The regular NBA season is catching steam with 82 games scheduled to be played across the calendar. This season, we saw the first-ever in-season tournament, which started on November 7. The in-season event delivered nail-biting matchups like Denver Nuggets vs Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks vs New York Knicks.
Although some thrilling clashes have already gone down this season, much more is still to happen. In this writeup, we'll list and discuss some big-time NBA matchups to look forward to in 2024.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Denver Nuggets
On January 28, the 76ers will clash with the Nuggets in what is promising to be another explosive encounter. This will be the first matchup between Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, two of the league's premier big boys. These two will certainly put on an entertaining show regardless of when and where they play.
Last season, these teams faced off in two games, each side coming out with a win. Then, on January 28, 2023, the Nuggets lost against the Sixers away from home in a match where Embiid bagged 47 points. The Sixers have already hosted the Nuggets this month, resulting in a 126-121 win. Can they repeat the same fate? We'll soon find out!
Houston Rockets vs. Toronto Raptors
This is another exciting match to look forward to if you're a fan of NBA betting. On February 2, the Houston Rockets will welcome the Toronto Raptors at the Toyota Center. These two franchises have played 54 regular season matches, with the Rockets winning 29 games against the Raptors' 25. Interestingly, the Raptors won four last matches with the Rockets in the previous two seasons.
What makes this basketball game even more worthwhile is Fred VanVleet's return to Toronto. In the latter part of last season, every indicator pointed to VanVleet's departure from the Raptors as a free agent. The stalwart point guard signed a 3-year deal worth $130 million after spending seven seasons with the Rockets. This was the largest contract signed by an undrafted NBA player.
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Boston Celtics
Memphis Grizzlies are not enjoying the best season so far, with most online betting platforms backing the Celtics to exploit that weakness on February 4. The team recently announced two of its upcoming matches will no longer be televised nationally. Also, the Grizzlies are grappling with an injury crisis, leaving them without several rotational players. Steven Adams and Ja Morant are out for the season as Brandon Clark is still recuperating from last season's injury.
On a brighter note, the Celtics will welcome one of their best-ever role players – Marcus Smart. He helped them reach several conference finals and a place in the 2022 NBA Finals. Smart also won several defensive awards, including the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year. Sadly, the Grizzlies announced that Smart would be out for six weeks after injuring his right ring finger.
Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The California rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors will continue on January 27 when the two sides meet at Chase Center. The Lakers' star man, LeBron James, has already met the Warriors four times in the Finals, making this an intense clash. These two rivals have also traded the championship, with the Lakers beating the Miami Heat in 2020, whereas the Warriors bested the Celtics in 2022.
In the 2022-2023 season, these teams seemed to be evenly matched, finishing the regular season just one match apart. They also met in the postseason Western Conference semifinals, with the Lakers bagging a 4-2 victory in the series. The January 27 clash is the first rematch of the Western Conference semifinal match, with these teams slated to play four times throughout the season. Their last encounter this NBA season will be on April 9.
Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers and the Suns will link up again on February 25 after an initial clash earlier this month. Both teams are yet to fully hit the ground running this season, with the Lakers losing to the Clippers 116-127 in their last match. However, the Lakers will come into this matchup full of confidence after winning 151 of their 267 encounters with the Suns. The Lakers have also won five of their last encounters with the Phoenix.
Amazingly, this match will provide a platform for another LeBron James versus Kevin Durant battle. Before their last game on October 26 last year, these stars had not played against each other since 2018. It seems this season we will see more of the clash, with LeBron leading KD 15-6 all-time in the regular season. However, Durant enjoys a 9-5 lead against LeBron in the playoffs after enjoying a solid run with the Warriors.
Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics have several rivals in the East, including the Miami Heat, the New York Knicks, the Brooklyn Nets, and the 76ers. The Celtics and the Heat have competed for years to represent the conference in the NBA Finals, making this one of the most competitive rivalries in the East. These teams have met five times in the NBA playoffs since 2022, with the Celtics dispatching the Heat 4-3 in the 2022 Conference Finals. The Heat got their revenge in the following year.
The Heat and the Celtics will meet twice in the 2023-2024 regular season. Their first meeting will be on January 25 at the Celtics before a rematch at the same venue on February 11. Since 2020, both teams are tied at 8-8, making this a close contest. The Heat won their Christmas Day meeting 119-113 before losing 112-102 away to the Celtics on January 3. Currently, the Miami Heat sits third in the Eastern Conference after winning four of their last five matches. The Celtics have the home advantage, though!
Other Top NBA Matches
These are some of the most anticipated NBA matches in the 2024 calendar. Of course, this list could differ depending on your favorite team and betting style.
Below are other upcoming NBA rivalries to look forward to:
Milwaukee Bucks at the Chicago Bulls on March 1
Brooklyn Nets at the New York Knicks on March 23
Dallas Mavericks at the San Antonio Spurs on March 19
Sacramento Kings at the Golden State Warriors on January 25
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