The NBA is back! Just 71 days after the Los Angeles Lakers topped the Orlando bubble, the league is boldly kicking off a season that promises to be unique.
And this time without the protection of that bubble that essentially saved last season, allowing it to break the last line after the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The NBA is undoubtedly facing an uncertain campaign and very different from what we are used to, knowing in advance that the corona virus has become part of our daily life. Fewer games in regular phase, less trips, more players per squad, zero All-Star Game. All with a view to a healthy, healthy finish on time.
And that doesn’t count the game on the field: which team can dethrone ‘The King’ LeBron James and his Lakers? What will Kevin Durant look like on his return? What is Luka Doncic’s ceiling? Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks?
With that in mind, ESPN Digital presents you with a guide to everything you need to know about the season, including key dates, players in new teams, matchups, analytics and predictions.
Look at the season
1:56
From the start of the NBA campaign, we wanted to rate the best games.
• How will the 2020-2021 season go? Schedule, COVID-19, Playoffs
• The teams that will follow in the new season
• Featured games from the first half of the season
• NBA Christmas Day: How to watch and stream all five games
A 5-5 of the 2020-21 season: Lakers, Giannis, Durant and Doncic
Expert predictions for the finals and the biggest prizes
LeBron James’ strategy of dominating his age
Kevin Durant and His Return with the Nets: Mysteries and Questions
What Giannis’ decision means to the Bucks
• How Luka Doncic relates to LeBron James, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird
Division by division analysis
1:49
Dave McMenamin describes the path to a possible back-to-back championship for the Los Angeles Lakers.
• Atlantic Division: KD and the Nets, the greatest expectation and unknown
• Central Division: Giannis and Milwaukee Bucks, no competition
• Southeast Division: Miami Heat, favorite to win again
• Northwest Division: Pay attention to Nuggets, Blazers and Jazz
• Southwestern Division: Luka and the Mavericks, the big favorites
• Pacific Division: Lakers are the big candidate and Clippers are the enemy
The best players of the season
1:48
Watch the highlights of the league’s top 10 players for the 2020-2021 season, according to ESPN’s NBArank.
Ranking of the best NBA players 2020-21, from 10 to 1
Ranking of the best NBA players 2020-21, from 50 to 11
Ranking of the best NBA players 2020-21, from 100 to 51
What happened in the low season?
1:20
Look at the big names who switched teams this off-season, including Chris Paul, Montrezl Harrell and Serge Ibaka.
• What executives say about the best and worst moves
The most fascinating players in new teams
NBA Draft 2020: Biggest First-Round Winners and Losers