In the mood for some NBA Game 1 action? Here are the eight matchups and where they start. While a lot of early round attention will be on the Russell Westbrook-James Harden meet in Houston (so good you suspect the NBA planned it out), there is much mystery to be solved elsewhere. Start with this one: who are the 2017 Cavaliers? Game 1 won’t say for sure. The Cavs will likely come out blistering like defending champs — and ready for what the Pacers throw at them. But soon we’ll know more — and so will they. Even LeBron James wonders who these Cavs really are.
Other highlights? The Atlanta Hawks enter surging against a very good Wizards team with big ambitions. Both are disciplined squads, well-coached and hungry. And this: will the Grizzlies give the Spurs trouble? Remember the Spurs had a season for the ages last year, outshined only by Golden State’s record-smasher, but they exited the playoffs early. Who are these Spurs is yet another question. It’s been a long time since that answer didn’t have anything to do with Tim Duncan… Tune in here:
Saturday
- Indiana at Cleveland, 3 p.m. ABC
- Milwaukee at Toronto, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
- Memphis at San Antonio 8 p.m., ESPN
- Utah vs. LA Clippers 10:30, p.m., ESPN
Sunday
- Atlanta at Washington, 1 p.m., TNT
- Portland at Golden State, 3:30 p.m., ABC
- Chicago at Boston, 6:30 p.m. TNT
- Oklahoma City at Houston, 9 p.m., TNT
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