LeBron’s Lakers career starts in Portland
Warriors to receive championship rings before game with Thunder
The NBA has mastered the art of controlling the calendar.
Just when its time in the global spotlight was ending, with July summer leagues over and the star-studded Team USA minicamp in Las Vegas complete, the league on Wednesday announced its national television schedule for the opening week, Christmas Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Fans will have to wait until Friday to feast on the entire schedule.
Some highlights:
LEBRON’S LAKERS CAREER BEGIN
Lakers at Portland, Oct. 18, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT Houston at Lakers, Oct. 20, 10:30 ET, ESPN
The folks at Nike have to be thrilled with this scheduling, as their top athlete, LeBron James, will start his Los Angeles Lakers career near their headquarters against the pride of Adidas, the Blazers’ Damian Lillard.
RETURN OF THE KING
Lakers at Cleveland, Nov. 21, TBA James returns to where it all began.
RING NIGHT FOR THE WARRIORS AGAIN
Oklahoma City at Golden State, Oct. 16, 10:30 ET, TNT
The Warriors will collect championship rings for the third time in the past four years, and the Thunder will get an early chance to send the message that they might be capable of winning one of their own. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook facing off again always makes this matchup compelling.
SIXERS-CELTICS RIVALRY IS REAL
Philadelphia at Boston, Oct. 16, 8 ET, TNT Philadelphia at Boston, Dec. 25, 5:30 ET, ESPN
The league is clearly excited about this growing Six- ers-Celtics matchup, and with good reason. They were neck and neck in 2017-18 — Boston was second in the East at 55-27, the Sixers third at 52-30 — and met in the postseason. The Celtics bested the Sixers in five games in the second round.
NEW HOOPS HOME FOR KAWHI LEONARD
Boston at Toronto, Oct. 19, 8 ET, ESPN Toronto at Washington, Oct. 20, 7 ET, TNT
The former San Antonio star and two-time defensive player of the year was traded to Toronto, which hopes he likes it enough to re-sign as a free agent next summer. Meanwhile, the Wizards added three-time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard and are looking to bounce back after a mediocre 2017-18.
CARMELO ANTHONY RELOCATES — AGAIN
New Orleans at Houston, Oct. 17, 8 ET, ESPN Houston at Lakers, Oct. 20, 10:30 ET, ESPN Houston at the Clippers, Oct. 21, 9 ET, TNT
The 10-time All-Star has yet to sign his new contract with the Rockets, but it’s expected to be finalized soon. Considering Anthony will be playing for his third team in three seasons and that he’s coming off the worst season of his career during his short stay in Oklahoma City, he’ll have a lot to prove. Ditto for the Rockets.
ESPN/ABC Christmas Day games previously reported:
❚ Milwaukee at New York (Noon ET, ESPN) ❚ Oklahoma City at Houston (3 ET, ABC) ❚ Lakers at Golden State (8 ET, ABC/ESPN) ❚ Portland at Utah (10:30 ET, ESPN)