1990s pop culture brought us Buffy and Party of Five on primetime TV, and two stars from those shows formed one half of a quartet of a budding horror franchise that didn’t earn critical praise but did launch careers. The first film, 1997’s I Know What You Did Last Summer, reveled in horror tropes including a nonsensical set of decisions by the group — portrayed by Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Ryan Phillipe — rounding out a group of high schoolers who hit a pedestrian and tried to cover their tracks. Of course, somebody was aware of their criminal acts and a mysterious, hooked figure (Ben, portrayed by Muse Watson) proceeded to make their lives hell with various stalking and threatening behavior.

The film was quickly followed by 1998’s I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, starring Hewitt, Prinze, Watson, and several cast additions including Brandy and Mekhi Phifer. That film ended with Hewitt’s character still being terrorized by Watson, although, presumably, she remains alive? Let’s talk about what has been revealed thus far about the reboot film that will act as a legacy sequel to the first two films.

Cast

Deadline has reported that Hewitt and Prinze are expected to return, although Prinze did tell Us Weekly, “Nothing’s a lock until there’s ink on paper, until the contract’s signed, but I’m definitely talking to them.” Watson’s possible hook-involvement hasn’t been confirmed yet either, although set-in-stone new cast members will include Camila Mendes, Madelyn Cline, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, and Sarah Pidgeon.

Notably, Brandy (who appeared in I Still Know What You Did Last Summer), reacted to news of the reboot by telling Hollywood Reporter that she “didn’t know Sony was putting that together.” She called this development “interesting” and expressed interest in returning to the franchise while also insisting that “I’m not pulling a fast one on you” for PR purposes.

It’s worth noting that this franchise’s third film, 2006’s I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer, skipped theaters with a new cast, and that film appears to be erased from memory for reboot purposes. Additionally, a Prime Video/Amazon series (also called I Know What You Did Last Summer) aired for a season in 2021 before being swiftly cancelled. That project will likely also be ignored for the future, so let’s talk about what has been announced.

Plot

As Deadline revealed, the reboot script has been penned by Leah McKendrick with further writing from Kaytin Robinson and Sam Lansky. The film shall be produced by Sony and distributed by Columbia Pictures, and original franchise producer Neal Moritz is onboard again.

Specifics on the new plot are hush hush, but a young new cast will be front and center, and presumably, the new group will also accidentally do something gruesome and pay the price a year later, although hopefully, this film will differentiate from what came before in a way that will bring something new to the table for this century.

Release Date

The reboot is currently planned for a July 18, 2025 arrival.

Trailer

In lieu of an actual reboot trailer, it’s worth revisiting Jennifer Love Hewitt’s admission (to US Weekly) that her “What are you waiting for?” scene, spinning and everything, was directed by a kid who won a contest.

And here’s that scene in all its bizarre “glory.” If there’s no tribute to this madness in the reboot, then why bother?

The Best New Hip-Hop This Week includes albums, videos, and songs from Big Sean, Chance The Rapper, and YG.

Latto followed up the release of her new album Sugar Honey Iced Tea with an additional new song, “Chicken Grease.”

Cash Cobain pushed the limits of modern-day short singles with “Problems,” a massive megamix of Laila!’s breakout TikTok hit — which she also dropped a video for — featuring almost a dozen guest stars.

Big Sean finally dropped his and The Alchemist’s collab, “Together Forever.”

Chance The Rapper reunited with Joey Purp for “Bad Boys 2,” a throwback to their SAVEMONEY days.

Lil Yachty teamed up with Veeze to flex on the unapologetic “Sorry Not Sorry.”

And Coi Leray got animated in the video for the cartoony, “Not In The Store.”

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending Friday, August 16, 2024.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

38 Spesh — Mother & Gun

Rochester, New York rapper and producer 38 Spesh is one project shy of 20 with Mother & Gun, which is impressive considering his remarkable consistency. This time out, he’s accompanied by New York City mainstays Havoc, Lloyd Banks, and Method Man, as well as fellow Upstaters Benny The Butcher and Che Noir.

Billy B — Better Late Than Never

Brooklyn native Billy B is a relative newcomer, but credit Tidal’s algorithm for occasionally surfacing some good stuff. Her flow and beat choice on this project definitely hearken back to the Golden Era sound of her hometown, but she’s got her own unique point of view that complements that sound in an original way.

Jae Skeese — Ground Level

Another Upstate New York native, Buffalo’s Jae Skeese is one of the flagship artists of artist of Conway The Machine’s Drumwork Records. Despite being packed with features, Ground Level keeps the focus firmly on Skeese as he works to establish himself as a force worthy of being associated with the likes of Big KRIT, Dave East, Jay Worthy, Sauce Walka, Smoke DZA, and the rest of his high-profile guest stars.

YG — Just Re’d Up 3

A surprising double album, Just Re’d Up 3 takes cues from the mixtape series that YG continues with this latest installment, but also adds in all the creative growth he’s undergone since My Krazy Life. It’s so surprising because it’s more of a smooth, romantic ride than we’re used to from the gangsta rap stalwart (although there’s still plenty of that material here, as well).

Singles/Videos

Blu & Exile — “Love Is Blue”

As great as Blu and Exile have proven to be as artists individually, there’s simply no denying that they bring the best out of each other whenever they reunite. That remains true on this soulful new single, which precedes another of their infrequent collaborative albums, Blu & Exile Love the Ominous World, which is on the way.

LaRussell — “Caught Up In My Head” Feat. Wonderlust

Here’s something different from the Bay Area rapper. Leaving his post-hyphy anthems to the side for a moment, the Vallejo native attempts something more melodic, combining finger-snapping, danceable indie-pop with a four-on-the-floor beat and crooning his heart out. It’s nice to see rappers stepping out of their comfort zones, especially when they have this much fun doing it.

Rylo Rodriguez — “85 Cutlass”

Lil Baby’s 4PF protégé puts his learning under one of rap’s foremost hitmakers on display. Rather than tell us how certified he is, he describes his qualifications with a list of vivid lyrical images that show us just how much he’s been through to justify his fatalistic outlook.

That Mexican OT — “1982” Feat. Curren$y & LE$

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I love when That Mexican OT goes in over more jazzy, laid-back instrumentals like this one. That he’s joined by two of the most high-profile progenitors of the lifestyle rap subgenre in Curren$y and fellow Texan LE$ is just icing on a very smooth cake.

Jacob Trouba has a look of bewilderment in his eyes. We meet at Harper’s Gallery, in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City, for his “Landing My Mark” exhibition opening. Trouba emanates self-assurance, but this is unfamiliar territory. The New York Rangers captain isn’t fazed by thousands of people watching his every move on the ice, but he never imagined his artwork would be up for public consumption.

“I didn’t set out to have a gallery show when I started,” Trouba, 30, says. “This is the first time people have viewed them in person — the first showing [outside of] friends and family at our apartment. I was never out to sell art. That was never the goal.”

Three summers ago, Trouba set out to find an offseason hobby. He doesn’t watch television, and, as he says now, “I suck at golf.” Michael Geschwer, a friend since Trouba had been traded from Winnipeg to New York in 2019, invited Trouba to his art studio. “I said, ‘I’ll go for three days and give it a try,” Trouba says. Initially, Trouba’s goal was to paint something his wife, Dr. Kelly Tyson-Trouba, would want hanging on their apartment walls. “Because it was impossible,” Trouba says, flashing a grin. “There was no way I could have painted something that she would’ve let me hang in the house. So, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m gonna do it.’”

At Geschwer’s studio, Trouba didn’t know what to do with the paintbrush in his hand. He tried painting Kelly and their dog. “I wanted to go home. I was horrible,” he says, adding, “I was very close to being like, ‘This just isn’t for me.’”

Then, Trouba remembered who he was. He had made his name on the ice as a relentlessly physical defenseman, selflessly launching his body to inflict punishing hits in pursuit of something greater. A couple of weeks later at Geschwer’s studio, Trouba realized he had overlooked his favorite tool for self-expression: His body.

Trouba suited up in his hockey gear, doused in oil and acrylic paint, and launched himself onto a wall-length canvas. “Leap Of Faith,” Trouba’s first painting, was born.

“I remember stepping back and looking at it, like, Whoa, this is awesome. I can do something with this,” Trouba says. “You make marks, and then you figure it out. You can change them. Nothing’s permanent. I think that was when I was like, so I can make this line, I can fix it, or do something else? It’s not there forever. You want it to be done quickly, and it just doesn’t happen quickly. So, [I had to] get over that hurdle of this isn’t going to be done today, tomorrow, or this week; this is going to be months.”

Trouba’s hockey career was already a testament to his dedication to seeing something through, no matter how long it takes. Trouba rooted his identity in hockey as a kid in Rochester, Michigan, and excelled for one season at the University of Michigan before the Winnipeg Jets snagged him ninth overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Anyone could have seen Jacob Trouba, NHL star, coming.

Nobody saw Jacob Trouba, the artist, coming.

Trouba never drew attention to it. His teammates didn’t grasp it until a Trouba painting was auctioned during New York Rangers Casino Night in February. The same month, Trouba custom painted the backplate of Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick’s mask for the 2024 NHL Stadium Series. Slowly, Trouba invited friends and family to the studio and opened up to them, which he describes as “nerve-wracking,” but they encouraged him to keep sharing his art.

“Jacob never really showed any artistic interest in his adolescence, which is why I was so surprised when he told me he was painting,” says Kristy Trouba, Jacob’s mother, with whom Jacob became a face for AstraZeneca’s “Get Body Checked Against Cancer” campaign. “He spent most of his time concentrating on school and hockey. When most of his friends were inside playing video games, Jacob would be out in the garage shooting hockey pucks against a shooting tarp.”

She adds, “Not surprising to me, however, is the fact that he has been so successful in this endeavor. One thing I know to be true is that, once Jacob sets his mind to something, he gives it 110 percent and is generally very successful.”

Yes, Trouba was finally successful in winning over Kelly, his wife of five-plus years, with an all-brush painting depicting their relationship. She hung it in the nursery for their infant son, Axel. “Actually, the baby loves it,” Trouba says. “When you walk by it, he stares at it, which is great.” But Trouba is proudest of how painting widens his scope to give back.

“The charitable aspect is much more fulfilling than my art hanging in someone’s house,” Trouba says.

In June, Trouba reacted to PGA Tour golfer Grayson Murray’s death by suicide by donating that month’s print sales to Athletes For Hope and estimates it amounted to $10,000, and will continue as an ambassador for the foundation. At Harper’s Gallery, Trouba donated one painting to be auctioned off as part of his partnership with NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer. The Rangers star also pulled from personal experience when founding the Trouba Creative Expressions Arts Program with Kelly, who suffers from epilepsy. The program connects adults with epilepsy with art therapists.

Trouba mostly speaks very matter-of-factly and self-deprecatingly about what he repeatedly refers to as simply “a hobby” that he “enjoys spending time doing” throughout our conversation. “I don’t view it as some crazy thing I’m trying to accomplish,” he says. But someone needs to say it: Trouba’s artwork helps people by simply existing. He doesn’t paint for a reaction, but he’s been touched by watching people’s reactions change — their minds opening to new perspective in real time — when he explains his intention behind a piece.

“I was interested in what makes a piece of art good,” Trouba says, referencing his mindset three summers ago. “Why is that one better than this one? That was the original question I had. I’m not perfect at art in any way imaginable and probably never will be. It was more about the challenge of, you’re a hockey player; you can’t be an artist. You’re not supposed to do this. The challenge more than perfection.”

Harper Levine, founder and owner of Harper’s Gallery, didn’t dismiss Trouba as a hockey player after seeing his blue and black “Arrival And Departure” painting online. Levine, a Rangers fan, was watching a game last December when his daughter blew up his phone: “Dad, Jacob’s a good artist!”

“I started looking at his feed, and I couldn’t believe what I saw,” Levine says. “I was immediately struck by the blue painting, and it’s inescapably a great painting. You wouldn’t be able to create a compositionally sophisticated painting like Jacob has done if you didn’t have some real inherent great chops as an artist. He has no formal training, so he has an innate artistic sense that he probably was born with. It’s just amazing that someone who has such a high-profile day job is also so good at this.”

Trouba is a naturally distinguishable artist because, consciously or subconsciously, painting reframed his day job and his relationship with his body. With Geschwer, Trouba attached to art by studying the basics of marks, lines, and washes. He eventually recognized that his hockey hits were more than hits. His body had value outside of what it could do for the Rangers, and he owed it to himself to explore the unique marks his body could make as his brush.

“It really shines a light that athletes are not one-dimensional people,” Levine says. “Athletes are objectified. One of the reasons why, from an art standpoint, this is so interesting is there was a famous artist named Yves Klein who did body paintings, but he used a model. Jacob used his own body for self-liberation.”

Levine continues, “Because Jacob is known as a hockey player — a very tough, old-school, and very physical hockey player — this is a way for him to channel those things that he brings on the ice into something completely different so that folks recognize that it’s not what they think it is. His hits can be channeled into something else that’s really poetic and intrinsically non-violent.”

Trouba notes that “hitting will still be incorporated” in his artwork, but he emphasizes that “there’s more to explore.” He feels like a kid again — indulging his curiosity and competitive nature, free from the weight of results.

“I’m expanding the artistic language while still bringing it back to hockey,” he says. He points toward a light and dark blue painting called “The Center” hanging in the opposite corner. “The only blue dot on the hockey rink is the center-ice dot, but it’s not just a blue dot. I skated over it, made my lines, and it encompasses the center of my universe.” Hanging in another room is “Wheat Field,” which Trouba painted this summer by smacking his hockey stick against the canvas to maintain a hockey element while allowing for growth into more traditional brushwork. In the process, he is preserving his hockey identity.

When asked whether he finds relief in knowing he can paint forever as opposed to inevitable athletic mortality, Trouba flinches. He laughs before saying, “I don’t know. I don’t like to think about the end of hockey.” Although, he admits, “Maybe the running into the wall will expire at some point, but there is no expiration date on painting.”

This month, an untold number of people have walked by Harper’s Gallery and seen Trouba’s “Arrival And Departure” hanging in the window — the same painting that prompted Levine to initiate this gallery showing. Many of them probably had a visceral reaction like Levine did. “Arrival And Departure” may not have been as striking if Trouba had ignored his gut feeling that it wasn’t finished. He had walked away from it for a week, assuming it was done, before suiting up and hitting it again. Selflessly pushing his body in pursuit of something greater. He shook off angst that he’d ruined it and added white emulsion. He responded to his marks until they told him the painting was done.

Now, “Arrival And Departure” symbolizes what will drive Trouba long after his “Landing My Mark” exhibition exits Harper’s Gallery on August 24.

“I can do what I want to do, change it if I don’t like something, paint over it, let it dry, and paint it white again — you can do anything,” he says. “In hockey, winning is that feeling you chase. Painting is kind of the same thing. A finished painting is something you’re proud of. You leave the studio, and you’re like, ‘Oh, I love it.’ You feel happy. Everything in here, I love. Nothing you don’t love is finished.”

The latest edition of the NBA 2K series is coming out in a few weeks, and as a result, player ratings are starting to slowly but surely get released. On Friday afternoon, Ronnie 2K announced the ratings for a special group of players: The top-30 rookies entering the 2024-25 season.

Here’s how they all break down, with the top-2 picks in the 2024 NBA Draft — Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks and Alex Sarr of the Washington Wizards — leading the way. Both players will enter the league rated 75 overall.

Much has been made about the relative weakness of the 2024 class, which is reflected in these ratings. While no one was going to come close to Victor Wembanyama, who was an 84 overall from the moment he stepped into the league, Risacher and Sarr’s 75 overall rating would slide them right in between Amen and Ausar Thompson, who were both a 76 last year, and Jarace Walker, who was a 74.

NBA 2K25 is scheduled to come out on Sept. 6, 2024. There are four covers: Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics is on the Standard Edition of the game, A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces is on the WNBA Edition, Tatum and Wilson will appear on the All-Star Edition, and Vince Carter is on the Hall of Fame Edition.

Yonkers rapper Iman Nunez isn’t scared of anything. That’s at least my takeaway after listening to his latest album Phases Vol. 2. The nine-track project, hosted by Gabe P’s New York-based platform On The Radar, was the start of many big moments for Iman Nunez and his 2024 campaign. Shortly after the album’s release, Nunez experienced a viral moment beside fellow NY rappers Fergie Baby, HDBeenDope, Dizzy Banko, LifeOfThom, Niko Brim, Tony E thanks to a freestyle performed on On The Radar. A few weeks later, Nunez took his talents to the 2024 BET Awards for another performance.

These moments and the ones that will surely follow are the result of the grit, fight, and resilience that Nunez on Phases Vol. 2. “I Got Time” is a boastful anthem that makes it clear that fame and the life that comes with it won’t change the person Nunez is. “Pipe Down” with Dizzy Banko and Fergie Baby demands silence from unworthy competitors and nuisances while “Get Off My Back” seeks freedom from the life’s pressures. Nunez’s rap skills are not to be questioned, nor is his determination to reach new heights — a combination that will prove to be greatly beneficial for the rising Yonkers rapper.

With Phases Vol. 2 still in rotation, we caught up with Iman Nunez for this week’s Uproxx Music 20 column. Scroll down to check out some highlights from his catalog and to learn more about his inspiration, influences, and aspirations.

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What is your earliest memory of music?

My earliest memory of music is falling asleep to classical music when I was a child. Every night, my mom used to have that playing for us to go to sleep.

Who inspired you to take music seriously?

What inspired me to take music seriously was the obsession of wanting to be great. I had a love for hip-hop as a child and didn’t think that type of dream was attainable but realized it soon after and started to check goals off.

Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?

I played piano for many years of my life when growing up, but I sadly forgot because instead of learning notes, I was memorizing the way the song sounded in order to know what to do next. If I had to choose an instrument to learn, it would be to relearn the piano.

What was your first job?

My first job ever was Uber Eats. I used to go to the city, get an unlimited metro card and start working ’til sundown.

What is your most prized possession?

My fiancé and I each have this grape soda pin from the movie “Up” that I cherish.

What is your biggest fear?

I have a big fear of heights. I don’t know where I developed it, but I’m trying to overcome it as I get older.

Who is on your rap Mt. Rushmore?

Lil Wayne, Kanye West, J. Cole & Jay-Z (in no order).

You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!

I’m purchasing every single type of crypto with it being a downtime, renting out Disneyland (DCA Specifically) to set up a listening party in the park for a project coming out. I’ll also purchase court-side tickets to a Knicks playoff game in advance.

What are your three most used emojis?

, , and .

What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?

Stevie Wonder.

If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?

The Bear. I’d love to see me as a chef in that type of high intensity environment. It’s a very well put together show.

Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?

I’d say J. Cole. My reasoning behind that is because you can tell that he’s genuinely himself. He’s still growing as a human and it doesn’t feel like a facade.

Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.

Pineapple on pizza is a sin.

What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?

I’m one of those people that don’t have a best song ever. That changes for me every day or week. Last week was “Birds Of A Feather” by Billie Eilish. At this very moment, the best song ever (to me) is “Glock” by Don Toliver. I don’t think there’s a better song out right now. I wish I made it myself. It’s smooth, catchy, a good time, the beat is insane.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?

My hometown, NYC. I’ve been blessed enough to do my own headline shows so it’s always love. A city I’m excited to perform at for my first time is Toronto.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.

Coco Jones, Jordan Ward, JID, Lil Wayne & J. Cole (this list is subject to change).

What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?

I’d probably be managing artists or finding my way into the entertainment industry or start a sports agency.

If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?

I’d go five years into the past because you can’t get time back once you’re gone. I already feel like there’s not enough time in a day.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Turn the outside noise off as much as you can and stop thinking you aren’t good enough. People respect your pen and you put in the time. Just be patient.

It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

I would like for my music to be remembered as classic. Something you connected to that touched your heart. Honest. Not a specific timestamp to what it sounds like but something that doesn’t have a time period to it. Just timeless and heartfelt.

Phases Vol. 2 is out now via ONLYONEIMAN LLC. Find out more information here.

For the past month or so, you could hardly log onto any social media platform without hearing Laila!‘s TikTok-viral single “That’s Not My Problem.” The song became so popular online, that Cash Cobain was able to sample it into his own version, “Problems,” while also daring to challenge Gen-Z attention spans with a 7-minute megamix featuring Big Sean, Fabolous, and more.

Today, the second-generation rapper-producer dropped the long-awaited official video for “Not My Problem,” pairing the song’s unbothered messaging with some fitting visuals. In the video, a night out with friends turns into a night in with a self-help hotline after Laila! spots her man out and about with another girl.

At home, she sees a late-night infomercial for a hotline promising to make all those problems go away. As Mark Manson wrote, you only have a finite amount of f*cks to give, so why waste them on things that don’t matter or make your life better? The throwback visuals — 1980s fashions, corded phones, and references to VHS — remind an old fogey like me that my generation once tried to bring back bellbottoms and afros, so the kids certainly seem okay to me.

You can watch the video for “Not My Problem” above.

After running AEW All In for the last two years in England, the promotion announced on Thursday that it will shift the show to Texas next year. But while doing media ahead of AEW’s return to Wembley Stadium next Sunday, August 25, AEW CEO Tony Khan confirmed the promotion isn’t done in England.

Speaking on the Dan LeBatard Show on Friday, Khan was asked if this will be the last time AEW holds a show at Wembley Stadium. Here’s his response:

“No, definitely not. We love having AEW at Wembley Stadium. We will be back in 2026 in England…You can bet you’ll see us there in 2025 as well. It won’t be AEW All In, it’ll be something different, but we have some big plans coming up next year as well. It’s a great time for AEW.”

The latest from Khan comes ahead of All In’s second-consecutive year running Wembley Stadium after selling over 81,000 tickets last year. Next year, All In is scheduled for Globe Life Field in Arlington on July 12, 2025. At this point, there’s been no announcement on where in England AEW will take place next year or into the future.

The All In announcement is the first of what Khan called “the most important announcements in the history of AEW,” in a recent interview with TV Insider.

Glen Powell is everywhere right now. He’s wrangling tornadoes, he’s wrangling the hearts of Americans, he’s wrangling dogs, though not necessarily in that order. But the one place you won’t find him is in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or the DC Universe for that matter.

Even though rumors are always trying to cast Powell in something, the actor recently joined The Playlist’s The Discourse podcast to put some runmors to rest.

“You know I’ve never gotten a call from DC or Marvel,” Powell revealed. “But I’m a fan of everything they do,” he added. “I just saw Deadpool [and Wolverine]. I freaking had a blast. I think what Shawn [Levy] and Ryan [Reynolds] did with that is like extraordinary and just such a fun flavor for audiences. And I cheer for them. And I love what [they do].”

Powell recently helped propel rumors that he would join DC after he mentioned he would have a “wild take” playing Batman, but it doesn’t look like it’s in the cards for him. “I think James Gunn, Peter Safran, and what they’re doing at DC- I think it’s going to be really, really good for that business. So, it’s like, yeah, I cheer them all on. I’m a big fan of the movies,” he continued.

All of this seems overshadowed by the fact that Powell did in fact appear in one Batman universe as Trader #1 in Chris Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. Maybe a movie where he is just a normal stockbroker living amongst supervillians would be fun. Or perhaps that’s his villain origin story.

(Via CB)

The NBA schedule has been released (almost) in full, as we still await how the league will schedule the week around the NBA Cup quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. Aside from those two games, every team knows when and where they’ll be playing this season, and as fans we can start circling our calendars for the biggest games on the schedule.

Here, I wanted to take a look from a national perspective at the biggest games in each month, picking five games each from October to April on the NBA schedule that stood out upon first glance. Some will be battles between top teams, others will be chasing playoff and Play-In berths, and some are simply star battles that always bring intrigue.

October

Oct. 22: Knicks-Celtics (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

First game of the regular season. Ring night for Boston. First chance to see the Knicks with Mikal Bridges. This one’s an easy one.

Oct. 23: Bucks-Sixers (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

The next night we get a chance to look at the other two hopeful top contenders in the East, as Paul George makes his debut in Philly, while Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo and company will look to spoil the party and remind everyone they belong in the conversation in the East as well.

Oct. 24: Thunder-Nuggets (10:00 p.m. ET, TNT)

The Thunder were last year’s No. 1 seed in the West and look like they’re better this year. Denver, it seems, got worse, but they still have Nikola Jokic and this might be a good litmus test for exactly what level the Nuggets can still operate at.

Oct. 29: Mavs-Wolves (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

Our first rematch of last year’s Western Conference Finals will come in the second week of the season in Minnesota, as the Wolves get a chance to exact a touch of revenge against the Mavs.

Oct. 30: Magic-Grizzlies (8:00 p.m. ET, NBATV)

This one’s a bit random, but I’m excited to see both of these young teams this season. The Magic with KCP should be in the mix for a mid-seed in the East, while the Grizzlies hope for a healthy 2024-25 and a return to the top of the West. This matchup gives us a chance to see both against a team occupying a similar tier (on paper).

November

Nov. 1: Nuggets-Wolves (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

A rematch of the 7-game instant classic West semis, and once again we get to see if Denver’s still got the juice to hang with the best in the West, as Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, and the Wolves have their eyes on a 1-seed.

Nov. 12: Knicks-Sixers (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

November also brings the start of NBA Cup play, and the opening night features arguably the biggest matchup of the entire tournament. The Knicks and Sixers landing in the same group means their first game against each other will determine who becomes the favorite to reach the quarterfinals.

Nov. 19: Pelicans-Mavs (8:30 p.m. ET, League Pass)

Have the Pelicans done enough, adding Dejounte Murray this summer, to be a real threat in the West this year? Their Cup game against the Mavs will be a nice measuring stick against the reigning West champs (and also could be important in deciding that group).

Nov. 19: Thunder-Spurs (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

That same night, we get Chet vs. Wemby in a Cup game, which should be electric. We don’t have a ton of great player rivalries in the NBA right now, but these two are always determined to show out against the other and this one should be fun.

Nov. 22: Pacers-Bucks (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

The Pacers, somewhat surprisingly, owned the Bucks last season. They beat them in the regular season. They beat them in the playoffs (albeit, a banged up Bucks team). As Cup finalists from a year ago, Indiana is known as a team that takes this seriously, and I’d bet Milwaukee will be looking for a bit of revenge early in the year.

December

Dec. 3: Magic-Knicks (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

The last night of the NBA Cup group stage will see the Knicks host the Magic in a game that could determine a spot in the quarterfinal.

Dec. 6: Bucks-Celtics (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Our first chance to see Giannis and Dame against the defending champs. These two seemingly always deliver an entertaining game.

Dec. 17: NBA Cup Final

No idea who will be playing in this yet, but I enjoyed the first year of the NBA Cup and hopefully this year’s final is a bit more competitive.

Dec. 25: Sixers-Celtics (5:00 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN)

The Christmas Day slate is, as always, loaded, but our first Sixers-Celtics game in the Garden should be electric.

Dec. 25: Lakers-Warriors (8:00 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN)

Who nows how many more times we’re going to get Steph vs. LeBron, so I’m going to enjoy another Christmas night watching two of the best to ever play go toe-to-toe.

January

Jan. 10: Thunder-Knicks (7:30 p.m. ET, League Pass)

A really fun cross-conference game that includes Isaiah Hartenstein’s return to the Garden. Also, a small chance this is an NBA Finals preview.

Jan. 12: Pacers-Cavs (6:00 p.m. ET, League Pass)

These two teams both think they should be in the mix in the East, but when you start crunching the numbers, neither is safe from the Play-In (provided the top-4 shakes out as expected). How both of these teams do against the other teams in the middle class of the East (Indiana/Cleveland/Orlando) will likely determine who is solidly in the playoffs and who might have to deal with the Play-In.

Jan. 14: Nuggets-Mavs (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

Jokic vs. Doncic is always fun. We also will know a good bit about both of these teams at this point, and one (or both) might be a bit further down the standings than they want with the trade deadline rapidly approaching.

Jan. 20: Wolves-Grizzlies (2:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

The Grizzlies were the young team on the rise in the West before last year, when Minnesota usurped that spot. On MLK Day in a national window, Memphis gets a chance to make a statement that they are back and a threat in the West once again.

Jan. 25: Celtics-Mavs (5:30 p.m. ET, ABC)

The NBA Finals rematch arrives at the end of January on ABC, as we’ll get to see Luka, Kyrie, and the Mavs try to find another gear against Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the Celtics.

February

Feb. 4: Lakers-Clippers (10:00 p.m. ET, TNT)

The Lakers finally will actually go to a road arena for their in-city rivalry with the Clippers, who move into the Intuit Dome this year. That adds some intrigue to this matchup, as does the fact these two should be competing for seeding in the West just before the trade deadline.

Feb. 11: Grizzlies-Suns (10:00 p.m. ET, TNT)

If you can’t tell, Memphis is one of the teams that fascinates me this season. They were so bad a year ago, but were also missing just about everyone important. I have no idea how far they leap back up the West standings, but the Suns are another team looking to make a climb this year, and going into All-Star, this could be a very entertaining game.

Feb. 23: Thunder-Wolves (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

OKC and Minnesota are two teams that are a pretty good bet to care about games, even in late February. They both should be in the mix for the West’s 1-seed, and OKC can test run their new frontcourt with Isaiah Hartenstein against one of the biggest teams in the West.

Feb. 25: Cavs-Magic (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

As mentioned earlier, all of the games between Cleveland, Indiana, and Orlando figure to be important this year for seeding in the East. Add in these two playing a contentious 7-game series in the first round in 2024, and this should be a fun matchup coming out of the break.

Feb. 26: Spurs-Rockets (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

The Rockets have Play-In aspirations, and by this point, we’ll know if they’re on track for that or not. After the All-Star break, it’s not always easy to pinpoint what games guys will get up for, but this should be a fun matchup between a Houston team hungry to win (in a rare national spotlight) and a Spurs team looking to take a step forward around Victor Wembanyama.

March

March 4: Clippers-Suns (10:00 p.m. ET, TNT)

Both of these teams hope to be in the playoff hunt by this point, but it wouldn’t be surprising if one or both were in Play-In position when they meet in early March.

March 9: Grizzlies-Pelicans (7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Another matchup of teams in the West that should fall into a similar tier, the Grizzlies and Pelicans are very familiar with one another and tend to put on an entertaining show when they match up.

March 13: Kings-Warriors (10:00 p.m. ET, TNT)

The Kings hope DeMar DeRozan pushes them back into the mix in the West, while the Warriors made some solid moves on the margins but didn’t take any swings to build a real threat around Steph. As such, the two northern California squads may once again be battling for a Play-In berth when they play here, and have plenty of familiarity with each other.

March 16: Suns-Lakers (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)

KD vs. LeBron is always fun, and add in that these teams will likely be battling for seeding and this Saturday showcase game should have plenty of juice.

March 28: Knicks-Bucks (8:00 p.m. ET, League Pass)

If everything goes to plan in the East, this game should be a battle of top seeds. Whether there’s incentive for either side to go all out at this point remains to be seen, but it could be an important game for seeding for both teams.

April

April 1: Wolves-Nuggets (10:00 p.m. ET, TNT)

Denver has been a top-4 lock in the West for years, but I’m not 100 percent sold that’s the case this year. Minnesota, meanwhile, will want the 1-seed, and so both might be playing for something in their early April showdown.

April 3: Bucks-Sixers (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

We’ll get a little round-robin between the best teams in the East to close out the season, with Milwaukee and Philly also meeting in a potentially big game for seeding.

April 8: Celtics-Knicks (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

New York hopes they’ve closed the gap on Boston and that this game will mean something in the standings. We’ll see, given how the Celtics ran away with the East a year ago, but it’d be fun if this game had real stakes for the 1-seed.

April 13: Pacers-Cavs (1:00 p.m. ET, League Pass)

There aren’t a lot of games on the last day of the season that I think will have real stakes, but this one could be for the 5, 6, or 7-seed in the East. If it’s somehow a Play-In before the Play-In, that’d be extremely fun.

April 13: Clippers-Warriors (3:30 p.m. ET, League Pass)

Like Pacers-Cavs, this has a chance to matter to both teams in what is supposed to be a very tight battle for spots in the West.

For the most part, LeBron James has had a pretty good summer. While the Los Angeles Lakers getting bounced by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA playoffs wasn’t exactly a high point, things have gone well for the best player of his era since then — the Lakers drafted his son, Bronny, in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, while James was the MVP of the men’s Olympic basketball tournament, where the United States took home a gold medal. He was also chosen as the male flag bearer for the American delegation. Pretty good!

Now, he gets the opportunity for a little downtime before training camp starts and the Lakers attempt to get into a groove under new head coach J.J. Redick. This, apparently, included staying in Europe after the Olympics ended and going over to Munich, where he went to see Adele in concert and looked like he was having the time of his life as he held an umbrella, sang, and danced during “Set Fire to the Rain.” (Link here)

While we do not know for sure, we have to assume that this is one of the first times that LeBron and Adele have been in the same place since the public announcement that Adele and James’ longtime friend and agent, Rich Paul, got engaged.