Report: Warriors vs. Nets, Lakers vs. Clippers Tentatively Set for Opening Night

The opening night of the 2020-21 NBA season, Dec. 22, will reportedly feature a star-studded doubleheader on TNT as the Golden State Warriors face the Brooklyn Nets followed by the Los Angeles rivalry taking center stage with the reigning champion Lakers battling the Clippers.

Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic reported the tentative schedule Wednesday.

The first game will feature the Nets debut of Kevin Durant, who missed the 2019-20 campaign while recovering from an Achilles injury, alongside Kyrie Irving. Durant spent the previous three seasons with the Warriors, winning a pair of championships.

On the other side, Golden State is set to welcome back Stephen Curry after he appeared in just five games last season because of a hand injury. Klay Thompson had also been on track to return, but he suffered a torn Achilles in a workout and will miss the year.

The hype surrounding the game could reach a fever pitch if the Nets pull off a blockbuster trade for the Houston Rockets' James Harden, who has been the focus of widespread trade rumors ahead of the season.

In the nightcap, the Lakers will open their title defense against one of the biggest threats to dethrone them in the Clippers. It'll once again be LeBron James and Anthony Davis going up against Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in a clash of superstar duos.

The offseason added some extra intrigue to the rivalry as the Lakers signed free-agent forward Montrezl Harrell, the Sixth Man of the Year last season, away from the Clippers.

It was part of a roster revitalization that also included the arrivals of Wesley Matthews, Marc Gasol and Dennis Schroder, cementing the Lakers as the team to beat once again.

The NBA is going to release the full 2020-21 schedule in two parts, with the first half of the season being announced soon and the second half during the latter stages of the first half.