The NBA Is Considering Holding Playoffs in Las Vegas

Hosting the playoffs in Sin City is just the latest of many options on the table for the NBA.

A general view of the court shows the NBA logo during a game in 2017 NBA Summer League.
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Image via Getty/Sam Wasson

A general view of the court shows the NBA logo during a game in 2017 NBA Summer League.

The NBA is now contemplating holding the playoffs in a single site without any spectators. Given their history in Las Vegas with hosting the yearly Summer League, the league is considering the idea of keeping all participating teams quarantined in the city as they try to finish the season and crown a champion. 

"Las Vegas has been a destination that has been discussed, built around the idea of literally perhaps using a casino, playing games in potentially a ballroom with courts," NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski said. "There's lots of different scenarios, almost all of which would be built around the idea of a return without fans in the stands." 

“Las Vegas has been a destination that has been discussed, built around the idea of literally perhaps using a casino, playing games in potentially a ballroom with courts. There’s lots of different scenarios …”

@wojespn on how the NBA may try to make its initial return pic.twitter.com/KfFg6Nb8CU

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 31, 2020

Austin Rivers expanded a bit more on this new contingency plan while on Instagram Live, which was transcribed by Twitter user @FlyByKnite. 

On his IG live just now, Austin Rivers said teams would get two practices before starting up the season again and all the games would be in Las Vegas, apparently. That's one of the propositions.

— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) April 1, 2020

"They're talking about the Thomas & Mack Center since they got two gyms there." Also mentioned they've looked at other gyms around the Vegas area.

— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) April 1, 2020

"The first two rounds of the playoffs are supposed to be best-of-three."

— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) April 1, 2020

Austin Rivers on NBA’s proposed plans to restart season in Vegas (via @RemyTraining23 IG live) pic.twitter.com/uMloAD8euS

— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) April 1, 2020

"Quarantine the players in July in Las Vegas and to have some form of a tournament that eventually crowns a champion," Chris Mannix of Sports Illustratedmentioned on the Felger and Mazz podcast. "It's workable. It's doable."

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