2020 NBA Season Restart: Teams, format, schedule, location, and odds

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The Boston Celtics and 21 other teams will be back in action before we know it as the NBA prepares to resume the 2019-20 season in Orlando, Fla.

The NBA's restart plan is still on schedule, as 22 of the league's 30 teams will head to Orlando later this month to continue a season that was halted March 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

So, when do games begin and what will life look like in the NBA bubble?

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Here's what you need to know as we gear up for the NBA's return:

When does the NBA season resume?

After what will be a four-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the NBA's schedule for restarting the 2019-20 season will begin July 30 with 22 teams competing for the NBA championship. Teams will report to a "bubble" environment at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

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Seeding games will take place from July 30-Aug. 14. Play-in tournaments are scheduled for Aug. 15-16. The NBA playoffs will begin Aug. 17.

What is the return to play format?

The 22 teams in Orlando will include the 16 clubs currently in a playoff spot -- eight from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference -- and six additional teams within six games of the No. 9 seed in their respective conference.

Each team will play eight "seeding games" to determine playoff seeding in each conference. Those games will be selected from each team's remaining regular-season matchups.

What does this mean for the Celtics?

The Celtics already have clinched a playoff spot and currently hold the No. 3 seed in the East. They're three games behind the No. 2 seed Raptors and 2.5 games ahead of the No. 4 seed Miami Heat with eight regular-season games left on the schedule.

Which teams will be playing in Orlando?

The Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards will represent the Eastern Conference.

In the Western Conference, it will be the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns.

2020 NBA League Schedule

Here is the Celtics' full schedule for the team's eight seeding-round games, beginning with a July 31 matchup against the No. 1 seed Bucks:

Updated odds to win the 2020 NBA Championship

The Celtics currently have the fifth-best odds to win the 2020 NBA championship, per DraftKings Sportsbook:

L.A. Lakers: +240
Milwaukee Bucks: +250
L.A. Clippers: +333
Houston Rockets: +1200
Boston Celtics: +2000
Toronto Raptors: +2200
Denver Nuggets: +2500
Philadelphia 76ers: +2800
Miami Heat: +3000
Utah Jazz: +3300
Dallas Mavericks: +4000
All other teams have +10000 odds or worse

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