NBA: 2017 Schedules Are Out, Warriors And Cavs Headline Opening Night, But Not Against Each Other

It was a lackluster NBA Playoffs, to say the least. The Golden State Warriors capped off their revenge tour by going 16-1 in the postseason, with their only loss coming from the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers. With a postseason run like that, it’s hard to imagine what a team could do to challenge them. However, the first team that will have that privilege will be the Houston Rockets.

The Warriors and Rockets are set to square off at Oracle Arena on opening night, October 17, on TNT in the nightcap of a double header.

Teams that would normally be considered championship contenders have needed to make moves to improve their roster this season. The Rockets have done just that. Houston picked up a nine-time all-star in Chris Paul during the offseason. Paul, 31, averaged 18.1 points and 9.2 assists per game last season.

There’s no question that both James Harden and Paul are going to be able to contribute individually. However, the question remains: How well will they be able to mesh together? Will it be enough to beat a team the Rockets went 1-3 against last season? Paul seems optimistic about the idea.

“It had nothing to do with who was in L.A., but more to do with who was in Houston,” Paul told ESPN’s The Undefeated. “I feel like the last six years we’ve had a great run. I felt like it was not only a good time for change for me, but for the team, too. Everyone says, ‘We get killed. We can’t get there. We just can’t get over the hurdle.’ I felt like it was time for a change.”

While Paul believes joining Harden in Houston may be the answer to his playoff woes, the Warriors are well aware there’s a target on their backs as the defending champs.

“You look around the Western Conference, and the amount of talent up and down the board is going to be crazy,” Steph Curry explained to SFGate. “Everybody is trying to make moves to become championship contenders. Before our first Finals appearance, we were doing the same thing — trying to load up and put together the right combination of guys to take our team to the next level.”

Curry is exactly right. With Minnesota acquiring Jimmy Butler and Oklahoma City signing Paul George, it’s almost as if the Eastern Conference is being stripped of elite talent. However, three contenders still remain in the east, and two of them will face off at 8 p.m. on opening night.

The Boston Celtics were one of two teams that seemed like legitimate contenders against the Cavaliers last year. While many thought they would go after George or Butler before the trade deadline last year, the Celtics played with the hand they were dealt. The decision paid off. They were granted the No. 1 pick of this year’s draft and traded it. In return, they received the No. 2 pick and multiple draft picks for years to come. After drafting Duke’s Jayson Tatum and signing Gordon Hayward in the offseason, Boston feels like now is the time to challenge last year’s runner-up.

Can the Celtics grasp the Eastern Conference crown this year? According to NBA.com’s John Schuhmann, the answer to that question will be determined more on the Cavs’ part than the Celtics’.

“It promises to be another drama-filled season in Cleveland, with the fear of LeBron James leaving (again) next summer and with Kevin Love remaining in trade rumors. If the Cavs can stay focused in between the lines and build better defensive habits through the season than they did last year, they should remain the favorites in the East. But if the wheels start to come off in Cleveland, the Celtics are capable of taking advantage.”

Schuhmann makes a good point. Cleveland is on an emotional rollercoaster that they can’t seem to get off. Between losing a 1-4 Finals series, signing Derrick Rose, Kyrie Irving requesting a trade, and rumors of LeBron bailing, it’s as if there’s no stability around the program right now. However, given the Cavs’ talent level, they’ll be favored in nearly every Eastern Conference matchup they find themselves in.

There are several other marquee matchups that will set the tone for the upcoming season. On October 18, the 76ers play the Wizards at 7 p.m., while the Spurs play host to the Timberwolves at 9. The Lakers also host the Clippers on October 19 at 10:30 p.m.

There will be a lot more factors set in stone when opening week rolls around. That’s when NBA fans will tune in to get a glimpse of what the 2017-18 season will have in store.

[Featured Image by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images]