TNBA is back! Well, sort of … in seven weeks. There are a lot of details still to be hammered out, namely regarding safety protocols to curtail the potential spread of COVID-19, but both the Board of Governors and NBPA agreed to the terms laid out by commissioner Adam Silver for a 22-team return to play at Disney World in Orlando and resume the 2019-20 season on July 31.
The big, unanswerable question on everyone’s mind: How will the four-plus-month layoff and the unique bubble conditions in Orlando affect players and teams? Nobody knows the answer, but it’s clear that teams like the 76ers, Trail Blazers and Grizzlies are in a better spot due to players returning from injury.
Since there are so many variables, we leaned on stardom for our first set of Power Rankings since March, with the Bucks, Lakers and Clippers topping the list. These may not change much before July 31 barring a significant injury of illness, but once actual games begin, all bets are off.
This format has the potential to be a lot of fun — fingers crossed that things go according to plan, and we eventually crown a 2020 NBA champion.
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