NBA Rumors: Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks Favor Play-In Tournament Before 2020 Playoffs
The NBA is weighing several different scenarios to return and complete the 2019-2020 season during the coronavirus pandemic. The league is expected to resume games at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida at some point in July, but several important questions remain.
How many regular-season games will be played? Will the league go straight to the playoffs following a short training camp? What about an expanded postseason field or the chance for teams just outside of the playoff picture to earn their way into the postseason?
All of these options were presented to the NBA’s 32 general managers in a survey. It’s unknown how each specific team voted, though many GMs appear open to adding at least one new wrinkle to the traditional 16-team, four-round format.
According to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks are in favor of a play-in tournament over the idea of a World Cup-style group stage.
Group play would allow for the top 20 teams to compete for the second round of the playoffs, splitting up the eligible teams into four groups of five. Each team would play their opponents in the same group once with the top two teams in each group advancing to the next round.
As the No.1 seed in their respective conferences, it makes sense that Los Angeles and Milwaukee prefer the play-in tournament, which could decide the final playoff spot in the East and West. In that scenario, the Lakers and Bucks would only have to win a series against the No.8 seed in order to become one of the last eight teams standings.
The current NBA standings call for the Lakers to face the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round. Milwaukee is on track to play the Orlando Magic. Both Memphis and Orlando have losing records.
A play-in tournament could give Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans or Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers a chance to make the playoffs.
The Lakers are 49-14 with a 5.5-game lead over the Los Angeles Clippers for the West’s best record. LeBron James was making a serious MVP push before the season was suspended indefinitely on March 11.
The Bucks lead the Toronto Raptors by 6.5 games atop the East with a 53-12 record. It’s likely that for the second straight year, Milwaukee will be the No.1 overall seed and Giannis Antetokounmpo will win the MVP award.
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