LeBron James finally made his decision, signing a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers this past Friday, and you know what that means: the NBA schedule makers can finally get to work! Commissioner Adam Silver had been openly waiting for James to make his announcement, and now that the dominoes are starting to fall, we are just waiting for those key dates like opening night and the Christmas Day slate to drop.
Get Ready For Knicks-76ers: Reigning Champs vs. The New King
It would be an absolute shocker if the 76ers aren’t playing on opening night. Seriously, what else would the league do? The most logical matchup for Philly and their new superstar? The reigning NBA champions, the New York Knicks. Imagine James stepping onto the court at a completely raucous Madison Square Garden at 7:30 p.m. ET against the team that just won it all. That atmosphere is going to be electric. It is tradition for the champs to play opening night. Last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder faced the Houston Rockets, and the Thunder got their rings right in front of Kevin Durant in his first game with Houston. James’ agent, Rich Paul, even said earlier this offseason that James probably would have signed with the Knicks if they hadn’t won the title. Now we get to see James and his new 76ers against the champs!
Western Conference Showdown: Spurs and Thunder Run It Back
The second game of opening night is still a toss-up, but one matchup makes all the sense in the world: a Western Conference Finals rematch between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Remember how wild that series was? It was packed with drama and all the star power you could want. You can easily make a case that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama are the two best players on the planet right now, so why not have them kick off the season against each other at 10:00 p.m. ET at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio? Last year, Golden State faced the Lakers in the nightcap. This is the kind of high-stakes, competitive basketball we need to start the season.
While we all have to wait a bit longer for the official schedule, expect the 76ers to be front and center, even on Christmas Day, though that opponent is still up in the air. The anticipation is killing us, but one thing is for sure: this season is going to start with a bang!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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