USA Today via Reuters
Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
The 2024-25 NBA season is on the horizon and you can bet this season is going to be a special one even before a ball is rolled. With the NBA schedule out, the teams have an overview of their tough runs, back-to-backs, and games to pick points from. But before that, all teams will have their chance to examine the scene and experiment with what they think will be their kryptonite for other teams.
The LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors- two big boys of the Western Conference who are already making headlines for gaining alleged favors from the NBA, will have a special season. LeBron James enters his 22nd season but this time with his son in an unprecedented flex while Steph Curry will start an era without Klay Thompson. Before that, some fine-tuning is required and the NBA Pre-Season will be the perfect opportunity for GSW. NBA Global games will also provide a rich taste of the league to fans abroad.
Lakers pick up the action on October 4 while the Warriors tip off preseason on October 9
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To start, here are the Los Angeles Lakers pre-season games-
| Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | Venue |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | October 4 | 10:30 PM | Acrisure Arena |
| Phoenix Suns | October 6 | 9:30 PM | Acrisure Arena |
| Milwaukee Bucks | October 10 | 10:00 PM | Fiserv Forum |
| Golden State Warriors | October 15 | 10:00 PM | T-Mobile Arena |
| Phoenix Suns | October 17 | 9:00 PM | Footprint Center |
| Golden State Warriors | October 18 | 10:00 PM | Chase Center |
The pre-season schedule for the Golden State Warriors is as follows-
| Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | Venue |
| Sacramento Kings | October 9 and 11 | 10:00 PM | Golden 1 Center and Chase Center |
| Detroit Pistons | October 13 | 8:30 PM | Chase Center |
| LA Lakers | October 15 and 18 | 7:00 PM | T-Mobile Arena and Chase Center |
In total, there will be 71 games including the 5 NBA Global, NBA Abu Dhabi, NBA Canada Series, and 1 Euroleague American Tour. Here are the fixtures and key details for those 6 games on the international stage –
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | Venue |
| Boston Celtics vs Denver Nuggets | October 4 | 12:00 PM | Etihad Arena (Abu Dhabi) |
| New Zealand Breakers vs Utah Jazz | October 4 | 9:00 PM | Delta Center |
| Boston Celtics vs Denver Nuggets | October 6 | 10:00 PM | Etihad Arena (Abu Dhabi) |
| Washington Wizards vs Toronto Raptors | October 6 | 7:30 PM | Bell Center |
| New Zealand Breakers vs Oklahoma City Thunder | October 10 | 10:00 PM | BOK Center |
| Ratiopharm Ulm vs Portland Trail Blazers | October 16 | 10:00 PM | Moda Center |
Key fixtures featuring 2024 NBA Playoff contenders
Numerous blockbuster games will set the tone for the upcoming season. The heavyweights from both conferences will collide, giving an early wind of the playoff picture for the 2024/25 NBA season. Here are the key fixtures you need to see:
| Game | Date | Time | Venue |
| Memphis Grizzlies vs Dallas Mavericks | October 7 | 8:00 PM | American Airlines Center |
| Indiana Pacers vs Cleveland Cavaliers | October 10 | 7:00 PM | Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse |
| Philadelphia Sixers vs Minnesota Timberwolves | October 11 | 7:00 PM | Wells Fargo Arena |
| Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia Sixers | October 12 | 8:00 PM | TD Garden |
| Minnesota Timberwolves vs NY Knicks | October 13 | 7:00 PM | Madison Square Garden |
| Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets | October 13 | 9:00 PM | Ball Arena |
| Dallas Mavericks vs LA Clippers | October 14 | 10:30 PM | Intuit Dome |
| Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets | October 15 | 9:00 PM | Ball Arena |
| Dallas Mavericks vs Milwaukee Bucks | October 17 | 8:30 PM | American Airlines Center |
| Denver Nuggets vs Minnesota Timberwolves | October 18 | 8:00 PM | Target Center |
The early fixtures have multiple teams playing back-to-back games, giving an early taste of the grueling season ahead. Apart from the familiar star power, the teams will also have an opportunity to have their draftees play with the senior pros, an opportunity that is rare in the Summer League. The Lakers can feature Bronny alongside his legendary father, Zaccharie Risacher or Alex Sarr might take the plaudits and the odds are also in favor of seeing the old pros in new colors like Paul George in Sixers and Klay Thompson for the Mavs.
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All-in-all, the curtain raiser for the 2024/25 season is going to start with a bang and you better start counting the days till we have daily hoops action back in our lives!
Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.
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