There are plenty of high hopes and expectations for the Cleveland Cavaliers heading into the 2024-25 season. But now that the NBA schedule has been officially announced, the gravity of the upcoming campaign is starting to sink in. This season, new head coach Kenny Atkinson will make his Cavs debut on the road against the Toronto Raptors.
Soon after, Cleveland will return home to welcome back fans at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse against the Detroit Pistons and former head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. That home opener against Bickerstaff and the Pistons is game one of a back-to-back and the first back-to-back of sixteen the Cavs have to grapple with this season.
No matter how hard this season will be for Cleveland, there are plenty of games worth marking on your calendar, especially at the start of the regular season.
Three early must-watch games on Cavs' 2024-25 schedule
October 25 – Cavs vs. Pistons
As mentioned, the Cavs kick off their first home game of the season by welcoming an old friend back to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Cleveland will play Detroit on Friday, October 25, and it’ll be their first time going up against former head coach J.B. Bickerstaff during the regular season. But now, Bickerstaff is at the helm of the Pistons, trying to help a young Detroit team find its identity.
Bickerstaff was the Cavaliers’ coach for five years before he was dismissed and replaced by Kenny Atkinson over the offseason. It’s unlikely that players on either side will admit the game means more. However, there will be a lot of emotions when Bickerstaff is introduced to fans at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. It'll be the first time since Cleveland had moved on. Hopefully, it's more good than bad.
October 30 – Cavs vs. Lakers
Until the heat death of the universe, the Cavs and LeBron James will be forever linked. Without James, Cleveland wouldn't have won its first-ever NBA title and the city's first championship in over 50 years. So, although James is now with the Los Angeles Lakers, it's always a big deal when he's back in town.
The Kid from Akron returns to Cleveland on Wednesday, October 30, the Cavs' second home game of the season. Like Bickerstaff, there will be a lot of emotions when James is introduced to Cleveland fans. He always gets an ovation when he comes to town, and there shouldn't be anything less this time. No one knows how many times Cavs fans will watch James play in Cleveland before his career ends. This will undoubtedly be a date to circle on the schedule.
November 1 – Cavs vs. Orlando Magic
Cleveland had an intense seven-game series with the Orlando Magic in the first round of last year’s playoffs. Like any good playoff series, there were close games and plenty of grit and drama throughout the two weeks they played one another.
Considering how their season ended, the Magic are trying to prove they are a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference. Being able to face the Cavs, the team that finished their season, is the perfect way to do it. The first game will be intense, just like when they met in the playoffs – especially since both rosters have gone unchanged this offseason.
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