The NBA is resuming its season in a 'bubble' in Disney on July 30 — here's everything to know about how the radical plan will work

• The NBA will resume its season in a "bubble" in Disney World on July 30.
• Players arrived at Disney July 7-9, are going through mini-training camps, then begin games without fans, with daily COVID-19 testing and strict health and safety protocols.
• Players are not supposed to leave the Disney campus, and it is shut off from other people.
• A limited number of family members and guests can enter after the first round of the playoffs.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

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The NBA is returning to the court for the first time since March 11, when play was suspended for the coronavirus pandemic.

On Wednesday at 3 P.M. ET, the Orlando Magic and LA Clippers will tip off for a scrimmage, marking the first action in over four months, although the game doesn't count toward anything.

The league and 22 teams have been in a "bubble" in Disney World in Orlando, Florida, since July 7, with "seeding" games tipping off on July 30.

The format is set to be a radical attempt to resume play under historic circumstances. Here's everything you need to know.

What is the bubble?

The NBA, in essence, is quarantining itself from the rest of society. They'll play games at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, located at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida with teams staying in three different Disney hotels.

Players are not allowed out of the bubble (with some exceptions), and people aren't allowed in the bubble (at least until later in the playoffs, when some families can join).

Players will be tested for COVID-19 every day and monitored for symptoms. The idea is to control the environment as best as possible and mitigate external factors.

What is the format?

The NBA is bringing back 22 teams — the 16 current playoff teams, plus six teams still in the playoff race. Nine teams are returning from the Eastern Conference:

via ESPN

And 13 teams are returning from the Western Conference:

via ESPN

Each team will play eight regular-season games to determine seeding before going to the playoffs. In both conferences, if less than four games separate the eighth and ninth seeds, there will be a play-in tournament. The play-in tournament will require one win for the eighth seed and two wins for the ninth seed.

Playoffs will be four rounds of best-of-seven, as usual.

Each team will also play in three scrimmages, beginning on Wednesday, July 22. The scrimmages can be watched on NBA TV or League Pass, the NBA's subscription service.

When does it begin?

The players and teams are in Disney now, having flown down on July 7-9, and undergone a quarantine. They have been going through mini-training camps.

Games are scheduled to tip off on Thursday, July 30.

How to watch

As mentioned, scrimmages can be watched on NBA TV or League Pass.

When the "seeding" games begin, a handful of games will be on national TV stations each day: ESPN, TNT, NBA TV, and ABC.

Other games can be watched on League Pass.

Will there be fans?

No.

Details of the broadcasts are scant, but during a media call in June, Commissioner Adam Silver said they would have unique, never-before-seen camera angles, enhanced audio of the players and coaches, and halftime performances and concerts.

Will players be tested for COVID-19?

Yes, daily. The players will also be monitored for symptoms. As the games approach, there may even be point-of-care testing.

Players will also have the option to wear Oura rings, which can detect possible signs of COVID-19 before symptoms set in.

What happens if a player tests positive for COVID-19?

They'll be self-isolated in different housing from the rest of the teams. Players will also be retested to confirm positive tests or to see if it was a false positive.

To end the isolation, players must be asymptomatic, return two negative tests more than 24 hours apart, and get clearance from a physician.

What if there is a COVID-19 outbreak?

Silver told reporters in June that the league is still working through the exact protocols if multiple players test positive for the novel coronavirus. Silver said while one positive test, regardless of the player's celebrity, won't stop play. However, a severe enough outbreak could halt games.

What will players do in the bubble?

Players have numerous activities available to them, from pools, golf courses, fishing spots, dining areas, lounges with card tables, video games, TVs, and movie screenings. There are even DJ sets.

However, the rules are also strict. Players are expected to physically distance, wear masks at all times (with exceptions like eating, exercising, or doing an activity alone), and stay out of each other's hotel rooms. There are also strict sanitization rules. For instance, playing cards will be thrown out and replaced after every game, and players should not eat while doing any activities.

Are families allowed?

After the first round of the playoffs, teams will each be given one room to accommodate guests. Individuals are responsible for the cost of the room, and the guests will have to quarantine upon arriving and test negative for COVID-19.

Who else is allowed in the bubble?

Each team is allowed a traveling party of 37 people, which includes coaches, trainers, medical staff, equipment staff, etc.

Players will also have access to hair cuts, manicures, pedicures. 

Additionally, Disney staff will be going in and out of the bubble for housekeeping, sanitizing, and more. The NBA is working on testing procedures for some Disney staff.

What if a player leaves the bubble?

Players are not supposed to leave (with some pre-approved exceptions, like family emergencies, weddings, the birth of a child, medical care off-site, etc.), but no one will be stopping them. If players leave without approval, they may face 10-14 days of quarantine, plus the more invasive nasal swab tests that the league is otherwise avoiding during the frequent COVID-19 testing.

Additionally, players will be deducted pay for each game they miss while quarantining. 

When will the bubble end?

Playoffs are scheduled to begin on August 17, with the Finals scheduled to start on September 30. Game 7 of the Finals (if necessary) would be October 13.

• Read more:
• LeBron James reportedly stayed in 'remarkable' shape to prepare for a unique opportunity to add to his legacy
• Thunder center Steven Adams brushed off complaints about life in the NBA bubble: 'This is not Syria ... We're living in a bloody resort'
• NBA POWER RANKINGS: Where the 22 teams heading into the Disney World bubble stand when the season resumes