2016-17 NBA Schedule: Breaking Down Top 10 Games of the Season
With the official release of the 2016-17 NBA regular-season schedule Thursday, basketball fans can start clearing space on their calendars to ensure they're able to watch this year's juiciest games.
The season can be a long, grueling slog for the players, and it's hard to add too much weight to any one game. With that said, certain matchups are bound to create more interest, whether they have implications in the standings or are a preview of what's to come in the postseason.
Looking ahead to the campaign, these 10 games stand out the most.
Oct. 25: Golden State Warriors vs. San Antonio Spurs
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Postmortems were being written about the San Antonio Spurs six or seven years ago—the Big Three of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili were no longer capable of winning an NBA title, it seemed.
Then the Spurs silenced their critics with back-to-back NBA Finals runs in 2013 and 2014, and they would have claimed consecutive titles were it not for Ray Allen's three-pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals.
Nobody should write off San Antonio this year, but rarely has the team's position looked so shaky under head coach Gregg Popovich. The Spurs are coming off a first-round playoff exit in 2015 and a second-round loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016. Duncan also retired, illustrating that Father Time will catch up to Parker and Ginobili too sooner or later.
It's not as if the Spurs will fade into obscurity. Popovich is still in charge, and the duo of Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge is better than most in the Western Conference.
But San Antonio could be in for a rude awakening when it takes on the Golden State Warriors. Whereas Golden State signed Kevin Durant, the Spurs didn't get much better in the summer.
Along with Duncan's retirement, the team traded Boris Diaw and watched David West bolt for the Bay Area. And it's hard to see how signing 36-year-old Pau Gasol will help the Spurs close the gap with the uptempo Warriors.
Perhaps San Antonio can prove its doubters wrong once again, or this could be the year the franchise finally comes to terms with its own mortality.
Nov. 4: Chicago Bulls vs. New York Knicks
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Trading Derrick Rose was a necessary step for the Chicago Bulls, but that doesn't mean his move to the New York Knicks wasn't depressing to a certain extent.
Bulls fans were rightfully optimistic after Rose collected his 2010-11 MVP. But then came the injuries that ravaged his career and ensured he'd never again reach the heights of his first few seasons in the league. And in turn, Chicago's title window slammed shut.
Rose staying healthy will always be one of the bigger "What if?" scenarios of the last decade in the NBA. The Bulls with Rose at full capacity could have potentially given the Miami Heat's Big Three a serious challenge in the Eastern Conference.
Tom Thibodeau's dismissal was the beginning of the end, but Rose and Joakim Noah's departures cemented that the Bulls are entering a new competitive cycle.
Rose should receive a warm reception from the United Center crowd, and a large section of the fanbase will be hoping to see flashes of the old Rose, if only for one more night.
Nov. 10: Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls
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For the first time since entering the league in 2003, Dwyane Wade will be suiting up for a team other than the Miami Heat.
The sight of Wade in a Chicago Bulls uniform will be jarring, and it will be even weirder to see the 12-time All-Star oppose the team with which he won three NBA titles.
Wade might also enter his first matchup against Miami with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne, Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst reported the Heat were only willing to offer him $40 million over two years, $7 million less than what Chicago put on the table.
A star like Wade won't let a slight like that slide—not after all of the success he helped bring to Miami and the sacrifices he made to do so. Speaking in July, the 34-year-old took a diplomatic approach when talking about Heat president Pat Riley, per ESPN.com's Michael Wallace:
"It's going to be a lot of stuff said about me and Pat. First of all, I love Pat. He has a job to do. He has a different hat to wear. That hat sometimes is not to be my best friend. That hat is to be the president of the organization and to be a businessman, and that sucks.
You love each other, but the business side comes out, and you have to deal with it.
"
Just as LeBron James basically revealed Riley was the source of his secret motivation in the Cleveland Cavaliers' title run, Wade will likely use his departure from the Heat to fuel him this year.
Nov. 28: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Utah Jazz
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Watching Rudy Gobert match up with Karl-Anthony Towns will be worth the price of admission all by itself when the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves face off.
Towns exceeded expectations as a rookie, averaging 18.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks a night. According to Basketball-Reference.com, only 10 players in NBA history have posted at least 18.0 points, 10.0 boards and 1.5 blocks per game in their first season.
Gobert wasn't as effective a scorer (9.1 PPG) but was a beast on the boards (11.0 RPG) and a terror defensively under the basket (2.2 BPG). The Jazz were 3.1 points worse per 100 possessions when the 7'1" Frenchman was off the floor, per NBA.com.
Beyond their talented big men, Utah and Minnesota both made moves that should result in improvement in 2016-17.
Thibodeau is the perfect coach to mold a young Timberwolves roster. He is demanding, but he brought the best out of Rose and Noah with the Chicago Bulls. Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine will all benefit from his tutelage.
For the Jazz, the acquisition of George Hill gives them the point guard they sorely needed. He's a major upgrade at the position over Trey Burke and Shelvin Mack. As long as Gobert and Derrick Favors stay healthy, the playoffs are the minimum expectation in Salt Lake City.
Dec. 7: Los Angeles Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors
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The Los Angeles Clippers will be one of the few teams in the Western Conference that can truly challenge the Golden State Warriors. And this year may be the Clippers' best chance to get the better of Golden State for the foreseeable future.
Kevin Durant joining the Warriors isn't quite the same as the formation of the Big Three with the Miami Heat or the Cleveland Cavaliers' renaissance with Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Kevin Love. Whereas the Heat and Cavs were attempting to build dynasties, Golden State essentially already is one.
Still, the Warriors are bound to have an adjustment period as head coach Steve Kerr figures out the best way to work the seven-time All-Star into the lineup. The Clippers could capitalize on that transition and fire an opening salvo against their West rival.
Beyond just the potential playoff consequences of this game, that the Warriors and Clippers don't like each other will only add to the entertainment.
Player movement and the decline of regional loyalties have largely neutered many of the NBA's best rivalries. Luckily, nobody can accuse Golden State and Los Angeles of manufacturing animosity. The two franchises have a history of contentious interactions.
Three of the four meetings between the Warriors and Clippers were decided by seven points or fewer, and only once did a team fail to score 100 points. Fans looking for drama and aesthetically pleasing basketball should tune into these head-to-head clashes.
Dec. 16: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Lakers
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Neither the Philadelphia 76ers nor the Los Angeles Lakers is a playoff contender this year, but that doesn't mean games between the two won't be fun to watch.
D'Angelo Russell might as well have hit the game-winner in Game 7 of the NBA Finals with the way the crowd reacted in Las Vegas when he gave the Lakers a 70-69 win over the 76ers during the NBA Summer League.
With Kobe Bryant retired, Los Angeles can shift all of its efforts toward a long-term rebuild. Signing Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng is more of a win-now move, but the hiring of Luke Walton sent the message that the franchise is focused on the future more so than the present.
While the 76ers' rebuild is now entering its fourth year, fans can finally have confidence about the team's direction. Winning the draft lottery doesn't vindicate Sam Hinkie's process, but it gives Philadelphia the franchise cornerstone it has sought ever since Hinkie enacted his vision. Joel Embiid is also healthy, and Dario Saric made his long-awaited move to the United States.
In terms of promising young talent, the Minnesota Timberwolves still lead the pack, but the 76ers and Lakers aren't trailing far behind. Watching Los Angeles and Philadelphia will be getting a glimpse at two teams that could be among the league's elite in a few years.
Dec. 25: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors
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The rematch of the NBA Finals is always one of the more exciting matchups on the calendar, and the first game between Cleveland and Golden State will be no different.
The two regular-season clashes between the Cavs and Warriors proved to be a turning point for Cleveland last year. The Cavs lost on the road on Christmas Day, and then Golden State embarrassed them 132-98 on their home floor less than a month later.
In January, ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst and Dave McMenamin reported the second defeat was one of the final nails in David Blatt's coffin. If Cleveland doesn't replace Blatt with Tyronn Lue in the middle of the season, it's doubtful the team goes on to win its first championship.
Unlike Blatt, Lue won't be coaching for his job against the Warriors, but he'll be under the microscope to see how he adjusts to Kevin Durant's arrival in the Bay Area.
Golden State didn't need Durant to be considered the title favorite in 2017. The team is coming off a season in which it won an NBA-record 73 games and was one win away from a second-straight championship.
Presumably, the Cavaliers are one of the few teams in the league that will be able to go toe-to-toe with the Warriors. Or Durant could turn Golden State into a juggernaut without equal.
This first game will be a great test for both the new-look Warriors and the defending champions.
Jan. 10: Toronto Raptors vs. Boston Celtics
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The Toronto Raptors pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers to six games in last year's Eastern Conference Finals. Few expected the Raptors to actually win the series, even after taking Game 4, but Toronto at least made things interesting.
Now, the Raptors will want to prove last year wasn't a fluke and that they have a core of players capable of overcoming the reigning NBA champions.
For the most part, though, the landscape in the East hasn't changed all that much. The Cavs are the best team, and a major gulf exists between Cleveland and the next-closest contender. When all is said and done, the Raptors and Boston Celtics will likely be vying for the No. 2 seed in the East.
Some fans in Toronto might be disappointed general manager Masai Ujiri didn't do more to strengthen the roster. And re-signing DeMar DeRozan for five years and $139 million was a necessary move—albeit one that comes with plenty of risk.
The rest of the conference, the Celtics included, didn't necessarily get that much better. Al Horford was a nice signing for Boston and makes the team the second best in the East on paper. In a seven-game series, though, the Raptors would have more than a puncher's chance to take down the Celtics.
Feb. 11: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Golden State Warriors
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No single game will be more heavily anticipated than Kevin Durant's first appearance back in Oklahoma City.
Durant signing with the Golden State Warriors always seemed like one of those things that could happen but never actually would. Then the seven-time All-Star decided to actually join the two-time reigning Western Conference champions.
It's impossible to spin the move as any sort of positive for the Oklahoma City Thunder. They lost the best player in franchise history, and Durant's departure could have significant ramifications depending on what Russell Westbrook ultimately decides to do.
The only sliver of good Thunder fans can take out of this is getting to watch Westbrook go into seek-and-destroy mode for an entire season, and he'll likely never be more motivated than when Oklahoma City is facing off with Golden State.
On July 18, the Oklahoman's Anthony Slater spoke to a source who said Westbrook was "ticked off" Durant signed with Golden State.
Another source explained to Bleacher Report's Howard Beck the relationship between Durant and Westbrook played a role in the move: "Ultimately, he got frustrated and felt that they had plateaued. [Billy Donovan] came in, and he still had the same issues that he had with Russ under [Scott Brooks]. The offense didn't change much. He still had to take a ton of contested shots every game; and that's when he had the ball at all."
If Westbrook could get worked up playing against former teammate Reggie Jackson, his reunion with Durant is bound to be a tense affair.
March 1: Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
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One of the biggest critiques of the way the Boston Celtics have built their roster is that they lack a superstar who can single-handedly alter a game.
Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, Kelly Olynyk, Avery Bradley and Isaiah Thomas make for a strong squad, but none is a singular talent along the lines of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry or Russell Westbrook.
The Celtics were close to adding Durant but ultimately struck out. Still, Boston had a good offseason after signing Al Horford, who is an underappreciated star. He averaged 15.2 points and 7.3 rebounds a game for the Atlanta Hawks last year.
It's premature to say the Celtics are now the team to beat in the Eastern Conference with Horford on board, since he doesn't address one of the team's main issues last year—three-point shooting, in which Boston ranked 28th (.335%).
With that said, the gap between the Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers is closing. This late into the season, Boston's March 1 game against Cleveland will be a nice barometer to see just how far it needs to go to be considered the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.
