The schedule for the first night of the 2023-24 NBA season has been announced. It will showcase four of the top teams in the Western Conference on October 24. The Denver Nuggets, who are the defending champions, will host the Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch of the Western Conference Finals. The Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors, both with new-look rosters, will also face off, according to Shams Charania.
The following night, on October 25, the San Antonio Spurs’ No. 1 overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama will make his official debut against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, as reported by Marc Stein.
After leading the Nuggets to their first championship in franchise history and being named Finals MVP, Nikola Jokic will receive his championship ring and witness the raising of the banner at Ball Arena. He will then attempt to defeat the Lakers, whom the Nuggets swept out of the playoffs last season.
On the other hand, the second game will highlight veteran point guard Chris Paul. Following three seasons with the Suns, Paul was traded to the Washington Wizards and then to the Warriors, giving him an opportunity for revenge against his former team. The game will also give both the Suns and the Warriors a chance to demonstrate their status in the Western Conference after undergoing significant changes during the offseason.
One noteworthy aspect of the opening night schedule is that there is no Eastern Conference team featured. Traditionally, the defending champions play on opening night, with one marquee game representing each conference. However, this year, there will be no East team participating. This may be related to the uncertainty surrounding the Miami Heat and their pursuit of Damian Lillard.
