Andrew Pace
The NBA season is filled with excitement and anticipation as fans gear up for the return of basketball. The 2024-25 season marks the 79th season of the National Basketball Association, with the regular season tipping off on October 22, 2024. With the Boston Celtics as the reigning champions, all eyes are on the league to see if they can defend their title. The season promises thrilling matchups, with notable dates including the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend on October 12-13 and the highly anticipated opening day on October 21. The Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors, and Memphis Grizzlies also unveiled new logos and uniforms, adding a fresh look to the courts. The NBA season is back and better than ever, with fans eagerly awaiting the return of their favorite teams and players.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| 2024-25 NBA season dates | Regular season: 22 October 2024 - 13 April 2025 |
| Playoffs: start 19 April 2025 | |
| Finals: start 5 June 2025 | |
| 2024 NBA draft dates | First round: 26 June 2024 |
| Second round: 27 June 2024 | |
| 2024 NBA preseason dates | Ends 18 October 2024 |
| 2024 NBA exhibition games | 3-21 July |
| 2024 NBA free agency | Begins 30 June 2024, 6 p.m. ET |
| 2024 NBA signing | Begins 6 July 2024, 12:01 p.m. ET |
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What You'll Learn
The 2024-25 NBA season begins
The 2024-25 NBA season tips off on Tuesday, October 22, marking the beginning of a nine-month journey for the world's top basketball players as they compete for the coveted Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. This season promises to be one of the most competitive ever, with all 30 teams making their final preparations ahead of the start of the regular season.
The opening game of the season sees the New York Knicks visit the defending champion Boston Celtics, with the game starting at 23:30 GMT (6:30 pm local time) at TD Garden Arena in Boston. The Celtics will be looking to defend their NBA championship title, while the Knicks will be eager to improve on their previous season's performance and secure a playoff berth.
The second game of the night features the Minnesota Timberwolves taking on the Los Angeles Lakers, with LeBron James leading the Lakers. This game will be a highly anticipated matchup, as it marks the start of a new era for the Timberwolves, who traded away their star player, Karl-Anthony Towns, to the Knicks during the offseason.
The regular season will span seven months, with each team playing 82 games. The season will include notable matchups, such as the Milwaukee Bucks vs. Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns vs. LA Clippers, and San Antonio Spurs vs. Dallas Mavericks. The season will also feature an in-season tournament, the Emirates NBA Cup, which will be held from November 12 to December 17.
The NBA will showcase its talent internationally with the NBA Mexico City Game on November 2, featuring the Miami Heat and Washington Wizards, and the NBA Paris Games on January 23 and 25, 2025, with the San Antonio Spurs taking on the Indiana Pacers. The season will culminate with the Playoffs and Finals, which are scheduled to begin on April 19 and June 5, respectively, with the top teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences vying for the championship title.
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Team updates and changes
The 2024–25 NBA season is the 79th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The regular season began on October 22, 2024, and will end on April 13, 2025. Several key dates and team updates and changes have been announced for this season.
On July 2, 2024, Kemba Walker retired from professional basketball, joining the Hornets as a player enhancement coach the next day. Gordon Hayward and Joe Harris announced their retirement from professional basketball on August 1 and August 15, 2024, respectively. On September 26, 2024, Derrick Rose also retired from professional basketball. Additionally, on September 29, 2024, AJ Griffin announced his retirement from the sport to pursue a career in ministry.
Ish Smith, a former player for a record 13 NBA franchises, ended his playing career on October 2, 2024, when he was hired as a pro scout for the Washington Wizards. Danny Green, who played for six different teams in his 14-year career and won NBA championships with three different teams, retired from professional basketball on October 10, 2024. On October 29, 2024, Rudy Gay announced his retirement from the sport.
Several teams have unveiled new logos and uniforms for the 2024–25 season. The Los Angeles Clippers introduced a new logo featuring a stylized clipper ship with basketball seams on its hull, surrounded by a navy blue "C" in a white circle. They also released modern versions of their previous script uniforms. The Golden State Warriors revealed a new secondary logo and a "Statement" uniform, while the Toronto Raptors and Memphis Grizzlies unveiled logos and uniforms to commemorate their 30th anniversaries.
The Boston Celtics tied the record for the most three-pointers made in a single game on October 22, 2024, with 29 three-pointers in their win over the New York Knicks. On the same day, LeBron James surpassed Kobe Bryant for the most field goals missed in NBA history. The Golden State Warriors made history by becoming the first team to open their season with two consecutive wins by at least 35 points.
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Preseason games
For the 2024-25 NBA season, the preseason games are scheduled to end on October 18, 2024, with the regular season starting just a few days later on October 22. This preseason period is a busy time for teams, as they finalise their rosters and strategies, providing an exciting glimpse of what's to come for basketball fans.
The preseason games offer a unique opportunity for teams to experiment and make adjustments without the high stakes of the regular season. Coaches can test different line-ups, try out new plays, and give younger players a chance to shine. It's a time for teams to build cohesion and work on their chemistry, ensuring they are in top form for the official games.
In the 2024-25 preseason, several key dates stand out. The Celtics and Nuggets preseason games in Abu Dhabi, UAE, for example, can begin no earlier than September 24. This is an important date as it marks the first allowable date for players to report to their teams for preseason activities. Additionally, on October 10 and 12, 2025, the Nets and Suns will play preseason games at The Venetian Arena.
The preseason games are a highly anticipated part of the NBA calendar, offering fans a first look at their favourite teams in action and providing a glimpse of what strategies and player combinations might be utilised in the upcoming regular season. It's a time of excitement and anticipation as the NBA community gears up for another thrilling year of basketball.
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Regular season games
The 2024-25 NBA season is the 79th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The regular season began on October 22, 2024, and will end on April 13, 2025. The NBA held an in-season tournament for the second consecutive year, now called the Emirates NBA Cup. The Boston Celtics tied the record for the most three-pointers made in a single game with 29 in a win over the New York Knicks on the opening day of the regular season.
The NBA regular season starts in late October, with teams playing an 82-game schedule that usually ends in mid-April. The exact dates vary each year, but the season typically lasts around six months. The NBA schedule is designed to give players adequate rest between games and to accommodate national television broadcasts. The league has taken steps to curb "load management," reducing the number of back-to-back regular-season games per team by 23 percent. Teams no longer play four games in five nights or eight games in 12 nights.
The regular season is followed by the NBA Playoffs, which typically last around two months. The Playoffs are a single-elimination tournament, with the top eight teams from each conference qualifying. The teams compete in a series of best-of-seven games, with the winners advancing to the next round. The NBA Finals, the league's championship series, are played between the winners of the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.
The NBA season also includes special events such as the All-Star Game, which was played on February 16, 2025, at Chase Center in San Francisco during the 2024-25 season. The All-Star Game showcases the league's top players, with a mix of starters and reserves from each conference facing off. The season also features the NBA G League, with its draft taking place on October 26, 2024, and the tip-off tournament beginning on November 8, 2024.
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Playoffs and NBA Finals
The NBA season is an exciting time for basketball fans, with the regular season tipping off in October and running through to April, when the real fun begins with the Playoffs and NBA Finals.
The 2024-25 NBA season started on October 22, 2024, and the regular season will come to an end on April 13, 2025. The NBA Playoffs will start the very next day, on April 19, 2025, with the first round. The NBA Play-In Tournament, a precursor to the Playoffs, will be held from April 15-18, 2025. This is when the lower-ranked teams battle it out for the final spots in the Playoffs.
The NBA Finals, the pinnacle of the season, will tip off in June 2025, with Game 1 scheduled for June 5. This is when the two best teams in the league face off in a best-of-seven series to determine who will be crowned the NBA Champions. The NBA Finals are a true test of a team's skill, endurance, and mental fortitude, as they have to navigate a series of best-of-seven games to come out on top.
The road to the NBA Finals is a challenging one. The Playoffs are structured so that the top seed from each conference faces the eighth seed, the second seed plays the seventh, and so on. Each round is a best-of-seven series, with the winners advancing to the next round. The Eastern and Western Conference Champions then emerge and go head-to-head in the NBA Finals, with the winning team hoisting the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy.
The 2024-25 NBA season promises to be an exciting one, with storylines aplenty. Can the Boston Celtics defend their 2023-24 championship title? Will the Los Angeles Lakers, with Bronny James, make a deep Playoff run? All these questions and more will be answered as the season unfolds.
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Frequently asked questions
The 2024-25 NBA season starts on October 22, 2024, and ends on April 13, 2025.
Some key dates include:
- October 12-13: Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend
- October 22: Rosters set for NBA Opening Day
- November 2: NBA Mexico City Game 2024 (Miami Heat vs. Washington Wizards)
- November 5: Election Day (no games)
- February 16: 2025 NBA All-Star Game
- April 15-18: The 2025 SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament
- June 5: 2025 NBA Finals Game 1
The NBA offseason starts right after the NBA Finals in June and ends in September/October when training camps open.
