The 2023-24 regular season is finally here, beginning with the traditional doubleheader on Tuesday. Obviously, a lot changed during the offseason, with multiple title contenders revamping their rotations. Boston and Milwaukee made the most drastic changes, with Jrue Holiday ultimately landing with the Celtics after the domino that was Damian Lillard’s move to the Bucks set things off.
There are two light game days in Week 1, and there are also a host of teams that will have to navigate a back-to-back. Eight teams have a Friday-Saturday back-to-back, while six others have one that begins with a game on the final day of the game week. Below is a look ahead at the schedule and some of the major storylines of Week 1. Future columns will be published on Saturday evenings.
Week 1 Schedule Breakdown
3 Games: ATL, CHI, CLE, DEN, DET, GSW, HOU, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIA, NYK, OKC, PHI, PHO, POR, SAC, SAS, TOR, UTA
2 Games: BOS, BKN, CHA, DAL, IND, MIL, MIN, NOP, ORL, WAS
Week 1 Storylines
- What will the 76ers do with James Harden?
The 76ers will play three games in Week 1, which includes a Saturday-Sunday back-to-back against the Raptors (road) and Trail Blazers (home). And their roster still isn’t whole, as there has not been a resolution to the Harden situation. He’s taken the next step in his quest to ultimately land with the Clippers, missing practice and the team’s final preseason game on Friday. With that being the case, even if Harden were to have a change of heart and rejoin his teammates, one has to assume that he would not play in any games. The assumed ramping-up process was to include Harden playing in that preseason finale, which obviously didn’t happen.
Harden’s absence boosts the fantasy values of Tyrese Maxey and De’Anthony Melton, while Tobias Harris should see his offensive touches increase. Also of note for Philadelphia is that back-to-back, in relation to Joel Embiid. The Process didn’t make his first game appearance of the preseason until Friday, so this back-to-back may not come at a great time for managers who have the reigning MVP rostered. So a three-game week could turn out to be two for Embiid, and with road games against the Bucks and Raptors, this isn’t the easiest slate to navigate.
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- How many games will managers get out of Jimmy Butler?
The Heat star did not play in any of Miami’s five preseason games, with conditioning and a dental procedure being the listed reasons for his absences. The Heat play three games in Week 1, which includes a Friday-Saturday road back-to-back against the Celtics and Timberwolves. Will Butler be available for both games or just one? And does the fact that Miami plays three games in Week 2 without a back-to-back increase the chances of him playing both ends of that back-to-back? Given the preseason inactivity, managers who have to set weekly lineups are in a difficult spot, even if Butler is highly productive when on the court.
Something else to watch in Miami is how Erik Spoelstra approaches his backcourt rotation. Kyle Lowry appears poised to get his wish and return to the starting lineup, as Josh Richardson had to miss some time due to injury, and the preference is to keep Tyler Herro focused on scoring instead of running the offense. That may give Lowry’s fantasy value a slight boost, but not to the point where fantasy managers should expect a top-100 return.
- Warriors likely to begin the season without Draymond Green
Green is making progress in his recovery from the sprained left ankle he suffered during a pre-training camp pickup game, most recently participating in some 3-on-3 work. That said, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said over the weekend that Green “still needs more work” in order to be in a position where he can play in games. So that makes the starting lineup choices for Golden State’s opening week pretty simple, with Chris Paul and Kevon Looney being starters. The Warriors play three games in Week 1 without a back-to-back, which is good news for their veterans and the fantasy managers who have them rostered.
- Pelicans open with a two-game Week 1
New Orleans plays games on Wednesday (at Memphis) and Saturday (vs. New York) of this week, which should be good news for Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, who both missed extended periods last season due to injury. And that game against the Knicks is the second of a back-to-back for the visitors, as New York will have played in Atlanta the night prior. This could set up a big opening week for Williamson, who also saw some time at the center position during the preseason. Given Jonas Valanciunas’ defensive struggles, more time at that spot could be in the cards for Williamson, especially with Larry Nance (sprained left ankle) still sidelined. In addition to Nance, the Pelicans are awaiting the return of Jose Alvarado from a sprained right ankle. The eventual return of the latter is unlikely to impact fantasy basketball very much, but Nance can be of value in deeper leagues due to his defensive contributions.
- Who will make up Utah’s starting backcourt?
While all five candidates for a place in the starting lineup had their moments during the preseason, none appeared to truly separate themselves from the competition. Jordan Clarkson may be the safest bet from a fantasy standpoint, as he can be productive whether starting or coming off the bench. Collin Sexton, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Keyonte George were also in the mix, while Kris Dunn carried over his solid play from the end of last season and got his 2023-24 contract guaranteed by the Jazz. A fantasy manager’s nightmare could be all five being in the rotation to start the season, but that is possible, as Clarkson and THT can be used at the two. The lack of a decision impacted their draft positions, as none of the guards cracked the top 100 in Yahoo ADP in redraft leagues, with Clarkson (114) usually the first one off the board.
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Light Game Days
Tuesday (2 Games)
LAL vs. DEN
PHO vs. DEN
Thursday (2 Games)
PHI vs. MIL
PHO vs. LAL
Week 1 Back-to-backs
Tuesday-Wednesday: None
Wednesday-Thursday: None
Thursday-Friday: None
Friday-Saturday: CHI, CLE, DET, MEM, MIA, NYK, TOR, UTA
Saturday-Sunday: PHI
Sunday-Monday (Week 2): ATL, DEN, GSW, LAL, MIL, POR