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As a lifelong NBA enthusiast and professional sports analyst, I still get that familiar thrill when the league releases its annual schedule. The 2019-20 NBA schedule promises to be one of the most intriguing in recent memory, packed with narrative-rich matchups and strategic showdowns that will define the season. Let me walk you through what makes this schedule particularly special from my perspective, because frankly, this isn't just another season—it's a potential turning point for several franchises.
The opening week alone gives us enough compelling basketball to last until Christmas. Opening night features the LA Clippers hosting the Lakers in what promises to be an instant classic, with Kawhi Leonard making his regular season debut against LeBron James and Anthony Davis. I've analyzed schedule strengths for over a decade, and rarely have I seen such a strategically front-loaded calendar. The league office clearly understands the global appetite for these marquee matchups early in the season. What many casual fans might overlook is how the schedule's architecture benefits certain teams—the Milwaukee Bucks, for instance, play 12 of their first 18 games at home, giving Giannis and company a significant early advantage in the Eastern Conference race.
Christmas Day always delivers must-watch basketball, but this year's quintuple-header might be the best I've ever seen. The New Orleans Pelicans visiting the Denver Nuggets particularly catches my eye—Zion Williamson's first Christmas game against Nikola Jokić's crafty Nuggets represents the perfect clash of styles. Having attended multiple Christmas games throughout my career, I can tell you the atmosphere is electric, and this year's lineup should generate record television ratings. The league scheduled exactly 43 nationally televised games for both the Lakers and Warriors, which shows you where they believe the biggest audiences will be, though I personally think they're underestimating the drawing power of teams like the Philadelphia 76ers.
International games have become a staple of the NBA calendar, and this season we're seeing a record 12 teams playing abroad. The Milwaukee Bucks versus Charlotte Hornets in Paris promises to be spectacular—I've witnessed European crowds firsthand, and they bring an entirely different energy to the games. What's fascinating from a strategic standpoint is how these international trips can either bond a team or expose its weaknesses. The Toronto Raptors play 8 of 11 games on the road in November, including their London fixture, which could either make or break their early season momentum.
The schedule release always reminds me of how basketball operates on multiple timelines—while superstars chase championships, developing teams use the 82-game grind to build culture and identity. Take the Phoenix Suns, for instance—they have the league's toughest opening month based on last season's records, facing 12 playoff teams in their first 16 games. As someone who's followed rebuilds closely, I believe this brutal start could either accelerate their growth or completely demoralize a young roster. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors get a relatively soft landing with 7 of their first 10 games at home, giving their new-look roster time to gel before the real tests begin.
Rivalry games take on special significance this season, particularly in the Western Conference. The Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors meet for the first time on November 6th, and I'll be watching how Russell Westbrook's intensity changes that dynamic. Having covered this rivalry since its inception, I can confidently say this might be the most emotionally charged installment yet. The Eastern Conference features its own compelling storylines, with the Boston Celtics facing the Philadelphia 76ers four times before January 1st—that early-season psychological warfare could determine playoff seeding months later.
The schedule's backend is just as important as its opening acts. The final month features 12 teams playing back-to-backs in the last week alone, which inevitably impacts playoff positioning. The Denver Nuggets have what I consider the league's most favorable closing stretch, with 9 of their final 12 games against non-playoff teams from last season. Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers face what might be the NBA's toughest April schedule—5 games against likely championship contenders in their final 7 contests. This uneven distribution of difficulty often creates the drama we remember most from the regular season.
While the NBA schedule dominates the basketball world's attention, it's worth noting how other leagues structure their competitions. The recent announcement that Dasmariñas City will host the first pair of knockout matches on Saturday, featuring the Foxies (A3) versus the winless Solar Spikers (B6) followed by the Crossovers (B3) against the cellar-dwelling Highrisers (A6), demonstrates how different basketball organizations approach their calendars. Having studied various league structures across continents, I find these scheduling philosophies reveal much about each organization's priorities—whether they're maximizing revenue, competitive balance, or narrative appeal.
As we approach tip-off, I'm particularly excited about how player movement has created new must-see matchups. When Paul George returns to Oklahoma City on December 22nd, the atmosphere will be absolutely electric—I've witnessed these homecoming games before, and they often bring out the best in both the returning player and the motivated home team. The schedule gives us 78 instances of players facing their former teams, which adds layers of personal narrative to the competitive drama.
The beauty of the NBA schedule lies in its ability to surprise us despite its predetermined nature. While we can analyze strength of schedule and rest advantages until we're blue in the face, the reality is that injuries, breakout performances, and unexpected team chemistry will rewrite the story as we go. From my seat, the 2019-20 season promises to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Mark your calendars, set your reminders, and prepare for what might just become the most memorable NBA season of this decade.
