As the 2018-19 season approaches, there are a ton of must-see games on the schedule. The league has no shortage of compelling storylines and the rivalries, anticipated returns, and electrifying rookies are only a few of the reasons to tune into the NBA this season.
The NBA is a star-driven league so most of the games on our list feature a couple of the biggest stars in the league. LeBron James in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform is going to be must-see TV regardless of who the Lakers are playing. Every time the Golden State Warriors step on the floor, their opponent comes with their A game. Along with LeBron and the Warriors, rookies, returns, and grudge matches highlight our top 10 games you need to watch this season.
10. Dallas Mavericks @ Atlanta Hawks, 10/24, ESPN
This is the first chance the world will see Luka Doncic square off against Trae Young. The rookies will be forever linked due to a draft day trade where the Hawks gave up Doncic for Young and a protected first-round pick.
If Doncic develops into the player many believe he can become, Atlanta may look back on that deal with horror. But Young may become the second coming of Steve Nash. Securing their point guard of the future would help the Hawks feel comfortable about this trade.
This is the first installment of this matchup and there's no doubt that people will overreact to whatever happens.
9. Kristaps Porzingis' Return, TBD
There's no specific game for this one, but Kristaps Porzingis' return to the court will be epic. There is no timetable for the big man's return which makes this all the more intriguing. There has been speculation that Porzingis could make the dramatic return to the court on the Knicks' Christmas Day matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, but that feels optimistic at this point. It's much more likely that KP returns in the last couple months of the season with minutes restrictions.
The compelling thing about this game is the fact that we really don't know when it's going to happen. The Knicks don't look to be playoff contenders this season, but there is a palpable energy in the building. The roster is young and energetic with a head coach to match. David Fizdale has brought an energy and enthusiasm that the Knicks haven't had in some time. But everyone knows this team will only go as far as Porzingis takes them.
When — and if — he finally returns to the court this season, Madison Square Garden might collapse.
8. Phoenix Suns @ Dallas Mavericks, 4/9
Hold on a minute, how did the Dallas Mavericks make this list twice? At first glance, an April game between the Phoenix Suns and the Mavs doesn't appear to be must-watch basketball. Both teams will likely be out of the playoff hunt by this point and the fanbases will probably start thinking more about their upcoming lottery pick than anything happening on the floor.
But the reason this game is so important is that it could be Dirk Nowitzki's final game in Dallas. Nowitzki has made no indication that this will be his final season, but he has to be nearing the end of his career. The 40-year-old is entering the 21st season of his career — all with the Mavericks.
He is a no-brainer for the Hall of Fame and he'll go down as one of the greatest players in NBA history. He has the championship and Finals MVP that seem to elude many of the all-time greats. He will undoubtedly retire as the greatest European player to ever play in the NBA and probably the best foreign-born player as well — apologies to Manu Ginobili.
This nondescript matchup with the Suns could take on a life of its own if this is Dirk's final game in Dallas.
7. Los Angeles Lakers @ Cleveland Cavaliers, 11/21, ESPN
Is there any need to explain this one? LeBron James makes his return to Cleveland for the first time since he joined the Los Angeles Lakers. This time around, LeBron is leaving Cleveland a champion. He finally brought the Cavaliers a title and he did so under extraordinary circumstances.
Of course, Cavs fans wanted James to re-sign with the Cavaliers, but there isn't the same vitriol for James when he tucked tail for the Miami Heat eight years ago. When he returned to Cleveland with the Heat, he was booed every time he touched the ball — relentlessly.
James is more likely to receive a standing ovation when he touches the ball. His place is etched in the history of Cleveland and this return will be met by a thankful fan base.
6. Los Angeles Lakers @ Golden State Warriors, 12/25, ABC
LeBron against the Warriors. What else could you want? Santa Claus is bringing us the first game between the Warriors and the LeBron James-led Lakers for the Christmas Day slate.
The old foes meet again, but this time the circumstances are different. LeBron and the Warriors aren't set for the same NBA Finals rematch anymore, but that shouldn't take away any of the intrigue.
5. Philadelphia 76ers @ Utah Jazz, 12/27, TNT
What is a rookie? Under normal circumstances, that is an uncontroversial question. But ask that question to Jazz fans or Sixers fans and there could be fireworks. The intensely close race for Rookie of the Year during the 2017-18 season included Ben Simmons of Philly and Donovan Mitchell of Utah.
Simmons was playing his first season with the Sixers, but he sat out the entire season prior due to injury. Many Jazz fans felt slighted by the fact that Simmons won the award. But the fans weren't the only ones debating the definition of a rookie. Mitchell wore a passive-aggressive hoodie to let the world know how he felt about Simmons' rookie campaign. Additionally, the unforgiving Boston Celtics crowd chanted “not a rookie” at Simmons during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Mitchell noticed.
All in all, there seems to be a healthy rivalry developing between Mitchell and Simmons. It doesn't seem to be pure hatred, but each player has something to prove when they take the floor against in this one. This is a matchup that fans will get to watch many times in the future.
These two teams will play in Philly on Nov. 16, but the matchup in Utah will feature a much more passionate home crowd. The Jazz faithful still feel like Mitchell was robbed by Simmons.
4. Golden State Warriors @ Houston Rockets, 11/15, TNT
The Houston Rockets have serious reason to question the basketball gods. The Golden State Warriors were the defending champs and the heavy favorites to repeat. The Rockets showed early on in the season that they were a great team, but once they faced the Warriors in the playoffs, Golden State would assert their dominance, right?
Wrong. The Rockets had the Warriors down 3-2 in the Western Conference Finals, but they lost Chris Paul in a Game 5 victory and that was the turning point of the series. The Warriors beat James Harden and the Rockets in Games 6 and 7 while Paul was relegated to watching from the bench.
The Warriors added a rehabbing DeMarcus Cousins while the Rockets added an over-the-hill Carmelo Anthony. So it's safe to say that everyone expects a third-straight Warriors championship once they're healthy. But will the Rockets have something to say about that for the second straight year? And this time will they finish the job?
3. Los Angeles Lakers @ Portland Trail Blazers, 10/18, TNT
This is a no-brainer. It's the first time LeBron will don the purple and gold for the Los Angeles Lakers. It's a shame that his debut won't take place in Staples Center, but that won't take away much from this debut. Sure, we've seen LeBron in a Lakers uniform in preseason games, but that's not the real thing. We will finally get to see the next chapter in LeBron's career begin.
A secondary storyline to this game will be the future of the Portland Trail Blazers. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum have brought regular season success to Portland, but that has consistently been followed up by lackluster performances in the playoffs. A breakup in the future is always possible and Lillard has — at least tangentially — been linked to the Lakers in the past.
Could Lillard be the running mate that LeBron needs to compete with the Warriors in the future?
2. Philadelphia 76ers @ Boston Celtics, 10/16, TNT
This is one of the best rivalries in basketball right now. There's star power on both benches. Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid are the young, outspoken superstars who look poised to take over the Eastern Conference sooner rather than later. But standing in front of those Sixers, we find the Celtics. Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, and Al Horford are the All-Star veterans, but young talents like Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Terry Rozier, and Marcus Smart back them up. Not to mention, Brad Stevens and Brett Brown are two excellent tacticians.
After Boston's 4-1 series win in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Sixers have something to prove. Irving and Gordon returning from injury won't make it any easier on Philly.
In addition to the rivalry, this is the first game of the season and it will be Hayward's first game since suffering a gruesome season-ending injury in the first game of the 2017-18 season. This game is dripping with intrigue.
1. Toronto Raptors @ San Antonio Spurs, 1/3, TNT
This game risks losing some of its juice because it's not happening earlier in the season. Nevertheless, the sulfuric welcoming the San Antonio crowd will have for Kawhi Leonard shouldn't disappoint.
This is the first meeting between the two following one of the biggest, strangest, and longest running storylines from the 2017-18 season. The San Antonio Spurs were not used to playing the role of the incompetent franchise that couldn't keep its stars satisfied. But it became clear early on that this situation wasn't normal. After months of passive-aggressiveness from both sides, the marriage ended with Leonard digging up his passport and traveling north to Toronto.
The San Antonio welcoming committee won't roll out the red carpet for Kawhi in his return to the AT&T Center. He can expect a chorus of boos in his return.
Additionally, this is DeMar DeRozan's first chance at exacting revenge on the franchise that upended his life without any warning. There's still bad blood between the two and DeRozan will be motivated to show the Raptors what they're missing out on.
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