NBA champion Nuggets host Lakers to start NBA season

The NBA champion Denver Nuggets will kick off the 2023-24 NBA schedule Oct. 24 in a showdown against the Los Angeles Lakers, creating an early rematch of last season's Western Conference Finals.

While portions of the schedule have leaked out over the past several days, the NBA released its full-season, team-by-team schedule on Thursday, and the focus is on last season's playoff teams in the early days.

The clash between the Lakers and Nuggets will be nationally televised, and Denver players will receive their championship rings before the game, which is set to tip at 7:30 p.m. ET. It will be followed by the Phoenix Suns' visit to the Golden State Warriors, when three-time NBA All-Star Bradley Beal of Phoenix and 12-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul of Golden State debut with their new teams.

In the first five days of the season, the 10 nationally televised games will feature three rematches from the 2023 NBA playoffs.

The NBA previously shared its plans for its inaugural in-season tournament, which will start Nov. 3, and on Thursday confirmed its always-anticipated NBA slate of Christmas Day games: Milwaukee Bucks at New York Knicks (noon ET), Warriors at Nuggets (2:30 p.m.), Boston Celtics at Lakers (5 p.m.), Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat (8 p.m.) and Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns (10:30 p.m.).

The regular season is scheduled to conclude April 14.

The 2024 play-in tournament will run from April 16-19, with the playoffs beginning April 20. Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals will start June 6.