2:20pm: The NBA has confirmed the opening night games detailed below, as well as the previously-reported Christmas Day schedule. The league also said that the Bucks will play the Celtics in Boston on December 23 (TNT), followed by the Mavericks playing the Suns in Phoenix (ESPN).
The full first-half schedule will be announced on Friday, December 4, according to the NBA.
10:47am: The tentative schedule for the NBA’s opening night TNT doubleheader on December 22 will see the Nets host the Warriors, followed by the Lakers and Clippers facing off in Los Angeles, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).
All four teams are scheduled to be in action on Christmas Day as well, with the Warriors visiting Milwaukee, the Nets playing in Boston, the Lakers hosting the Mavericks, and the Clippers playing in Denver.
However, the two opening night matchups are arguably more intriguing than those December 25 games. The first game of the night will see Kevin Durant make his Nets debut against his old team, while the late game will be the battle of Los Angeles that we didn’t get to see in last season’s Western Conference Finals.
With opening night less than three weeks away, the NBA is expected to officially announce its schedule any day now. The league will reportedly just reveal the first half of the 2020/21 schedule for the time being, with the second-half schedule to be announced at some point in the new year. The NBA wants to maintain scheduling flexibility due to possible COVID-19 complications.
Klay really puts a damper on this
Why
Would have been a better match up/ game.
Sure but it’s not like 1 person missing ruins the night
Just their season.
Lol gloves off!
Doesn’t ruin their season. It creates a little more doubt about their potential 2020-‘21 season record, but they still look solid as far as the starting 5 goes
Warriors still holding Klay’s $9.3M injury exception that they will hold and use later in the season. Some rumors have them adding Aldridge at some point is SA struggles.
It makes them no longer a top team, which means this is no longer a top matchup.
Warriors are hotter than 25 teams?
Yeah I think the Nets and Celtics match-up on Christmas day is much more interesting than the Nets and warriors.
I beg to differ. I can’t wait to see Draymond Green talk trash to Durant and guard him. If he can LOL. I’m a Warriors fan and I’m sure he’s going to be up for this. Of course we all remember green trashing Durant when they were teammates a time or two. Must see TV. Kyrie and Curry again… Showdown. Should be entertaining I look forward to it.
Great points, Gary. Looking forward to seeing JUMP 25 All-Star (google that) Caris LeVert on opening nite!
And, really, we’d probably watch Orlando vs Utah on opening night if it was on – just to watch some nba basketball again. Hell, we’ll watch the exhibition games when they’re on.
Let’s go!
Are you going to the jump 25 All-Star April? See you there.
Agreed. Should be a GREAT opening night start. Can’t wait to watch it
Uh yeah, did you see the playoff tv ratings… they were the worst in years. Curry is the most popular player
Only in Northern California.
Where Curry ranks among the best selling NBA jerseys the last five years:
2016: #1
2017: #1
2018: #2
2019: #3
2020: #6
As of right now, Curry is back up to #4. I guess Northern California is REALLY big. Or you’re just REALLY wrong.
How does having the 4th best selling jersey make him the most popular player in the NBA? That was a serious failure to try to prove me wrong.
Regardless, the absence of Curry had no bearing on the ratings for the playoffs. That was affected by many other, more significant, factors.
It means people like him the 4th most!
Who are you kidding? You were trying to downplay Curry’s popularity. I pointed out that he globally popular to a profound degree. Don’t try to hide behind the semantics of the OP. If he were only the most popular player in NoCal, he wouldn’t be 4th in jersey sales globally. Or #1 two years running.
God damn, didn’t know I’d need to diagram it for you. No critical thinking courses available in your area, huh?
I wasn’t responding to yu, Einstein. I responded to the OP, who flat-out stated that Curry is the most popular player. If you don’t understand the structure of posts on this site, that is your failure. If I had responded to your post, mine would have been indented under yours. Basic stuff…make sure you know what you are talking about before you try to insult someone’s intelligence. You just made yourself look like a fool.
You may be surprised in 6 or 7 years when all the new kids coming into the league say Curry was their favorite player growing up
I didn’t say he is not popular, I just disagreed with the notion that he is currently the most popular player in the NBA, and I certainly don’t think he had anything to do with the ratings for the playoffs.
No you said he wasn’t popular outside of Northern Cali. Just admit it. You were wrong.
I said he was only the most popular player in Northern California, not that he wasn’t popular at all outside of that area. Man, your reading comprehension is terrible.
Agree with you. Bucks/nets would be more appealing…
I beg to differ. It’ll be a heck of a game, but watching Draymond and Durant on the court again will be interesting, and to see how well the Warriors know Durant and how well Durant performs
4 teams are worse than one or two years ago
76ers Celtics Rockets Nuggets
They are unlikely to make it to conference finals
76ers improved, the other 3 definitely didn’t improve. Nuggets were one player away and didn’t trade for Derozen or Oladipo. They let Craig walk, they couldn’t keep Grant , by only resigning Millsap shows they had no other option. If he gets hurt will they truly rely and trust Porter Jr??? Celtics should have flipped Hayward for say Kevin Love, but instead Ainge wants picks, not finals appearances, without Morey the rockets are lost..they have 2 stars that don’t wanna be there, plus Cousins is a strong personality. Losing Covington will hurt them…
Horford is a bit better than Green overall
Richardson is much better than Curry on defense and has more potential
Clippers get to watch lakers put up another banner.. sucks for them..
Lakers/clippers will be boring af… Lakers/Mavs is more like it. We know the
Flippers will get blown out, Mavs will at least make it interesting…
EVERY GAME
This season will feature NETS.
There will be one attached to each hoop located on the backboards at each end of the court !!
Oh.
Post LiAngelo Ball to Detroit
It’s hoops season again. IDC which teams play opening night, just that there is one.