LA Lakers - Golden State and Oklahoma City - Houston to open the next NBA season

ESPN and The Athletic unveiled the opening night schedule for the upcoming NBA season on Friday. The season will kick off on October 21 with two games, both of which will be exciting.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, crowned champions for the first time last June, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP, will host the Houston Rockets, who had a great regular season (but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs), and who have just signed Kevin Durant. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers, with LeBron James and Luka Doncic, will host Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors.

The Christmas Day schedule was also revealed by ESPN. Five games will take place on December 25, including the same teams as on Opening Day. The Lakers will host Houston, Golden State will play at home against the Dallas Mavericks, and Oklahoma City will host the San Antonio Spurs—a duel of young centers between Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren.

On the same day, Nikola Jokic's Denver Nuggets will face the Minnesota Timberwolves at home, and the New York Knicks, Western Conference finalists, will face the Cleveland Cavaliers, No. 1 in the same conference but beaten in the second round of the playoffs.