With the Paris Olympics in the rear-view mirror, fans are worried about where they will get their next dose of basketball from. Don’t worry! The NBA has got you covered. Now that most of the rosters are set, (Warriors and Lakers fans sarcastically laugh), after a summer filled with blockbuster signings and trades, they are all geared up to begin the 2024-25 season. Sure enough, the league has already set up some thrilling encounters for the opening night.

As per the schedule, next season will tip off on October 22. And giving the fans what they want, insider Shams Charania reported that the OKC Thunder will head to Denver’s Ball Arena that very night to face the Nuggets. To refresh your memory, they were the top two seeds in the West last season. And they were not separated by their record, as both ended the season with 57 wins.

On top of that, everyone is desperate to see Nikola Jokic go head-to-head against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ever since the Serbian bagged his third MVP over the Thunder talisman. Although SGA had a breakout season averaging over 30 points, he couldn’t get more votes than the Joker who averaged a near triple double with 26.4 points, over 12 rebounds and 9 assists.

Moreover, many fans including Shaquille O’Neal believed that Shai was robbed and the Lakers legend even said it to Jokic’s face, when he was named the winner on Inside the NBA, “I want you to hear it from me first. I thought that SGA should have been the MVP. That’s no disrespect to you.” Surely, both parties have something to prove and that could make for an exciting opening night matchup.

Knicks-Celtics to open NBA season; when is Bronny’s debut?

While the Nuggets vs. Thunder encounter is sure to get fans hooked to next season, it will not be the first game of the night. Obviously, that honor will go to the reigning champions, the Boston Celtics. And the proceedings will begin with a ring ceremony followed by a game against the New York Knicks. With Mikal Bridges joining his Villanova boys in New York, this matchup will be the perfect opportunity for the Knicks to announce their arrival.

Meanwhile, on the West Coast, the Lakers will host Anthony Edwards and Co. at the Crypto.com arena. Sure enough, this game has the potential to create history as Bronny James will have a chance to make his debut with LeBron as the first active father-son duo in league history. Which game are you the most excited about?

As the season progresses, we expect teams in the East to make a giant leap as the Sixers and the Knicks have heavily upgraded their roster with the addition of Paul George and Mikal Bridges, respectively. On top of that, the competition will get more exciting with the possible return of injured superstars like Ja Morant and Julius Randle. And on the West Coast, fans are waiting for the highly anticipated debut of Klay Thompson with the Dallas Mavericks and his first encounter with the Warriors. With so much happening in the NBA world, what are you looking forward to?

To make it easier for you to keep track, here are some key dates to look out for:

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger