NBA Schedule 2017-18: Earlier Start Date A Positive Change For Players, Fans

Get excited, basketball fans. The 2017-18 NBA schedule officially has been released.

The upcoming season will kick off a little earlier than usual, as it allows the league to cut down on back-to-back games and prioritize nationally televised matchups.

The Boston Celtics will kick off the season with a bang, as they’ll visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in an Eastern Conference finals rematch on Oct. 17. That won’t be the only exciting matchup of the evening, though, as James Harden and the Houston Rockets will take on the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena.

Christmas Day will have a slew of high-profile matchups, including The Dubs hosting the Cavs in an NBA Finals rematch. Later that evening, the Celtics will host the Wizards in a rematch of their hotly contested Eastern Conference semifinals series from a season ago.