2013-2014 Official NBA Thread
 

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/ey...4-nba-schedule

With the Schedule released today, I figured it would be a good time to start the thread.

The NBA released its 2013-2014 schedule on Tuesday in a televised special on NBATV alongside a release on NBA.com and its team websites.

The season kicks off Tuesday, October 29th as Miami hosts the Chicago Bulls in Derrick Rose's expected return to the court. Then it's the Battle of LA as the Lakers host the Clippers. It could be the return of Kobe Bryant from his Achilles injury he suffered last spring, and will be the regular season debut of Doc Rivers as the Clippers' newest head coach.

It's a massive gamble by the NBA, considering Rose's struggles returning from his ACL injury suffered in the 2012 playoffs and Bryant's more recent Achilles surgery. If those players were to miss the opening night, it's going to make for a very underwhelming opening night of basketball, regardless of the markets involved for ratings.

Opening week continues on Thursday with the Bulls hosting the Knicks in what is likely to be Rose's return to the United Center in the regular season. The Knicks will be on a back to back, opening the season on Wednesday vs. the Bucks. Thursday night the revamped Warriors visit the Clippers, who are clearly the hot team, with two national appearances in the first three days.

Opening week concludes Friday with the Nets' home opener vs. the Heat, followed by another Lakers home game, this time vs. the defending Western Conference Champion San Antonio Spurs.

On the NBA's biggest regular season day, Christmas Day, starts with the Nets hosting Chicago, followed by the scoring-champ rematch of Carmelo Anthony vs. Kevin Durant as the Thunder visit Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks. Then in the main event, the Heat play the Lakers at Staples Center. Dwight Howard joins the Christmas fun as the Rockets travel to San Antonio to face the Spurs. And in the night cap, the Clippers visit Oracle Arena to take on Steph Curry and the Warriors.

Monday, January 20th continues the NBA's tradition of making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a huge basketball event, with four games on the schedule. Brooklyn travels across the bridge to take on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, followed by the Grizzlies hosting the Pelicans, the Lakers taking on the Bulls at the United Center, and the Pacers facing the Warriors in the bay to cap off the night.

The Lakers first meet Dwight Howard on November 13th in Houston, and again on January 14th. They first host Howard at Staples Center on February 19th, and again on April 8th.

The NBA Finals rematches occur on January 26th in Miami and March 6th in San Antonio. Will Gregg Popovich rest his starters? It's not a back to back, as the Spurs face Atlanta on the 24th, but it is in the middle of a three-game road trip.

Despite the departure of Dwight Howard, the Lakers keep the max number of nationally televised (non-NBA TV) games in the league at 25, tied with the Knicks and Heat. The Clippers have 21 nationally televised games, while the defending Western Champs, the Spurs, only have 15. The Bulls jump to 24 national games, with the league banking on Rose's return to carry audiences. The Thunder also feature on national TV 24 times.

Houston, with newly-signed Dwight Howard and James Harden, feature 20 games on national television, a pretty low number given the star power. The Mavericks won the NBA title in 2011, and now have just eight national TV appearances. The Warriors meanwhile jump to 17 games, while Eastern Conference finalist Indiana only appears 10 time next season. To put that in perspective, the Denver Nuggets appear 13 times.

The rest of the schedule is at the link.

Looks like DRose is back in full force, and he's brought his jumper with him.

NBA sucks. /thread

My very early predictions for the season:

West
1. Clippers (depth and Doc allow for excellent regular season)
2. Spurs (consumate pro organization, Leonard emerges as front line guy)
3. Rockets (very dangerous if perimeter guys all pan outParsons/Caspi/Garcia)
4. Grizzlies (still good, but transitioning a bit as ZBo ages)
5. OKC (will struggle without Westbrook, but experience helps young guys)
6. GSW (Most fun team to watch in the league)
7. New Orleans (Davis about to become a star, added lots of talent)
8. TWolves (Love and Rubio healthy for full season)

OKC vs. Spurs in West Finals, with OKC prevailing (Big 3 on a mission, and young guys contribute just enough to get past the Spurs)

East
1. Bulls (Thibs will drive this team hard - Rose back and Butler emerged)
2. Heat (biding time until playoffs)
3. Pacers (very solid team, can they be elite?)
4. Nets (who knows how this plays out)
5. Knicks (not enough horses to get into top 4)
6. Cleveland (youth matures and becomes playoff team)
7. Atlanta (solid group, bottom of East is poor)
8. Washington (best of the remaining mediocre to terrible East teams)

Bulls vs. Heat in East Finals, Bulls win (Heat just worn down after 3 seasons of deep runs)

OKC vs. Bulls, with Bulls edging them in 7 (OKC weakness in the middle and lack of depth is their undoing)

Thanks so much for taking the time to contribute

Sure, underestimate the Mavs.

This is at least a 6 seed.

Adding Monta Ellis is gonna be huge.

Bulls/Heat game 1.

Starting off pretty epic.

And yet this thread will have more action that all MLB and NHL threads combined.

Pistons will be better than most people think, Dallas is old, Atlanta is overrated, and GSW is way underrated.

It sure got of to a roaring start... posted 8/6, first reply on 10/24. LMAO

Season hasn't started yet.

:spock: Season starts in 5 days.

The playoff thread alone last year got 7000+ replies. More than any non Royals/Cardinals baseball thread and more than all NHL threads on this site combined.

True. But we keep the Royals thread pretty lively year round, and the Royals have sucked ass since before I was born. :)

Just a personal interest thing. I can sit and watch an NBA game, just prefer college basketball.

Cool.

Alex Smith will hold them back.