2024-25 NBA Season Preview: Buckle Up for a Bumpy Ride!
Ah, folks! The moment we’ve all been waiting for is nearly upon us. As the 2024-25 NBA season approaches, basketball fans everywhere are preparing for a season filled with suspense, joy, and perhaps a few too many broken remote controls during those nail-biting moments. With 30 teams gearing up for what is touted as one of the most competitive seasons yet, let’s take a look at everything that’s got the hardwood buzzing.
When Does the 2024-25 NBA Season Start?
Mark your calendars! The season officially tips off on Tuesday, October 22nd. What a delightful mid-week distraction as the New York Knicks stroll into Boston to clash with the defending champions, the Boston Celtics, at a rather civil time of 23:30 GMT (that’s 6:30 PM local time for those of us not fluent in military time!). A classic showdown, folks—think of it as a delicious starters platter before the main course of the season arrives!
What is the Competition Format?
- Each of the 30 teams will play a grueling 82 games over the span of seven months. That’s enough basketball to give even the biggest junkie a sore backside!
- The top six teams in both the Eastern and Western Conferences will qualify for the playoffs. Automatic entry—just like in the exclusive clubs that only let in the good-looking people!
- The secondary playoff positions (7-10) are up for grabs in a mini tournament. Think of it as ‘Survivor: NBA Edition’—only with more sneakers and fewer coconuts.
Who is Most Likely to Win?
- In the Eastern Conference, the Celtics are the bookmakers’ favorites to defend their title. Meanwhile, the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers are seen as the biggest threats—sort of like the annoying friends who always take the last slice of pizza.
- Over in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been given the “thanks for playing” award, while the Denver Nuggets, last season’s runner-up Dallas Mavericks, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Phoenix Suns are the heavy hitters this time around.
Key Dates for the 2024-25 NBA Schedule
- October 22, 2024: NBA regular season begins
- November 2, 2024: NBA Mexico City 2024 (Miami Heat vs. Washington Wizards)—because who doesn’t love a little sunshine while watching sports?
- February 14-16, 2025: NBA All-Star Game in the charming city of San Francisco—perfect for selfies and contention over who’s dethroning the next MVP!
- June: NBA Finals (exact date TBD)—because anticipation is just half the fun!
Three Hot Storylines This Season
#1. LeBron and Bronny James: The First Father-Son Duo
In case you missed it amidst all the hustle, LeBron James and his son Bronny are set to make history this season. Yes, you read that right! The dynamic duo will be hitting the NBA courts together for the first time—talk about family bonding time! Their Los Angeles Lakers season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves will be a day to remember. Will it be a touch of greatness, or more like dad bringing out the embarrassing dance moves at the family wedding?
#2. MVP Battle: SGA vs. Luka
In what’s shaping up to be the tightest MVP race since… well, last season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from the Thunder and Luka Doncic from the Mavericks are gearing up to battle it out. Both are coming off impressive seasons, combining enough stats to make an accountant blush. It’s not just a personal rivalry; it sparks the ongoing conflict between their teams. Who doesn’t love a bit of competitive drama?
#3. NBA Teams Fight for Cooper Flagg Draft
Ah, young gun Cooper Flagg—the most coveted prospect since LeBron James! As he gets ready to kick off his college career at Duke, the NBA’s bottom-feeders are already strategizing how to snag him for the 2025 draft. Expect some teams to master the art of strategic losing. That’s right—“tanking” is back in fashion, folks!
Key Player Movements This Offseason
#1. Paul George Joins the 76ers
Paul George, the small forward who can seemingly do it all, has found a new home in Philadelphia. Think of him as the missing puzzle piece that might just help the 76ers create an unbeatable triangle offense alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
#2. Karl-Anthony Towns Joins New York Knicks
The ever-talented Karl-Anthony Towns is now strutting his stuff in Madison Square Garden. With an All-Star track record, he’s gearing up to make the Knicks the talk of the town. Will he bring home the glory their fans have craved since 1973? Judging by history, he might just have better luck hunting for a UFO!
How to Watch the 2024-25 NBA Season?
For those who prefer the thrill of watching games from the comfort of their sofas, NBA League Pass will have your back (and hopefully your snacks!). Whether it’s live broadcasts or on-demand replays, there’s no excuse to miss out when the action heats up. And if you need some witty commentary to go along with your game, check out Al Jazeera’s Basketball page for everything NBA!
With all this excitement and potential wildness, one thing is for certain: the 2024-25 NBA season promises to keep us on the edge of our seats. So get ready, basketball fanatics—let’s make some noise!
As the 2024-25 National Basketball League (NBA) season approaches, the NBA’s 30 teams are making final preparations for what will be one of the most competitive seasons ever.
Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming season:
When does the 2024-25 NBA season start?
The new NBA season will kick off on Tuesday, October 22, with the New York Knicks visiting the defending champion Boston Celtics at 23:30 GMT (6:30 pm local time) in Boston. starts at TD Garden.
What is the competition format?
- During the regular season, 30 teams play 82 games over seven months.
- At the end of the season, the top six teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences will automatically qualify for the playoffs.
- The second-place teams – No. 7-10 in both conferences – will participate in the playoffs to secure the remaining seventh and eighth playoff spots in each conference.
Who is most likely to win?
- In the Eastern Conference, the NBA champion Boston Celtics are the team bookmakers and league executives agree will win the conference title again, and are the team most likely to defend the title. Many basketball commentators consider the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers to be the biggest threats to Boston in the East.
- In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder have the least chance of winning the title, followed by several strong title contenders: the Denver Nuggets, last season’s NBA runner-up Dallas Mavericks, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Phoenix Suns .
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown holds up the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy after the team won the 2024 NBA Finals on June 17, 2024 (Getty Images)
What are the key dates for the 2024-25 NBA schedule?
- October 22, 2024:NBA regular season begins
- November 2, 2024:NBA Mexico City 2024 (Miami Heat vs. Washington Wizards)
- November 12, 2024:Emirates NBA Cup (in-season tournament) begins
- December 17, 2024:Emirates NBA Cup Championship
- January 23 and 25, 2025:NBA Paris Game (San Antonio Spurs vs. Indiana Pacers)
- February 6, 2025:NBA trade deadline
- February 14-16, 2025:NBA All-Star Game (held in San Francisco, California)
- April 13, 2025:NBA regular season ends
- April 15-18:NBA Play-offs
- April 19th:NBA playoffs begin
- June:NBA Finals (exact date to be determined)
Three hot storylines this season
#1. LeBron and Bronny James: The first father-son duo to play together on an NBA team
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (left) and guard Bronny James attend an NBA preseason game in Las Vegas, Nevada, as they wait to make history as the first father-son duo to play in the NBA. They participate in NBA preseason warm-ups on October 15, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada (Associated Press)
The countdown has begun as NBA all-time scoring leader LeBron James becomes the first player to compete on the court with his son.
LeBron’s team, the Los Angeles Lakers, will open their regular season against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, October 22. Will this be a day where father and son make history, or will it last until the end of the season?
#2. MVP Battle: SGA vs Luca
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (right) and Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic (No. 77) during the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs on May 13, 2024 Head-to-head in series (AP)
Bookmakers predict Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) and Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic will be the two main contenders for the NBA regular season Most Valuable Player (MVP) award who.
Last season, both players achieved amazing results: SGA averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds in 75 games; Doncic averaged 33.9 points, 9.8 assists in 70 games. and 9.2 rebounds.
Beyond the tantalizing MVP competition between the duo, the two superstars play in the same league, and their teams played six games in a tight second-round Western Conference matchup last season, with Doncic After the team won, a new rivalry emerged between their teams.
#3. NBA teams fight for Cooper Flagg draft
Cooper Flagg has just begun his college career at Duke, but pro scouts are already watching his every move on the basketball court ahead of the 2025 NBA draft (AP)
Flagg may be the most coveted small forward prospect since LeBron James was drafted in 2003.
The 17-year-old Flagg, who hasn’t even entered the NBA yet, recently committed to play for American college powerhouse Duke in the 2024-25 season.
But with the 6-foot-9 Newport, Maine, native considered the unanimous No. 1 pick in next year’s draft, several NBA teams are expected to take a pass — a common practice. That is, incentivizing an already struggling team to lose more games — to increase their odds of landing the No. 1 pick in 2025.
With Flagg emerging as the team’s potential savior, the 2024-25 NBA season could be as much about fighting for the bottom spot in the standings as it is about the top spot.
Which key players moved this offseason?
#1. Paul George joins Philadelphia 76ers
The NBA’s newest “Big Three” are, left to right, Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey, center Joel Embiid and newly signed small forward Paul George (AFP)
Long considered the quintessential small forward in today’s NBA — tall, a good shooter, a capable passer and defender — George was signed as a free agent this offseason after five seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers. Sixers signing.
Nicknamed “PG-13,” George was selected to the NBA All-Star nine times, the NBA All-NBA Team six times, and the NBA All-Defensive Team four times.
The 34-year-old arrives in Philadelphia as the end of perhaps the NBA’s most lethal “Big Three” tandem heading into the 2024-25 season, with George teaming up with former NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Joel Embiid Joining forces with Tyrese Maxey, last season’s most improved defender.
#2. Karl-Anthony Towns joins New York Knicks
Newly signed player Karl-Anthony Towns No. 32 will be the focus of the New York Knicks in the 2024-25 season (AFP)
The 6-foot-11 forward center was traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the New York Knicks, where he will team up with mercurial point guard Jalen Brunson to become the league’s most lethal force. One of the 1-2 combinations.
Towns is a four-time NBA All-Star and one of 10 players in NBA history to average at least 22 points and 10 rebounds per game in his career (at least 500 games).
The 28-year-old joins the famous Knicks, making them one of the favorites for the NBA championship in the 2024-25 season.
The Knicks hope Towns’ arrival at Madison Square Garden will bring their long-suffering fans their first NBA championship since 1973.
How did the 30 teams rank last season?
NBA 2023-24 season (Eastern Conference) rankings and win-loss record:
Boston Celtics 64-18
New York Knicks 50-32
Milwaukee Bucks 49-33
Cleveland Cavaliers 48-34
Orlando Magic 47-35
Indiana Pacers 47-35
Philadelphia 76ers 47-35
Miami Heat 46-36
Chicago Bulls 39-43
Atlanta Hawks 36-46
Brooklyn Nets 32-50
Toronto Raptors 25-57
Charlotte Hornets 21-61
Washington Wizards 15-67
Detroit Pistons 14-68
NBA 2023-24 season (Western Conference) rankings and win-loss record:
Oklahoma City Thunder 57-25
Denver Nuggets 57-25
Minnesota Timberwolves 56-26
Los Angeles Clippers 51-31
Dallas Mavericks 50-32
Phoenix Suns 49-33
New Orleans Pelicans 49-33
Los Angeles Lakers 47-35
Sacramento Kings 46-36
Golden State Warriors 46-36
Houston Rockets 41-41
Utah Jazz 31-51
Memphis Grizzlies 27-55
San Antonio Spurs 22-60
Portland Trail Blazers 21-61
How to watch the 2024-25 NBA season?
NBA League Pass will continue to offer non-local games, NBA TV live broadcasts and on-demand replays of every game. Check your local TV guide for cable/satellite service in your area.
You can watch it on Al JazeeraBasketball pageFollow the Game on , which includes all news and features, plus game previews and live text commentary for select NBA games during the 2024-25 season.
