by The NBA Regular Season is finally here. Some teams made significant upgrades this offseason, such as the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and Atlanta Hawks. With these new powerhouses matched up against some of the past elite teams, there is sure to be some phenomenal games in this first week of basketball.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets; 10/21
The first game of the season will be one of the best. Kevin Durant is going against his former team — this is a rare occurrence for him, as he has only played in OKC six times since his departure. Aside from the off-court drama, this is an exciting matchup.
The Rockets are going to be running a giant lineup; they are playing two centers and running the 6’11” KD at shooting guard. Against the injured OKC team, missing Jalen Williams, Isaiah Joe, and Nikola Topic, Houston is in store for a highly competitive matchup.
New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers; 10/22
The two juggernauts of the Eastern Conference will be setting the tone for the rest of the season. Both of these teams were taken down by the Indiana Pacers in the playoffs, making their 2025 season a disappointment.
These two teams made minimal changes to their rosters in the offseason, confident in their current core’s ability to contend for a championship. The Cavs had the Knicks’ number last season, going 4-0 against them. It will be interesting to see how much of a difference Mike Brown will make to the Knicks’ offense, as well as whether the Cavs’ stars will continue to improve.
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves; 10/22
The Western Conference runner-ups will be facing the exhilarating Trail Blazers team. Portland’s young core is one of the more intriguing aspects of the new season. The potential growth of Scoot Henderson, Donovan Clingan, Shaedon Sharpe, and Toumani Camara can put them in an ideal position for the future.
As for the Timberwolves, they did not make any significant additions in the offseason and are mostly relying on the continuous growth of superstar Anthony Edwards. This matchup will be an excellent test for both of these teams.
Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks; 10/24
Both of these teams made significant improvements this offseason — the Hawks added Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, while the Magic traded for star wing Desmond Bane. These two teams are being viewed as the teams that will capitalize on the weaknesses of the Eastern Conference.
Both teams are among the five youngest teams in the league, with young stars like Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Johnson in this matchup. This could be a potential playoff matchup and an indicator of what is to come from these two.
New Orleans Pelicans vs. San Antonio Spurs; 10/24
The long-awaited return of Victor Wembanyama is here, along with second-overall pick Dylan Harper‘s NBA debut. Injuries constantly plague the Pelicans, but as of now, they are healthy, and one of the most significant question marks of the league.
The Pelicans have a 50.9% win rate with Zion Williamson healthy and a 38.8% win rate without him. Zion is one of the most dangerous paint forces in NBA history, and going up against Wemby will be one of his most difficult tasks of the season.
