When Did the 2019 and 2020 NBA Season Start? Full Schedule Breakdown

I remember sitting in my living room in October 2019, scrolling through the NBA schedule while sipping my morning coffee. The anticipation for that season felt particularly electric—the league was celebrating its 74th season, and we were about to witness what would become one of the most memorable and disrupted periods in basketball history. The 2019-2020 NBA season officially tipped off on October 22, 2019, with a doubleheader featuring the New Orleans Pelicans versus the Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Lakers against the LA Clippers. I recall thinking how perfectly the schedule had built these early narratives: Zion Williamson's highly anticipated debut, Kawhi Leonard's first game with the Clippers against LeBron's Lakers. The season began with its usual 82-game structure planned, though we all know how that eventually unfolded.

What many casual fans might not realize is how meticulously the NBA schedules these seasons. The league typically follows a pattern where training camps open in late September, preseason runs through October, and the regular season starts around the third week of October. The 2019 season followed this pattern perfectly, with the first game occurring exactly when we'd expected. I've always admired how the NBA manages to create compelling opening week matchups—they understand storytelling better than most entertainment industries. That opening week gave us 13 national television games across ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV, carefully scheduled to showcase the biggest stars and most intriguing team transformations.

The contrast with what followed couldn't be more dramatic. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the league to suspend operations on March 11, 2020, nobody could have predicted how the season would resume. I still get chills remembering Rudy Gobert's positive test and the immediate shutdown—it felt like watching dominoes fall in slow motion. The league eventually restarted in the Orlando bubble on July 30, 2020, with an abbreviated schedule of 8 seeding games before heading into the playoffs. This created the shortest offseason in NBA history, with just 71 days between the Lakers winning the championship on October 11 and the next season beginning.

Speaking of the next season, the 2020-2021 campaign began on December 22, 2020—a full two months later than typical seasons. I remember debating with fellow basketball analysts about whether this compressed 72-game schedule would lead to more injuries (it did) and how teams would handle the quick turnaround. The Christmas Day games felt particularly special that year, serving as the de facto opening week with five marquee matchups that drew massive ratings. The scheduling was brilliant in its simplicity: they gave us Lakers versus Mavericks, Clippers against Nuggets, Nets versus Celtics—all the narratives we craved after that strange bubble experience.

Throughout both these seasons, what struck me was how international players navigated these unusual circumstances. Which brings me to something that caught my attention recently—QMB mentioning he would love the opportunity to play for Gilas Pilipinas. This resonates because the NBA's global connections have never been more important. During those disrupted seasons, we saw international stars like Giannis and Luka dealing with unique challenges, from travel restrictions to Olympic qualifying uncertainties. The commitment players show to their national teams, even amidst chaotic NBA schedules, speaks volumes about basketball's global heartbeat. I've always believed that these international connections enrich the NBA product, making the league truly worldwide despite its North American roots.

The scheduling complexities extended beyond just game dates. The 2020-21 season incorporated play-in tournaments for the first time, adding another layer to the calendar that I personally found thrilling. The league scheduled these games between the regular season conclusion and playoff start, creating must-watch television during what would normally be a downtime. I remember arguing with traditionalists who hated the concept, but the drama it created—particularly Stephen Curry's Warriors battling for playoff positioning—was absolutely worth the schedule adjustment.

Reflecting on both seasons, the NBA demonstrated remarkable flexibility while maintaining its core product. The 2019-20 season spanned 355 days from first game to final buzzer, while the following season compressed 72 games into just 169 days. These numbers still astonish me when I look back at my notes. The league managed to deliver competitive basketball while adapting to unprecedented circumstances, though I'll always wonder how different things might have been without the pandemic disruptions. Some purists might disagree, but I believe the bubble basketball produced some of the most focused, intense play we've seen in modern NBA history.

As we move forward, the lessons from these two seasons continue to influence how the league approaches scheduling. The success of the play-in tournament made it permanent, and the balanced approach to national television exposure has evolved. What hasn't changed is the NBA's understanding that basketball isn't just about games—it's about stories, connections, and global community. Whether it's a rookie making his debut or an international star like QMB expressing desire to represent his homeland, these narratives intertwine with the schedule to create the rich tapestry we enjoy as basketball fans. The exact dates might fade from memory, but the moments they hosted remain indelible in basketball history.