
