NBA Preseason 2014: Top Matchups to Watch During Exhibition Play
October has arrived, and that means the return of the NBA.
The preseason is set to ramp up, and with it comes some exciting basketball and the chance to see some of the game's biggest stars warm up for their quest to win the 2014-15 NBA championship.
It also provides fans with the opportunity to catch their favorite young stars hone their skills, which can be especially advantageous if they're on a team where they don't figure to see much time during the regular season.
You'll want to circle a few preseason games on your calendar as must-watch contests.
Minnesota Timberwolves at Indiana Pacers, October 7, 7:00 p.m. ET
This one may not seem like much of an intriguing matchup on the surface, but there are reasons to tune in on October 7.
First, it's the world's first chance to get a look at this year's No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins in a professional setting. And he's not the only young talent Minnesota will have on display.
The Timberwolves are stacked with promising, young players, like Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine and last year's No. 1 overall draft selection Anthony Bennett. They also boast an impressive duo of players in Nikola Pekovic and newcomer Thaddeus Young.
The combination of athleticism and talent alone for Minnesota's young guns makes this game worth the price of admission.
On the other sideline, this is the first chance to see the new—though not-so-much-improved—Indiana Pacers.
After watching Lance Stephenson walk away for less money than he was offered to stay in Indiana, the Pacers knew they would be in for a much tougher season than the last one.
Watching their star player Paul George lose his entire season thanks to an injury only made things worse:
This game against Minnesota will be their first real chance to see what they have this season and which players might step up to the plate to help lead the club.
This game may not feature two title contenders or any of the league's superstars, but there are still reasons to take this one in.
Houston Rockets at Dallas Mavericks, October 7, 8:30 p.m. ET
What isn't there to love about this in-state rivalry between the Rockets and Mavs?
You have some of the NBA's most recognizable stars in Dirk Nowitzki, James Harden and Dwight Howard on two clubs that are now expected to compete every year.
Then there was all the drama that went down between these two franchises this past offseason.
First, there was the story that Houston tried to poach Nowitzki as a free agent with a max deal, only to see Nowitzki opt to stay in Dallas and give the Mavs a hometown discount:
Then the Mavs retaliated by going after Rockets' restricted free agent Chandler Parsons with a big-time offer sheet:
Houston was forced to let Parsons go in order to keep its chase of Chris Bosh on a max deal going.
But wait, there's more.
In August, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban did an interview with KRLD-FM and admitted that business with the Rockets was personal, per DallasNews.com:
"Oh, all good business is personal. Trust me, there’s nobody more competitive than me. Every bit of me wanted to kick his ass and I would have felt bad. Obviously they got Dwight [Howard] a couple of years ago. Yeah, I wanted to beat him. And that’s a compliment to him. Daryl is very smart. It was very much like a game of chess.
"
He also proceeded to take a shot at Houston general manager Daryl Morey and how he assembled his team, stating that the Rockets don't care about chemistry and just built their team on talent alone.
Not one to back down, Morey responded to Cuban's claims in an interview with Yahoo Sports, per Adrian Wojnarowski:
That saga will all come to a head for the first time on October 7 in Dallas. Preseason or not, this one is sure to have some fireworks.
Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat, October 11, 5 p.m. ET
For those who don't want to wait until Christmas Day to watch LeBron James play against his former team—the same club that he won two championships with—you're in luck.
King James and the newly loaded Cavaliers will head down to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to take on the Miami Heat on October 11 in one of the NBA's Global Games:
This one will also give the basketball world an early indication of how well the Cavs jell as a unit and how dominant they can be.
Can Kyrie Irving learn to be more effective off the ball? Will the young point guard adapt early on in the preseason to a new role that doesn't involve taking as many shots?
On the flip side, this game will also serve as a gauge of just how competitive the Heat can remain against one of the front-runners in the East without their talismanic player of years past.
This one also has the appeal of star power.
With Cleveland sporting the likes of James, Irving and Kevin Love and the Heat showcasing Bosh and Dwyane Wade, the fans in Rio won't be disappointed. Neither will those watching on TV back in North America.
Jon Reid is a correspondent for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @JonReidCSM.
