The NBA released its upcoming schedule Monday and here’s some rematches, homecomings and other games to watch during this 2019-20 NBA season :
FINALS REMATCHES
Toronto at Golden State, March 5
Golden State at Toronto, March 16
It may be a while for the Raptors and Warriors to get back together and recreate — sort of — the 2019 NBA Finals. The Raptors won’t have Kawhi Leonard or Danny Green, the Warriors won’t have Kevin Durant, Shaun Livingston or Andre Iguodala. But since these games aren’t until March, there’s a reasonable chance that Klay Thompson will be recovered from his ACL tear and back on the floor by then.
WHERE’S KAWHI …
Toronto at L.A. Clippers, Nov. 11
L.A. Clippers at Toronto, Dec. 11
The Raptors will reunite with the 2019 NBA Finals MVP relatively early this season, and it’s likely that Leonard and Green will get their championship rings — along with one last well-deserved round of applause from the Raptors’ faithful — during the December trip to Toronto.
LAKERS-CLIPPERS RIVALRY
The battle for L.A. this season could be the battle for the top spot in the Western Conference. They’ll play on opening night, Oct. 22; Christmas; Jan. 28 and then in an afternoon matchup on March 4.
MVP SHOWDOWN
NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks face now-former MVP James Harden and the Houston Rockets on Oct. 24 — in Houston, the season-opener for both teams. They won’t play again until March 25 in Milwaukee.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK-THUNDER
The Houston guard will face Oklahoma City as an opponent for the first time on Oct. 28, and travel to OKC for the first time on Jan. 9.
ANTHONY DAVIS-PELICANS
Now with the Los Angeles Lakers, Davis will see his former team for the first time when he travels to New Orleans on Nov. 27.
KYRIE IRVING-CELTICS
Nov. 27 will also be a big night for Brooklyn’s new point guard, since that’s when he’ll return to Boston for the first time as an opponent since leaving the Celtics.
KEMBA WALKER-HORNETS
He returns to Charlotte for the first time on Nov. 7, when Boston visits the Hornets.
JIMMY BUTLER-SIXERS
The new Heat forward will have a whole slew of reunions this year, including Oct. 27 when Miami goes to Minnesota and on Nov. 23 when the Heat visit Philadelphia.