Man, the NBA really knows how to keep itself relevant even during the long summer months. Despite the season ending close to two months ago, we haven’t really stopped talking about the league since. First, the Draft, then free agency, and now a partially released schedule for the 2010-2011 season (Don’t forget the World Championships later this month). The league has just released marquee games for next season, with the full slate of games to be announced next Tuesday.
With all of the off-season league-wide shuffling going on, everyone wants to see who plays who, and when. Naturally, anyone with a pulse wants to know when LeHeat visits Cleveland so that we can see how many people are not booing LeBron. While that’s not a nationally televised game, we do know that game will be held December 2. We didn’t have to wait until next Tuesday to find that out because the league realizes that LeBron’s return to Cleveland is as anticipated as the Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather fight that will never happen (because Floyd is deathly afraid of Manny. Sorry, way off topic).
Here are the marquee games (which is basically just some of the nationally televised games) that were released:
Opening Night. Tuesday, October 26, 2010. Heat at Celtics (TNT) and Rockets at Lakers (TNT)
LeBron doesn’t like the Celtics and they hate him more. In recent years, their playoff matchups have gotten pretty physical. When you sprinkle in the fact that LeBron has left Cleveland for the Miami Eastern Conference All-Stars (I mean, Heat) that hatred is probably inflated a few notches. I think this game will be telling for how the rest of the season goes for Wade, James and Bosh. So much has been made about who will get the final shot. I think we’ll get the answer to that question because I expect this to be a close game. I see LeBron asserting himself, to the tune of somewhere in the 35 point range, to really prove a point in the wake of all of the off-season hate that he is no doubt tired of at this point.
There’s no reason the Lakers shouldn’t roll all over the Rockets.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010. Bulls at Thunder (ESPN) and Blazers at Clippers (ESPN)
I really like what the Bulls have done this summer. The Boozer acquisition cannot be understated. The Bulls have been extremely perimeter-oriented since… since… forever. They haven’t had a legit offensive threat on the block in recent memory. From Ben Gordon, to Kirk Heinrich, to Luol Deng, to Andres Nocioni, to Larry Hughes (I could keep going), there was a time where they had about 5-6 guys on the roster who did the same thing. I’m glad they finally balanced it out.
The Thunder, on the other hand, will be a year wiser and more mature. Perimeter oriented themselves, they’ve added some size down low too. What’s most important for them is that Kevin Durant will be fresh off of leading Team USAs run in Turkey in the FIBA World Championships. What he will have will be added confidence.
As for the second game, I have two words: Blake Griffin. How will the big man respond to missing all of last year due to injury? I expect him to be cautious at first, but ease his way in nicely. Also, will Brandon Roy face any setbacks from him rushing back to the 1st round Playoff matchup with the Suns where he clearly wasn’t healthy and clearly should not have been playing?
Thursday, October 28, 2010. Wizards at Magic (TNT) and Suns at Jazz (TNT)
Expect a gang of turnovers from John Wall in his league debut and expect him and Arenas to play together alot during that game. Also expect Orlando to embarrass Washington in this one.
Utah lost Boozer, but you won’t really be able to tell since they were able to scoop Al Jefferson. They should beat the Suns who were trying to deal Amar’e for sometime now. They should’ve been careful what they asked for.
Friday, October 29, 2010. Magic at Heat (ESPN) and Lakers at Suns ((ESPN)
The Magic have been one of the most disrespected team during this off-season because many people have already pegged the Heat to come out of the East. And that was when they had Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley as the only two guys on their roster (after Wade, Bosh and James agreed to go to Miami, but before they actually signed). The Magic will be good and they’ll have something to prove.
The Suns aren’t really a match for the Lakers. Definitely not without Stoudemire.
Saturday, December 25, 2010 (or Christmas, if you’re scoring at home). Bulls at Knicks (ESPN), Celtics at Magic (ABC), Heat at Lakers (ABC), Nuggets at Thunder (ESPN) and Warriors at Blazers (ESPN)
That’s right, five games. Tha’ts alot of basketball to squeeze in on Christmas Day. Of course, there is the annual Heat/Lakers Christmas Day game. Ever since Shaq went to Miami, the league has insisted on giving us those two teams every year it feels like. Of course, now there’s good reason to, but we got Heat/Lakers long after the Shaq-Kobe beef died down. It wasn’t even relevant anymore, but they still gave that to us.
I’m still trying to figure out how Warriors at Blazers made its way to the Christmas Day schedule. Actually, I would say the same for Nuggets at Thunder. Melo versus Durant is definitely an excellent matchup and one that I will make every attempt to see, but not for Christmas.
Monday, January 17, 2011 (or, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day if you’re scoring at home). Bulls at Grizzlies (ESPN), Magic at Celtics (TNT) and Thunder at Lakers (TNT)
I can definitely dig the last two games, but the Grizzlies?
In any event, the league did a good with scheduling the marquee, nationally televised games. It should definitely make for another interesting season.
