NBA players on Thursday tentatively approved a 72-game regular season in 2020-21 that would start Dec. 22.
The 2019-20 season was suspended for more than four months because of the coronavirus pandemic. It ended Oct. 11 with the Lakers winning the championship. The next campaign is set to begin just before Christmas following a vote by the National Basketball Players Association. It will be 10 games shorter than the usual 82-game slate.
"The Board of Player Representatives of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) has tentatively approved a start date of December 22, 2020 for the 2020-2021 NBA season and a 72-game schedule," the NBPA said a statement Thursday night.
NBPA STATEMENT ON THE 2020-2021 NBA SEASON START DATE AND SCHEDULE
— NBPA (@TheNBPA) November 6, 2020
: https://t.co/BmNtnYsm63 pic.twitter.com/AvCaVAOWK7
"Additional details remain to be negotiated and the NBPA is confident that the parties will reach agreement on these remaining issues relevant to the upcoming season."
The Lakers won their 17th championship and first since 2010 by overcoming the Heat 4-2 in the NBA Finals.