The NBA schedule was announced last night. All one thousand two hundred and thirty games that will be played next season now have times, dates, and locations associated with them. Here’s some other things that we know:
Brooklyn will be hosting a Christmas Day game. Probably because they moved. The Nets will play the Celtics under the NBA’s biggest regular season marquee, while the Knicks will square off with the Lakers. Thunder and the Heat will play each other as well, and then it’s Rockets-Bulls, Nuggets-Clippers. Pretty solid. Martin Luther King Day will also feature a full-slate of games with Pacers-Grizzlies, Spurs-Philly, and then Lakers-Chicago.
Last year’s first overall pick, Kyrie Irving, will play Anthony Davis on February 20th when this year’s first pick brings his Hornets to Cleveland. The Heat will get their rings and raise that banner on October 30th against Boston. Pat Riley certainly being pleased to make those guys watch all that I’m sure. Wonder if Ray Allen will be bitter about losing or happy for a his new fam.
Opening night has third pick Bradley Beal playing fourth pick Dion Waiters in Cleveland. Anthony Davis opens with Timmy D and the Spurs, and Thomas Robinson tips his career off against Carlos Boozer. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will round out the top-5 picks by opening his career up against Danny Granger and the Pacers.
The Biggie Smalls invitational tips off on November 1st when the New York Knicks face the Brooklyn Nets for the first time ever. Brooklyn will most definitely be in the house, however there will probably be no defense in that game. Unless Tyson Chandler decides to play enough for everybody. There’s games on Halloween this year too, but no truth to those rumors that everyone will be dressed up their favorite NBA player from the 1960’s.
For whatever it’s worth, the Minnesota Timberwolves have fourteen nationally televised games. The Cleveland Cavaliers and reigning Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving have three. After playing zero last season, Kyrie Irving should be able to keep hiding as much as possible amongst NBA circles. The Heat, Thunder, and Knicks are tied for the most nationally televised games at twenty-five. That’s ten on ESPN, ten on TNT, and five on ABC if you were wondering.
Steve Nash returns to Phoenix on January 30th, Joe Johnson heads back to Atlanta on January 16th and Ryan Hollins returns to Cleveland on March 1st.
