Finally, the 2024-25 NBA regular season is here. As has been tradition in recent seasons, Week 1 begins with a two-game slate, including the defending champion Celtics and projected contenders New York and Minnesota. The fourth team on the schedule is the Lakers, who have two superstars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but will have to navigate a loaded Western Conference. Unfortunately, some teams are already battling the injury bug, and some absences will significantly impact fantasy basketball. Let’s look at the Week 1 schedule breakdown and some key storylines to remember for fantasy managers.
Games played during week 1
3 games: ATL, BOS, BKN, CHA, CHI, CLE, DET, GSW, HOU, IND, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIL, MIN, NOR, OKC, ENT, PHI, PHO, POR, TOR
2 games: DAL, DEN, MIA, NYK, SAC, SAS, UTA, WAS
Week 1 Scenarios
– How much will 76ers stars Embiid, George and Maxey play?
Philadelphia is one of several teams that will play three games in Week 1, but the availability of Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey is uncertain. Embiid and George have knee problems. While the first did not play during the pre-season, the second was injured during a game against the Hawks last week and will be re-evaluated early next week. As for Maxey, he injured his thumb during Philadelphia’s preseason finale in Orlando. The good news for fantasy managers counting Embiid or George is that Philadelphia’s Week 1 schedule does not include a back-to-back game. With the availability of these three stars still to be determined, players like Andre Drummond and Kelly Oubre Jr. will be incredibly valuable.
– The Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard indefinitely
Unfortunately, Leonard’s knee remains a problem; it is unclear when he will return to action. After leaving USA Basketball before the Paris Olympics, he underwent knee surgery, the details of which were not revealed by Leonard or the Clippers. What is known is that the Clippers will begin the season with a starting lineup consisting of James Harden, Norman Powell, Terance Mann, Derrick Jones Jr. and Ivica Zubac.
While Harden is a first-round fantasy draft pick and Zubac may have top-100 value, can value be derived from the other three? Powell may have the best chance because of his scoring ability, but his defensive production has been limited in previous seasons. Additionally, while reserve guard Kevin Porter Jr. might have value under normal circumstances, the league could suspend him due to off-the-court legal issues that led to his absence last season.
– The Cavaliers lose Max Strus for at least six weeks
On Saturday afternoon, the Cavaliers announced that Strus would be re-evaluated in six weeks after he sprained his ankle during an individual workout Thursday. Given the schedule, this isn’t your standard rolled ankle. From a fantasy standpoint, Strus was a late-round option at best, entering the weekend with a Yahoo ADP of 144.8 per Hashtag Basketball. That being said, managers holding their drafts this weekend cannot draft Strus.
So who should they consider heading into Cleveland’s three-game week? Caris LeVert is the most obvious and probably only answer regarding the potential value of streaming in the long term. Another thing to watch with the Cavaliers is Evan Mobley’s involvement in the offense and whether more opportunities for him negatively impact Jarrett Allen. It wasn’t a problem in the preseason, but the regular season might be different.
– Will Oklahoma City have Jalen Williams?
Williams sprained his right ankle during Oklahoma City’s game against the Hawks on Oct. 17. He didn’t participate in Saturday’s practice, but the good news is the Thunder won’t open their season until Thursday night in Denver. The evil? This is the first of three games Oklahoma City will play in four days, finishing Week 1 with a Saturday/Sunday back-to-back against the Bulls (road) and Hawks (home). With Isaiah Hartenstein (hand) already sidelined, the Thunder could lose two crucial contributors for opening week. In the case of JDub, would it be available for the two consecutive games soon? Alex Caruso was already expected to play a larger role due to Hartenstein’s injury, but Isaiah Joe or Aaron Wiggins could also feature more prominently in the rotation.
– Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic are on track to play
Curry (finger) and Doncic (calf) suffered injuries during the preseason, with the former missing in Golden State’s finale on Friday and the latter not appearing in any of Dallas’ games. However, both are on track to be available at the start of the regular season. Doncic has been a full participant in the Mavericks’ recent practices, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before his team’s win over the Lakers that Curry would be ready for their season opener against Portland.
This is great news for fantasy managers, with Curry and Doncic being first-round picks based on their respective Yahoo ADPs. We haven’t seen how Klay Thompson will perform in a lineup with Doncic and Kyrie Irving. The former Warriors guard will have no shortage of catch-and-shoot opportunities in Dallas; Even though he didn’t shoot the ball well during the preseason, Thompson’s track record likely alleviates some concerns.
– How will the Knicks’ new pieces fit together now that the games count?
New York made two trades this offseason, adding Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. Both struggled during the preseason, with the former shooting around 11% from three. The move to New York pushed Towns into second-round territory in most fantasy drafts, while Bridges’ value remained stable. Being on the field with Jalen Brunson will help because he can draw defensive attention. Still, the Knicks need Towns and Bridges to get going after inconsistent preseason shooting performances.
In New York’s three-game opening week, Josh Hart’s role within the offense is another thing to watch. He didn’t mince his words during the preseason, even failing to attempt a shot during a game. Hart is the starter with the most to lose from a productivity standpoint with the Knicks adding Bridges and Towns; will he accept this? Or will the rotation need to be changed? Stay tuned.
Light play days
Tuesday: 2 Games
NYK vs. BOS
MIN vs. LAL
THURSDAY: 4 Games
BOS vs. WAS
SAS vs. DAL
OKC vs. DEN
MIN versus CAS
Sunday: 5 games
PHI vs. IND
MIL vs. BKN
NOR vs. POR
ATL vs. OKC
LAC vs. GSW
Week 1 back to back
Tuesday-Wednesday: None
Wednesday-Thursday: None
Thursday-Friday: None
Friday-Saturday: CHA, CHI, CLE, DET, HOU, LAL, MEM, ENT, PHO, TOR
Saturday-Sunday: BAC, OKC
Sunday-Monday (week 2): ATL, IND, MIL, POR
