NBA Playoffs 2020: When do the 2020 NBA Finals start?

The interrupted season has changed the timeline for the NBA Playoffs and the 2020 NBA Finals. When are they scheduled to be held?

The 2019-20 NBA season was formally suspended on Mar. 11, after Rudy Gobert became the first player to test positive for the novel coronavirus. The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic from there created a nearly three-month vacuum as the NBA tried to figure out what would come next.

Earlier this month, the NBA announced plans to restart the season with all games being held at a single-site — Walt Disney World. In all, 22 teams were invited to play eight regular-season games to provide a warm-up and possibly reconfigure the final two playoff spots in each conference. From there, the playoffs will be conducted as usual with standard seeding and best-of-seven series.

Schedule for the NBA Playoffs and 2020 NBA Finals:

• Aug. 18: First round
• Sep. 1: Conference semifinals
• Sep. 15: Conference finals
• Sep. 30: NBA Finals begin
• Oct. 12: NBA Finals Game 7 (if necessary)

The plan also includes complicated safety protocols and regular testing for all players and staff for the duration of their time in Orlando. A total of 16 NBA players tested positive in the initial batch of testing at the end of June but all will be eligible to rejoin their teams in Orlando if they are fully recovered and have received a negative result on two separate tests, at least 24 hours apart.

Several players have also opted out the resumed season, including Trevor Ariza of the Portland Trail Blazers, Davis Bertans of the Washington Wizards and Willie Cauley-Stein of the Dallas Mavericks.

There is concern about a surge of positive COVID-19 cases in Florida, and particularly in the area around Orlando and everything is still in a fragile state. But assuming there are no further disruptions to the plan, the regular season games are set to begin on July 30.