NBA Opening Night Schedule 2017: TV Coverage, Live Stream and Predictions
It's an 82-game season, but don't wait until Christmas Day to pay attention to the NBA. Tuesday's opening-night doubleheader will feature the previous finals contenders vs. conference opponents with the talent to disrupt a four-peat in the championship series.
Coaches often experiment with lineups and play designs during the first few months of the season, but storylines involving prominent players with intriguing backstories should draw extra attention. Opening night will certainly provide headlines.
In the first game, we'll see an Eastern Conference Finals repeat between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics. Guard Kyrie Irving returns to Quicken Loans Arena. He'll also meet LeBron James' as a fierce competitor after three years as a reliable sidekick.
Nonetheless, there's some uncertainty about James' status for the regular-season opener, per The Vertical's Chris Mannix:
Fans will also see guard Chris Paul paired with James Harden on the Houston Rockets against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The top two scoring teams from the previous season square off in a game that could preview the Western Conference Finals in June.
You can tune into Tuesday's doubleheader with the information below via television or live stream on a mobile device.
Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, NBA League Pass
Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, NBA League Pass
Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers
Irving and James will exchange pleasantries before tipoff, but we all know why they're ex-teammates.
The four-time All-Star didn't want to play Robin to King James' Batman in his hometown anymore. Now, Irving will don a Celtics jersey in hopes to dethrone the three-time NBA champion in his kingdom on opening night.
Irving said all the right things leading into this contest when asked about the NBA's newest rivalry, per Marc Spears of The Undefeated.
"It’s all love no matter what," Irving said. "I have heard boos at times to hearing cheers in the parade. I’ve been in the championship parade as well as being down 30 in ‘Q Arena.’ So I’ve heard it all. It’s just good to be there and hoop against a great team like the Cavs.”
Let's be honest. Irving wants to prove he can lead an NBA team to success on his own. He wants to show James there's basketball life after him, which may propel the 25-year-old star to new heights.
Nonetheless, Irving won't deliver the first blow to his new nemesis. The Celtics flipped their starting lineup in four spots. The leadership on the court has shifted with All-Star forward Gordon Hayward also joining the roster. Boston's prominent pair will have to feel each other out and build chemistry before they're able to pose a threat to the defending Eastern Conference champions.
James also welcomes new teammates, but he's won two championships with Dwyane Wade. Furthermore, Kevin Love remains a familiar face within the Cavaliers starting lineup.
Expect the Cavaliers, specifically James and Jae Crowder, to limit the Celtics scorers and win on opening night.
Prediction: Cavaliers 105, Celtics 96
Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors
Once the Rockets acquired Paul in a trade during the offseason, many wondered how the addition would affect Harden after an MVP-caliber season in which he logged 22 triple-doubles.
Let's not forget Harden spent his first seven seasons primarily in the shooting guard position. His assists will drop with Paul sharing ball-handling duties, but the acquisition won't throw the five-time All-Star completely off his game. In fact, another facilitator takes some pressure off of him.
With a pair of reliable distributors who can also score, head coach Mike D'Antoni will find success in staggering their minutes. There's no need to worry about the Harden-Paul combination unless something goes awry on a personal level between the two stars.
The Warriors come into this game with a championship glow and should leave all smiles with a victory on opening night. Despite the high upside for the Rockets' new dynamic duo, Golden State retained its starting five that won 67 games en route to a title last season.
For the Warriors, it's important to keep an eye on the new additions to their bench. Rookie forward Jordan Bell put together an impressive performance in the preseason finale against the Sacramento Kings:
Golden State's starting lineup features three sharpshooters, but the team added another pure shooter to the bench in Nick Young:
Last year, Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton praised Young for his defense before he went down with a calf injury, per Orange County Register reporter Mark Medina.
"We put Nick on the other team’s best player a lot this year. He’s done a great job in making them work. It’s not just the shooting we’ll miss. We’ll miss the defense, the energy he brings and the confidence he and his teammates get when he hits big shots."
If Bell fills up the stat sheet and Young provides three-and-D qualities in the second unit, we're looking at another title run for the Warriors.
As for Tuesday night, the defending champions should be able to outscore a tough contender.
Prediction: Warriors 116, Rockets 107
