What is Rivals Week, new twist in NBA 2022-23 season?

The NBA announced its schedule for the 2022-23 season on Wednesday. The league has introduced a new twist this year – the NBA Rivals Week. 

What is the NBA Rivals Week?

The league is billing these as “Classic and Budding Rivalries” to be played between Jan. 24 and Jan. 28. It has some playoff rematches, some longstanding rivalries getting renewed, a showdown of two of the game’s top centers in Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, and even a marquee brother vs. brother matchup — Lonzo Ball and LaMelo Ball going head-to-head.

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Fans will be served with some iconic rivalries on court. Lakers will take on the Celtics, Grizzlies will lock horns with the Warriors, and Knicks will take on Nets. 

Some teams with recent playoff history will also play each other: Celtics-Heat, Grizzlies-Timberwolves, and Suns-Mavericks.

 Clippers-Lakers will see the likes of Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, MVP No 1 and 2, lock horns. Nets-76ers is expected to treat fans with a Kevin Durant vs Ben Simmons show. 

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The list:

Jan. 24: Boston at Miami, L.A. Clippers at L.A. Lakers.

Jan. 25: Brooklyn at Philadelphia, Memphis at Golden State.

Jan. 26: Chicago at Charlotte, Dallas at Phoenix.

Jan. 27: Memphis at Minnesota, Toronto at Golden State.

Jan. 28: Denver at Philadelphia, New York at Brooklyn, L.A. Lakers at Boston.

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SPECIAL SITES

The NBA will play five games outside of the league’s typical home arenas this season. The list (all times Eastern):

Dec. 17: Miami vs. San Antonio, at Mexico City, 4 p.m.

Jan. 13: Golden State vs. San Antonio, at Alamodome in San Antonio, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 19: Chicago vs. Detroit, at Paris, 9 p.m.

April 6: Portland vs. San Antonio, at Austin, Texas, 8 p.m.

April 8: Minnesota vs. San Antonio, at Austin, Texas, 4 p.m.