The NBA schedule for opening night includes two really good games. The Cleveland Cavaliers will host the Boston Celtics in the first game of the night and then the Golden State Warriors will host the Houston Rockets to close out the October 17 NBA schedule. Having both teams that made it to the 2017 NBA Finals hosting opening night games will certainly give fans a lot of entertainment.
The Cavs vs. Celtics will be the first game for All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving with his new team. The Cavs traded Irving to the Celtics during the NBA offseason and the league set it up so that the teams would immediately play one another.
In the nightcap, the Golden State Warriors will get to raise their championship banner, celebrating a second title in just three years.
Cavs vs. Celtics outlook
It is still unclear whether LeBron James will be on the court for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night (Oct. 17). James is dealing with a sprained ankle and was still non-committal about playing in the game during recent Cavs practices. This could lead to James being a game-time decision for coach Tyronn Lue, who will be using Dwyane Wade and Derrick Rose in the starting lineup for the first time.
The Boston Celtics have a new look to their starting lineup as well, with Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving expected to play heavy minutes this season.
A report by ESPN states that they will be joined by Al Horford, Marcus Morris, and Jaylen Brown to start the game. The Celtics will also have lottery pick Jayson Tatum coming off the bench, with the expectation that he could see a lot of minutes with Marcus Smart as members of the second unit.
Warriors vs. Rockets game
Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson return with the Golden State Warriors in the nightcap.
The team brings back all of its core players in an attempt to reach the NBA Finals for a fourth consecutive season. They will go up against an improved Houston Rockets team that now has All-Star point guard Chris Paul teaming up with James Harden. The Rockets are expected to score a lot of points during the 2017-18 NBA season, but can they keep pace with the Warriors?
TNT is providing TV coverage for the opening night NBA schedule. The Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game will be at 7 PM ET, with the Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors taking place at roughly 10:30 PM ET. Before the Warriors tip off, they will have a ring ceremony, in addition to another banner getting raised. These are the only two games on the NBA schedule for Oct. 17, but most of the teams will be in action on Wednesday night (Oct. 18).
