NBA Preseason 2015: Friday Schedule, Breakdown of Final Games Before Season
Teams are making their final preparations for the start of the NBA season, but first, they must get through the last day of preseason action.
The regular season officially begins on Oct. 27 with three games, including the defending champion Golden State Warriors battling Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans. Most of the league will kick things off on Oct. 28 with a 14-game slate.
Meanwhile, the final tweaks to the lineup will be made on Friday, Oct. 23, in the last eight games of the preseason. Players will get back into shape and show why they deserve more minutes going forward, while coaches finalize their game plans for the upcoming year.
Here is a look at the game schedule for the final preseason day.
| 7 p.m. ET | Memphis Grizzlies at Orlando Magic | Amway Center, Orlando, Fla. |
| 7:30 p.m. | Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics | Verizon Wireless Center, Manchester, N.H. |
| 7:30 p.m. | Atlanta Hawks at Detroit Pistons | The Palace at Auburn Hills, Detroit |
| 7:30 p.m. | Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors | Bell Centre, Montreal |
| 8 p.m. | Dallas Mavericks at Chicago Bulls | Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Neb. |
| 8 p.m. | Miami Heat at New Orleans Pelicans | Smoothie King Center, New Orleans |
| 8 p.m. | Milwaukee Bucks at Minnesota Timberwolves | Target Center, Minneapolis |
| 8:30 p.m. | Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs | AT&T Center, San Antonio |
What to Watch
Maturation of Giannis Antetokounmpo
After two years in the NBA, we still don't know what type of player Giannis Antetokounmpo can become. What we do know is he is going to be exciting to watch.
The 6'11" wing is one of the most versatile players in the NBA, capable of defending anyone on the court. He also has the handle of a guard and the size to play inside if needed.
"He's going to play every position for us," head coach Jason Kidd told reporters, per ESPN.com.
"I don't really look in front of me if it's a point guard, if it's a big guy. I think I can guard everybody, even the small guys, even the big guys," Antetokounmpo said. "I'm going to do what I do as hard as possible."
This mindset is truly impressive for a 20-year-old player still learning how to succeed in the NBA. He has enormous potential, and the "Greek Freak" is certain to explode with huge numbers at some point.
With the Milwaukee Brewers matching up against another young, athletic team in the Minnesota Timberwolves, this could be a fun battle to watch.
Kyle Lowry on Fire
It's just the preseason, but Kyle Lowry has been incredible in his appearances to this point.
The point guard is averaging 24.3 points in four preseason games, including a 40-point effort against the Timberwolves. He is 12-of-21 from behind the arc, and he appears ready to get the regular season started.
Lowry has gotten himself into better shape to start this year, although some things stay the same, as noted by Holly MacKenzie of Sportsnet:
Over the course of his career, the veteran has progressed from a role player to a starter and then last season made his first All-Star Game. At this rate he will be an MVP candidate by the end of the season.
While this would be a lofty goal for the 29-year-old player, Lowry's early returns in the preseason show he is not going to mess around.
Texas Matchup
It's unclear how much any of the stars will play, but the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs are two teams who believe they can contend for a title and will use this game to their full advantage.
The Spurs are just 1-4 in the preseason and although the losses don't count, there are certainly question marks about how the team will fare in the regular season. One of the major issues will be working in All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge, who is averaging 10.8 points and six rebounds per game in the preseason.
After shooting 8-of-24 from the field in the last two games, the forward felt the need to stay late and work on his shot:
There is little concern he won't be able to play well during the year, but fitting in with a new system could take awhile.
Meanwhile, the Rockets are just trying to get healthy. This includes Patrick Beverley, who is slated to play in the preseason finale despite a groin injury, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
Injuries have been a major problem throughout the point guard's career, but he plays an important role on the team when healthy. His progress remains something to follow throughout this game.
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