Derrick Rose AFP file photo
LOS ANGELES — Some key dates in the 2013-14 NBA season that starts on Tuesday:
Oct 29: Season openers feature Derrick Rose returning for Chicago against NBA champions Miami
Dec 18: San Antonio and Minnesota square off in Mexico City, first of two regular-season games to be played outside the United States and Canada
Dec 19: Brooklyn Nets host New York Knicks in season’s first battle of the Big Apple
Dec 25: NBA celebrates Christmas with Miami at the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago at Brooklyn, Oklahoma City at the New York Knicks, Houston vs San Antonio, LA Clippers vs Golden State Warriors
Jan 16: Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks play in London
Jan 20: Knicks and Nets continue New York cross-town rivalry on Martin Luther King Jr. day
Jan 26: Heat and Spurs meet for first time since Miami beat San Antonio in 2013 finals
Feb 14: NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans
Feb 19: Dwight Howard returns to LA to face Lakers for first time since departing for Houston
Feb 20: Trade deadline
April 16: Regular season ends
April 19: Playoffs begin
May 20: NBA draft lottery
June 5: NBA Finals begin
June 26: NBA draft