The official NBA schedule is set to release on Wednesday; however, some marquee matchups have already been revealed. With so much star power across the league, it truly feels as if each team is worth watching for one reason or another. Trades and player movement create even more interesting storylines, which the NBA always does well to market and leverage.
While the league likely would have preferred for some of the looming blockbuster trades to get completed before they released the final draft of their schedule, the NBA could not wait any longer. While the full schedule is on the way, many of the biggest games of the year have already been announced. Rather than having to sift through the entire schedule when it officially releases, we have you covered on what matchups to mark your calendars for this year.
Opening Night
The 2022-23 NBA season will open on October 18th, 2022. The Boston Celtics will host the Philadelphia 76ers, while the Golden State Warriors will host the Los Angeles Lakers. The two conference champions will get home games, with the Warriors hosting their ring ceremony before taking on the Lakers.
While it will not occur on the season’s first day of games, both the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks will host a Western Conference Semi-Finals rematch in their respective season openers. This game will take place on October 19th in Phoenix.
All of these matchups were first announced by The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Christmas Day
NBA Christmas games are always some of the best matchups of the season, and this year will feature some good ones:
Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
Phoenix Suns at Denver Nuggets
Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks
Memphis Grizzlies at Golden State Warriors
Each matchup was revealed by Shams Charania of The Athletic, and each had its own storyline. The Bucks and Celtics will be a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, and the Warriors vs. Grizzlies will be a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Semi-Finals. The other matchups will a combination of star-power and storied history, with some of the league’s top talent on display.
Rivalry games
Whether between certain players or two teams, rivalries have defined the NBA for decades. The league knows this, and always markets that element of their schedule. This year is no different.
Magic vs. Hawks – Oct. 21st (via Chris Haynes)
Never a rivalry in previous years, the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic may be one of the more intriguing matchups this year. After first-overall pick Paolo Banchero and newly acquired Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray sparked a new rivalry this summer, all eyes will be on their first matchup.
Clippers vs. Lakers – Oct. 20th, Nov. 9th, Jan. 24th, Apr. 5th (via Chris Haynes)
The Battle of LA has certainly not lived up to the hype that it received when Kawhi Leonard and Paul George joined the LA Clippers in 2019. The two teams have missed each other in the postseason each of the last three years, with 2020 being the only real chance at a deep playoff series between the two sides. That said, there is still intrigue surrounding the matchup, and fans will get a look at it early and often in the new schedule.
Warriors vs. Celtics – Dec. 10th, Jan. 19th (via Shams Charania)
The NBA Finals rematch will occur twice in the new schedule, with the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics facing off in December and January. Never a major rivalry before last postseason, these two sides gave fans a great Finals matchup, and will look to build upon that this season.
The NBA rarely disappoints when it comes to generating excitement, and this year’s schedule looks to be no different. While the full release will come on Wednesday, these marquee matchups are worth marking your calendars for.
