In what promises to be an electrifying start to basketball season, the NBA has announced regular season action will tip off with two games on October 24th, 2023. The league had previously officially unveiled its first ever in-season tournament, but fans now have the entire 2023-24 season calendar at their disposal.
NBA fans will have plenty to look forward to this upcoming season, and opening night is no exception. Interestingly, the Eastern Conference will sit it out with Lakers, Nuggets, Suns and Warriors stealing the show.
NBA Opening Night 2023: who will play?
- Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets (7:30 pm ET / TNT)
- Phoenix Suns at Golden State Warriors (10:00 pm ET / TNT)
The Denver Nuggets will be getting their championship rings on opening night before they tip off the season on October 24th, 2023, against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Guess the matchups from these funny NBA schedule release videos
Last season’s Western Conference Finals bore witness to the Nuggets‘ dominance as they swiftly dispatched the Lakers, making it a clean sweep, only the second in LeBron James‘ career. While that win might be fresh in their memories, the Lakers are by no means resting on their laurels. Their moves in the free-agent market and draft picks signal their intent to return to the top of the Western Conference.
The other headliner of opening night will put the new-look Phoenix Suns against the Golden State Warriors, two teams who have made major moves in the offseason. Bradley Beal will be debuting as a new piece in the Suns offense, and Chris Paul will be slated against his old team as he takes the court with Golden State for the first time.
The drama doesn’t end there. Adding fuel to this already growing rivalry will be Kevin Durant, once a key contributor for the Warriors, now ready to shine under the Suns’ banner. As Durant readies to face his old squad, fans can expect an emotionally charged game with tensions running high.
As the NBA rolls out its latest chapter, the stakes have never been higher. Old alliances have been shattered, new allegiances forged. The stage is set and the spotlight is ready.
NBA regular season calendar release: a jam-packed 2023-24
The newly released regular-season schedule includes defined dates and opponents for 80 of each franchise’s 82 games, along with two games designated as TBD (to be determined) dates and opponents.
2024 will get off to a great start with the league’s NBA Rivals Week. Rivalries will be the main focus of all 11 nationally televised games across four TV networks over five days from Jan. 23-27. Marquee matchups will include inner-city rivalries like New York Knicks at Brooklyn Nets and LA Lakers at LA Clippers.
NBA 2023-24 Season: who has the most challenging schedule?
According to Positive Residual, Spurs, Rockets, Kings, Lakers and Pistons have the most challenging schedule ahead of the 2023-24 season. The sports analytics site also unveiled the Boston Celtics as the most favored of all franchises, with the most rest-advantage games of any NBA team for this season (16).
