2020–21 NBA season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2020–21 NBA season
LeagueNational Basketball Association
SportBasketball
Duration
  • December 22, 2020 – May 16, 2021
  • May 18–21, 2021
    (Play-in tournament)
  • May 22 – July 3, 2021
    (Playoffs)
  • July 6–20, 2021
    (Finals)
Number of games72
Number of teams30
TV partner(s)ABC/ESPN, TNT, NBA TV
Draft
Top draft pickAnthony Edwards
Picked byMinnesota Timberwolves
Regular season
Top seedUtah Jazz
Season MVPNikola Jokić (Denver)
Top scorerStephen Curry (Golden State)
Playoffs
Eastern championsMilwaukee Bucks
  Eastern runners-upAtlanta Hawks
Western championsPhoenix Suns
  Western runners-upLos Angeles Clippers
Finals
ChampionsMilwaukee Bucks
  Runners-upPhoenix Suns
Finals MVPGiannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee)
NBA seasons

The 2020–21 NBA season was the 75th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the regular season was reduced to 72 games for each team, and began on December 22, 2020.[1] The season started just 72 days after the completion of the 2020 NBA Finals, the shortest off-season in league history.[2] The 2021 NBA All-Star Game was played on March 7, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, and was won by Team LeBron, 170–150. A play-in tournament for teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference was held from May 18 to May 21. The playoffs then ran under the standard 16-team playoff format from May 22 to July 20, 2021.[1] Due to COVID-19 cross-border restrictions imposed by the Canadian government, the Toronto Raptors played their 2020–21 home games at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.[3]

Transactions[]

Main article: List of 2020–21 NBA season transactions

Retirement[]

  • On September 8, 2020, Marvin Williams announced his retirement from the NBA. Williams played for four teams during his 15-year NBA career.[4]
  • On September 14, 2020, Leandro Barbosa announced his retirement from the NBA. Barbosa played 14 seasons in the NBA, winning one championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2015.[5][6]
  • On October 24, 2020, Kevin Séraphin announced his retirement from the NBA. Séraphin played for three teams during his seven-year NBA career.[7][8]
  • On November 16, 2020, Corey Brewer announced his retirement from the NBA. Brewer played for 12 years in the NBA for eight teams, winning one championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011.[9]
  • On November 18, 2020, Dorell Wright announced his retirement from the NBA. Wright played for four teams during his 11-year NBA career, winning one championship with the Miami Heat in 2006.[10]
  • On November 25, 2020, Aaron Brooks announced his retirement from the NBA. Brooks played for seven teams during his 13-year NBA career.[11]
  • On November 30, 2020, Andrew Bogut announced his retirement from the NBA. Bogut played for five teams during his 14-year NBA career, winning one championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2015.[12][13]
  • On November 30, 2020, Evan Turner announced his retirement from the NBA. Turner played 10 seasons for five teams during his time in the NBA.[14]
  • On February 4, 2021, Lucas Nogueira announced his retirement from the NBA. Nogueira played for the Toronto Raptors for his entire four-year NBA career.[15]
  • On March 1, 2021, Joakim Noah announced his retirement from the NBA. Noah played for four teams during his 13-year NBA career. He was the 2014 Defensive Player of the Year, and a two-time All-Star.[16]
  • On March 31, 2021, Thabo Sefolosha announced his retirement from the NBA. Sefolosha played for five teams during his 14-year NBA career.[17]
  • On April 15, 2021, LaMarcus Aldridge announced his retirement from the NBA as a result of heart issues and an irregular heartbeat after games. Aldridge played for three teams during his 15-year NBA career, and was a seven-time All-Star.[18]
  • On May 19, 2021, Jeremy Lin announced his retirement from the NBA. Lin played for eight teams during his nine-year NBA career, winning one championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.[19]

Free agency[]

Free agency negotiations were scheduled to begin on October 18, 2020, but that date was delayed. On November 9, it was announced that free agency would begin on November 20 at 6 p.m. ET, with signings permitted starting at 12 p.m. ET on November 22.[20]

Coaching changes[]

Coaching changes
Team 2019–20 season 2020–21 season
Off-season
Brooklyn Nets Jacque Vaughn (interim) Steve Nash
Chicago Bulls Jim Boylen Billy Donovan
Houston Rockets Mike D'Antoni Stephen Silas
Indiana Pacers Nate McMillan Nate Bjorkgren
Los Angeles Clippers Doc Rivers Tyronn Lue
New Orleans Pelicans Alvin Gentry Stan Van Gundy
New York Knicks Mike Miller (interim) Tom Thibodeau
Oklahoma City Thunder Billy Donovan Mark Daigneault
Philadelphia 76ers Brett Brown Doc Rivers
In-season
Atlanta Hawks Lloyd Pierce Nate McMillan (interim)
Minnesota Timberwolves Ryan Saunders Chris Finch

Off-season[]

  • On July 30, 2020, New York Knicks hired Tom Thibodeau as their new head coach.[21]
  • On August 14, 2020, the Chicago Bulls fired head coach Jim Boylen after two seasons.[22]
  • On August 15, 2020, the New Orleans Pelicans fired head coach Alvin Gentry after five seasons with the team.[23]
  • On August 24, 2020, the Philadelphia 76ers fired head coach Brett Brown after seven seasons with the team.[24]
  • On August 26, 2020, the Indiana Pacers fired head coach Nate McMillan after four seasons with the team.[25]
  • On September 3, 2020, the Brooklyn Nets hired Steve Nash as their new head coach.[26]
  • On September 8, 2020, the Oklahoma City Thunder and head coach Billy Donovan mutually agreed to part ways after five seasons.[27]
  • On September 13, 2020, Mike D'Antoni informed the Houston Rockets that he would not return as head coach after coaching the team for four seasons.[28]
  • On September 22, 2020, the Chicago Bulls hired Billy Donovan as their new head coach.[29][30]
  • On September 28, 2020, the Los Angeles Clippers and head coach Doc Rivers mutually agreed to part ways after seven seasons with the team.[31]
  • On October 3, 2020, the Philadelphia 76ers hired Doc Rivers as their new head coach.[32]
  • On October 20, 2020, the Indiana Pacers hired Nate Bjorkgren as their new head coach.[33]
  • On October 20, 2020, the Los Angeles Clippers promoted Tyronn Lue as their new head coach.[34]
  • On October 22, 2020, the New Orleans Pelicans hired Stan Van Gundy as their new head coach.[35]
  • On October 30, 2020, the Houston Rockets hired Stephen Silas as their new head coach.[36]
  • On November 11, 2020, the Oklahoma City Thunder promoted Mark Daigneault as their new head coach.[37]

In-season[]

Preseason[]

The COVID-19 pandemic in North America, which pushed the conclusion of the previous 2019–20 season and playoffs into the fall, had delayed the start date of training camp to November 10, 2020.[42] The preseason began on December 11 and ended on December 19.[43]

Regular season[]

The start of the 2020–21 regular season was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The NBA initially set a target date of December 1, 2020, to start the regular season.[44] However, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver suggested further delaying the season until at least January because local health orders at each NBA city would limit fan attendance. The NBA receives 40 percent of its revenue from attendance, and thus delaying the season until it is safer to let more fans into the arenas would ease the financial pain.[44][45] The NBA also contemplated organizing the schedule such that teams would have less travel, with back-to-back games in the same cities against the same opponent.[46] National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts suggested that the season might eventually have to begin within a "bubble" environment, similar to the 2020 playoffs.[47]

On October 13, the NBA delayed the targeted start date of the regular season from December 2020 to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 18, 2021.[48] Later in October, Sports Illustrated reported that the NBA was targeting December 22, 2020, as the first day of the season.[49] On November 5, 2020, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) tentatively approved a 72-game regular season that began on December 22, 2020. The season featured a condensed schedule so that the NBA Finals could conclude by July 22, allowing NBA players to participate in the 2020 Summer Olympics; the Olympics were postponed to 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.[42][50][51]

On November 17, the NBA announced that the 72-game regular season would run from December 22 through May 16. Each team would play three games against each opponent from its own conference and two games against each interconference opponent. The season would include a six-day All-Star break from March 5 to 10. While the All-Star Game (which was originally scheduled for Indianapolis) was initially considered unlikely,[52][53] the NBA announced in February that the 2021 NBA All-Star Game would be held in Atlanta on March 7, 2021.[54] The schedule was released in two parts; the first half was released in early December, while the second half was released in the latter part of the first half.[1]

By conference[]

Notes

  • z – Clinched home court advantage for the entire playoffs
  • c – Clinched home court advantage for the conference playoffs
  • y – Clinched division title
  • x – Clinched playoff spot
  • * – Division leader

Postponed games due to COVID-19[]

  • December 23: Oklahoma City vs. Houston – At least three Houston players tested positive or inconclusive, four other players were quarantined after contact tracing, and James Harden was unavailable after violating health and safety protocols.[55]
  • January 10: Miami vs. Boston – Ongoing contact tracing with Miami caused Miami to not have the required minimum of eight players available for the game.[56]
  • January 11: New Orleans vs. Dallas[57]
  • January 12: Boston vs. Chicago[57]
  • January 13:
    • Orlando vs. Boston – Due to testing and contact tracing, Boston did not have the required minimum of eight players available for the game.[58]
    • Utah vs. Washington – Washington did not have the required minimum of eight players available for the game.[59]
    • Atlanta vs. Phoenix – Phoenix did not have the required minimum of eight players available.[60]
  • January 15:
    • Golden State vs. Phoenix – Phoenix continued to not have the required minimum of eight players available due to testing and contact tracing.[61]
    • Washington vs. Detroit – Washington continued to not have the required minimum of eight players available.[61]
    • Memphis vs. Minnesota – Minnesota did not have the required minimum of eight players.[62]
  • January 16: Indiana vs. Phoenix – Phoenix still did not have enough available players.[63]
  • January 17:
    • Cleveland vs. Washington – Washington still did not have enough available players.[64]
    • Philadelphia vs. Oklahoma City – Philadelphia did not have enough available players due to ongoing contact tracing.[65]
  • January 18: Cleveland vs. Washington – Washington continued to not have enough players.[64]
  • January 20:
    • Washington vs. Charlotte – Washington continued to not have enough players.[66]
    • Memphis vs. Portland – Memphis had an outbreak.[67]
  • January 22:
    • Washington vs. Milwaukee – Washington's sixth consecutive postponed game.[68]
    • Memphis vs. Portland – Memphis did not have enough available players due to ongoing contact tracing.[69]
  • January 24: Sacramento vs. Memphis – Memphis did not have enough available players due to ongoing contact tracing.[69]
  • January 25:
    • Sacramento vs. Memphis – Memphis did not have enough available players due to ongoing contact tracing.[69]
    • San Antonio vs. New Orleans – Neither team had enough available players due to ongoing contact tracing.[70]
  • January 27: Chicago vs. Memphis – Memphis did not have enough available players due to ongoing contact tracing.[71]
  • February 1: Detroit vs. Denver – Detroit did not have enough players due to ongoing contact tracing.[72]
  • February 7: Portland vs. Charlotte – This game was moved to the second half of the season, allowing the Washington vs. Charlotte game that was originally scheduled on January 20 to be rescheduled on this day instead.[73]
  • February 16: San Antonio vs. Detroit – San Antonio did not have enough players due to ongoing contact tracing.[74]
  • February 17:
    • San Antonio vs. Cleveland – San Antonio continued to not have enough players due to ongoing contact tracing.[75]
    • Chicago vs. Charlotte – Charlotte did not have enough players due to ongoing contact tracing.[75]
  • February 19: Detroit vs. Charlotte – Charlotte continued to be under COVID-19 protocol.[75]
  • February 20: San Antonio vs. New York – San Antonio continued to be under COVID-19 protocol.[75]
  • February 22: San Antonio vs. Indiana – San Antonio continued to be under COVID-19 protocol.[75]
  • February 28: Chicago vs. Toronto – Toronto had positive COVID-19 test results.[76]

Postponed games due to other reasons[]

All-Star Weekend[]

Main article: 2021 NBA All-Star Game

The 2021 NBA All-Star Game was played on March 7, 2021. Teams were captained by LeBron James and Kevin Durant, and Team LeBron won the game 170–150.

Play-in tournament[]

The NBA staged a play-in tournament for teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference from May 18 to May 21. The 7th place team hosted the 8th place team with the winner clinching the 7th seed in the playoffs. The 9th place team hosted the 10th place team with the loser being eliminated from playoff contention. The 7th–8th place game's loser then hosted the 9th–10th place game's winner, with the winner clinching the 8th seed and the loser being eliminated.[1]

Eastern Conference Play-in[]

  Play-in games #8 seed game Final seeds
                           
7 Boston 118  
8 Washington 100         7 Boston No. 7 seed
      8 Washington 142   8 Washington No. 8 seed
  9 Indiana 115  
9 Indiana 144
10 Charlotte 117  

Bold Game winner
Italic Team with home-court advantage

Western Conference Play-in[]

  Play-in games #8 seed game Final seeds
                           
7 LA Lakers 103  
8 Golden State 100         7 LA Lakers No. 7 seed
      8 Golden State 112   9 Memphis No. 8 seed
  9 Memphis 117*  
9 Memphis 100
10 San Antonio 96  

Bold Game winner
Italic Team with home-court advantage
* Indicates overtime victory

Playoffs[]

Main article: 2021 NBA playoffs

The playoffs began on May 22 and operated under the standard 16-team playoff format, with four rounds of best-of-seven series. The 2021 NBA Finals began on July 6 and concluded on July 20.[1]

Bracket[]

  First Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals NBA Finals
                                     
E1 Philadelphia* 4  
E8 Washington 1  
  E1 Philadelphia* 3  
  E5 Atlanta* 4  
E4 New York 1
E5 Atlanta* 4  
  E5 Atlanta* 2  
Eastern Conference
  E3 Milwaukee* 4  
E3 Milwaukee* 4  
E6 Miami 0  
  E3 Milwaukee* 4
  E2 Brooklyn 3  
E2 Brooklyn 4
E7 Boston 1  
  E3 Milwaukee* 4
  W2 Phoenix* 2
W1 Utah* 4  
W8 Memphis 1  
  W1 Utah* 2
  W4 LA Clippers 4  
W4 LA Clippers 4
W5 Dallas* 3  
  W4 LA Clippers 2
Western Conference
  W2 Phoenix* 4  
W3 Denver 4  
W6 Portland 2  
  W3 Denver 0
  W2 Phoenix* 4  
W2 Phoenix* 4
W7 LA Lakers 2  

* Division winner
Bold Series winner
Italic Team with home-court advantage

Statistics[]

Individual statistic leaders[]

Category Player Team(s) Statistic
Points per game Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors 32.0
Rebounds per game Clint Capela Atlanta Hawks 14.3
Assists per game Russell Westbrook Washington Wizards 11.7
Steals per game Jimmy Butler Miami Heat 2.1
Blocks per game Myles Turner Indiana Pacers 3.4
Turnovers per game Russell Westbrook Washington Wizards 4.8
Fouls per game Karl-Anthony Towns Minnesota Timberwolves 3.7
Minutes per game Julius Randle New York Knicks 37.6
FG% Rudy Gobert Utah Jazz 67.4%
FT% Chris Paul Phoenix Suns 93.4%
3FG% Joe Harris Brooklyn Nets 47.5%
Efficiency per game Nikola Jokić Denver Nuggets 35.9
Double-doubles Nikola Jokić Denver Nuggets 60
Triple-doubles Russell Westbrook Washington Wizards 38

Individual game highs[]

Category Player Team Statistic
Points Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors 62
Rebounds Enes Freedom Portland Trail Blazers 30
Assists Russell Westbrook Washington Wizards 24
Steals T. J. McConnell Indiana Pacers 10
Blocks Clint Capela Atlanta Hawks 10
Three pointers Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors 11
Fred VanVleet Toronto Raptors

Team statistic leaders[]

Category Team Statistic
Points per game Milwaukee Bucks 120.1
Rebounds per game Utah Jazz 48.3
Assists per game Golden State Warriors 27.7
Steals per game Memphis Grizzlies 9.1
Blocks per game Indiana Pacers 6.4
Turnovers per game Oklahoma City Thunder 16.1
Fouls per game Washington Wizards 21.6
FG% Brooklyn Nets 49.4%
FT% Los Angeles Clippers 83.9%
3FG% Los Angeles Clippers 41.1%
+/− Utah Jazz +9.3

Awards[]

Yearly awards[]

2020–21 NBA awards
Award Recipient(s) Finalists[81]
Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets)[82] Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)
Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz)[83] Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)
Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers)
Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets)[84] Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Tyrese Haliburton (Sacramento Kings)
Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson (Utah Jazz)[85] Joe Ingles (Utah Jazz)
Derrick Rose (New York Knicks)
Most Improved Player Julius Randle (New York Knicks)[86] Jerami Grant (Detroit Pistons)
Michael Porter Jr. (Denver Nuggets)
Coach of the Year Tom Thibodeau (New York Knicks)[87] Quin Snyder (Utah Jazz)
Monty Williams (Phoenix Suns)
Executive of the Year James Jones (Phoenix Suns)[88] Dennis Lindsey (Utah Jazz)
Sean Marks (Brooklyn Nets)
NBA Sportsmanship Award Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks)[89] Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat)
Harrison Barnes (Sacramento Kings)
Josh Okogie (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Kemba Walker (Boston Celtics)
Derrick White (San Antonio Spurs)
J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award
Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers)[90] Udonis Haslem (Miami Heat)
Chris Paul (Phoenix Suns)
Community Assist Award Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)[91]
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award Carmelo Anthony (Portland Trail Blazers)[92] Harrison Barnes (Sacramento Kings)
Tobias Harris (Philadelphia 76ers)
Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks)
Juan Toscano-Anderson (Golden State Warriors)[93]

Players of the Week[]

The following players were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week.

Week Eastern Conference Western Conference Ref
December 22–27 Domantas Sabonis (Indiana Pacers) (1/1) Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans) (1/1) [97]
December 28 – January 3 Tobias Harris (Philadelphia 76ers) (1/1) Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) (1/2) [98]
January 4–10 Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) (1/3) Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks) (1/3) [99]
January 11–17 Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets) (1/1) Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) (1/3) [100]
January 18–24 Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) (1/1) Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets) (1/3) [101]
January 25–31 James Harden (Brooklyn Nets) (1/2) Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets) (2/3) [102]
February 1–7 Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) (1/3) De'Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings) (1/2) [103]
February 8–14 Saddiq Bey (Detroit Pistons) (1/1) Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns) (1/3) [104]
February 15–21 James Harden (Brooklyn Nets) (2/2) Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) (2/3) [105]
February 22–28 Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) (2/3) Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns) (2/3) [106]
March 15–21 Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) (3/3) Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets) (3/3) [107]
March 22–28 Terry Rozier (Charlotte Hornets) (1/1) De'Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings) (2/2) [108]
March 29 – April 4 Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks) (1/1) Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks) (2/3) [109]
April 5–11 Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) (2/3) Paul George (Los Angeles Clippers) (1/1) [110]
April 12–18 Julius Randle (New York Knicks) (1/1) Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) (2/2) [111]
April 19–25 Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards) (1/1) Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks) (3/3) [112]
April 26 – May 2 Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) (3/3) Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns) (3/3) [113]
May 3–9 Russell Westbrook (Washington Wizards) (1/1) Bojan Bogdanović (Utah Jazz) (1/1) [114]
May 10–16 Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks) (1/1) Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) (3/3) [115]

Players of the Month[]

The following players were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month.

Month Eastern Conference Western Conference Ref
December/January Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) (1/1) Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets) (1/2) [116]
February James Harden (Brooklyn Nets) (1/2) Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns) (1/1) [117]
March James Harden (Brooklyn Nets) (2/2) Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets) (2/2) [118]
April Julius Randle (New York Knicks) (1/1) Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) (1/2) [119]
May Russell Westbrook (Washington Wizards) (1/1) Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) (2/2) [120]

Rookies of the Month[]

The following players were named the Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month.

Month Eastern Conference Western Conference Ref
December/January LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets) (1/3) Tyrese Haliburton (Sacramento Kings) (1/2) [121]
February LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets) (2/3) Tyrese Haliburton (Sacramento Kings) (2/2) [122]
March LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets) (3/3) Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves) (1/3) [123]
April Malachi Flynn (Toronto Raptors) (1/1) Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves) (2/3) [124]
May R. J. Hampton (Orlando Magic) (1/1) Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves) (3/3) [120]

Coaches of the Month[]

The following coaches were named the Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month.

Month Eastern Conference Western Conference Ref
December/January Doc Rivers (Philadelphia 76ers) (1/1) Quin Snyder (Utah Jazz) (1/2) [125]
February Steve Nash (Brooklyn Nets) (1/1) Quin Snyder (Utah Jazz) (2/2) [126]
March Nate McMillan (Atlanta Hawks) (1/1) Monty Williams (Phoenix Suns) (1/1) [127]
April Scott Brooks (Washington Wizards) (1/1) Michael Malone (Denver Nuggets) (1/1) [128]
May Tom Thibodeau (New York Knicks) (1/1) Terry Stotts (Portland Trail Blazers) (1/1) [120]

Uniforms[]

On July 21, 2020, the NBA and Nike announced that the "Statement Edition" uniforms would switch to the Air Jordan label.[129]

Arenas[]

  • The Denver Nuggets' home arena, formerly known as the Pepsi Center, was renamed Ball Arena on October 22, 2020.[130]
  • The Phoenix Suns' home arena, formerly known as Talking Stick Resort Arena, was renamed Footprint Center (previously Phoenix Suns Arena) after the naming rights deal expired on November 6, 2020 to July 16, 2021.[131]

Temporary relocation of the Toronto Raptors to Tampa[]

As the NBA's plans for the 2020–21 season began to take shape, the Toronto Raptors were denied permission to play home games in Toronto as the Canadian federal government ruled that repeated cross-border trips by the Raptors and their opponents would be a major health risk due to the different levels of COVID-19 cases in the United States and Canada. This is similar to what happened to the Raptors' Major League Baseball counterpart, the Toronto Blue Jays, who were forced to play their 2020 home games in Buffalo.[132]

After looking at several U.S. cities,[133] the Raptors announced on November 20, 2020, that they would play their home games at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida during the 2020–21 season.[3]

COVID-19 restrictions[]

By July 21, 2021, all teams except the Oklahoma City Thunder allowed spectators to attend home games.[134][135] Only seven teams have played all of their games with spectators since the start of the season.[136]

Team Home games with spectators allowed Limitations Source
Atlanta Some First five home games played for family and friends only. Capped at 8% capacity (roughly 1,300 spectators) beginning January 26, then to 20% (3,000 spectators) beginning March 13, and finally to roughly 46% (7,625 spectators) during the playoffs. [136][137][138][139]
Boston Some Capped at 12% capacity (2,142 fans) beginning March 20, then raised to 25% capacity (4,656 fans) beginning May 10. [140][141]
Brooklyn Some Capped at 10% beginning February 23. Negative COVID-19 PCR test within past 72 hours or vaccination completed no fewer than 14 days prior to the game required to enter. [142][143][144]
Charlotte Some Capped at 15% capacity (roughly 3,000 spectators) beginning March 13, then raised to 60% (roughly 12,000 fans) during the playoffs. [145]
Chicago Some Capped at 25% capacity (roughly 5,200 spectators) beginning May 7. [146]
Cleveland All Capped at 10% capacity (roughly 2,000 spectators). On February 4, 2021, the state of Ohio approved an increase to 14%. [136][147]
Dallas Some Capped at 7% capacity (roughly 1,500 spectators) beginning February 8. [136][148]
Denver Some Attendance on March 30 was reserved for frontline staff, health care providers and first responders; otherwise, 22% capacity (roughly 4,050 spectators) beginning April 4. [136][149]
Detroit Some Capped at 750 spectators beginning March 17. [136]
Golden State Some Capped at either 10% or 35% capacity beginning April 15, dependent on whether the team will mandate full vaccination or a recent negative test as a condition of entry. On April 2, the Warriors issued a statement acknowledging announcements by the state of California regarding indoor venues, but did not announce details on when they would begin to admit spectators (due to their schedule, the soonest they would be able to do so is April 23) [150][151]
Houston All Capped at 4,500. [136]
Indiana All Capped at 1,000. [136]
L.A. Clippers Some On April 2, the Clippers and Lakers announced that they intend to have spectators for their April 18 home game. Capped at either 10% or 35% capacity, dependent on whether the team will mandate full vaccination or a recent negative test as a condition of entry. [151][152][153]
L.A. Lakers
Memphis Some Limited courtside. Capacity raised to 11% (roughly 2,000 spectators) beginning February 4, then to 20% (roughly 3,600 spectators) beginning March 10. [136][154][155]
Miami All Initially capped at 2,000. In February 2021, capacity was increased to 3,000 for the final four home games before the All-Star break, and later to 4,000. In March 2021, the team announced plans to open seats closer to the court with less physical distancing for spectators who are fully-vaccinated. On April 8, the program became illegal after Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order prohibiting businesses from requesting proof of vaccination as a condition of service, and was therefore discontinued. [136][156][157][158][159]
Milwaukee Some Began to admit spectators in mid-February in a phased process, scaling up to 10% capacity (1,800). Spectators in proximity to the court must test negative on a rapid COVID-19 test. Capacity raised to roughly 19% (3,300 spectators) in the second half of the season, then to 50% (roughly 9,000 spectators) during the playoffs. [136][160][161]
Minnesota Some Capped at an unknown capacity (presumed to be 3,000 spectators) beginning April 5. [162]
New Orleans All Capped at 750 spectators. Capacity increased to 16% (2,700 spectators) beginning February 24, then to roughly 22% (3,700 spectators) beginning March 11. [136][163][164]
New York Some Capped at 10% (roughly 2,000 spectators) beginning February 23. Negative COVID-19 PCR test within past 72 hours or vaccination completed no fewer than 14 days prior to the game required to enter. [165][142]
Orlando All Capped at 4,000 spectators. [136]
Philadelphia Some Capped at roughly 15% (3,100 spectators) beginning March 14, then raised to 50% (roughly 10,200 spectators) during the playoffs. [166][167][168]
Phoenix Some Capped at 1,500 spectators beginning February 7 (with the first game offering an allotment of free tickets for healthcare workers). On February 10, the Suns announced that they would expand their capacity to 3,000 beginning February 16.[169] [136][170]
Portland Some Capped at 10% capacity (roughly 1,900 spectators) beginning May 7. [134]
Sacramento Some Would be allowed to operate capped at 20% capacity beginning April 15, with all attendees required to provide proof of a recent negative test or that they are fully vaccinated. On April 2, the Kings issued a statement acknowledging announcements by the state of California regarding indoor venues, but did not announce details on when they would begin to admit spectators (due to their schedule, the soonest they would be able to do so is April 20) [153][171]
San Antonio Some The Spurs announced plans to begin hosting spectators on January 1, but announced on December 28, 2020 that this would be delayed indefinitely due to rising COVID-19 cases in the local market. In February 2021, the team began to place staff members in the crowd to test protocols, and announced on March 1 that it would begin hosting spectators beginning with its March 12 home game, capped at 3,200 spectators. [172][173][174][175]
Toronto Some Played their first few home games in Tampa Bay capped at 20% capacity. On January 9, 2021, Amalie Arena operator Vinik Sports Group announced that both the Raptors and the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning will play behind closed doors until at least February 5, due to rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the local market. On March 4, 2021, Vinik Sports Group announced that it will reopen the arena, capped at 3,800 spectators, beginning March 13. [176][136][177]
Utah All In November 2020, the team announced that it planned to admit 1,500 spectators. In February 2021, the team announced that it would raise its capacity to 3,902 by allowing spectators in the upper bowl. Capacity was raised to roughly 30% (5,600 spectators), beginning March 12, then to roughly 36% (6,700 spectators) beginning May 1, and finally to roughly 71% (13,000 spectators) during the playoffs. [136][178][179][180][181][182]
Washington Some Capped at 10% capacity (2,100 spectators) beginning April 21. [183]

On February 10, 2021, Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo announced that the state would allow large sports venues to host spectators at 10% of their capacity beginning February 23, 2021, affecting the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks. All spectators must present proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours of the event, and may also be required to submit to a rapid test if their PCR test was within more than 48 hours of the event.[184][144] In late-March, Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden announced that the testing requirement would be waived for spectators who are fully vaccinated (second dose received no fewer than 14 days prior to the event).[185]

On April 2, Governor of California Gavin Newsom announced that the state will begin allowing indoor event and sports venues to resume operations on April 15. In regions under the "Substantial" (red) tier, capacity is capped at 20%, and all attendees are required to provide proof of a recent negative test or that they are fully vaccinated. In the "Moderate" (orange) tier, capacity is capped at 10%, but can be raised to 35% if all attendees are required to provide proof of a recent negative test, or that they are fully vaccinated.[153][151]

Media[]

This is the fifth year of the current nine-year contracts with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV.[186]

To reduce on-site staff, ESPN and TNT will leverage the home team's rightsholder as a host broadcaster for some of their games. They will send a neutral "world feed" and other camera feeds to the network, which will then add commentary and surrounding coverage. ESPN and TNT are also deploying additional cameras specific to their broadcasts, and ESPN may provide a supplemental on-site presence if the local broadcaster does not have enough capacity to support the host model. ESPN stated that some (roughly half) of their games, particularly marquee games exclusive to ESPN and ABC, would be produced on-site with an existing hybrid model (where some producers and graphics operators work from ESPN's studios in Bristol, Connecticut). TNT also planned to begin doing some games on-site beginning with Martin Luther King Jr. Day.[187][188]

On December 26, 2020, it was announced that Fox Sports Networks had acquired rights to simulcast 36 Toronto Raptors games locally in the Tampa Bay area through at least the first half of the season. All of the games will be carried via the Fox Sports Go app, with selected games to also air on television via Fox Sports Sun (15) and Fox Sports Florida (2).[189]

On March 31, 2021, the Fox Sports Networks rebranded as Bally Sports, as part of an agreement between majority-owner Sinclair Broadcast Group and casino operator Bally's Corporation.[190][191][192]

Notable occurrences[]

  • On May 13, 2020, the NBA announced that Spalding's partnership with the league as official game ball supplier would end after this season. The league signed an agreement with Wilson for the latter to return as the NBA's official ball brand that would take effect in the 2021–22 season.[193] Spalding was the official supplier of game balls since the start of the 1983–84 season.[193]
  • On December 26, 2020, Russell Westbrook of the Washington Wizards became the fourth player to record triple-doubles in the first two games of a season.[194] On December 29, he became the second player after Oscar Robertson to record triple-doubles in their first three games of a season.[195]
  • On December 27, 2020, the Dallas Mavericks recorded the largest ever halftime lead in a game, with a 50-point advantage over the Los Angeles Clippers (77–27).[196]
  • On December 27, 2020, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors became the third player ever to reach 2,500 career 3-pointers.[197]
  • On December 29, 2020, the Milwaukee Bucks set a new record for most three-point field goals made in a game with 29 against the Miami Heat, breaking the previous record of 27 set by the Houston Rockets on April 7, 2019.[198]
  • On December 30, 2020, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers became the first player to reach 1,000 consecutive regular season games with at least 10 points.[199]
  • On January 1, 2021, Carmelo Anthony of the Portland Trail Blazers passed Tim Duncan for 14th on the NBA all-time scoring list.[200]
  • On January 6, 2021, the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons took a knee for their first possessions in protest to the announcement that criminal charges would not be filed against police officers in the Jacob Blake shooting. The Bucks held the ball for seven seconds in reference to Blake's seven gunshots.[201] Various teams linked arms at center court in unison during the anthem in response to the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol.[202]
  • On January 7, 2021, Duncan Robinson of the Miami Heat became the fastest player to reach 300 career three pointers. He made it in a span of only 95 games, surpassing both Luka Dončić's and Damian Lillard's previous record within 117 games.[203]
  • On January 8, 2021, the Toronto Raptors set a new franchise record for points in a single regular season game, scoring 144 points against the Sacramento Kings on the road.[204]
  • On January 9, 2021, LaMelo Ball posted a triple-double for the Charlotte Hornets against the Atlanta Hawks, becoming the youngest player ever to record a triple-double, at the age of 19 years and 140 days. He surpassed the previous record held by Markelle Fultz, who recorded a triple-double aged 19 years and 317 days.[205]
  • On January 16, 2021, James Harden of the Brooklyn Nets posted a triple-double against the Orlando Magic, becoming the seventh player to record a triple-double during his team debut.[206]
  • On January 20, 2021, Clint Capela of the Atlanta Hawks became the first player since Shaquille O'Neal in 2004 to record 25 points, 25 rebounds and 5 blocks in a single game, doing so against the Detroit Pistons.[207]
  • On January 20, 2021, Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz became the fastest player to reach 600 three pointers. He did it in just 240 games, beating the previous record of 244 games set by Buddy Hield in 2019.[208]
  • On January 23, 2021, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors passed Reggie Miller for second place on the NBA all-time three point list.[209]
  • On January 29, 2021, Russell Westbrook of the Washington Wizards passed Maurice Cheeks for 13th place on the NBA all-time assist list.[210]
  • On January 29, 2021, Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks became the fastest player to reach 400 career three pointers doing it in 159 games, surpassing the previous total of 163 games set by Damian Lillard.[211]
  • On February 2, 2021, Carmelo Anthony of the Portland Trail Blazers passed Dominique Wilkins for 13th on the NBA all-time scoring list.[212]
  • On February 4, 2021, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers passed Wilt Chamberlain for third place on the NBA all-time field goal list.[213]
  • On February 6, 2021, Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets became the first center since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975 to record 50 points and 10 assists.[214]
  • On February 9, 2021, Carmelo Anthony of the Portland Trail Blazers passed Oscar Robertson for 12th on the NBA all-time scoring list.[215]
  • On February 19, 2021, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers became the third player in NBA history to reach 35,000 career points joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone.[216]
  • On February 19, 2021, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat, in a game against the Sacramento Kings became the first pair of teammates to each record a triple double on multiple occasions. The duo first accomplished this feat on December 10, 2019 in a game against the Atlanta Hawks.[217]
  • On February 20, 2021, Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns passed Oscar Robertson for sixth place on the NBA all-time assist list.[218]
  • On March 3, 2021, T. J. McConnell of the Indiana Pacers set several records. The first record was most steals in a half with 9. He also became the first player since Mookie Blaylock to record a triple double with steals and the sixth overall. He did this all off the bench which is also an NBA record.[219]
  • On March 3, 2021, Mason Plumlee and Dennis Smith Jr. of the Detroit Pistons became the 13th time a pair of teammates each had a triple double in a game.[220]
  • On March 11, 2021, Duncan Robinson of the Miami Heat became the fastest player to record 400 career made three pointers, doing it in a span of 125 games, surpassing previous record set by Trae Young at 159 games earlier on January 29, 2021. Robinson made this feat by scoring only nine points, all in three pointers in a game won against the Orlando Magic. Currently, Robinson holds the record of being the fastest player ever to reach three three points made milestones — 200 in 69 games, 300 in 95 games, and now 400 in 125 games.[221]
  • On March 13, 2021, Carmelo Anthony of the Portland Trail Blazers passed Hakeem Olajuwon for 11th place on the NBA all-time scoring list.[222]
  • On March 27, 2021, Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs became the third coach in NBA history to reach 1,300 career wins with a 120-104 win against the Chicago Bulls.[223]
  • On March 29, 2021, Russell Westbrook of the Washington Wizards became the third player to record a 30–10–20 triple-double, joining Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson. He also became the first player to record a triple double with 35 points and 20 assists, with his 35 points, 21 assists, and 14 rebounds.[224][225]
  • On April 10, 2021, the Oklahoma City Thunder had the youngest starting lineup in NBA history with an average age of 20 years, 8 months and 6 days.[226]
  • On April 12, 2021, Stephen Curry passed Wilt Chamberlain as the Golden State Warriors all-time scoring leader.[227]
  • On April 30, the Celtics overcame a 32 point deficit and beat the Spurs, which was the third biggest comeback ever. They were led by Jayson Tatum who had 60 points.
  • On May 1, 2021, the Indiana Pacers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 152–95. The 57-point victory is the largest road win in NBA history.[228]
  • On May 1, 2021, Duncan Robinson of the Miami Heat passed Luka Dončić as the fastest player to reach 500 3-pointers. He made this feat in 152 games, in a 124–107 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, 35 games earlier than Dončić's record of within 187 games.[229]
  • On May 3, 2021, Carmelo Anthony of the Portland Trail Blazers passed Elvin Hayes for 10th place on the NBA all-time scoring list.[230]
  • On May 3, 2021, Russell Westbrook of the Washington Wizards clinched a fourth season averaging a triple-double. He also recorded the third ever 20-rebound, 20-assist game, as well as the third ever 10–20–20 game, with 14 points, 21 rebounds, and 24 assists against the Indiana Pacers. This was his second time reaching each feat.[231]
  • On May 8, 2021, Russell Westbrook of the Washington Wizards tied Oscar Robertson for most career triple-doubles, with a career total of 181.[232] Two days later on May 10, Westbrook passed Robertson, with a career total of 182.[233]
  • On June 1, 2021, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers broke an NBA playoff record with 12 made three-pointers, including 2 threes to force overtime and double overtime as part of a 55-point performance during a 147–140 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 5 of the First Round.[234]
  • On June 8, 2021, Nikola Jokić became the first Denver Nuggets player, the first Serbian native, and the lowest-drafted player to be named NBA MVP. As well, Jokić and his fellow Serbian countryman Vasilije Micić (Anadolu Efes, Turkey) became the first-ever pair of players from the same country to be awarded both NBA MVP and EuroLeague MVP honors in the same season.[235][236] Jokić is the first center since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000 to win NBA MVP.[237]

See also[]

Sports icon.png Sports portal

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e "NBA announces structure and format for 2020-21 season". NBA.com. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  2. ^ Stein, Marc (February 5, 2021). "N.B.A. All-Star Game Would Be 'Slap in the Face,' LeBron James Says". The New York Times. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Toronto Raptors to Start Season in Tampa". SI.com. November 20, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  4. ^ "Bucks Marvin Williams Retiring From NBA At 34 Saying He's Been Very Blessed". ESPN.com. September 8, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  5. ^ "Warriors Name Leandro Barbosa Player Mentor Coach". NBA.com. September 14, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  6. ^ Feldman, Dan (September 14, 2020). "Former Sixth Man of the Year Leandro Barbosa retires". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  7. ^ Askounis, Johnny (October 24, 2020). "Kevin Seraphin announces decision to retire". Eurohoops. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  8. ^ Helin, Kurt (October 24, 2020). "Seven-year NBA veteran Kevin Seraphin retires from basketball at age 30". nba.nbcsports.com. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  9. ^ "Pelicans announce 2020-21 coaching staff". NBA.com. November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  10. ^ "Dorell Wright calls it a day". Eurohoops. November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  11. ^ "Knicks Announce Staff Hirings". NBA.com. November 26, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  12. ^ "Andrew Bogut Announces Retirement". NBA.com. November 30, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  13. ^ Uluc, Olgun (November 30, 2020). "Andrew Bogut announces retirement from all forms of basketball". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  14. ^ Roche, Conor (November 30, 2020). "Celtics reportedly hiring Evan Turner to assistant coach role". Boston.com. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  15. ^ "Former No. 16 pick, Raptors big Lucas Nogueira retires". ProBasketballTalk. February 4, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  16. ^ Schaefer, Rob (March 1, 2021). "Report: Joakim Noah retiring, eventually as a Bull". RSN. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  17. ^ Shapiro, Alex (March 31, 2021). "Report: Former Bull Thabo Sefolosha retires". nbcsports.com. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  18. ^ Andrews, Malika (April 15, 2021). "Brooklyn Nets center LaMarcus Aldridge abruptly retires due to health scare". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  19. ^ "Jeremy Lin isn't officially retiring, but acknowledges that NBA comeback appears unlikely". CBS Sports. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  20. ^ "NBA, NBPA agree on 2020-21 season start and adjustments to CBA". NBA.com. November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  21. ^ "New York Knicks Name Tom Thibodeau Head Coach". NBA.com. July 30, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  22. ^ "Jim Boylen Relieve as Bulls Head Coach". NBA.com. August 14, 2020. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  23. ^ "Alvin Gentry relieved of head coaching duties". NBA.com. August 15, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  24. ^ "Brown Relieved of Head Coaching Duties". NBA.com. August 24, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  25. ^ "Pacers Relieve Nate McMillan of Coaching Duties". NBA.com. August 26, 2020. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  26. ^ "Nets Hire Hall Of Famer Steve Nash Head Coach". ESPN.com. September 3, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  27. ^ "Coach Billy Donovan, Thunder mutually part ways after five seasons". ESPN.com. September 8, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  28. ^ Reynolds, Tim (September 13, 2020). "Mike D'Antoni tells Rockets he won't return as coach". NBA.com. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  29. ^ "Chicago Bulls Hire Billy Donovan As Head Coach". ChicagoTribune.com. September 22, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  30. ^ "Bulls name Billy Donovan coach". NBA.com. September 22, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  31. ^ Reynolds, Tim (September 28, 2020). "Doc Rivers out as LA Clippers coach after 7 seasons". NBA.com. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  32. ^ "Team Names Doc Rivers Head Coach". NBA.com. October 3, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  33. ^ "Pacers Hire Nate Bjorkgren As Head Coach". NBA.com. October 20, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  34. ^ "Clippers Name Tyronn Lue Head Coach". NBA.com. October 20, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  35. ^ "Pelicans name Stan Van Gundy head coach". NBA.com. October 22, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  36. ^ "Rockets Name Stephen Silas Head Coach". NBA.com. October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  37. ^ "Thunder Names Mark Daigneault Head Coach". NBA.com. November 11, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  38. ^ "Timberwolves Relieve Ryan Saunders of his Duties". NBA.com. February 21, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  39. ^ "Minnesota Timberwolves Name Chris Finch Head Coach". NBA.com. February 22, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  40. ^ "Lloyd Pierce Relieved of Head Coaching Duties". NBA.com. March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  41. ^ "Nate McMillan Named Interim Head Coach of The Atlanta Hawks". NBA.com. March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  42. ^ a b Bontemps, Tim; Windhorst, Brian (June 5, 2020). "What we know and don't know about the NBA's return to play". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  43. ^ "NBA releases 2020-21 preseason schedule". NBA.com. November 27, 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  44. ^ a b Windhorst, Brian (August 20, 2020). "NBA likely pushing back Dec. 1 start to 2020-21 season, Adam Silver says". ESPN. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  45. ^ Toporek, Bryan (May 9, 2020). "Adam Silver Warns NBA Players About Forthcoming Financial Pain In 2020-21". Forbes. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  46. ^ Young, Jabari (September 24, 2020). "NBA commissioner Adam Silver says league might not start next regular season until 2021". CNBC. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  47. ^ Bontemps, Tim (July 28, 2020). "NBPA's Michele Roberts says league might need bubble for 2020-21, too". ESPN. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  48. ^ Maloney, Jack (October 13, 2020). "NBA targeting Jan. 18 for start of next season, will give eight weeks notice ahead of time, per report". CBS Sports. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  49. ^ West, Jenna (October 23, 2020). "Report: NBA Targeting Dec. 22 Start Date, 72-Game Schedule". SI.com. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  50. ^ Reynolds, Tim (November 5, 2020). "NBPA reps approve plan to start season Dec. 22". NBA.com. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  51. ^ Trenaman, Calum (November 6, 2020). "New NBA season set to begin December 22". CNN. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  52. ^ "Julius Randle, Jamal Murray and CJ McCollum among first-time All-Star candidates in 2021". NBA.com. January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  53. ^ "REPORT: 2021 NBA ALL-STAR GAME UNLIKELY". SLAM. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  54. ^ "Silver says NBA holding ASG 'right thing to do'". ESPN.com. February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  55. ^ "Thunder-Rockets game postponed". NBA.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  56. ^ "Heat-Celtics game postponed due to Health and Safety Protocols". NBA.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  57. ^ a b "New Orleans vs. Dallas, Boston vs. Chicago games postponed". NBA.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  58. ^ "Magic-Celtics game postponed due to Health and Safety Protocols". NBA.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  59. ^ "Jazz-Wizards game postponed for Health and Safety Protocols". NBA.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  60. ^ "Hawks-Suns game postponed for Health and Safety Protocols". NBA.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  61. ^ a b "Wizards-Pistons, Warriors-Suns games postponed due to Health and Safety Protocols". NBA.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  62. ^ "Grizzlies-Timberwolves game postponed for Health and Safety Protocols". NBA.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  63. ^ "Pacers-Suns game postponed for Health and Safety Protocols". NBA.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  64. ^ a b "Cavaliers-Wizards games postponed for Health and Safety Protocols". NBA.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  65. ^ "76ers vs. Thunder postponed in accordance with league's Health and Safety Protocols". NBA.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  66. ^ "Wizards-Hornets game postponed for Health and Safety Protocols". NBA.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  67. ^ "Grizzlies-Blazers game postponed for Health and Safety Protocols". NBA.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  68. ^ "Wizards-Bucks game postponed for Health and Safety Protocols". NBA.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  69. ^ a b c "Grizzlies' next 3 games postponed for Health and Safety Protocols". www.nba.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  70. ^ "San Antonio at New Orleans game postponed". www.nba.com. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  71. ^ "Bulls-Grizzlies game postponed for Health and Safety Protocols". www.nba.com. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  72. ^ "Pistons-Nuggets game postponed for Health and Safety Protocols". www.nba.com. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  73. ^ "NBA to adjust schedule for first half of 2020-21 season". NBA.com. January 27, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  74. ^ "Spurs-Pistons game postponed for Health and Safety protocols". NBA.com. February 15, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  75. ^ a b c d e "Upcoming Spurs and Hornets games postponed". NBA.com. February 16, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  76. ^ "Chicago at Toronto game postponed due to Health and Safety Protocols". NBA.com. February 28, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  77. ^ "Pistons-Mavs game postponed due to severe weather conditions". www.nba.com. February 16, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  78. ^ "Mavericks-Rockets game postponed due to government shutdown". www.nba.com. February 18, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  79. ^ "Pacers-Rockets game postponed due to severe weather condition". www.nba.com. February 19, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  80. ^ "Timberwolves' game against Nets postponed following police killing of Daunte Wright in Minneapolis suburb". www.cbssports.com. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  81. ^ "Finalists announced for 2020-21 NBA awards". NBA.com. May 20, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  82. ^ "Nikola Jokic wins 2020-21 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award". NBA.com. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  83. ^ "Rudy Gobert named 2020-21 Kia Defensive Player of the Year". NBA.com. June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  84. ^ "Hornets' LaMelo Ball wins 2020-21 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year". NBA.com. June 16, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  85. ^ "Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson wins 2020-21 Kia NBA Sixth Man Award". NBA.com. May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  86. ^ "Julius Randle named 2020-21 Kia NBA Most Improved Player". NBA.com. May 25, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  87. ^ "New York's Tom Thibodeau wins 2020-21 NBA Coach of the Year award". NBA.com. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  88. ^ "Phoenix's James Jones wins 2020-21 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year award". NBA.com. June 20, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  89. ^ "Jrue Holiday wins 2020-21 NBA Sportsmanship award". NBA.com. June 5, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  90. ^ "Damian Lillard wins 2020-21 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award". NBA.com. June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  91. ^ "Devin Booker named Seasonlong NBA Cares Community Assist Award winner". NBA.com. July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  92. ^ "Carmelo Anthony named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion". NBA.com. June 30, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  93. ^ "Finalists announced for the inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award". NBA.com. June 11, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  94. ^ "Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry lead 2020-21 All-NBA First Team". June 15, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  95. ^ "NBA announces 2020-21 All-Defensive First and Second teams". NBA.com. June 15, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  96. ^ "LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards headline 2020-21 All-Rookie Teams". NBA.com. June 18, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  97. ^ "Brandon Ingram, Domantas Sabonis named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. December 28, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  98. ^ "Stephen Curry, Tobias Harris named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. January 4, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  99. ^ "Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. January 11, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  100. ^ "Damian Lillard, Kevin Durant named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. January 18, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  101. ^ "Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. January 18, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  102. ^ "Nikola Jokic, James Harden named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. February 1, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  103. ^ "Giannis Antetokounmpo, De'Aaron Fox named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. February 8, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  104. ^ "Devin Booker, Saddiq Bey named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  105. ^ "Damian Lillard, James Harden named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. February 22, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  106. ^ "Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  107. ^ "Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. March 22, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  108. ^ "De'Aaron Fox, Terry Rozier named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. March 29, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  109. ^ "Luka Doncic, Jrue Holiday named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. April 5, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  110. ^ "Paul George, Jayson Tatum named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  111. ^ "Stephen Curry, Julius Randle named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. April 19, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  112. ^ "Luka Doncic, Bradley Beal named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. April 26, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  113. ^ "Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  114. ^ "Russell Westbrook, Bojan Bogdanovic named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. May 10, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  115. ^ "Damian Lillard, Trae Young named NBA Players of the Week". NBA.com. May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  116. ^ "Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid named Kia NBA Players of the Month". NBA.com. February 2, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  117. ^ "Devin Booker, James Harden naemed Kia NBA Players of the Month". NBA.com. March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  118. ^ "Nikola Jokic, James Harden named Kia NBA Players of the Month". NBA.com. April 1, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  119. ^ "Stephen Curry, Julius Randle named Kia NBA Players of the Month". NBA.com. May 4, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  120. ^ a b c "NBA announces Players, Rookies and Coaches of the Month". NBA.com. May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  121. ^ "LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Haliburton named Kia NBA Rookies of the Month". NBA.com. February 2, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  122. ^ "Tyrese Haliburton, LaMelo Ball named Kia NBA Rookies of the Month". NBA.com. March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  123. ^ "Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball named Kia NBA Rookies of the Month". NBA.com. April 1, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  124. ^ "Anthony Edwards, Malachi Flynn named Kia NBA Rookies of the Month". NBA.com. May 4, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  125. ^ "Quin Snyder, Doc Rivers named NBA Coaches of the Month". NBA.com. February 1, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  126. ^ "Quin Snyder, Steve Nash named NBA Coaches of the Month". NBA.com. March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  127. ^ "Monty Williams, Nate McMillan named NBA Coaches of the month". NBA.com. April 1, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  128. ^ "Mike Malone, Scott Brooks named NBA Coaches of the month". NBA.com. May 4, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  129. ^ "Jumpman logo to appear on some NBA uniforms". ESPN.com. July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  130. ^ Singer, Mike (October 22, 2020). "After 21 years, Pepsi Center to be renamed Ball Arena as part of new partnership". The Denver Post. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  131. ^ Oscherwitz, Evan (July 16, 2021). "Suns Rename Arena, Announce Partnership With Footprint". Sports360AZ. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  132. ^ "Canadian officials concerned over Raptors' cross-border travel". ESPN.com. November 13, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  133. ^ "U.S. Cities Vying to Host the Raptors Next Season". SI.com. October 27, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  134. ^ a b Hasenstab, Alex (May 8, 2021). "Moda Center welcomes Blazers fans for first time in over a year". OPB. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  135. ^ Newman, Logan (May 3, 2021). "Chris Paul: Happy to be back in OKC, sad fans aren't in stadium". OKC Thunder Wire. USA Today. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  136. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Which NBA arenas will allow fans during the 2020-21 season?". NBA.com. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  137. ^ "Atlanta Hawks to increase fan capacity in State Farm Arena". 11Alive. March 9, 2021. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  138. ^ Haney, Adrianne M (January 26, 2021). "Hawks to host fans at State Farm Arena for first time since pandemic began". 11Alive. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  139. ^ Felder, Justin (May 3, 2021). "Atlanta Hawks to increase seating capacity for postseason". FOX 5 Atlanta. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  140. ^ "TD Garden will allow fans for games beginning March 22nd". masslive. February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  141. ^ Terada, Souichi (April 27, 2021). "TD Garden to increase to 25% capacity starting May 10". MassLive. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  142. ^ a b "New York state will allow stadiums, arenas to reopen at 10% capacity on Feb. 23". CBSSports.com. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  143. ^ "Knicks, Nets cleared to host 2,000 fans at games starting Feb. 23". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  144. ^ a b West, Melanie Grayce (February 22, 2021). "Covid-19 Tests Take Priority as New York City Arenas Seek Normalcy". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  145. ^ "Hornets boost capacity at Spectrum Center to 60%". wcnc.com. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  146. ^ Pathieu, Diane; Rivera, Mark (May 7, 2021). "Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls fans return to United Center this weekend; Second City shows begin again". ABC7 Chicago. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  147. ^ Fedor, Chris; clevel; .com (February 4, 2021). "Cleveland Cavaliers approved for attendance boost at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse; will be at 14% capacity". cleveland. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  148. ^ Trigg, Dalton. "Mavs Welcome Back 1,500 Fans to AAC on Monday". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  149. ^ Schubert, Matt; Singer, Mike. "Nuggets, Avalanche to host up to 4,050 fans for games at Ball Arena starting in April". The Denver Post. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  150. ^ "Warriors Statement On State of California Indoor Live Event Guidelines". Golden State Warriors. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  151. ^ a b c Tapp, Tom (April 2, 2021). "California To Reopen Indoor Concerts, Sports Venues, Theaters On April 15". Deadline. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  152. ^ Money, Luke; Lin, Rong-Gong, II; MartÍn, Hugo (March 5, 2021). "California theme parks, stadiums can reopen as soon as April 1 under revamped COVID-19 rules". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  153. ^ a b c "Lakers, other pro teams preparing for return of spectators". Los Angeles Times. April 2, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  154. ^ Barnes, Evan (January 28, 2021). "Memphis Grizzlies to allow season ticket holders at home games starting Feb. 4". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  155. ^ Barnes, Evan (February 26, 2021). "Memphis Grizzlies to begin selling limited single-game tickets on March 5". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  156. ^ "Miami Heat redefines VIP in Covid era: Vaccinated important people". NBC News. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  157. ^ "Miami Heat set to increase capacity to about 3,000 for next four home games". Miami Herald. February 11, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  158. ^ "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issues order prohibiting 'vaccine passports'". NBC News. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  159. ^ Winderman, Ira. "Heat eliminate vaccination-only seating and COVID-detection dogs". sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  160. ^ Hart, Megan (February 16, 2021). "Bucks Announce Plans To Phase In Fans At Fiserv Forum". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  161. ^ Hart, Megan (May 11, 2021). "Bucks, Brewers Increase Fan Capacity To 50 Percent". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  162. ^ "Timberwolves to host limited number of fans for final 12 home games". KSTP-TV. March 22, 2021. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  163. ^ Mills, Richie (February 22, 2021). "New Orleans Pelicans announce increased capacity at Smoothie King Center". WGNO. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  164. ^ New Orleans Pelicans [@PelicansNBA] (March 10, 2021). "Capacity for Pelicans games will increase to 3,700 fans at the Smoothie King Center to begin the second half of season