Could Vegas Hold the NBA Playoffs?
The NBA season continues to be on hold but that has not stopped the league from actively seeking a way for the playoffs to take place. According to a report by Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, unnamed sources stated that the league office is seriously considering holding the playoffs in Las Vegas once the Coronavirus suspension is lifted. Nothing is set in stone, but this could be the likely scenario for salving the NBA season and crowning a champ. It does make sense as the NBA stages the summer league in Vegas, so hotels and arenas are used to accomodating the league.
From Sports Illustrated’s
"Quarantining in one location is the only solution, and Vegas is the only city the NBA is currently giving any kind of serious consideration, per an NBA source," Mannix wrote on Thursday. "Sending 16 teams to Las Vegas to play games in hollow arenas isn’t ideal. But it could evolve into a fun, one-time event that would bring the game back and, more importantly, get the television revenue flowing."
The League has stated that there is no chance of staging a typical playoffs, which would involve travel between cities. The NBA has a possible plan for truncated playoffs, and it would look like this. The first round and the Finals would each be a best-of-five series while the conference semifinals and finals would be a one-and-done game.
The games would be played in an empty arena but at least they would give the fans a bit of a distraction in these trying times and it would also help to generate some TV revenues. Stay tuned and let’s hope that it happens.
