2019-20 NBA season resumed in four months

The 2019-2020 NBA season, which was suspended owing to the spread of covid-19, is getting resumed in four months. The news is drawing a keen attention from basketball fans around the world with the “King” LeBron James of the LA Lakers showing up for the regional rivalry with the Clippers on the day of kickoff.

The match between the Lakers (49-14) and the Clippers (44-20), each ranked first and second in the Western Conference, is a preview of the conference final. The second-runners Clippers boast Kawhi Leonard, the MVP from last season who led the final victory of the Toronto Raptors and a counterweight to LeBron James. While the Lakers are leading the table for now, the Clippers have recently been chosen as conference final favorite, garnering nine votes out of 16 experts in a latest survey by ESPN. In the Eastern Conference, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks won an overwhelming 13 votes.

Of 30 teams, 22 (13 from West and 9 from East) will jockey for the playoffs and participate in the remainder of the season. Each team will play eight games on three hardwood courts without spectators at the World Sports Complex in Orlando Disney World before the playoffs begin on August 18. Once the Lakers win three games out of eight, their No. 1 spot will be automatically sealed.


Jae-Yeong Yoo elegant@donga.com