Schedule adds distance, with rivalry reduction
The MiamiHeat still will go great distances when it comesto the NBA’s pandemic-altered 2020-21 schedule, but they also will see a reduction of rivalry games.
In order to accommodate a 72-game schedule, down from the standard 82, the league has reduced season series against conference opponents to three games, instead of the traditional four against all division rivals. For the Heat, that means only three games this season against Southeast Division opponents — the Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards.
In addition, in the scheduling outline released by the league, teams will still play each team in the opposite conference twice, meaning the Heat, even amid travel concerns during the coronavirus pandemic, will travel for road games against each Western Conference opponent.
Because of the uncertainty of potential postponed games, the league plans to release the schedule in two phases.
According to the scheduling memo, “The schedule for the First Half of the season will be released around the start of training camp. The schedule for the Second Half of the season will be released during the latter part of the First Half portion of the schedule.
“The Second Half schedule will include the remainder of each team’s 72 games not scheduled in the FirstHalf as well as any games postponed during the FirstHalf that can reasonably be added to the Second Half schedule .”
Training camps are expected to open the first week of December, making that the expected announcement of the schedule. The league generally takes into account free-agency movement before determining the national-television schedule.
Free agency opens Friday at 6 p.m.
The season is scheduled to open Dec. 22, with opening night traditionally reserved for teams that competed in the previous season’s NBA Finals, whichthis yearwere the champion Los Angeles Lakersandrunner-upHeat.
The league has established guidelines for potential
fan attendance atg ames, with government ordinances factoring into that process.
The Heat have yet to announce such a policy.
In order to balance the schedule, the Heat will play each Eastern Conference team either twice at home or twice on the road, with one remaining game against those opponents.
That breakdown has the Heat with two home games and one road game against the Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks and Wizards. The breakdown has the Heat with two road games and one home game against the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Hornets, New York Knicks, Magic, Philadelphia 76 er sand Toronto Rap to rs.
The NBA also announced the format for a play-in tournament for the Nos. 7-8 seeds in each conference:
“At the conclusion of the regular season, the team with the seventh-highest winning percentage in each conference will host the team with the eighth-highest winning percentage in its conference in a Play-In Game (the ‘Seven-Eight Game’). The winner of the Seven-Eight Game in each conference will be the seventh seed in the playoffs for its conference.
“The team with the ninth-highest winning percentage in each conference will host the team with the tenth-highest winning percentage in its conference in a Play-In Game( the‘ NineTen Game ’). The loser of the Seven-Eight Game will host the winner of the Nine-Ten Game in a Play-In Game, andthe winner of thatgame will be the eighth seed in the playoffs for its conference.”
The Heat finished as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference in 2019-20.