NBA specialists dissect 2023 time table, excellent matchups and Christmas games

The 2023-24 NBA time table is officially out. The fashioned season pointers off with a doubleheader on Tuesday, Oct. 24, as LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers search the suggestion of with the defending champion Denver Nuggets, adopted by the Golden Allege Warriors web web hosting the Phoenix Suns.

Opening week continues Wednesday, Oct. 25, with a corpulent slate of games collectively with the predicted debut of San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama, who will welcome Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.

Christmas Day will again bring five games, all to be aired on ABC or ESPN. The slate begins with the Milwaukee Bucks on the Fresh York Knicks, adopted by Golden Allege at Denver and the Boston Celtics on the Lakers. The Philadelphia 76ers are on the Miami Warmth adopted by Dallas at Phoenix.

What’s doubtlessly the most difficult opening week matchup? Which team can occupy the toughest stretch out the gate? What about games that would be sneak previews of the NBA Finals? And the acceptable Christmas games? Our panel of NBA specialists weigh in on what to stare for sooner than the season.

What’s doubtlessly the most difficult opening week sport?

Kevin Pelton: Phoenix Suns at Golden Allege Warriors. The NBA’s scheduling department did its excellent to build obvious Kevin Durant eventually plays in front of Warriors followers for the precious time since leaving Brooklyn thru free company, having previously performed within the Bay Residing completely all over the COVID-19-affected 2020-21 campaign. That here is a well-known Western Conference preview provides to the pleasure.

Bobby Marks: Portland at LA Clippers. Shut to 2 months after asking to be traded, Damian Lillard is tranquil a Inch Blazer. With substitute talks at a standstill, Lillard in a Portland uniform on opening night. The Clippers even occupy roster questions. After struggling a knee damage within the precious round, will Kawhi Leonard be on hand to play? And what about James Harden? Would possibly perchance presumably perchance we scrutinize the used MVP within the Clippers’ starting lineup on opening night?

Andrew Lopez: Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets. Basically the most difficult sport might be the real season opener. LeBron James, Anthony Davis & Co. will be in Denver for a rematch of last season’s Western Conference finals as Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and teammates receive their NBA championship rings. The Lakers retooled by bringing in Gabe Vincent, Cam Reddish, Jaxson Hayes and Taurean Prince and this might occasionally well also be their first probability to test out the original lineups against the champs, who will be taking a look to repeat.

Jamal Collier: San Antonio Spurs vs. Dallas Mavericks. The first NBA sport for Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama and the precious probability for a complete lot of followers within the U.S. to test him after extra than a one year of hype. And the Mavericks would be one of many excellent query marks within the league. Glorious success predicting how the Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic pairing will dawdle this season.

Tim Bontemps: Philadelphia 76ers at Milwaukee Bucks. There’s no longer any scarcity of storylines. On the sidelines, Reduce Nurse will be making his debut because the 76ers’ coach — and doing so against Adrian Griffin, who will coach his first sport for Milwaukee after working alongside Nurse in Toronto the past few seasons. Oh, and there is also that James Harden man — will he be there? Will he be in other areas? The truth we’ve but to conceal Joel Embiid or Giannis Antetokounmpo displays there is a good deal of issues to listen to to.

What’s doubtlessly the most compelling Wembanyama matchup?

Pelton: Nov. 14 at Oklahoma City State. My first exposure to both Wembanyama or Chet Holmgren became as soon as after they squared off within the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup, sooner than Holmgren’s lone season at Gonzaga and Wembanyama’s breakout season in France. Though the United States won that final 83-81, Wemby became as soon as the acceptable player on the court with 22 capabilities, 8 rebounds and eight blocks. The 2 professional immense males have not met since and I’m having a defend up for seeing how they match up now.

Marks: Dec. 19 at Milwaukee. Wembanyama will gather a mid-December training that NBA basketball is way diverse from taking part in Charlotte in summer league. Going thru the Bucks for the precious time will be a huge process for Wembanyama. The No. 1 decide will square up against two All-NBA defenders in Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez.

Lopez: Dec. 1 on the Fresh Orleans Pelicans. Wembanyama against Zion Williamson. In summer league, there had been a good deal of cases when the Spurs had Wembanyama out guarding the perimeter in characteristic of down low. Truly, they listed him as a forward on the summer league roster. Does that mean we’ll gather some Williamson-Wembanyama matchups? It will perchance tranquil.

Collier: Dec. 13 vs. Los Angeles Lakers. Basically the most hyped NBA prospect since LeBron goes up against LeBron. It be compelling to test how Wembanyama will deal with it, but additionally how the 20-one year vet goes on the rookie.

Bontemps: Oct. 25 vs. Dallas. Sure, we saw Wembanyama play in summer league in Las Vegas, but this might occasionally well also be all people’s first probability to test him below NBA sport instances — and he’ll be doing so against one of many league’s greatest stars. Trace me up for that.

What reunion are you most furious for?

Pelton: Jordan Poole against Draymond Green and the Golden Allege Warriors. Since Poole became as soon as dealt to the Washington Wizards sooner than the NBA draft, Green has been airing his facet of the story of their training-camp altercation that resulted in his punching Poole. Though I don’t ask a confrontation, Poole will be loads motivated to expose his feeble team what it misplaced.

Marks: Practically a one year to the day that he became as soon as traded, Kyrie Irving returns to Brooklyn for the precious time on Feb. 6. Brooding about that his time in Brooklyn became as soon as clouded with turmoil and the messy breakup on the hand over, compose no longer ask Irving to assemble a warmth welcome by the Nets crowd.

Lopez: Whereas I’m able to no longer hiss Lillard’s first sport back in Portland simply but, let’s dawdle to Dec. 15 for the Houston Rockets on the Memphis Grizzlies. What’s going to the ambiance in Memphis be like for Dillon Brooks‘ first sport back as an opposing player? Brooks has prolonged been a player opposing groups like to abominate. The first matchup between the two groups is completely two days earlier in Houston.

Collier: I’m with KP on this one. The second Jordan Poole calls for a switch to dawdle at Draymond Green will be have to-scrutinize.

Bontemps: Marcus Clear coming back to Boston on Feb. 4. Clear became as soon as the heart and soul of the Celtics just about from the day he arrived in Beantown 9 years ago. Now, he’ll be welcomed back as a member of the Grizzlies, and the Celtics will positively be prepared to celebrate Clear’s return to TD Garden.

The hardest first 10-sport stretch for a contender?

Marks: The Knicks commence up at dwelling against Boston and then face Atlanta, Fresh Orleans and Cleveland on the dual carriageway. Things compose no longer gather more straightforward after they return dwelling to play the Cavaliers. The next stretch of 5 games consist of at Milwaukee, LA Clippers, San Antonio, Charlotte and then the Celtics again — but on the dual carriageway.

Lopez: Golden Allege plays seven of its first 10 games on the dual carriageway and the three dwelling games are against the original-look Phoenix Suns with Bradley Beal on opening night, a matchup against the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 1 in a rematch of last one year’s first-round series that went seven games and then a sport against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 11. With the Warriors searching for to work Chris Paul into issues, it is indubitably no longer the very best stretch to kick off the one year.

Collier: The Warriors. Golden Allege has matchups with Phoenix, Sacramento (twice), Denver and Cleveland in its first 10 games along with Oklahoma City and Fresh Orleans. With so many dual carriageway games simply out of the gate, the Warriors can occupy a gamble to assign last season’s dual carriageway woes within the back of them.

Pelton: The numbers believe Andrew and Jamal. The usage of over/below accumulate totals from Caesars Sportsbook to estimate team energy and collectively with a two-level part for dwelling-court profit, the Warriors’ first 10 games are 2.1 capabilities more difficult than realistic. The next-very best time table is 1.6 capabilities more difficult than realistic (Fresh York and Utah).

Bontemps: The Lakers will gather an spell binding test to commence the season, with games against Denver, Phoenix and Sacramento across the precious week, adopted by a virtually speedy sinister-nation dual carriageway time out that begins in Miami and ends in Phoenix. Lets tranquil no longer no longer up to occupy a intention by then if the version of the Lakers that evolved to the West finals last season has returned.

The Christmas sport you will doubtless be able to’t wait to stare?

Pelton: Warriors at Denver Nuggets. How the corpulent-energy Nuggets might well deal with Golden Allege after a first-round sweep without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. became as soon as one query that wasn’t answered in Denver’s impressive march to the 2023 title. This season’s matchups between the past two champions are rate watching in case the Warriors can come far ample for a playoff assembly next spring.

Marks: Philadelphia at Miami. The charm is much less in regards to the competitors between the two groups and extra about who will (or might well no longer) be on the court Christmas Day. Will the 76ers’ James Harden eventually gather his substitute quiz granted? And might well we scrutinize Lillard in South Sea whisk? Extra importantly, what is the mindset of MVP Embiid if turmoil reigns over Philadelphia?

Lopez: Let’s dawdle along with the nightcap of Mavs vs. Suns. Once all the items occupy been opened and also you are sitting back to your couch and realize there is extra NBA to stare, there is this deal with to wrap up the day. Luka and Devin Booker. KD and Kyrie. It be easy to test why the league wants to compose off issues with a matchup like this that would be ripe for drama.

Collier: Celtics at Lakers. It be the marquee competitors. But every other Christmas sport for LeBron. The massive title vitality. Each and every groups enter the season as contenders. This might well additionally be the have to-scrutinize sport of the day.

Bontemps: Let’s dawdle along with the sport to commence the day — the Bucks in Fresh York against the Knicks. Madison Sq. Garden is just about continuously the host of the precious sport on the time table, and five years ago saw Antetokounmpo build his Christmas Day sport debut there. Plus, Fresh York has the extra or much less physical protection able to making issues tricky on the Bucks. This might well additionally be a fun manner to commence off the Christmas Day slate.

The most effective doubtless path to advancing within the NBA Cup?

Pelton: Boston Celtics. The trend the NBA structured the in-season match groups makes it a bit much less doubtless there is a “neighborhood of demise” or a walkover, but having the Brooklyn Nets because the second-excellent team looks to profit Boston.

Marks: I in actuality occupy to believe Kevin and also hiss Boston. The Celtics neighborhood that consists of Brooklyn, Toronto, Orlando and Chicago is by far the very best to come out of. Truly, exterior of the Celtics, you will doubtless be able to build a solid argument that no longer one of many opposite four groups will be combating for a high-six playoff characteristic. Finally the Celtics’ fortune changes if Kristaps Porzingis and Malcolm Brogdon compose no longer return at corpulent energy.

Lopez: How in regards to the Cleveland Cavaliers having a extra efficient path in direction of advancing out of East Community A? Whereas the Celtics might well occupy a extra efficient time thru Community C, the aptitude turmoil brewing in Philadelphia with the James Harden saga might well commence issues up for a Cavaliers squad taking a look to beget on a 51-accumulate performance last season that culminated in a disheartening first-round loss to the Fresh York Knicks.

Collier: Yeah, it is Boston. It be no longer even obvious who the second-excellent team is in its neighborhood.

Bontemps: The Celtics. There’s no longer any longer unheard of of a debate here, as Boston no longer completely is one of many league’s excellent groups, but is the completely obvious playoff team in its entire neighborhood. It will perchance tranquil waltz into the quarterfinals.

Which fashioned-season sport is an early NBA Finals matchup?

Pelton: Nuggets at Celtics (Jan. 19). At this level the defending champs are the most safe bet to build up the West. Irrespective of some bother about how Boston will deal with the lack of Clear, it is my decide to achieve out of the East.

Marks: Phoenix at Fresh York (Nov. 26). Well-known particular person vitality versus roster continuity. Sure, I in actuality occupy penciled in each and every groups as my early favorites to indicate every conference in June. The categories in how the two rosters had been constructed are completely reverse. The excessive-spending Suns went all-in with the Kevin Durant substitute in February and then added Bradley Beal in June. The Knicks, on the opposite hand, occupy taken a extra conservative manner, returning 13 players that misplaced to Miami within the second-round whereas collectively with completely Donte DiVincenzo in free company.

Lopez: Nuggets at Bucks (Jan. 29). For every other West contender, there is tranquil a a part of “conceal it” on the table. There’s nothing to point out a tumble-off coming from the defending NBA champions, in teach that they are tranquil the decide popping out of the Western Conference. As for the East, whereas the relative health of the neighborhood will play a immense part, the Bucks tranquil occupy one of many acceptable players on this planet in Antetokounmpo.

Collier: Bucks at Suns (Feb. 6). With a corpulent offseason and fashioned season to play collectively, the Suns’ overwhelming huge title vitality might well tranquil gather a capability to build an identity. And Antetokounmpo and the Bucks occupy something to conceal after their early playoff exit last season.

Bontemps: Nuggets at Celtics (Jan. 19). This feels like a decide by default. Milwaukee has damage and age questions (as does Boston), whereas Miami and Philadelphia are in flux due to the the Lillard and Harden eventualities. And, out West, whereas Denver took no longer no longer up to a puny step back this offseason, I don’t think the contenders closed the gap. By the time this sport rolls around, we’ll occupy a factual sense of where every facet are, and whether or no longer they’re tranquil the favorites.