Report: Suns to open 2023-24 schedule in primetime vs. Warriors
Aug 10, 2023, 2:59 PM | Updated: Aug 11, 2023, 2:46 pm
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
There will be plenty of storylines when the 2023-24 NBA season opens with two primetime games on TNT, one of which includes the Phoenix Suns facing the Golden State Warriors in the Bay Area.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Suns and Warriors are one of the two national TV games for Oct. 24 opening night in the league.
Charania added that two days after opening night, on the first TNT Thursday, the Suns will face the Los Angeles Lakers. It would be the first matchup between Kevin Durant and LeBron James since 2018 if the stars are available.
The opening game will feature Durant facing the team he played for on the way to two NBA titles, not to mention former Suns star Chris Paul’s first game in royal blue and gold against the team he led to an NBA Finals appearance in 2021.
Durant played for Golden State from 2016-19, winning the title and Finals MVP awards in 2017 and 2018.
Also on Phoenix’s end, it will be All-Star Bradley Beal’s debut with Phoenix and first game away from the Washington Wizards.
The Suns acquired Beal by trading Paul to the Wizards, who redirected him in a separate deal for a package including Jordan Poole.
Dario Saric is another former Suns player and member of the 2021 Finals squad on the Warriors. He joined them as a free agent this offseason after Phoenix traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the deadline in February.
Phoenix-Golden State will be joined on the opening night slate by the reigning champion Denver Nuggets hosting the Lakers, who fell last season in the Western Conference Finals.
Then, James and Anthony Davis like Phoenix will have a day off before facing one another.
The NBA has yet to release its regular season schedule for the 2023-24 season, nor its preseason schedule.