The NBA is getting closer to restarting the 2019-20 season on July 30 inside the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort. All 22 teams have arrived in Orlando, Florida, and started training camp ahead of seeding games to determine the final standings, a potential playoff play-in series and the standard four-round postseason. Teams also have continued to have regular testing for the coronavirus now that they have cleared the initial quarantine period, though some players have yet to arrive.
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Standings and the playoff race
Each team will play eight seeding games to determine the playoff matchups and initiate a potential play-in series for the No. 8 seed in each conference.
If the No. 9 seed finishes within four games of the No. 8 seed, there will be a play-in tournament in which the No. 9 seed would need to beat the No. 8 seed twice to earn the playoff berth, while the No. 8 seed would need one win from the two potential games. Given the uneven number of games played, the NBA will use win percentage as an initial tiebreaker.
Here are the standings heading into the restart:
Eastern Conference
1. Milwaukee Bucks | 53-12
2. Toronto Raptors | 46-18
3. Boston Celtics | 43-21
4. Miami Heat | 41-24
5. Indiana Pacers | 39-26
6. Philadelphia 76ers | 39-26
7. Brooklyn Nets | 30-34
8. Orlando Magic | 30-35
9. Washington Wizards | 24-40
Eastern Conference
1. Los Angeles Lakers | 49-14
2. LA Clippers | 44-20
3. Denver Nuggets | 43-22
4. Utah Jazz | 41-23
5. Oklahoma City Thunder | 40-24
6. Houston Rockets | 40-24
7. Dallas Mavericks | 40-27
8. Memphis Grizzlies | 32-33
9. Portland Trail Blazers | 29-37
10. New Orleans Pelicans | 28-36
11. Sacramento Kings | 28-36
12. San Antonio Spurs | 27-36
13. Phoenix Suns | 26-39
To start off, the Wizards will be 5.5 games back of the Magic, giving Washington a chance to make up the 1.5-game difference and force a play-in for the East’s No. 8 seed. A play-in is likely in the West, with the Grizzlies holding a 3.5-game lead on multiple contenders.
