Report: NBA Nearing 2nd-Half Schedule Release; No Plan to Push Playoffs Back

The NBA is preparing to share a draft of the second half of the 2020-21 schedule with teams as soon as this weekend, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe, and indications are that the league does not plan to delay the start of the postseason.

League officials did not release the full schedule ahead of the season because of the likelihood that games would be postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic. The NBA has been forced to delay 30 games through the first three months, and only three have been rescheduled.

That leaves a number of teams well below the 72-game target the league hoped to reach. According to Wojnarowski and Lowe, the NBA is doing its best to avoid making clubs play back-to-back-to-backs as well as four games in five nights:

"In conversations with teams so far, sources said league officials have expressed a desire for each to play 72 games if possible -- even if that requires Washington, Memphis and other teams who have had several games postponed to play more often over the rest of the season. That will require those teams to play more back-to-backs, league officials have informed team executives, sources said. ...

"Team officials have asked the league what would happen if more games are postponed in the second half of the schedule -- and if the league would attempt to make those games up even with no time cushion built into the back of the schedule, sources said. The league has indicated it will explore ways to make up future postponements, but has acknowledged in talks with league officials that some teams may not reach 72 games played."

The NBA has said qualification for the postseason play-in tournament, which will begin May 18, will be based on teams' winning percentages.

Wojnarowski and Lowe noted the playoffs' start date is unlikely to change as the league looks to avoid interfering with the Summer Olympics in Tokyo come late July.