The hype is building for the 2024–25 NBA season with new records to be broken and rematches and reunions ready to be settled on the court. Basketball fans everywhere will have several chances to be part of league history as players continue to push the game to new heights. Before buying your NBA tickets, check out a collection of can’t-miss milestones and moments (in no particular order) that are set to take place during the 2024–25 season below.
1. 2024 NBA Finals Rematch: Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks
The Boston Celtics clinched their record-setting 18th championship in a five-game Finals series against the Dallas Mavericks to end last postseason. The two teams will meet again for two rematches in 2025. Perhaps the sign of a new, growing rivalry, the Celtics and Mavericks will first face off on January 25 as part of NBA Rivals Week. They will also meet nearly exactly one month later.
2. 2024 First Round East Rematch: New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers
The historic New York Knicks-Philadelphia 76ers rivalry will be even more heated than usual ahead of the 2024–25 season. While the regional feud between the two Northeast cities spans decades and multiple professional sports leagues, the NBA portion of the rivalry is more intense than ever thanks to the Knicks-76ers’ six-game First Round playoff series in 2024. However, the offseason has kicked off a new era for both teams, with the Sixers adding nine-time All-Star Paul George to their roster and the “Nova Knicks” assembling former Villanova University teammates Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges along with another new edition: four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns.
- 11/12 – New York Knicks @ Philadelphia 76ers
- 01/15 – New York Knicks @ Philadelphia 76ers
- 02/26 – Philadelphia 76ers @ New York Knicks
- 04/01 – Philadelphia 76ers @ New York Knicks
3. The NBA’s First Father-Son Duo
It’s family business for the Los Angeles Lakers this season after the franchise selected Bronny James, son of four-time champion and 20-time All-Star LeBron James, with the 55th pick in the NBA Draft. The elder James called the pairing “a dream come true.” LeBron and Bronny James will be the NBA’s first father-son duo to share the court in a game if it happens this season. LeBron, who turns 40 on December 30, can partially credit the feat to longevity: the 2024–25 season marks his record-tying 22nd season in the NBA. Meanwhile, Bronny debuted with the Lakers at 2024 Summer League, averaging 8.7 points and 3.5 rebounds on 35-percent shooting.
4. LeBron James Chases 50,000 Career Points
From here to retirement, every shot LeBron James makes is history. After becoming the NBA’s all-time scoring leader in February 2023 and passing 40,000 career points in March 2024, King James will once again try to go where no player has before by crossing the 50,000 mark. Across the 2023–24 regular season and playoffs, James scored 1,984 total points, which would put him well enough in shooting distance to make up the remaining 1,364 points and hit 50k some time after the All-Star Break.
5. Stephen Curry Nears 4,000 3-Pointers
Already the league’s all-time leader in three-pointers made (3PM) – a mark he set in 2021 – Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry now has the chance to pass the unprecedented barrier of 4,000 triples. With 3,747 three’s across his career, Chef Curry needs to serve up 253 more to hit 4k. If Curry maintains his 4.8 average 3PM from the 2023–24 season, he’ll likely hit the historic mark in mid-February 2025.
6. Russell Westbrook Approaches 200 Triple-Doubles
When it comes to triple-doubles, no one knows better how to earn double-digits in points, assists and rebounds than Russell Westbrook. The newly-acquired point guard for the Denver Nuggets has achieved back-to-back seasons averaging a triple-double, set the record for single-season triple-doubles and holds the record for all-time triple-doubles as of 2021. Now, Westbrook can widen his lead by being the first player to record 200 triple-doubles during his 18th season, though he only recorded one in 2023–24. He currently has 199 triple-doubles.
7. Chris Paul Seeks Second Place on Career Assists List
Entering his 20th season, Chris Paul has landed on the San Antonio Spurs to conquer the paint with Victor “The Alien” Wembanyama. Along with the potential for rapid-fire feeds and sky-high lobs from the Point God, CP3 also finds himself in position to pass Hall of Famer Jason Kidd for second-most career assists. Paul closed the 2023-24 season with 11,894 assists and 6.8-per game average. He now needs just 197 dishes to match Kidd’s 12,091.
8. Lakers’ Emirates NBA Cup Defense
The NBA’s budding in-season tournament, now called the Emirates NBA Cup, extends into its second edition for the 2024-25 season. The recent regular season format change debuted in 2023 with the Los Angeles Lakers claiming the first NBA Cup over the Indiana Pacers. The mid-season contest begins November 12 and concludes with the Championship game on December 17.
9. Klay Thompson’s First Game Against the Warriors
The Splash Brothers are no more. For the first time in his NBA career, four-time NBA champion and five-time All-Star Klay Thompson will wear a Dallas Mavericks uniform instead of the Golden State Warriors’ Blue and Gold. He will face off against his former teammates Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and more multiple times in the 2024-25 season. The first of three regular season matchups between both teams will take place on November 12.
- 11/12 – Dallas Mavericks @ Golden State Warriors
- 02/12 – Golden State Warriors @ Dallas Mavericks
- 02/23 – Dallas Mavericks @ Golden State Warriors
10. Clippers Debut at Intuit Dome
After over two decades of sharing Crypto.com Arena with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers will have a home court to themselves at Intuit Dome starting in the 2024-25 season. Along with innovative designs like The Wall fan section and a double-sided halo video board, Intuit Dome brings a whole new experience to an NBA game. Be one of the first to check out the league’s latest venue with Intuit Dome tickets, and learn more about how to get inside Intuit Dome before going to a game.
11. NBA Mexico Game
Outside of the United States and Canada, Mexico remains the international hotspot for regular season NBA action. The partnership between the NBA and Mexico stretches back to 1992, with over 30 contests being held in Mexico City and Monterrey over the years. For the 2024-25 edition, Southeast Division rivals the Miami HEAT and Washington Wizards will face off at Mexico City Arena, which has held the NBA Mexico Game since 2017.
12. NBA on Christmas Day
Since its inception in 1947, the NBA on Christmas Day has been the best holiday gift for all basketball fans. While the 2024 Christmas Day slate checks off typical wishlist matchups like 76ers-Celtics and Lakers-Warriors, viewers will also be treated to two first-time Christmas faceoffs: the San Antonio Spurs vs. the New York Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. the Dallas Mavericks. Before the holidays hit, read more about the NBA on Christmas Day.
- 12/25 – San Antonio Spurs @ New York Knicks
- 12/25 – Minnesota Timberwolves @ Dallas Mavericks
- 12/25 – Philadelphia 76ers @ Boston Celtics
- 12/25 – Los Angeles Lakers @ Golden State Warriors
- 12/25 – Denver Nuggets @ Phoenix Suns
13. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Games
The NBA has hosted a special slate of games on Martin Luther King Jr. Day since the holiday was established in 1986. MLK Day games consistently feature one matchup with the Atlanta Hawks, the team representing Dr. King’s birth city, and another with the Memphis Grizzlies, the city where the civil rights leader was assassinated in 1968. The New York Knicks have also played on MLK Day annually, though in a unique twist for the 2025 edition, the Hawks and Knicks will face each other instead of hosting individual home games.
- 01/20 – Dallas Mavericks @ Charlotte Hornets
- 01/20 – Detroit Pistons @ Houston Rockets
- 01/20 – Minnesota Timberwolves @ Memphis Grizzlies
- 01/20 – Atlanta Hawks @ New York Knicks
- 01/20 – Phoenix Suns @ Cleveland Cavaliers
- 01/20 – Boston Celtics @ Golden State Warriors
- 01/20 – Utah Jazz @ New Orleans Pelicans
14. NBA Rivals Week
Expect a little extra heat between rivals in January. First introduced in 2022, the 2025 edition of NBA Rivals Week will highlight both the league’s budding and most historic rivalries across ten prime time matchups between January 21 and 25. The 2025 NBA Rivals Week includes interborough opponents the New York Knicks versus the Brooklyn Nets, the long-standing Lakers-Celtics rivalry and the first Finals rematch between the Celtics and Mavericks.
- 01/21 – New York Knicks @ Brooklyn Nets
- 01/21 – Philadelphia 76ers @ Denver Nuggets
- 01/22 – Minnesota Timberwolves @ Dallas Mavericks
- 01/22 – Golden State Warriors @ Sacramento Kings
- 01/23 – Miami HEAT @ Milwaukee Bucks
- 01/23 – Boston Celtics @ Los Angeles Lakers
- 01/24 – New Orleans Pelicans @ Memphis Grizzlies
- 01/25 – Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
- 01/25 – Boston Celtics @ Dallas Mavericks
- 01/25 – Los Angeles Lakers @ Golden State Warriors
15. NBA Paris Games
Only months after the eyes of basketball fans worldwide fell on Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics, the City of Light shines again with the sports’ brightest talents. First held in 2020, then again in 2023 and 2024, the NBA Paris Games in 2025 will feature two regular season games for the first time as the Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs play back-to-back on January 23 and 25. The Spurs, led by reigning Rookie of the Year and French phenom Victor Wembanyama, will play their third and fourth games in Paris, while the Pacers make their first appearance. Like its previous editions, the 2025 Paris Games will be hosted at Accor Arena, the site of the 2024 Olympics’ gold and bronze basketball games.
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