The NBA schedule has been released, and there are interesting games throughout the entire seven-month marathon. With some impressive teams out East and a very deep West, some games will matter every night.
Here are 12 games to mark on your calendar and watch. These are not all just “put together these two great teams” but also some interesting player matchups and some homecoming/revenge games.
One quick note: Every team’s schedule came out with just 80 games. Those two extra games will be played in early December and will be added to the schedule based on how the team does in the NBA Cup in-season tournament’s group play.
Oct. 24: Phoenix Suns at Golden State Warriors
The Nuggets will get their rings and hoist a banner in the early game on opening night, but this is the more interesting contest. How does Bradley Beal fit in with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and the top-heavy Suns roster? On the other side, how does the deliberate Chris Paul mesh with the chaotic style of the Warriors? This is also a Chris Paul revenge game. It’s a first glimpse at two teams with championship aspirations.
Oct. 27: Miami Heat at Boston Celtics
These teams have met in three of the last four Eastern Conference Finals and every time they meet it’s fun to watch. Boston will have Kristaps Porzingis added to its core (but no Marcus Smart), while Miami may have a big new addition by then (the Damian Lillard trade still hangs out there). Whoever plays, this rematch of the last two Eastern Conference Finals will be a great early season test.
Nov. 14: San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder
Victor Wembanyama is getting the Spurs on national television a lot more than most teams that won 22 games the year before get. This one is going to be interesting with Wembanyama — the heavy Rookie of the Year betting favorite — going up against Chet Holmgren, one of the guys who could steal the award away (yes, Holmgren still counts as a rookie even after sitting out a season, he hasn’t played an NBA game). The Thunder are also going to be a team to watch this season, they have a talented young roster and are fast coming out of their rebuilding phase.
Dec. 19: Memphis Grizzlies at New Orleans Pelicans
Ja Morant returns? This is the first game Ja Morant will be eligible to play for Memphis following his 25-game suspension for waiving a gun in a social media post (again). It’s not clear yet when Morant will be allowed in the Grizzlies’ facilities and be able to practice with the team (before the suspension ends?), meaning his debut could be pushed back to Dec. 21 at home against the Pacers, or Dec. 23 at the Atlanta Hawks. Whatever the exact date is, Morant will be back before Christmas.
Dec. 22: Washington Wizards at Golden State Warriors
The Jordan Poole revenge game. Poole returns to the Chase Center on a Wizards team where he will have an unblinking green light and will be looking to rack up points like he did in spots for the Warriors. Also, expect Poole to go right at Draymond Green every chance he gets. This should be fun.
Dec. 25: Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers
The NBA has a strong slate of five games lined up on Christmas Day, but the league is leaning into its greatest historic rivalry when both teams have big name stars and see themselves as contenders entering the season. We should get plenty of Bill Russell/Jerry West and then Magic/Bird highlights, but with LeBron James and Jayson Tatum this game has the potential to live up to the historic standards.
Dec. 25: Golden State Warriors at Denver Nuggets
This is my favorite Christmas Day matchup, the defending champion against the team that was the standard to beat for almost a decade and wants to hold on to that crown a little longer. We should be treated to high-level passing and shot-making with Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokić on the court.
Dec. 27: Miami Heat at Portland Trail Blazers
The Damian Lillard return game? While the Trail Blazers and Heat remain in a standoff over Lillard’s trade request, most league sources expect the deal to get done (maybe in time for training camp, maybe later, but it gets done). If that happens, then this is the Lillard return game that will be filled with emotions for Lillard and fans in Portland who have stood by him.
Dec. 28: San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers
Victor Wembanyama vs. Scoot Henderson. It was entertaining when these two met up last season — Wembanyama playing for the Metropolitans 92 and Henderson for the G-League Ignite — and it will be entertaining this time around. These should be the two favorites to win Rookie of the Year and we could get a real show.
Jan. 14: Indiana Pacers at Denver Nuggets
The Bruce Brown return game. Brown, the reserve who was critical to the Nuggets getting their first title in franchise history, returns to Denver with his new team (who is going to be better than people think, don’t sleep on the Pacers). Brown gets his ring and a tear-jerking tribute video.
Feb. 4: Memphis Grizzlies at Boston Celtics
Marcus Smart returns to Boston. The Celtics made a big bet by trading away their “heart and soul” guy — not to mention former Defensive Player of the Year — in Smart to up their offense with Kristaps Porzingis. This will be an emotional return, Celtics fans loved Smart for his hustle, and he loved them back. By this point in the season we will know how the bet on KP is working out for Boston, and how much Smart’s been able to focus the talented but at times out of control Grizzlies.
Feb. 9: Houston Rockets at Toronto Raptors
Fred VanVleet returns to Toronto. VanVleet became the third star player to leave Toronto and the Raptors got nothing back in the past few years (Kawhi Leonard, although he gave them a title, and Kyle Lowry). VanVleet took the max money in Houston, where he will be asked to guide — on and off the court — a very talented but very young Rockets roster with Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and now Amen Thompson. As for the Raptors, there is talent on the roster now such as Pascal Siakam, but will he be traded by this game? What about O.G. Anunoby? This is going to be an interesting season north of the border.
