{"numbering":"asc","slides":[{"index":1,"title":"","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/06/04/nba_season_return.jpg","caption":"

The NBA is coming back!

The league's Board of Governors approved a 22-team return plan Thursday that includes eight more regular season games for each club, a possible play-in tourament for the eighth seed in both conferences, a full four-round playoff and all games taking place at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

The tentative start date for games is July 31.

Let's take a look at the most notable winners and losers from the NBA's 22-team season return format.

Photo via USA TODAY Sports

"},{"index":3,"title":"WINNER: Boston Celtics","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/2020/06/04/jaylen_brown.jpg","caption":"

There are a few reasons why the Celtics are winners:

1) If the NBA went straight to the playoffs, the C's would've faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round, and that's a tough matchup. The Celtics could still play the Sixers in Round 1, but with eight regular season games to be played for seeding purposes, Boston could wind up facing the Miami Heat or Indiana Pacers in the first round (assumig the C's stay in third place). Both of these matchups would be more favorable than facing a healthy 76ers team with two superstars.

2) The extended regular season gives the C's time to rediscover their excellent on-court chemistry from before the shutdown, and it allows players who've nursed injuries, including star point guard Kemba Walker, to get back into game shape.

3) The Celtics shouldn't be impacted too much by the lack of home games in Boston. They own the East's third-best road record.

Photo via USA TODAY Sports

"},{"index":5,"title":"WINNER: Zion Williamson and the Pelicans","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/06/04/usatsi_14149462_133468180_lowres_0.jpg","caption":"

The New Orleans Pelicans and rookie sensation Zion Williamson making the playoffs and playing LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers in the first round would be a dream scenario for the NBA. The Pelicans are 3.5 games behind the No. 8 seed and will have a shot to get in the postseason with a healthy Williamson in the lineup. Even if New Orleans doesn't earn a postseason berth, just having eight more games to watch Williamson and the talented, young Pelicans roster is awesome for fans everywhere.

Photo via USA TODAY Sports

"},{"index":7,"title":"WINNER: Indiana Pacers","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/06/04/usatsi_14168427_0.jpg","caption":"

Victor Oladipo returned from a horrific leg injury in late January and played only 13 games before the shutdown. He struggled in his return, scoring just 13.8 points per game while shooting a disappointing 39 percent from the floor and 30 percent from 3-point range. The long layoff gave Oladipo valuable time to bolster the strength in his knee and improve his conditioning. As a result, the Pacers should be a much more difficult playoff opponent now than they would've been in April.

Photo via USA TODAY Sports

"},{"index":9,"title":"WINNER: Players returning from injury","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/06/04/usatsi_14149393_133468180_lowres_0.jpg","caption":"

Several teams had players who were out of action or had just returned from injury when the season shutdown began. Those players will have had several months to do further rehab ahead of the season restart, and that will benefit their teams for the playoff push.

Here's a list of notable players who benefited from the extra few months to recover from injuries:

Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF, Milwaukee Bucks
Ben Simmons, PG, Philadelphia 76ers
Victor Oladipo, PG, Indiana Pacers
Zach Collins, C, Portland Trail Blazers
Fred VanVleet, PG, Toronto Raptors
Jonathan Isaac, SF, Orlando Magic
Jaren Jackson Jr., PF, Memphis Grizzlies
Justise Winslow, SF, Memphis Grizzlies
Kyrie Irving, PG, Brooklyn Nets

Photo via USA TODAY Sports

"},{"index":11,"title":"WINNER: Phoenix Suns","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/06/04/usatsi_14216938_133468180_lowres.jpg","caption":"

You could make a case the Suns shouldn't even be in this 22-team format. They were the last Western Conference team included and sit six games behind the last playoff spot. But even if the Suns don't reach a play-in tournament for the No. 8 seed, playing in high-pressure, meaningful games late in the season will be great experience for Phoenix's young players, many of whom have never tasted playoff action. Of course, nothing can duplicate playoff intensity, but these eight regular season games and the spotlight they'll be under should come pretty close.

Photo via USA TODAY Sports

"},{"index":13,"title":"WINNER: Dallas Mavericks","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/06/04/usatsi_14168858_133468180_lowres.jpg","caption":"

The Mavericks, as a result of the eight additional regular season games, have a great opportunity to climb in the West standings and avoid an extremely tough first-round matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers. Dallas currently is the No. 7 seed, but only four games separate it from the No. 3 seed. Furthermore, the absence of home court games isn't really a huge deal for the Mavs, who own the second-best road record in the West at 21-12.

Photo via USA TODAY Sports

"},{"index":15,"title":"LOSER: Orlando Magic","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/06/04/usatsi_14148372_133468180_lowres.jpg","caption":"

The Magic have a 5.5-game lead for the final playoff spot in the East, and only one team in the new format will be chasing them, the Washington Wizards. Under the return plan, there will be a play-in tournament for the No. 8 seed in both conferences if the No. 9 seed is within four or fewer games of the final playoff berth after the additional regular season action. In the play-in tournament, the No. 8 seed would only have to win once and the No. 9 seed must win twice.

So, all the Wizards have to do is pick up 1.5 games on the Magic and they'll have a chance to reach the playoffs. If the season had been played as normal, there was very little chance of Orlando not making the playoffs, especially since it had the second-easiest remaining schedule before the season was paused. Now, it's much more possible the Magic miss it.

Photo via USA TODAY Sports

"},{"index":17,"title":"LOSER: Memphis Grizzlies","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/06/04/usatsi_14156636_133468180_lowres_0.jpg","caption":"

The Grizzlies were in a great spot to earn the No. 8 seed with a 3.5-game lead before the season was paused. Now, their schedule is tougher and the league is bringing back five (!) teams to compete with Memphis for the final playoff spot. Unless the Grizzlies lose only one or two of the final eight regular season games, it's difficult to envision a scenario where they don't have to win a play-in tournament for the last playoff berth. Memphis remains the favorite for the eighth seed, but its task is more challenging.

Photo via USA TODAY Sports

"},{"index":19,"title":"LOSER: Utah Jazz","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/06/04/usatsi_14128444_133468180_lowres_0.jpg","caption":"

The Jazz lost one of their best players, forward Bojan Bogdanovic, to season-ending surgery in May. If that wasn't bad enough, they now have to defend their position as the No. 4 seed in the West against some pretty tough competition. Utah has a slim 1-game lead over the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder, and just a 2.5-game advantage over the Dallas Mavericks.

Photo via USA TODAY Sports

"},{"index":21,"title":"LOSER: Philadelphia 76ers","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/06/04/usatsi_13976881_133468180_lowres_0.jpg","caption":"

Ben Simmons getting extra time to recover from his back injury is a huge plus for the 76ers, but there are some negatives for them regarding the 22-team format.

The most glaring one is Philly won't have the benefit of playing on its home court. The Sixers own the league's best home record at 29-2 and the worst road record (10-24) of any team currently in a playoff spot. We also don't know what kind of shape star center Joel Embiid will come back in, or how well he'll handle playing multiple games in a short span.

The 76ers also had the fourth-easiest remaining schedule before the season shut down in March. Now, Philly will only face playoff-caliber teams as it tries to round back into form.

Photo via USA TODAY Sports

"},{"index":23,"title":"LOSER: Fans of teams that didn't make the cut","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/06/04/usatsi_14172531_133468180_lowres_0.jpg","caption":"

Eight teams won't be going to Florida in July, and even though that's good from a health and safety standpoint, it's still disappointing for their fans. The 2020-21 season could start as late as Dec. 1, so that means the eight franchises that won't return for the current season will go about eight months without any games. That's a long time for fans to have to wait to see their favorite team play, and it's also a pretty long layoff for the players on those teams, especially the younger guys who need as much development as possible.

Photo via USA TODAY Sports

"}]}

Breaking down winners and losers of NBA 22-team season return plan