Rockets opening night/ Christmas opponents announced
Houston - The Rockets will open the NBA season at Golden State in a nationally televised game on October 17th.
On Christmas Day, the Rockets will travel to Oklahoma City to face the new-look Thunder.
The Rockets will be coming off one of the most exciting off-seasons in franchise history. The team added a number of players, highlighted by a trade for superstar point guard Chris Paul.
The Rockets will play the second game of a nationally televised double header on opening night, scheduled for 9:30pm CST. The Cavaliers will host the Celtics in a rematch of last season's Eastern Conference Final.
The Warriors have reached the finals each of the past three seasons, winning two titles. Last season, after adding Kevin Durant, the Warriors dispatched the Cavaliers in five games. The Warriors and Cavaliers will rematch each other on Christmas Day.
The Rockets closed out the Thunder in five games in last season's first round series. The Thunder, pressed into action by the uncertainty surrounding MVP Russell Westbrook (who can leave OKC after the season), made an equally impressive move by trading for All-Star forward Paul George. George's presence potentially returns OKC to the Western Conference's elite. The Christmas day rematch between the Rockets and Thunder is scheduled for 7pm CST.
The Christmas Day slate begins with the 76ers traveling to New York to face the Knicks. The Cavaliers/ Warriors rematch follows, with the third game featuring the Wizards at the Celtics. The Rockets/ Thunder game will be the fourth game of the night, which will conclude with a matchup between the Timberwolves and Lakers in Los Angeles.