NBA Opening Week features 3 of the league’s most anticipated matchups

exhibition games</a> should fans circle on their calendar?</p> <h2>NBA Opening Week Matchup 3. Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns</h2> <p style="text-align: center"><strong>October 19, 2022, at 10 p.m. EST on ESPN</strong></p> <p>A Western Conference Semifinal rematch will cause the temperature to rise in the Footprint Center on opening day. Losing the grip on a 2-0 lead over the <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/22/nba-opening-week-matchups/3/"http://hoopshabit.com/2022/06/07/offseason-goals-dallas-mavericks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dallas Mavericks</a> cut <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/22/nba-opening-week-matchups/3/"http://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/15/ayton-phoenix-suns-first-championship/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Phoenix Suns</a> coach Monty Williams&rsquo; team deep in the last post-season. Their chances of returning to the Finals faded in front of their eyes. Superstar Luka Doncic&rsquo;s fadeaway jumpers played a hand in the Mavs&rsquo; series victory. Consecutive thirty-point performances from Doncic in Games Six and Seven sealed the Suns&rsquo; fate &ndash; eliminating them from the playoff bracket.</p> <p>Winning on opening day is essential to building momentum for the upcoming season. Phoenix&#8217;s veterans like&nbsp;<a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/22/nba-opening-week-matchups/3/"https://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/phx/phoenix-suns">Chris Paul and Devin Booker</a> are anxious to remind the conference how dangerous they are. In 2021, the Suns&#8217; starting guards contributed 15 assists per night for their team &ndash; more than half of the squad&rsquo;s 27.4 nightly average.</p> <p>A ten o&rsquo;clock tip-off will give fans plenty of time to get settled in after a long day.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/22/nba-opening-week-matchups/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span>&nbsp;Los Angelos Lakers at Golden State Warriors </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_442100" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="wp-image-442100 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/22/nba-opening-week-matchups/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1370564264.jpeg" alt="2022 NBA Playoffs, NBA Opening Week" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1370564264.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1370564264-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Stephen Curry of the Warriors and LeBron James of the Lakers (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>NBA Opening Week Matchup 2. Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors</h2> <p style="text-align: center"><strong>October 18, 2022, at 10 p.m. EST on TNT</strong></p> <p>LeBron James will be present for another opening night ring ceremony. This time, he and his teammates will watch from the side – letting the previous NBA champions relive their accomplishments for a few minutes.</p> <p>The Warriors expect to be the best team in the association for a consecutive season. Defeating the Western Conference gatekeepers early in the season will help the Lakers make a run at regaining their crown.</p> <p>Conquering the Warriors on their home court requires scoring efforts from the entire roster. <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/22/nba-opening-week-matchups/3/"https://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/lal/los-angeles-lakers">Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook</a> expect to fill those roles this season. In 2021, their performances at the three-point line put the team in a scoring bind. At the end of the regular season, both players failed to shoot better than thirty percent from the arch.</p> <p>A chance to take on the defending champions on opening night will help Darvin Ham evaluate the state of his new squad. His expectations of the veteran lineup should help the team improve from last season. A Stephen Curry vs. Lebron James matchup to open the season is always appealing to the eye and should make for an interesting first game.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/22/nba-opening-week-matchups/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_447922" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/22/nba-opening-week-matchups/3/"https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/imagn-images/2017/07/17506258.jpeg">Philadelphia are anxious for the upcoming season. After a disappointing playoff exit, head coach Doc Rivers and his squad are equipped to make a comeback. Discussions that lingered behind the selfishness of their former starting point guard are in the past. It&rsquo;s clear, that Ben Simmons is the past and James Harden is the present. An offseason with his new team has helped &#8216;the Beard&#8217; earn trust from his teammates, making Philadelphia a threat to compete in the East.</p> <p>Disappointment could also be used to describe the Celtics&#8217; feelings towards last season&rsquo;s championship effort. Their battle against the Warriors sent the team home with something to think about during the summertime. An offseason to work off lingering hard feelings has given Boston strength that they plan to use in the upcoming season.</p> <p>Opening night will answer questions both fanbases have concerning their rosters. For Boston, spectators will focus on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. In 2021, the dynamic scoring tandem averaged more than 45 points a night. In Philadelphia, fans will see if <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/22/nba-opening-week-matchups/3/"https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4431678/tyrese-maxey">Tyrese Maxey</a> is a consistent player. His 17.5 points per night average during his sophomore season was impressive &ndash; leaving spectators with a desire to see more.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="A mid-season NBA Tournament could be a major success" data-url="http://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/21/nba-can-make-mid-season-tournament-hit/" data-call-to-action="Next" > <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/22/nba-opening-week-matchups/3/"http://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/21/nba-can-make-mid-season-tournament-hit/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span>&nbsp;A mid-season NBA Tournament could be a major success </a> </div> </div> <p>Opening day is exciting for organizations and their fans. A chance to improve on results from the prior year motivates players to perform at new peaks. An impressive opening lineup makes this year&rsquo;s NBA tip-off one to watch.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">