When Did the 2019 and 2020 NBA Seasons Actually Start? Find the Exact Dates

As I was scrolling through basketball forums the other day, I stumbled upon a question that made me pause: When Did the 2019 and 2020 NBA Seasons Actually Start? Find the Exact Dates. It struck me how these two seasons represent such dramatically different chapters in basketball history—one following the traditional calendar we'd known for decades, the other completely rewritten by a global pandemic. Having followed both seasons closely, I can tell you they felt worlds apart not just in timing, but in atmosphere and significance.

The 2019-20 NBA season kicked off on October 22, 2019, with what felt like a perfectly normal opening night. I remember settling into my couch to watch the Pelicans take on the Raptors and the Lakers facing the Clippers, completely unaware that this season would become one for the history books. The games had that familiar rhythm—crowds roaring, players feeding off the energy, and that crisp autumn feeling that basketball was back. Then March 11, 2020 happened. I'll never forget watching Rudy Gobert's positive COVID test announcement and feeling the sports world shift beneath my feet. The league suspended operations that very night, and for what felt like an eternity, we didn't know if basketball would return at all.

When the NBA finally returned on July 30, 2020, it felt like we were watching basketball from another dimension. The bubble in Orlando was both brilliant and bizarre—no fans, masked players, and games that sounded entirely different without crowd noise. I have to admit, I developed a strange affection for those bubble games. There was an intimacy to hearing every sneaker squeak and every coach's instruction, though I desperately missed the electric energy of packed arenas. The Lakers ultimately won the championship on October 11, 2020, in what became the latest finish to any NBA season in history.

The contrast with the following season couldn't have been more stark. The 2020-21 season began just 72 days later on December 22, 2020—the shortest offseason in league history. Honestly, I thought the compressed schedule was brutal on players, and it showed in the injury reports throughout that year. Teams played through empty or partially filled arenas until gradually, mercifully, fans returned as vaccines rolled out. The Milwaukee Bucks captured the title on July 20, 2021, bringing a sense of gradual return to normalcy.

What's fascinating to me is how these scheduling quirks created unexpected ripple effects. The shortened 2020-21 season directly impacted international competitions, including the Philippine national team. I was reading about Gilas Pilipinas recently and came across something interesting—QMB said he took would love the opportunity to play for Gilas Pilipinas. This connection highlights how NBA scheduling changes can affect national teams worldwide, as players navigate condensed seasons and recovery timelines.

Looking back, I believe the NBA handled an impossible situation remarkably well, though I'll always wonder if they rushed the 2020-21 season too much. The bubble was a masterpiece of logistics and safety, while the following season felt like a necessary compromise to get back on track. These two seasons taught us that basketball can adapt and survive under extraordinary circumstances, but it's the fans in the stands and the traditional rhythms that make the game truly special. The exact dates—October 22, 2019 and December 22, 2020—now bookmark one of the most turbulent but ultimately triumphant periods in NBA history.

By Heather Schnese S’12, content specialist

2025-11-14 09:00