• CLUTCH Summary: The Los Angeles Lakers are having a historically great offseason, bringing in Anthony Davis to pair with LeBron James.
  • Expectations for the famed Purple and Gold will be through the roof for the upcoming season.
  • Their Christmas Day game against the Clippers might as well be marketed as The Battle for Los Angeles. 

The 2019-20 season represents a huge opportunity for the Los Angeles Lakers to redeem themselves from recent past failures. The addition of Anthony Davis has certainly upped the excitement for Lakers fans everywhere, as his presence raises the team to championship contender status.

The NBA’s regular season schedule hasn’t been officially released yet, but with the reported opening night, Christmas Day and revenge games already posted on social media, we have an inkling of the biggest games ahead for the Purple and Gold.

There are several big games this season but there are five that are noteworthy even though we don’t know when two of these games are going to be held. Nonetheless, these games should be circled in every Lakers fans’ calendar.

Here we go with the five biggest games on the Lakers’ schedule for the 2019-20 season:

5. First game vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Date: Unknown

This regular season game has a few interesting subplots.

First, a Lakers versus Sixers matchup in the 2020 NBA Finals is quite probable and their first meeting could be a preview of that head-to-head battle. Philly should be better with Tobias Harris, last season’s trade deadline pickup, having the benefit of a full training camp.

Simmons worked on his jump shot this summer, suggesting that we’ll be seeing a mid- to long-range weapon as part of his regular arsenal next season.

Also, the continued development of Embiid’s game makes the Sixers a perennial challenger for the Eastern Conference crown for years to come.

Second, LeBron James sees plenty of himself in Simmons, whose all-around game is also lot like Lakers legend Magic Johnson’s. Every time these two stars meet, fans are treated to a battle of two generations—the mentor vs. the protégé.

Third, James snubbed the Sixers for the Lakers last summer when he was a free agent even though Simmons and Embiid wanted him to join them.

Finally, for the first time in more than a decade, both L.A. and Philly are title contenders at the same time. These teams should renew their rivalry this season and in the seasons to come.

4. Opening night vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Date: Oct. 22

The bitter taste left in the mouths of the Lakers brass this offseason can only be washed away if their team meets and beats the Clippers in the playoffs. The Lakers reportedly felt like they were played by Kawhi Leonard and his camp with the way the negotiations went.

James and Davis undoubtedly felt slighted by Leonard’s decision to sign with the other L.A. team and both should be very motivated to one up their Staples Center rival. Facing the Clippers on opening night will be good for the Lakers as it will keep them from cruising through the first game of the season.

Unfortunately, Paul George, the All-Star addition that allowed Leonard to sign with the Clippers, is unlikely to play in the first month of the season after coming off of left shoulder surgery.

This makes it even more imperative for the Lakers to win this contest since the Clippers will be severely shorthanded without George. A loss will only fuel analysts’ prognosis that the Lakers aren’t as good as their newfound rival.

3. First game vs. New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center

Date: Nov. 27

This will be Davis’ first visit to New Orleans after the blockbuster trade that sent several players packing from the Lakers in exchange for the six-time All-Star. The two teams are heading in different directions—the Lakers are aiming for a championship while the Pelicans are in rebuilding mode.

Nevertheless, Davis should expect raucous crowd after he asked to be traded in the middle of last season. The fans already booed him after that request, and he will hear more of it as a Laker.

But Davis isn’t the only one in the spotlight in this game.

James will face off against 2019 No. 1 draft pick Zion Williamson, the uber-talented forward who has been compared favorably to the Lakers’ 16-year veteran. Williamson enters the league arguably with as much fanfare as James had when he was selected first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003.

Much like his matchup with Simmons, Williamson represents the new school while James represents the old school. Expect full media coverage in what is expected to be one of the most watched games of the season.

2 First game vs. Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo snatched the best player title from James last season. The Greek Freak punctuated his claim to the throne by nabbing the 2018-19 NBA MVP Award last June.

Don’t think for a moment that James hasn’t noticed all the vitriol that continues to be thrown in his direction for missing the playoffs for the first time since his second season in the league.

The rise of Antetokounmpo to the top has added to the narrative that James is no longer the player he once was. James certainly will relish the opportunity to pit himself against the newly-crowned MVP.

There’s also the underlying subplot of the Lakers signing Giannis’ brother, Kostas Antetokounmpo. The first meeting between the brothers should be a momentous event as well.

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Moreover, as with the Sixers game, this matchup is a potential preview of next year’s Finals. After claiming the top record in the East and the entire league last season, the Bucks are projected to have the best record in the East once again. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Antetokounmpo should take his team to the Eastern Conference Finals at least.

The Bucks should be a good litmus test as to how far the Lakers have come from a year ago.

1. Christmas Day game vs. the Clippers

Date: Dec. 25

Though this is a Christmas Day game, don’t expect a lot of love exchanged between these two teams on this holiday. The media coverage for this game will be off the charts, fueling the rivalry even further.

James, in particular, is likely still fuming from being spurned by both George and Leonard in consecutive summers. He will surely be pumped up for this game.

This will be the Lakers’ second meeting of the season against the Clippers, but it is expected to be their first time to face them with George in the lineup. The Lakers will have their hands full against a formidable defensive team.

Lou Williams, the back-to-back Sixth Man of the Year awardee, Montrezl Harrell, Patrick Beverley and Landry Shamet headline George and Leonard’s supporting cast. Coach Doc Rivers has a championship-caliber team that will want to test itself against one of their fiercest competitors.

A win against the Clippers will prove to pundits that they are wrong to believe the Clippers are the better team. Quinn Cook, Danny Green and DeMarcus Cousins should be fired up as well, as they go out to prove the supporting players' worth to a national TV audience.

Lakers coach Frank Vogel will also be motivated to prove that he has what it takes to steer this team and mold them into a championship team. Remember, too, that he coached George when they were with the Indiana Pacers years ago.

Needless to say, there are a number of reasons why this game is the biggest in the Lakers’ upcoming slate for the 2019-20 season.