The Indiana Pacers begin individual workouts today in preparation for the start of a new NBA season scheduled to kick off prior to Christmas.

Although the league just crowned a champion in a delayed-completion season, it is attempting to bring the regular schedule for 2020-21 back to more of a sense of normalcy.

The regular season ordinarily would have begun by now if not for the extra-long season wrapping up 2019-20 with a Los Angeles Lakers championship due to interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ongoing coronavirus spread worldwide has paused numerous sports seasons and caused several leagues to compete without allowing fans to be present. The NBA is shooting for a league-wide start just before Christmas to take advantage of its usual showcase games being nationally televised on that holiday.

Although they have announced the scheduling of some pre-season exhibition games in mid-December, the Pacers do not yet have a regular-season slate in hand.