As a lifelong sports analyst who’s spent years tracking both the NBA and the wider world of professional athletics, I’ve always found it fascinating how different leagues handle their scheduling—especially when it comes to building momentum early in the season. When the NBA released its 2019–2020 regular season schedule, I remember poring over the dates, matchups, and storylines with the kind of focus my colleagues usually reserve for playoff brackets. Opening night was set for October 22, 2019, and right away, certain games jumped off the page. The Los Angeles Lakers versus the LA Clippers, for example, wasn’t just another city rivalry—it was a blockbuster showdown featuring LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the newly formed Kawhi Leonard–Paul George duo. That’s the kind of early-season spectacle the league loves, one that pulls in casual viewers and die-hards alike.
But let’s be real—not every matchup needs to be a headline-grabber to matter. In fact, some of the most telling games are the ones that test a team’s depth and adaptability against lesser-known opponents. This reminds me of a point Sean Gibbons, president of MP Promotions, made about boxing recently. He was discussing how a fighter like former IBF super-flyweight titlist might face someone like Casimero—a boxer with a record of 13 wins, 4 losses, and 5 KOs—on his way up in the 122-pound division. Gibbons called that kind of bout a “good test,” and honestly, I see the exact same logic in the NBA’s regular season design. Those early games against mid-tier squads? They’re your Casimeros. They might not have the glitz of a Christmas Day game, but they reveal character, expose flaws, and help contenders refine their game long before the playoffs roll around.
Take, for instance, the Milwaukee Bucks’ early away game against the Houston Rockets on October 24. Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden represented two entirely different basketball philosophies, and watching them clash so early felt like a preview of the MVP conversation. The Bucks went on to finish with around 56 wins that season if I recall correctly, but it was games like that one—against elite backcourt scoring and small-ball lineups—that showed whether their system could hold up under pressure. I’ve always believed these early tests are underrated. Casual fans might skip them, but as an analyst, I mark them on my calendar. They tell you who’s for real.
Of course, the NBA schedule isn’t just about basketball quality—it’s about narratives. The return of Kevin Durant to Golden State as a Brooklyn Net on March 12 was circled by every media outlet, and rightly so. Emotions, legacy, revenge—it’s all there. But I’ll admit, I’m more drawn to the subtle threads. How would Luka Dončić and Kristaps Porziņģis mesh in Dallas? Could the Philadelphia 76ers’ “process” finally yield a top-two seed? Those questions aren’t answered in one night, but across dozens of matchups from October to April. And just like Casimero pushing a champion in boxing, teams like the Miami Heat or Denver Nuggets used those months to quietly build credibility, even without the superstar hype.
When I step back and look at the 2019–2020 schedule as a whole, what stands out isn’t just the number of primetime games—which, by the way, felt like roughly 40% more high-profile matchups than the previous year—but the variety. From the Christmas Day lineup featuring Celtics-Raptors and Clippers-Lakers to a random Wednesday in November where the Jazz and Nuggets grind it out in a low-scoring affair, the league offered something for every kind of fan. And isn’t that the goal? To balance must-see TV with the steady, week-by-week rhythm that turns good teams into great ones. As someone who’s watched this league evolve, I appreciate that mix more than ever. The 2019 tip-off wasn’t just a start—it was the first chapter of one of the most memorable seasons in recent history, even with the pandemic interruption. And honestly, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.