2013-2014 Official NBA Thread

[Al Bundy]

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.

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Heat loses by 1 to Nets. Now 1-2. Wouldn't have thought that

They'll be fine. Nets have more to prove at the moment.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by O.city

Houston's winning the west

Totally agree. They're already in the top tier now and are going to get better as the season goes on. The few folks who say the Howard signing is overrated are dead wrong. It was the one of the most significant signings in the off season just as the Harden deal was last year.

[okcchief]

Asik and Howard are putting up some massive board numbers. I'll be interested to see them play some good teams, and see what they've got. I could be eating crow on them soon, but I still have my doubts

[tk13]

Popovich in midseason form.

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by TEX

Totally agree. They're already in the top tier now and are going to get better as the season goes on. The few folks who say the Howard signing is overrated are dead wrong. It was the one of the most significant signings in the off season just as the Harden deal was last year.

We'll see how Howard performs in tough situations. I doubt him mentally, not physically.

Harden is a stud though, and I wish him well.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by okcchief

We'll see how Howard performs in tough situations. I doubt him mentally, not physically.

Harden is a stud though, and I wish him well.

I hear you BUT everyone who knows the guy says that he is different in Houston. They say that he "gets it." He doesn't have to be "THE MAN" but he can get paid like he is. He knows his roll on this team. He spends a lot of time with Olajuwon and its really paying off. Hakeem is humble beyond belief. Howard is growing up and grown ups handle pressure different from children...

[Al Bundy]

Houston ain't winning the west...

[Miles]

Originally Posted by TEX

I hear you BUT everyone who knows the guy says that he is different in Houston. They say that he "gets it." He doesn't have to be "THE MAN" but he can get paid like he is. He knows his roll on this team. He spends a lot of time with Olajuwon and its really paying off. Hakeem is humble beyond belief. Howard is growing up and grown ups handle pressure different from children...

I watched several of the preseason games as well as the first two games. Not only does Howard look better physically from last year he at least seems to be enjoying things again and it shows in his play. Not quite sure how the PF situation works out but Asik playing center and Casspi as PF when he is on the bench seems to be working so far.

[Miles]

Originally Posted by SNR

This game makes me wonder who is the more valuable player: Westbrook or Durant.

If one is out all of the defensive focus is on trying to control one star player and OKC doesn't have much in the way of other guys that create their own shots. While Westbrook is elite there shouldn't be any wonder of who is more valuable.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

Houston ain't winning the west...

Says the man who doesn't say who is...
Care to say why they won't / can't?

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by TEX

Says the man who doesn't say who is...
Care to say why they won't / can't?

Spurs.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Heat loses by 1 to Nets. Now 1-2. Wouldn't have thought that

They might want to try more than a few minutes a game going forward if they want to win some of them.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Spurs.

Fair enough and in year's past that might have been the case, but not this year. Father time is a Rocket. Duncan is already hurt. Houston has the talent, the bench and the legs to overtake them.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by TEX

Fair enough and in year's past that might have been the case, but not this year. Father time is a Rocket. Duncan is already hurt. Houston has the talent, the bench and the legs to overtake them.

Of course, people have been saying that for years about the Spurs. The Spurs keep winning.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Of course, people have been saying that for years about the Spurs. The Spurs keep winning.

The Bulls kept winning, too.

Guys like Leonard and Green are nice and fine and all, but eventually Duncan and Parker and Ginobili will be gone. And as good as a coach as Pop is, he can't win shit in the playoffs unless he gets some players that can match the ability of those 3 guys.