The NBA has announced the 2021 play-offs - which end with the two top sides playing in a best-of-seven series - could last two months before finishing on July 22.

With the postponed Olympics scheduled to begin on July 23, some of the NBA's biggest names are expected to be denied the chance to travel to Japanese capital Tokyo for the Games.

The men's basketball competition at Tokyo 2020 is due to run from July 25 to August 7.

Last week, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach praised the NBA after they announced the season would start in December and feature 10 fewer games to accommodate Tokyo 2020.

The NBA Board of Governors announced the season would be established in two segments with the first running from December 22 to March 4 before the All-Star break.

The second half of the season is then expected to be held from March 11 to May 16.

Each club will face the other teams within its conference three times before facing sides in the opposite conference home and away.

A play-in tournament featuring the teams with the seventh to 10th highest winning percentages in each conference is then scheduled to take place from May 18 to 21 before the play-offs are set to get underway on May 22 and run until July 22.

The last NBA season was heavily disrupted because of the coronavirus pandemic, which forced a shutdown from March to July after several players tested positive for COVID-19.

The NBA Finals concluded on October 11 with Los Angeles Lakers overcoming Miami Heat 4-2 to secure their 17th championship to tie Boston Celtics' record.

Lakers star LeBron James was named Final MVP for the fourth time in his career.

NBA players have been a staple of Olympic basketball tournaments since the eligibility rules were changed to allow them to participate at the Games prior to Barcelona 1992.