Los Angeles (AFP)

The NBA franchises voted Thursday in favor of the resumption of the season, suspended since March 11 because of the coronavirus, desired from July 31 with matches played behind closed doors at Disney World in Florida, announced the authority.

"The Board of Directors approved a format to restart the 2019-20 season with 22 teams and a provisional restart date on Friday July 31. This approval is the first official step among many others necessary to resume the championship", says the league release.

The plan submitted by NBA boss Adam Silver, involving 22 teams, required the green light from three-quarters of the owners of the thirty clubs. It has been approved by 29 of them, says ESPN, one of the major basketball broadcasters in the United States.

According to The Athletic, only the owner of the Portland Trail Blazers, yet affected by this plan, voted against.

Friday, the players' union (NBPA), which mainly expressed their desire to replay this summer during a poll by their authority, should in turn approve this plan.

As provisional as it may be, the date of July 31 should mark the return to play, four and a half months after the positive test at Covid-19 by French pivot Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz) which led to the suspension of the season. Its epilogue is scheduled for October 12 at the latest if the finals are to be played in seven matches.

All the meetings will take place at Disney World in Orlando, where the teams will be concentrated on the huge site called "ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex", which notably has a 5,000-seat hall, the HP Field House, and several hotels.

On the sporting side, the 22 teams concerned are the first eight of each conference on the evening of March 11: Milwaukee, Toronto, Boston, Miami, Indiana, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Orlando East / Lakers, Clippers, Denver, Utah, Oklahoma City , Houston, Dallas, Memphis to the West. As well as the six clubs that are six wins or less from 8th place in each conference, namely New Orleans, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio to the West, and only Washington to the East.

This plan, which de facto excludes the eight worst-ranked clubs in the championship, all conferences combined, will therefore mark the end of the season for Charlotte, Chicago, New York, Detroit, Atlanta, Cleveland, Minnesota and Golden State.

© 2020 AFP