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SALT LAKE CITY — On March 11, the Utah Jazz walked off the court in Oklahoma City in worry. Rudy Gobert’s positive COVID-19 test had not only postponed a game but eventually postponed an entire league.
In a bit of poetry, the Jazz will be the team to start things back up.
On July 30 in Orlando, Utah will play the New Orleans Pelicans in the first game of the NBA’s restart.
On Friday, the league announced the schedule for what it has called the seeding games. The 22 teams that will head to Orlando for the (hopeful) completion of the season will all play eight games to determine playoff seeds.
The Jazz will also play the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks in the restart. Utah and San Antonio will play twice.
The Jazz will play at least five national TV games while in Orlando — two on TNT, two on ESPN and one on NBA TV.
Full Jazz schedule in Orlando
- July 30: vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 4:30 p.m. MDT (TNT)
- Aug. 1: vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 1:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN)
- Aug. 3: vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 7 p.m. MDT (ESPN)
- Aug. 5: vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 12:30 p.m. MDT
- Aug. 7: vs. San Antonio Spurs, 11 a.m. MDT
- Aug. 8: vs. Denver Nuggets, 1:30 p.m. MDT (TNT)
- Aug. 10: vs. Dallas Mavericks, 1 p.m. MDT (NBA TV)
- Aug. 13: vs. San Antonio Spurs, TBD
The games will be used to determine playoff participants. The Jazz have already clinched a spot in the postseason but can finish anywhere from the No. 2 seed to the No. 7.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said on a conference call with reporters Friday that the league will have “unique never-before-seen camera angles” as well as enhanced audio with players and coaches. No fans will be admitted into games at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
There will be three total courts used for games at the Orlando campus, making the schedule reflect the opening weekend of the NCAA tournament more than a regular NBA night. A maximum of seven contests will be played per day with tipoffs coming as early as 10 a.m. MDT and as late as 7 p.m MDT.
The first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs will begin on Aug. 17.
