NBA season to tip off with champion Nuggets hosting Lakers

The 2023-24 season will tip off in Denver, the place the protecting champion Nuggets will carry a banner to the rafters of Ball Arena for the primary time in staff historical past earlier than enjoying the Los Angeles Lakers.

The league launched its time table for subsequent season on a distinct episode of ESPN’s “NBA Today” on Thursday afternoon.

Denver’s name protection will start Tuesday, Oct. 24, in opposition to the staff it vanquished within the Western Conference finals. In what’s going to be the twenty first season of LeBron James’ mythical occupation, the Lakers hope to go back to the Finals for the primary time since profitable the name in 2020.

That recreation, as antagonistic to an Eastern Conference matchup as is normally the case, opens the time table for the reason that NBA has every other large contention contest following it. The new-look Phoenix Suns, showcasing Bradley Beal along Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, will talk over with the Golden State Warriors and Chris Paul, whose first recreation for his new staff can be in opposition to his former one.

The 100 video games unfold throughout ABC and ESPN this common season will start Oct. 25, when the Boston Celtics talk over with Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks. That can be adopted via French phenom Victor Wembanyama making his NBA debut at house for the San Antonio Spurs in opposition to fellow European sensation Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.

On Oct. 26, the Philadelphia 76ers will open their season on TNT below new trainer Nick Nurse — and with the potential of the James Harden scenario nonetheless striking over the franchise — on the Milwaukee Bucks. New Bucks trainer Adrian Griffin, Nurse’s former assistant, will make his head-coaching debut after taking up for Mike Budenholzer this summer time.

That recreation can be adopted via every other Suns blockbuster, as Phoenix will head downstate to face the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in what, remarkably, might be the primary recreation James and Durant play in opposition to one every other since Christmas Day 2018.

Two extra playoff rematches watch for Oct. 27 on ESPN, when the Miami Heat trip to Boston — the place they ended the Celtics’ season, and an opportunity at historical past, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals this spring. In the second one recreation, the Warriors trip to Sacramento to face the Kings of their first recreation on the Golden 1 Center since Golden State ended their epic first-round collection in Game 7.

The nationally televised video games around the opening week will wrap up Oct. 28, when the Knicks talk over with Zion Williamson and the Pelicans on NBA TV. That can be adopted via the Utah Jazz going to Phoenix, the place Beal will make his house debut.

Christmas Day will once more deliver 5 video games, all of which can be aired on ABC or ESPN. The slate starts with the Bucks on the Knicks (midday ET, ESPN), adopted via Golden State at Denver (2:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN) and Boston on the Lakers (5 p.m., ABC/ESPN). Then in top time the 76ers are on the Heat (8 p.m., ESPN), adopted via Dallas at Phoenix (10:30 p.m., ESPN), with Kyrie Irving going head-to-head with former Brooklyn working mate Kevin Durant.

There can be 4 nationally televised video games on Martin Luther King Day: Houston at Philadelphia (1 p.m., NBA TV); San Antonio at Atlanta (3:30 p.m., TNT); Golden State at Memphis (6 p.m., TNT); and Oklahoma City on the Lakers (10:30 p.m., NBA TV).

The following week, the NBA will function “Rivals Week,” with 11 nationally televised video games: Knicks-Nets and Lakers-Clippers on TNT on Jan. 23; Thunder-Spurs and Suns-Mavericks on ESPN on Jan. 24; Celtics-Heat and Kings-Warriors on TNT on Jan. 25; Mavericks-Hawks and Trail Blazers-Spurs on NBA TV on Jan. 26; and Heat-Knicks, 76ers-Nuggets and Lakers-Warriors on Jan. 27 on ABC.

Those video games will kick off a stretch of 7 weekends from overdue January thru mid-March when ABC will air video games on Saturday, and in different circumstances, Sunday, that includes high-profile matchups from around the league. That will come with 5 Warriors video games, a part of a Golden State time table that features a league-high 29 video games on ABC, ESPN or TNT. Five different groups have no less than 20 video games on the ones networks: the Lakers (28), Celtics (25), Suns (25), Nuggets (22) and Knicks (20).

Wembanyama can have 11 nationally televised video games — together with 3 of San Antonio’s 4 crew degree video games within the in-season match — all the way through his rookie marketing campaign.

Eight groups — the Pacers, Magic, Raptors, Wizards, Pistons, Hornets, Trail Blazers and Rockets — can have just one nationally televised recreation.

And whilst Paul’s reunion recreation can be out of the best way on opening evening, there are a couple of different notable ones to listen to this season. On Dec. 15, Dillon Brooks will go back to Memphis for the primary time since leaving as a unfastened agent this summer time. Every week later, Jordan Poole — who used to be at the different aspect of the Paul industry — will go back to Golden State.

There can be every other pair of reunion video games in February, with Marcus Smart returning to Boston on Sunday, Feb. 4 (ESPN), adopted via Fred VanVleet returning to Toronto for the primary time since leaving as a unfastened agent this previous summer time.

There’s additionally every other possible reunion recreation in overdue February, when the Trail Blazers host the Heat in Portland’s lone nationally televised recreation. Blazers celebrity Damian Lillard asked a industry closing month and would favor to be dealt to Miami.

The NBA’s time table accounts for handiest 80 video games for each and every staff, as antagonistic to the usual 82. The ultimate two video games can be determined via how the inaugural in-season match, which starts in November, performs out. The NBA introduced the gang degree time table for the in-season match in every other “NBA Today” particular Tuesday.

The league stated groups will reasonable 14 back-to-backs this season, together with a report low of 9 involving trip for one of the crucial video games. Overall, back-to-backs are up rather from closing season (13.3) on account of the in-season match, however none of the ones match video games will come on the second one evening of a back-to-back.

There are not any cases of 4 video games in 5 nights at the time table, which groups had fought to do away with. No video games can be hung on Election Day as smartly.