It appears the NBA is nearing a full release of the first half of its 2020-21 schedule, and a new report shows two intriguing matchups on opening night, Dec. 22, on TNT.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Nets will host the Warriors that night while the Lakers and Clippers will face off at STAPLES Center.
The NBA’s tentative Dec. 22 opening night doubleheader on TNT: Nets vs. Warriors in Brooklyn and Lakers vs. Clippers in Los Angeles, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 2, 2020
The early game will mark another return for two-time Stephen Curry, who had only played a handful of games in the spring before the NBA shutdown, as well as the rest of the new-look Warriors, featuring newly acquired Kelly Oubre Jr. and No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman.
It will also feature the return of Kevin Durant for the first time since rupturing his Achilles’ tendon nearly 18 months ago in the 2019 NBA Finals. Of course, back then, Durant was playing for the Warriors, so the game will mark a clash between former championship teammates as well.
In the late game, the presumptive favorites in the Western Conference will go head-to-head in the arena they share, as NBA fans will get to see if the Clippers look fresher after hiring Ty Lue and turning over the back of the roster this offseason. On the other side, new Lakers additions like Marc Gasol and Montrezl Harrell will take the floor with their new team.
The release date for the 2020-21 schedule — either in its entirety or broken down by halves — is unclear. We do, however, know the opening night games, and on Tuesday, we learned the anticipated Christmas Day slate.