2022-23 NBA regular season schedule released
The start of the 2022-23 NBA campaign is getting closer, and with that comes the official release of the regular-season schedule.
After some months of no NBA games being played, basketball fans are waiting to see their favorite teams and players in action once again in a season that promises to be another exciting one.
30 teams will be playing 82 games, with the regular season beginning on October 18 and ending on April 9, 2023. The playoffs are then scheduled to begin on April 15 and will end with the NBA Finals in June 2023.
The NBA has released its full schedule for the 2022-23 season. Here’s the complete list of games.
Related story: How in the world is the NBA schedule made?
NBA finalists playing on opening night
The opening night will feature both of the teams that played in the NBA Finals last season: the Golden State Warriors and the Boson Celtics, which means seeing the likes of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Jayson Tatum, and Marcus Smart back on the court again.
As if that wasn’t enough, Golden State will host LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in San Francisco, so fireworks are expected from the very beginning.
Meanwhile, in the other game of the night, defending Eastern Conference champions Boston Celtics will host the Philadelphia 76ers, with Ime Udoka’s men again being one of the main favorites to win the title.
No games on Election Day
This season, the league announced a change in the calendar: no games will be played on Election Day, which is set for Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.
The decision sprung out of the league’s focus on promoting nonpartisan civic engagement and encouraging fans to vote during the midterm elections.
“It’s unusual. We don’t usually change the schedule for an external event. But voting and Election Day are obviously unique and incredibly important to our democracy”, James Cadogan, the executive director of the NBA’s social justice coalition, told NBC.
Some nice gifts for Christmas Day
Traditionally, the NBA has delivered some full-packed action on Christmas Day, and this time it will be no different.
The Celtics and the Bucks will collide in a rematch of the conference semifinal series from last season, with MVP contenders Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo facing each other in a thrilling match.
In the Western Conference, reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets will host Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and the Phoenix Suns. Either one of those teams could potentially represent the conference in the 2023 NBA Finals.
The show goes on for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
The Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat will face off against each other in a potential playoff preview on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 16, in a rematch of last season’s first-round series in which Miami defeated Atlanta in five games.
Moreover, the top two teams in the Western Conference record-wise last season will clash on MLK Day when the Memphis Grizzlies host the Phoenix Suns.
Taylor Jenkins and Monty Williams’ squads are also playing on Christmas Day, so they will both get lots of national attention on two of the most special dates on the calendar.