The NBA bubble seemed like a ridiculous concept when introduced months ago as the league weighed options to restart its 2019-20 season. Hundreds of NBA players in the same place, all but shut off from the rest of the world, for almost three months? Yet here we are, with the NBA bubble seeming like a viable — albeit, wacky — solution to the problems associated with playing professional sports during a global pandemic.
22 total teams
13 from West
9 from East
The list of NBA bubble teams consists of the 16 teams that were in the playoffs based on NBA standings when the season was suspended in March, plus the six teams that were six games or fewer behind the eighth seed in their respective conferences. Those six teams are the Pelicans, Trail Blazers, Suns, Kings, Spurs and Wizards.
Below are the 22 teams in the NBA bubble based on the standings when the season resumed.
Eastern Conference
Milwaukee Bucks (53-12)
Toronto Raptors (46-18)
Boston Celtics (43-21)
Miami Heat (41-24)
Indiana Pacers (39-26)
Philadelphia 79ers (39-26)
Brooklyn Nets (30-34)
Orlando Magic (30-35)
Washington Wizards (24-40)
Western Conference
Los Angeles Lakers (49-14)
Los Angeles Clippers (44-20)
Denver Nuggets (43-22)
Utah Jazz (41-23)
Oklahoma City Thunder (40-24)
Houston Rockets (40-24)
Dallas Mavericks (40-27)
Memphis Grizzlies (32-33)
Portland Trail Blazers (29-37)
New Orleans Pelicans (28-36)
Sacramento Kings (28-36)
San Antonio Spurs (27-36)
Phoenix Suns (26-39)
NBA teams not in the bubble
Eastern Conference
Charlotte Hornets (23-42)
Chicago Bulls (22-43)
New York Knicks (21-45)
Detroit Pistons (20-46)
Atlanta Hawks (20-47)
Cleveland Cavaliers (19-46)
Western Conference
Minnesota Timberwolves (19-45)
Golden State Warriors (15-50)
In order to be invited the the NBA bubble in Orlando, teams had to be either in a playoff seed or within six games of the eighth seed their respective conferences. So the seasons for the Hornets, Bulls, Knicks, Pistons, Hawks, Cavaliers, Timberwolves and Warriors ended prematurely.
