The revamped playoff format, which was revealed on Tuesday, created a different reality for teams in the hunt for the 2019-20 title: a smaller margin of error.
Every possession, every quarter, every half and every game will have a greater impact on the season's final outcome, especially during the seven top-flight playoff contests.
Instead of eight teams getting the opportunity to vie for a spot in the semifinals in best-of-three quarterfinals, the revised schedule now features a winner-take-all setup. Pro sports leagues throughout Japan, including the J. League and NPB, have postponed or canceled events due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.