NBA playoffs restart: After protest, how to watch Bucks vs. Magic, Lakers vs. Blazers - CNET

The NBA season, already marked by the upheaval of playing in a bubble in Disney World due to the coronavirus, took an abrupt pause this week as the players boycotted games after police in Kenosha, Wisconsin shot father of six Jacob Blake in the back seven times on Sunday, leaving him paralyzed. A number of star players took to social media after the players of the Milwaukee Bucks decided not to play their game with the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, with the Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, Denver Nuggets' Jamaal Murray and Utah Jazz's Donovan Mitchell demanding change and justice.  

A series of intense meetings between the league and the players' association resulted in an agreement to form a social justice coalition with coaches and owners, work to convert arenas into voting locations for the 2020 presidential election and create additional advertising aimed at civic engagement and voter access. As part of the agreement the league will resume play Saturday. 

Here's the full weekend schedule.

Saturday

• Orlando Magic vs. Milwaukee Bucks (MIL leads 3-1), 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. PT) on ESPN
• Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets (series tied 2-2), 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT) on NBA TV and TNT
• Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers (LAL leads 3-1), 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT) on NBA TV and TNT

Sunday

• Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors (series tied 0-0), 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) on ESPN
• Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks (LAC leads 3-2), 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. PT) on ESPN
• Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz (UTJ leads 3-2), 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. PT) on NBA TV and TNT

Looking to watch the playoffs without cable? We have you covered below. 

When did the regular NBA playoffs start? 

The regular NBA playoffs, which follow a traditional seven-game format, began on Aug. 17. Two to four games are on the schedule each day for the next week. All games will be broadcast nationally on either TNT, ESPN, ABC or NBA TV. 

Game 7 of the NBA Finals will take place, if necessary, no later than Oct. 13. 

How can I watch the NBA playoffs on TV without cable?

As in a regular non-COVID season, Disney-owned ABC and ESPN will broadcast games, with ABC broadcasting the NBA Finals. ESPN is the exclusive TV network for the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals. 

AT&T-owned Turner Sports, which runs TNT and "jointly" manages the league's NBA Digital division that includes NBA TV, will also be broadcasting games. The network is a close NBA partner and broadcasts several regular-season games weekly as well as the bulk of playoff games. TNT is the exclusive TV network for the 2020 Western Conference Finals. 

You can see the NBA's national television schedule here, with games on ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV. 

You don't need cable or satellite TV to watch the games on ESPN or TNT. Most of the channels are offered on four of the major live TV streaming services, though not all streaming services offer ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV.

Read more: How to cut the cable TV cord in 2020

Which teams are in? 

Here are the 16 teams competing for the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. 

Eastern Conference

• Milwaukee Bucks
• Toronto Raptors
• Boston Celtics
• Miami Heat
• Indiana Pacers
• Philadelphia 76ers
• Brooklyn Nets
• Orlando Magic

Western Conference

• Los Angeles Lakers
• Los Angeles Clippers
• Denver Nuggets
• Oklahoma City Thunder
• Houston Rockets
• Utah Jazz
• Dallas Mavericks
• Portland Trail Blazers

The eliminated teams are all done for the year and are prepping for the offseason and NBA Draft, which will be held on Oct. 16. Better luck next year, Knicks fans.

Which players are sitting out? 

Whether from injury, positive COVID-19 tests or any other reason, like concern about getting hurt or catching the coronavirus, several notable players have been sitting out the restart. 

• Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets)
• Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets)
• DeAndre Jordan (Brooklyn Nets)
• Taurean Prince (Brooklyn Nets)
• Spencer Dinwiddie (Brooklyn Nets)
• Wilson Chandler (Brooklyn Nets)
• Bojan Bogdanovic (Utah Jazz)
  
• Willie Cauley-Stein (Dallas Mavericks)
• Avery Bradley (Los Angeles Lakers)
• Thabo Sefolosha (Houston Rockets)
• Trevor Ariza (Portland Trail Blazers)

Where are the games being held? 

The NBA is using three different venues on the ESPN Wide World of Sports campus: the HP Field House, Visa Athletic Center and a site Disney calls The Arena.

The HP Field House has been previously used to host an NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament called the Orlando Invitational. Its next tournament -- featuring the likes of Auburn, Michigan State and Gonzaga -- is currently set to run Thanksgiving weekend.

Where are the players staying? What do they do when not playing? 

The players, team staff and their personnel and families are divided across three different Disney properties: the Grand Destino, the Grand Floridian and the Yacht Club. 

The hotels are sorted by team standings, with top seeds like the Bucks, Lakers, Raptors and Clippers staying at the Grand Destino, which opened last year. Teams that were on the playoff bubble -- like the Blazers -- are staying at Disney's Yacht Club. 

As Stadium and The Athletic's Shams Charania notes, when not playing players can attend other games, go to movie screenings and play video games, plus take advantage of pools, trails, barbers, manicurists and pedicurists.

Pingpong is also available, but just singles games. Doubles are not allowed in order to maintain social distancing, as pointed out by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. 

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