I remember the palpable buzz that started building around the league as summer began winding down—that familiar feeling of anticipation mixed with the scent of freshly polished courts. When the NBA finally dropped the official schedule, it felt like Christmas morning for basketball junkies like me. The 2022-23 NBA season is set to tip off on October 18, 2022, with a double-header that’ll feature the Golden State Warriors receiving their championship rings before hosting the Los Angeles Lakers, followed by Philadelphia taking on Boston. It’s not just about the glamour teams, though; this opener symbolizes a return to normalcy after seasons disrupted by pandemic protocols, and frankly, I couldn’t be more thrilled.
One of the aspects I’ve always appreciated about the NBA calendar is how thoughtfully it’s structured, balancing national showcases with regional rivalries. The complete schedule release in August revealed that teams will play 82 games across roughly six months, culminating in the Play-In Tournament from April 11-14, 2023, and the playoffs beginning April 15. What’s particularly interesting this year is the incorporation of more rest days and reduced back-to-backs—something I’ve advocated for years to protect player health. Having covered the league for over a decade, I’ve seen how grueling the marathon of a season can be, and these small adjustments could make a significant difference in playoff performance come spring.
The conversation around defense has been particularly compelling this preseason. I recently came across a quote from Portland’s new acquisition, Keon Bates, who told reporters, "I’m eager to make my mark on defense again." This sentiment resonates deeply with what I’m observing across training camps—a renewed emphasis on defensive identity that had somewhat diminished during the offensive explosion of recent years. Bates, who’s only 24 but plays with the defensive intensity of a veteran, represents this shifting philosophy. Teams like Milwaukee and Boston have demonstrated how championship aspirations are built on defensive foundations, and I’m noticing more franchises following suit.
Christmas Day will feature the usual marquee matchups—five games that include Milwaukee at Boston and Dallas at Los Angeles—but what excites me more are those mid-January contests between small-market teams that often produce the most authentic basketball. Having attended games in Oklahoma City and Indiana during what many consider the "dog days" of the season, I’ve witnessed some of the most competitive, fundamentally sound basketball in these environments. The league has smartly scheduled 11 games for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 16, including a memorable Atlanta-Miami matchup that honors Dr. King’s legacy in the city where he was born.
The All-Star break will take place from February 17-19 in Salt Lake City, which might not be the most glamorous host city but offers a unique charm that I think will pleasantly surprise viewers. The break comes at almost exactly the season’s midpoint, giving players about a week to recuperate before the final push toward the playoffs. I’ve always found the timing perfect—it allows banged-up stars to heal while creating a natural narrative pivot for the stretch run. Last season, we saw how the break helped teams like Cleveland regroup for surprising second-half surges.
As we approach the trade deadline on February 9, I anticipate more activity than we’ve seen in recent years. With several stars potentially available and more teams considering themselves contenders, the league’s competitive balance feels more fragile than ever. From my perspective, this could be one of the most transformative trade seasons in recent memory, potentially altering the championship landscape overnight. The days following the deadline often reveal which franchises are truly committed to winning now versus those building for the future.
What many casual fans might overlook is how the schedule accommodates international players. The NBA has strategically placed a two-week break in early November for the window of FIBA World Cup qualifiers, affecting about 25 players across the league. Having traveled to observe these qualifiers previously, I can attest to the pride these athletes take in representing their countries, even amidst the grueling NBA calendar. This consideration reflects the league’s growing global vision—something I believe will only expand basketball’s worldwide footprint.
The regular season concludes on April 9, 2023, setting the stage for the Play-In Tournament that has, in my opinion, been one of the best innovations in recent league history. It keeps more franchises engaged deeper into the season while adding dramatic win-or-go-home scenarios before the playoffs even begin. Last year’s tournament gave us the spectacle of Brooklyn and Cleveland fighting for seeding in games that felt like playoff atmospheres weeks before the official postseason.
Reflecting on the full arc of the schedule, I’m particularly excited about the increased national television exposure for smaller markets. Sacramento, for instance, will appear on national broadcasts 12 times—a significant jump from recent years—rewarding their patient rebuild with greater visibility. As someone who believes basketball excellence exists beyond major coastal cities, this development represents meaningful progress in how the league showcases its talent pool.
The 2022-23 season represents more than just another campaign—it’s a return to traditional rhythms with hard-earned wisdom from the pandemic years. The schedule reflects a league that understands its players’ needs better than ever while delivering the consistent entertainment that fans deserve. From opening night to the final buzzer of the regular season, we’re looking at what could be one of the most competitively balanced seasons in recent memory, and I for one will be watching every step of the way, notebook in hand, ready for whatever stories unfold.
