NBA Season To Open With West Coast Blockbusters

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NBA: MAY 22 Western Conference Final - Nuggets at Lakers
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 22: Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) shoots while being guarded by Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) during the Denver Nuggets versus the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 22, 2023, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The NBA's opening week includes three playoff rematches and a whole host of hype games.

The NBA has announced that the 2023-24 season will officially begin on October 24. What's more, they will skew tradition to open with a slate of purely Western Conference matchups. The official tip-off will occur in Denver, where the Nuggets will raise their championship banner before taking on the Los Angeles Lakers. It's a rematch of the Western Conference Finals, in which the Nuggets swept the Lakers so hard that LeBron considered retiring.

However, that game is almost serving as a lead-in to the night's real marquee matchup. The Phoenix Suns will take on the Golden State Warriors. This means that Chris Paul will be facing his old team on night one. Furthermore, we will get out first look at Phoenix's new Big Three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal.

NBA Promises Hyped Opening Week

However, the fun continues over the first days of the new season. October 25 sees the new-look Celtics take on the Knicks. Meanwhile, Victor Wembanyama makes his debut in an in-state matchup against Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks. That's followed by the Sixers taking on Milwaukee to kick off October 26, which also features LeBron taking on KD as the Lakers face the Suns. The first half of the week very much feels like it will help establish who's legit in this year's title races.

Furthermore, October 27 is a day dedicated to playoff rematches. The Heat, who may or may not have Damian Lillard, take on the Celtics. That is followed by the Kings taking on the Warriors. Of course, the Kings came so close to beating the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs, only to choke a 3-1 series lead. Finally, October 28 sees the Knicks back in action, this time taking on Zion Williamson and the Pelicans. Then the Suns have their third game of the week as they face the Utah Jazz. Which matchups are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments. Follow all the latest sports news here at HotNewHipHop.

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About The Author
Benjamin Mock (they/them) is a sports and culture writer working out of Philadelphia. Previously writing for the likes of Fixture, Dexerto, Fragster, and Jaxon, Ben has dedicated themselves to engaging and accessible articles about sports, esports, and internet culture. With a love for the weirder stories, you never quite know what to expect from their work.
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