The NBA Regular Season Schedule, Tickets, and News
Even if the NBA offseason is always filled with plenty of drama and intrigue, there is nothing better than the actual start of a new season. The NBA 2023 season schedule has been released and is slowly but surely getting closer. Therefore, it’s time to start taking an in-depth look at the season ahead. What are the key dates, key games, and biggest storylines of the 2023-24 NBA season? More importantly, how can fans get the best deals on NBA tickets? Let’s take a deep dive into everything you need to know about the upcoming NBA season.
Opening Night – October 24
Fans only have to wait until October 24 for the start of the NBA regular season. The league has just two games scheduled for that night, but those two games should satisfy fans. First, the Lakers will visit the Nuggets, who are hoping to defend their championship. In the nightcap, two Western Conference powerhouses square off, with the Warriors hosting the Suns.
Mexico City Game – November 9
The NBA isn’t going to wait long for its first game aboard. On November 9, the Magic and Hawks are set to play a game in Mexico City. It’s the first of two games on the schedule this year that will be played outside the U.S. and Canada.
In-Season Tournament Semifinals and Finals – December 7-9
For the first time, the NBA will hold an in-season tournament for all 30 teams. For this tournament, there are six groups of five teams each. Regular-season games scheduled between November 3 and November 28 will count in both the regular-season standings and the standings of the tournament. The winner of all six groups and two second-place teams will advance to the quarterfinals. The quarterfinal winners will then play at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in the semifinals on December 7. Those two winners play in the finals two nights later to conclude the NBA’s first-ever in-season tournament.
Paris Game – January 11
The NBA will head to Europe for a game on January 11. The Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers will make the trip to Paris to play at Accor Arena.
Rivals Week – January 24-28
The NBA will mix things up for a week in January with what the league is calling Rivals Week. Between Tuesday, January 24 and Saturday, January 28, the NBA has packed the schedule with must-see rivalry games. These are both classic rivalries and budding rivalries, with nearly a dozen games being worthy of being televised on national TV. While this comes a month after Christmas, this week is essentially Christmas in January for NBA fans.
All-Star Weekend – February 16-18
Speaking of fan-favorite events, the NBA’s All-Star Weekend is scheduled for February 16 to 18 this season. Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, a hotbed for basketball and home of the Indiana Pacers, will host this year’s festivities. Of course, that will include the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, not to mention countless other events throughout the weekend.
End of Regular Season – April 14
The fun that is the NBA regular season will conclude on Sunday, April 14. All 30 teams will be in action during the final day of the season, adding to the drama if there are any playoff spots still up for grabs. Teams on the cusp of the playoffs will get exactly one day off before the start of the NBA’s Play-In Tournament, which is scheduled for April 16-19 this season.
2024 Playoffs Begin – April 20
Once postseason basketball begins, there will be no rest. One day after the Play-In Tournament ends, the NBA Playoffs officially begin. By April 20, the field will be down to 16 teams, and the real fun begins.
NBA Finals Game 1 – June 6
While we don’t know who will be playing in it, we do know that June 6 will be Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals. The Nuggets are hoping to be there and get a chance to defend their crown. But that all depends on what happens over the next several months.
Team to Watch: Denver Nuggets
As the defending champs, the Nuggets are surely the most intriguing team to watch this season. Behind two-time MVP Nikola Jokić, Denver has a serious chance to repeat. He was close to unstoppable during the playoffs last season, making the Nuggets a candidate to win the NBA title again in 2024.
Player to Watch: Victor Wembanyama
With all due respect to the NBA’s superstars, Wembanyama is the player to watch this season. He was the first overall pick in the draft and has a chance to be a star. He’s 7’4’’ and has the movement and skill set of a much smaller player. It’s possible that the NBA hasn’t seen anything like Wembanyama since LeBron James made his debut in 2003, so the anticipation is palpable.
Tips for Buying NBA Tickets
Needless to say, there are a lot of reasons why NBA fans will want to get their hands on tickets for the upcoming season. The best advice for ticket buyers is to always wait until the last minute to purchase. Of course, going to weeknight games or games that don’t feature a bonafide superstar or an obvious rivalry will help drive down prices. But for the marquee games that everyone wants to see, prices tend to go down the closer you get to tip-off when ticket holders with no intention of going to the game become more willing to drop their prices. This is the time that NBA fans can find the best deals possible.