NBA moves up targeted start of return to season by a day

Twenty-four hours can make a major difference.

At least, that seems to be the theory of the NBA, which has moved up its targeted start date to resume the season from July 31 to July 30, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

That might not sound like much, but when you're hoping to play again, every day does indeed count.

For one, the league is always trying to find a way to cut down on the number of back-to-back games during what will be a congested finish to the season. 

For another, July 30 is a Thursday ... which is when TNT handles national broadcasts (as opposed to ESPN and ABC). TNT is home to the award-winning "Inside the NBA" show that features Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O'Neal.

And hey, what better way to reboot the season?

Mostly, though, the news of the date change likely shows that the league is currently working out its schedule for the 22 teams that will march on at Walt Disney World in Orlando.

It may be just a day, but it goes to show that a return to pro basketball is looking even closer than we thought.

The season is scheduled to conclude no later than Oct. 12. The draft is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 15, with free agency expected to begin Oct. 18.