The coronavirus pandemic is still hitting the world hard. April is here and we’re closing in on one month without live NBA action. Everyone’s left watching old games, highlights, interviews, the players’ live streams on social media.

The slight hope that we’re holding to right now is the rumored plan to jump right into the playoffs upon return, as first reported by Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.

According to Mannix, the league’s exploring an idea to hold it in a neutral venue, like the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. The arena, as you may remember, is also home to the NBA’s annual Summer League tournament every July, where young guys and journeymen compete to earn their stripes.

Let’s take look at the first-round matchups in the current playoff picture:

Eastern Conference:

(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (8) Orlando Magic

(2) Toronto Raptors vs. (7) Brooklyn Nets

(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Indiana Pacers

(4) Miami Heat vs. (5) Philadelphia 76ers

Western Conference

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Memphis Grizzlies

(2) LA Clippers vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks

(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Houston Rockets

(4) Utah Jazz vs. (5) Oklahoma City Thunder

CNBC’s recent report, meanwhile, suggested that there could be a modified playoff format. Instead of having a traditional best-of-seven series in each round, the first round and finals will both be a best-of-five, while the series in between (conference semis and conference finals) are both going to be one-game winner-take-all.

It sounds interesting, but such modifications on the venue and series format do not look fair for certain teams, especially the Bucks (53-12) and Lakers (49-14), so it’s hard to imagine that they’ll agree to such terms. The two squads own the top seeds in the East and West, respectively, and their far-and-away records should be gifting them a homecourt advantage in their conference.

Nevertheless, talks between the NBA brass and team owners/general managers may deepen moving forward as both sides are on a tricky spot.

Yes, everyone’s safety will always be a priority, but at the same time, the league is also feeling pressure to return soon. The hiatus, coupled with the China issue from months back, has bumped the NBA’s potential loss in revenue to over $1 billion.