Knicks-Celtics and Timberwolves-Lakers will open the 2024-25 NBA season on Oct. 22 as part of the schedule the NBA revealed Thursday.
Los New York Knicksarmed to win a championship, will immediately see how they cope with their new player, Mikal Bridgeswhen they try to ruin the ring ceremony in celebration of the championship of the Celtics in the NBA Opening Night in Boston.
The NBA released its 2024-25 schedule on Thursday, with the Knicks-Celtics rivalry opening the season on Oct. 22.. This will be followed by the confrontation of the Olympic teammates LeBron James and Anthony Edwards, when the Lakers welcome the Timberwolves.
LeBron James and the Lakers will host Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves on opening night of the 2024-25 NBA season. Jordan Johnson/NBAE/Getty Images
Los Knicks They finished second in the Eastern Conference last season, 14 games behind the Celticswho were ranked first but were plagued by injuries in the postseason and lost in the conference semifinals to the Pacerswho were then swept by the Celtics in the conference finals.
In an attempt to gain ground on the reigning champions Celticslos Knicks They made a blockbuster trade this summer to land Bridges, sending four unprotected first-round draft picks to the Nets as part of the deal.
Los Knicks They hope that Bridges, who will reunite with former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo in New Yorkhelp them close the gap with the Celticswho finished with the NBA’s best record (64-18) last season before going 16-3 in the postseason and advancing to the 18th championship in franchise history and first since 2008.
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Edwards and the Wolves looking to take a step forward after reaching the Western Conference Finals last postseason. The opening game of the Lakers It could also be a first look at the rookie Bronny Jamesselected 55th overall out of USC.
The second night of the season will be highlighted by another heavyweight duel between two Eastern Conference contenders. The new Big Three of the 76ersformed by Joel Embiid, Paul George y Tyrese Maxeywill make his long-awaited debut when he receives Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and the Bucks on October 23rd.
A few hours later, on the opposite coast in Inglewood, California, Steve Ballmer inaugurates the state-of-the-art Intuit Dome as the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard y James Harden The league’s newest pitch is inaugurated against the Olympic athletes Kevin Durant y Devin Booker and the Suns.
The Intuit Dome will host its next most anticipated game two weeks later, when George returns with the Sixers to Los Angeles to face his former team. It was supposed to George would open the Intuit Dome with Leonard, but instead will be motivated to light up the new stadium after the Clippers will not match the four-year, $212 million contract he signed with Philadelphia.
George said he would have accepted the same three-year, $150 million contract Leonard signed in an extension in January, but that he also wanted a no-trade clause. Clippers They chose to let it George left after five seasons in which Leonard y George They failed to live up to championship expectations largely due to injuries.
George He’s not the only All-Star guard who changed homes this offseason. Klay Thompson will make his long-awaited debut with the Mavericks next to Luka Doncic y Kyrie Irving against the Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs on October 24th.
On November 12th, Thompson will make what will surely be an emotional return to Golden State to face the Stephen Curry y Draymond Green as an opponent for the first time. After contract negotiations did not go as expected to stay in San Francisco, Thompson He will be inspired to show that he still has plenty of three-point shooting left in him.
The two teams that finished first in the West last season will face each other during the first week of the new season. Thunder travel to Denver on October 24 in a game that will feature the Nuggets’ reigning MVP, Nikola Jokicagainst the MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Yes Morant will make his long-awaited return to the court when the Grizzlies play in Houston on October 25th. Morant played in a total of nine games last season due to a suspension and a torn labrum he suffered in his right shoulder in January. Grizzlies They finished 27-55, but selected Zach Edey Purdue in ninth place overall.
And with Morantwho was cleared to participate in basketball activities in July, back, Memphis should be ready to compete in the West again.
The day of the NBA Christmas Day will be packed with stars. It starts with the potential face of the league’s future, Wembanyama, making his Christmas debut at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks. Doncic and the Mavericks will host Edwards and the Wolves in a rematch of the Western Conference Finals. The Sixers will then see how they match up against the champs in Boston.
That will be followed by Curry and James meet for the fourth time on ChristmasThe two stars who helped Team USA win gold in Paris will reunite when the Lakers travel to San Francisco to face Golden State. The Christmas programming will end with the Jokic’s Nuggets in Phoenix to face Booker, Durant and Bradley Beal.
The weekend All-Star The league’s championship game will take place from February 14-16 in San Francisco. The regular season will conclude on April 13.
