NBA Schedule: Opening Night Presents Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers
The NBA schedule is finally ready for opening night. The 2016-17 NBA season begins with the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers in prime time, though basketball fans would have preferred the teams play against one another. They will receive national television coverage from opposite coasts, with sports fans having to choose between the NBA opening night or Game 1 of the 2016 World Series.
There are three games on the NBA schedule for opening night, with two shown on TNT and the third available through the NBA League Pass. Twenty teams will take the court for the first time on October 26, with the remaining four playing on October 27 for the first time. ESPN, TNT, NBA TV, and the NBA League Pass will provide a lot of television coverage for basketball fans who have been waiting all summer for the NBA schedule to finally start up again.
The first game on the docket is the New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers. Game time is 7:30 p.m. ET, with the defending champions hosting the game and presenting a banner-raising ceremony. TNT is providing live coverage of the game, with the league providing no competition for what constitutes as the opening game.
This is an unfortunate scheduling conflict for sports fans from Cleveland, as Game 1 of the 2016 World Series will be taking place just down the street. The Cleveland Indians are hosting the Chicago Cubs in a series between two teams that have not won the baseball championship in many years.
The opening night of the NBA schedule continues with two late-night games on the West Coast. The Utah Jazz vs. Portland Trail Blazers game begins at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET, presenting a shot for All-Star point guard Damian Lillard to introduce the new-look Blazers. Many NBA fans may miss this game, though, as Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant take the stage right around that same time.
The third game of the night on TNT comes at 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET. It is the San Antonio Spurs vs. Golden State Warriors, possibly matching up the two teams that could finish at the top of the Western Conference standings this year. It is also the debut for Kevin Durant with the Warriors, after the former NBA MVP decided to sign as a free agent. This is the first step for the Warriors as the franchise tries to make it back to the NBA Finals for the third-consecutive season.
A previous report by ESPN.com revealed that the rematch between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors will take place on Christmas Day. It is one of the five games that will take place during the day, starting with the Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET. It will be a day packed with NBA action for basketball fans not interested in the college football postseason or NFL games.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, a lot of the NBA headlines this offseason didn’t just involve the Warriors or Cavaliers. The New York Knicks made a lot of waves by trading for Derrick Rose and putting together a roster that might be able to compete for a spot in the postseason again. Carmelo Anthony is also back for another run, suggesting that the team could be very exciting to watch during the 2016-17 NBA season. Going up against the Cavaliers on opening night isn’t ideal, but it will garner the team some national attention.
Opening Night NBA Schedule
New York Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers, 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET
Utah Jazz at Portland Trail Blazers, 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET
San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors, 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET
[Featured Image by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images]
