There is a lot of NBA action to take place between the 28th of October 2014 and the 15th of April 2015, but players, fans and coaches at least know the path their team will take this season. If you believe that this season is the year your team takes NBA Championship glory, this may be the best opportunity you will have to place a bet on the outcome of the season. With the fixtures now released for the upcoming campaign, you have the chance to play games in your head, giving you a sense of what will come in the season. When it comes to the NBA Futures market, this is exactly the time of year to get involved.
There are plenty of highlights in the schedule but there will be plenty of basketball fans clearing out some time on Christmas Day to make sure that they can see some of the biggest games of the season. Thanksgiving may belong to the NFL but the NBA is making a big move to grab hold of Christmas Day and they have lined up an absolute must-watch game. At 5pm ET, you will see LeBron James making his return to Miami. There will also be a repeat of last season’s Western Conference final with San Antonio Spurs welcoming the Oklahoma City Thunder. There is also a big game scheduled between the Clippers and the Golden State Warriors.
The opening night of the campaign allows the San Antonio Spurs to acknowledge their success from last season, and a home game against the Dallas Mavericks is sure to catch the eye. This was a match-up that went to seven games in the first round of the Western Conference last season, so hopefully there will be another tight match to look out for and enjoy this season. The other big match on the opening night of the season sees the Houston Rockets travelling to Los Angeles, to take on the Lakers. This is the game where Kobe Bryant is expected to make a return from injury.
Will Derrick Rose return to fitness and form this year?
You don’t have to wait too long for more action because on the 29th of October you will hopefully see Derrick Rose back in NBA action as the Chicago Bulls make their way to New York to take on the Knicks. You then get your first chance to see Kevin Durant and his defence of the MVP award, as the Thunder make their way to take on the Portland Trail Blazers.
That should be enough excitement for the opening two days but if you were concerned that the third day would be a damp squib, don’t worry, the return of the King will sort that out for you. Yes, The Cleveland Cavaliers are playing at home on the 30th of October against the Knicks, in a match that is sure to be hotly anticipated. There is another chance to James the following evening as the Cavs make their way to Chicago to take on the Bulls.
If you are interested in looking out for the match-up between Durant and James, the first date for your diary is Thursday the 11th of December when the Oklahoma City Thunder welcome the Cavaliers, with the return match taking place on the 25th of January.
The NBA will take a trip down Mexico way on the 11th of November, where the Rockets and the Timberwolves square off. The two teams will be hoping for better fortune than last years’ attempt to play a game in basketball.
At 3-1 down in the NBA Finals, many people predicted that the Cleveland Cavaliers would lie down, perhaps looking for the pain to be over and done with for another year. After all, they were facing the record breakers, the team that had shown themselves to be the best of the best by a good...