The NBA announced on Tuesday the key dates for the 2021-22 season with the settlement of play in as a key point. For the second consecutive season, the seventh and eighth places in the playoffs from each of the Conferences will be decided in those previous rounds. They will be present from the seventh to the tenth team with the best balance of victories.
The model emerged during the Walt Disney bubble in Orlando (Florida), where only eight games were played to close the regular season. But it was different from the current one and it had conditions: only the eighth and the ninth would face each other, if the latter finished four victories or less away. In the East there was no need. In the West, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Memphis Grizzlies inaugurated a system that won the Oregon franchise.
As for the key dates, October 19 will start a season that will have 82 games. It is a return to normality after starting the last one on Christmas Day and only playing 72 games. The regular phase will close on April 10 and play in will be from April 12 to 15. On the 16 of that same month the playoffs begin and on June 2, the Finals. If there are seventh games, the NBA will conclude on the 19th. The draft, the four days later.
Key dates
August 2: teams can start negotiating with free agents.
August 6: teams can start signing free agents.
August 8-17: Summer League In Las Vegas.
September 28, 2021: start workouts.
October 19, 2021: regular season begins.
April 10, 2022: regular season ends.
April 12-15, 2022: play in.
April 16, 2022: playoffs begin.
June 2, 2022: NBA Finals begin.
June 19, 2022: Game 7 of the NBA Finals (if necessary).
June 23, 2022: NBA Draft.
