The Washington Wizards will be one of 22 teams making the trip to Orlando, Fl when the NBA season starts back up.
The NBA overwhelmingly approved the 22 team format staring on July 31st. The only team to vote against the plan was the Portland Trail Blazers.
The restart will feature eight “seeding games” for each team. There is a possibility of a play-in tournament for the eighth and final spot in each conference.
The Wizards are currently in ninth place and could force the play-in scenario.
If the team with the eighth-best combined record in its conference is more than four games ahead of the team with the ninth-best combined record in the same conference, then the team with the eighth-best record would earn the eighth playoff seed.
If the team with the eighth-best combined record in its conference (Team A) is four games or fewer ahead of the team with the ninth-best combined record in the same conference (Team B), then Teams A and B would compete in a play-in tournament to determine the eighth playoff seed. To earn the eighth playoff seed, Team A would need to defeat Team B once and Team B would need to defeat Team A two games in a row.
Washington was 5.5 games behind the Orlando Magic when the season was suspended. Had the season continued, more than likely the Wizards would’ve missed the playoffs. In fact, they might’ve finished the season lower than 9th in the Eastern Conference.
For those thinking that the Wizards should tank, think again. The Wizards are locked into the ninth spot no matter what happens in Orlando.
