The clock in Tokyo is 16 hours ahead of time in Phoenix, Ariz.
So, in an increasingly possible scenario, Game 7 of the NBA Finals could start at 6 p.m. on July 22, a Thursday, in the American desert. At that exact hour, it would be 10 a.m. on July 23 in Tokyo, with the Opening Ceremony for the Olympics slated to begin just 12 hours later. Team USA’s first men’s basketball game is at 9 p.m. on July 25 in Japan — or 5 a.m. Phoenix time.
What is the point of all of this? Regardless of the dizzying logistics, Suns star Devin Booker is going to play for the Americans in Tokyo, and USA Basketball has a contingency plan to ensure that happens if Booker’s NBA team is in the Finals and the series stretches to a seventh game.
