Can it possibly be true? No need to fear, as it is indeed true. Opening week of the NBA season is upon us! All of the action kicks off on Tuesday with some marquee games right out of the gate! For the most part, fantasy leagues have had their drafts. It is time to prepare rosters for actual games. With that in mind, may I present this fantasy basketball first week preview edition? Without question, I am ready for the season to tip off!

Opening Night

Truly, it should come as no surprise that the first day of the NBA season contains the Lakers. They begin against defending champion Denver on Tuesday. Of course, this game will feature many highly drafted fantasy players, including LeBron James, Nikola Jokic and others on both teams. The game is set to begin at 7:30 Eastern. Make sure that your lineup is set before tip off.

There are only two games scheduled for Opening Night. The second one features another contest with players sure to be prominently featured on fantasy rosters: Phoenix at Golden State. If your league hasn’t already had its fantasy draft, selecting players from these four teams will get you off to a fast start.

In my opinion, players at the bottom of a roster are interchangable. Thus, getting some players that aren’t ranked as high as others into these opening games with the idea of dropping them when needed is a strategy well worth pursuing.

Pay Attention to the Schedule

Fortunately for all of us, the NBA has a much more fantasy friendly schedule than hockey does. To confirm this, glance at the opening week of the NHL, as highlighted in my article here. That schedule is all over the place. Many teams have several day off between games, while some play back-to-back. Keeping up to date with it can be a full time job.

The NBA schedule isn’t nearly the head scratcher as hockey’s is. Most teams play three games the first week, but not all. For example, Brooklyn, Indiana, Milwaukee, Orlando, Dallas, Minnesota and New Orleans play just two games opening week. Most likely, If you have players from those teams, you will be at a competitive disadvantage against the opposing manager. It may not require any moves. However, as mentioned earlier, if a bottom player can be exchanged for another in a better situation, that is what they are on the roster to provide.

Before closing this subject, be aware that some teams have back-to-back games the first week. Those teams are Chicago, Detroit, Miami, the Knicks, Memphis, Philadelphia, Toronto and Utah. For sure, there are no roster moves for situations like this. Simply, I am mentioning so managers can temper expectations for the players in this situation. Fortunately, there is no worries about players sitting out games just yet.

The Phenom Makes His First Regular Season Appearance

Certainly, Wednesday at 9:30 eastern on ESPN will be must see TV. The reason? That is when Victor Wembanyama makes his regular season debut at home against Dallas. Obviously, those managers that drafted him will be interested in how he performs. Those that will have to face him at some point will get a first glance on what to expect.

No matter how he performs, though, don’t get carried away just yet. Let him play for a while and then make a judgment. As for the matchup, last season Dallas was not good on the defensive end of the court. The Mavericks ranked 25th in defensive rating and 18th in points allowed in the paint. This fantasy basketball first week edition sees Victor having his way down low in this game. Expect points and rebounds by the bushel.

How do Doncic and Irving Look on the Court?

In that same game, perhaps we can get a view of how Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving will mesh on the floor. Simply stated, it didn’t mess last season. Irving played 20 games with Dallas after he was traded by Brooklyn. The duo played 16 games together and the results weren’t positive, to say the least. The Mavericks went 5-11, they didn’t win back-to-back games once and worst of all, missed the playoffs.

As they say, hope springs eternal. As discussed above, the Mavericks had defensive issues last season. That will continue to be the case with these two offensive minded players on the court. Fortunately, at least in points leagues, defense doesn’t mean a whole lot in fantasy. The two should generate gaudy fantasy numbers between them, as long as they stay healthy.

However, that is a discussion for another day. As for this game, the bet on this fantasy basketball first week edition is that managers will be very pleased with the final fantasy results for both players when the game is over.

Old Face, New Place

Lastly, managers will have to wait a bit to see Damian Lillard make his Bucks team debut. The game isn’t until Thursday, when Philadelphia comes to visit. He wanted out of Portland and while Milwaukee wasn’t his first wish, he should enjoy getting paired with Giannis. Injuries have been a concern with Lillard the past two seasons, but that means nothing for this contest.

When he was on the court last season, he was as electric as ever, averaging 32.2 PPG, the highest of his career. Meanwhile, his 7.3 assists per game was right in line with his two previous seasons. The 76ers should be a good first test for Lillard. Philadelphia ranked third in points allowed and was fifth in 3-point FG percentage last season.

Even as that is true, in my estimation, Lillard and Giannis will take to each other right out of the gate. Look for Lillard to match or come very close to those numbers Thursday night.

The Final Word

Thank you for joining me for this fantasy basketball first week preview edition! As always, I welcome suggestions, comments and input from all my readers. Let’s discuss!

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