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.

[Buck]

Pacers @ Heat on ESPN now.

[-King-]

I wish the rest of the East teams didn't exist and every game was Heat vs. Pacers.

Can't wait till the ECF.

[-King-]

Clear foul on LeBron on what was the game tying 3 by Paul George.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by -King-

Clear foul on LeBron on what was the game tying 3 by Paul George.

[ChiefsCountry]

D Wade played like old Wade tonight - 32 points.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by -King-

Clear foul on LeBron on what was the game tying 3 by Paul George.

Yeah but they had this game and let the Heat get back into it and win the game.

[KC_Connection]

Yep, Indiana has nobody to blame but themselves for this one. It was their game to lose (not that the outcome matters anyway).

[mschiefs1984]

The Pacers did make mistakes to let that game get away but that doesn't mean that foul shouldn't have been called. But regardless I'm not sure the replay would have shown him behind the 3 point line. I haven't seen one but it looked close to me to being a 2 instead of a 3 anyway

[BWillie]

What was the deal w the argument between Chalmers and LeBron?

[Pitt Gorilla]

The pacers' frontcourt is fun to watch.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Yep, Indiana has nobody to blame but themselves for this one. It was their game to lose (not that the outcome matters anyway).

It matters because those 2 teams will be fighting for home court advantage.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

It matters because those 2 teams will be fighting for home court advantage.

So not that much at this point considering how much season is left.

I imagine Miami is going to end up on top in the end. Hard for me to see Indiana maintaining the effort level required to win 65 games.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by BWillie

What was the deal w the argument between Chalmers and LeBron?

Chalmers takes a lot of shit from LeBron and DWade on court often for things that aren't his fault (and sometimes for things that are). Looked like a case of the former tonight as LeBron apologized later. Not a big deal.

[KC Hawks]

Kobe out six weeks.

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/s...s-injured-knee

[DanBecky]

And the window on that 6th ring is closing that much faster