NBA reveals complete schedule for first half of season

The complete NBA schedule is out for the first half of the 2020-21 season.

The 2019-20 NBA season feels like it just ended and now we are already getting ready to begin the 2020-21 slate. We knew the preseason would begin December 11 and the regular season would get underway December 22.

Now we have a more complete picture as the NBA dropped the schedule for the first half of the 2020-21 season Friday afternoon.

Highlights of the schedule release

The regular season kicks off with a matchup between the Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors on December 22. The late game that night is between the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.

Opening night is going to have a different feel, but it will still be nice to see teams in their home arenas once again.

For those wondering, the Nets and Lakers will meet up February 18 as Kyrie Irving and LeBron James duke it out again.

A Finals rematch between the Lakers and Heat is scheduled for February 20 at Staples Center.

The first half of this planned 72-game season runs from December 22 up through March 4. The second half is scheduled from March 11 through May 16. So if everything goes as planned, the NBA Finals will be played later than usual but still not as late as in 2020.

The league is also changing up the schedule to reduce travel. Let’s look at the Boston Celtics’ schedule for an example. The team is set to take on the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis on both December 27 and December 29. A similar situation arises in January when the Celtics will be home against the Orlando Magic on January 13 and January 15.

The NBA is taking a series model, such as what is seen in baseball, to get games played and avoid the usual amount of traveling the country. That is a smart step and will hopefully avoid a large amount of postponements in this first half.

The final game in the first half is between the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers on March 4. Will everything go smoothly during this new setup? Fans can only hope as the NBA tries to return to some sense of normal even if fans aren’t allowed in arenas all over the country.