]The NBA ‘s Opening Night is one of the marquee days on the NBA schedule, which was recently released this past Thursday. To nobody’s surprise, the heavyweight two-game slate on October 22 will feature LeBron James , Anthony Davis , and the L.A. Lakers .
The league always wants to kick things off with a bang, and they made sure to include one of the NBA’s most prominent teams, featuring arguably the greatest player of all time to tip off the new campaign.
Likewise, the NBA strategically pit them against an up-and-coming team led by one of the league’s most promising young stars.
Lakers’ Opponents on Opening Night: Minnesota Timberwolves
The Lakers will welcome a young up-and-coming superstar at Crypto.com Arena
James will tip off his 22nd NBA season on October 22nd, Tuesday, when he and his Lakers welcome Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena.
This is a smart move by the NBA to put James against one of the next big superstars of the next generation in Edwards on Opening Night, which is one of the signature dates on the NBA calendar.
Basketball-wise, this should be a big test early on for the Lakers, as they take on one of the top teams in the Western Conference last season. The Timberwolves made the Western Conference Finals last year and finished the 2023-24 regular season with the top-rated defense in the league.
Meanwhile, the Lakers were the seventh seed and lost to the 2022-23 NBA champion Denver Nuggets in five games.
Lakers’ 2024 Offseason So Far
LA has had a quiet summer
Despite being in the middle of numerous rumors, the Lakers have had a quiet offseason so far. Apart from bringing back James, who became a free agent, and drafting his son Bronny James, the Lakers haven’t made much noise this summer, especially with regard to their personnel.
For the most part, Los Angeles’ core remains largely the same heading into the 2024-25 season. Nonetheless, any team that has James and Davis leading the way has championship aspirations.
But given their current roster construction, the Lakers are still missing pieces to get into the upper echelon of contenders in a Western Conference that has gotten much better in the offseason.
Nonetheless, James and the Lakers remain one of the top attractions in the NBA. Look no further for proof than the recently released 2024-25 season schedule.