2024-2025 NBA Schedule: Key dates for fantasy basketball, video games to observe

The 2024-2025 NBA season begins on Tuesday, October 22 and on August 15, basketball heads had been handled to an entertaining schedule launch by a number of groups throughout the Affiliation. Shoutout to the Minnesota Timberwolves social staff, who dropped one of the best schedule reveal video. Right now, I will element how the schedule impacts fantasy basketball and a few marquee video games to observe all through the common season.

📆 Key Yahoo fantasy basketball dates to know

Mock Drafts Begin: Thursday, August 22 (subsequent Thursday!!)
Dwell Drafts Begin: Thursday, August 22
Dwell Drafts Finish: Sunday, March 9
Recreation Begin Date: Tuesday, October 22
Recreation Finish Date: Sunday, April 13
Default Commerce Deadline: Thursday, March 6
Default Playoffs Begin: Monday, March 17 (Week 20)
Default Playoffs Finish: Sunday, April 6 (Week 22)

Go right here for extra Yahoo Fantasy schedule data

📅 Key NBA dates to know

League Begin: Tuesday, October 22
Emirates NBA Cup: November 12 – December 17
NBA All-Star Weekend: February 14 – 16 (San Francisco, CA)
League Finish: April 13
Play-In Event: April 15-18
Playoffs Begin: April 19
NBA Finals Begin: June 5

Go right here for extra NBA scheduling data

🗓️ NBA Schedule Takeaways

I like to recommend beginning the fantasy playoffs as early as Week 18 (March 3) and no later than Week 20 (March 17). Discuss to your commish, as a result of the very last thing you wish to do is play by the top of the season when tanking groups throw within the towel or playoff contenders relaxation their essential guys forward of the postseason.
Whereas it is conceivable that we’ll proceed to see much less load administration with so many contract incentives tied to participation, it is regarding that the common variety of back-to-back video games per staff elevated to 14.9%. Nevertheless, eradicating all 4 video games in five-night situations is critical when factoring in journey and relaxation for gamers. Shoutout to Tim Reynolds for taking the time to do that evaluation.
11 groups play probably the most back-to-back video games (16): Hawks, Cavaliers, Nuggets, Rockets, Clippers, Bucks, Pelicans, Thunder, Suns, Kings and Wizards. (Kawhi Leonard’s knees should not thrilled by this information.)
Six groups play the fewest back-to-backs (13): Celtics, Bulls, Mavericks, Lakers, Magic, Path Blazers. What can I say, the league loves LeBron 🙃
Best energy of schedule: (1) Denver Nuggets, (2) Indiana Pacers, (3) Orlando Magic, (4) Boston Celtics and (5) New York Knicks
Hardest energy of schedule: (30) Portland Path Blazers, (29) Los Angeles Clippers, (28) Houston Rockets, (27) Phoenix Suns and (26) Brooklyn Nets
The Phoenix Suns have the most important relaxation disparity within the NBA at -4 video games (six relaxation benefit video games in comparison with 10 relaxation drawback video games). That is one thing to observe when factoring in Bradley Beal’s well being considerations and Kevin Durant’s age.
The Warriors and Bulls have a league-best +4 in relaxation benefit video games (in comparison with relaxation drawback video games)

🤔 Opening Night time: Tuesday, October 22

It is solely becoming that the reigning champs play on opening night time they usually’ll face one in every of their most difficult opponents within the Japanese Convention, the re-tooled New York Knicks. It’s going to be attention-grabbing to see how the Boston Celtics fare with out Kristaps Porzingis early within the season. On the flip aspect, seeing how Julius Randle meshes with the Knicks’ loaded beginning unit will even affect the fantasy values of fellow starters Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby — how a lot stays to be seen.

I am not enthusiastic in regards to the Lakers drawing an opening-night recreation, however I get it. I simply ask that we get the father-son second out of the way in which as early as attainable. We do not want or need that storyline dragging out. It is wishful pondering, however not less than we’ll additionally get to observe the ascending T’Wolves with Anthony Edwards and firm.

🏀 5 video games I’m hyped for early within the season

October 30: Spurs vs. Thunder

Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, the celebrities of the 2023 rookie class, dealing with off the second week of the season? Should-see TV.

November 6: Warriors vs. Celtics

Jayson Tatum would possibly go for 50+ after Steve Kerr put him on ice far an excessive amount of within the Paris Olympics.

November 12: Knicks vs. Sixers

A heated rivalry that acquired turned up a notch after the Knicks ousted the Sixers within the first spherical of the playoffs final season. Add Philly native Mikal Bridges to the fold in a return to the Wells Fargo Middle, plus Paul George — will probably be warfare.

November 29: Grizzlies vs. Pelicans

It has been a minute since we have seen Ja Morant and Zion Williamson go at it.

December 3: Rockets vs. Kings

The Kings introduced in DeMar DeRozan so as to add extra firepower to their offense, and the Rockets are trending up as top-of-the-line younger groups within the league. I guess that’ll be a observe meet.

🏆 Emirates NBA Cup

The Emirates NBA Cup, previously the in-season event, begins on November 12 and can finish with the championship recreation on December 17.

Influence on fantasy basketball: The Week 7 scoring interval will run from December 2 to December 15 (two weeks). The NBA will maintain the championship recreation on December 17, however it will not issue into the Week 8 fantasy scoring interval. After the championship recreation concludes, the Week 8 scoring interval will run from Thursday, December 19 by Sunday, December 22.

Extra Emirates NBA Cup data

🎄The Christmas Day lineup!

Fantasy soccer might be winding down at this level, and the NBA did an amazing job of attracting some heavy hitters for the vacations to compete with the NFL.

San Antonio Spurs @ New York Knicks
Minnesota Timberwolves @ Dallas Mavericks
Philadelphia 76ers @ Boston Celtics
Los Angeles Lakers @ Golden State Warriors
- The season’s first matchup between Steph Curry, LeBron James and Anthony Davis since capturing gold on the Paris Olympics. Cannot wait regardless of these two groups getting older out as playoff contenders.
Denver Nuggets @ Phoenix Suns