From opening night to the 2023 NBA Draft, here are all the important dates you’ll need to know to follow the 2022-23 NBA season.
The NBA preseason is already winding down and what should be a fascinating regular season is just over the horizon. We’ve seen big names change teams this offseason — Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Dejounte Murray — with a few other star trades still possible. There are a half-dozen or more teams with legit championship aspirations and plenty more who could be dark-horse contenders if things break their way. Oh, and this year’s rookie class already looks like it could be unbelievably special.
With so much to follow it can be hard to keep track of everything. That’s why we’ve put together a list of all the important dates you’ll need to watch this season.
When does the NBA Season start?
Opening night for the NBA season is Tuesday, Oct. 18, featuring a marquee doubleheader. The Philadelphia 76ers will play the Boston Celtics at 7:30 p.m. The Los Angeles Lakers will play the Golden State Warriors at 10:00 p.m. Another 24 teams will begin their seasons in a loaded slate of games on Wednesday, Oct. 19.
Important dates for the G League in 2022
The G League season is split into two parts — the Showcase Cup which features 18 games per team and begins in early November, and the G League regular season which begins at the end of December with 32 games per game. Here are all the important dates for the G League season.
- Oct. 22: 2022-23 NBA G League Draft
- Oct. 24: NBA G League training camps open
- Nov. 3: Rosters set for NBA G League Showcase Cup
- Nov. 4: NBA G League Showcase Cup begins
- Dec. 19-22: NBA G League Winter Showcase and Showcase Cup Championship Game
- Dec. 27: NBA G League regular season begins
- Mar. 25 (2023): NBA G League regular season ends
- Mar. 28 (2023): NBA G League Playoffs begin
When is the NBA Mexico City game?
The Miami Heat will play the San Antonio Spurs in Mexico City on Dec. 17, 2022.
Has the NBA played a game in Mexico City before?
Yes. Expanding the game into international markets has long been a goal of the NBA and because of proximity, Mexico is a natural place to start. The NBA has held preseason games in Mexico City as early as 1992. The first regular-season game in Mexico City was held on Dec. 7, 1997, between the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks. Since then, 11 other regular-season games have been played in Mexico City.
When is the NBA Paris Game?
The Chicago Bulls will play the Detroit Pistons in Paris on Jan. 19, 2023.
Has the NBA ever played in Paris before?
Paris is another international destination where the NBA has held both preseason and regular-season games. The first preseason game was played there in 1994. The first and only regular-season Paris game was during the 2019-20 season, between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Charlotte Hornets.
When is the NBA All-Star Game?
NBA All-Star weekend runs from Feb. 17 to Feb. 19. The All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023.
Where is the NBA All-Star Game?
The 2023 NBA All-Star Game will be played at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah, the home of the Utah Jazz.
Has the All-Star Game ever been in Utah?
This is just the second time Salt Lake City has hosted the NBA All-Star Game. It will be the 30th Anniversary of the last occasion, in 1993.
When does All-Star voting begin?
The exact date is yet to be announced but voting usually begins in January and ends in early February, a week or two before All-Star weekend. Stay tuned for more information as it’s announced.
How to vote for the All-Star Game?
Once the voting window opens, full ballots can be accessed at NBA.com and on the NBA app. You can also vote on Twitter by tweeting a player’s full name and the hashtag #NBAAllStar.
When is the NBA Trade Deadline?
The NBA Trade Deadline for this season is Feb. 9, 2023, at 3 p.m. ET.
When do the G League playoffs start?
The G League playoffs begin on March 28, 2023.
When is the NBA Play-in Tournament?
The NBA Play-in Tournament will be held from April 11-14, 2023. Stay tuned for the exact game schedule.
What is the NBA Play-in Tournament?
The NBA Play-in Tournament is a new wrinkle that debuted for the 2019-20 season, giving an extra two teams in each conference a chance at making the playoffs. After the regular season ends, the No. 10 seed and No. 9 seed and the No. 8 seed and No. 7 in each conference play. The winner of the game between the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds gets the No. 7 in that conference. The winner of the game between the No. 10 and No. 9 seeds then plays the loser of the game between the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds. The winner of that game ends up as the No. 8 seed.
When do the NBA playoffs start?
- First round of the NBA Playoffs begin April 15, 2023
- Conference Semifinals begin May 1-2, with a possible move-up date of April 28-29
- Conference Finals begin May 16-17, with a possible move-up date of May 14-15
- NBA Finals begin June 1
When is the NBA Draft Lottery?
The NBA Draft Lottery will be held on May 16, 2023. The event is typically televised on ESPN, beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET.
How are the NBA Draft Lottery odds determined?
NBA Draft Lottery odds are determined by the final regular season records of all non-playoff teams. The three teams with the worst records in the league each get a 14 percent chance of receiving the top pick. The full lottery odds are as follows from the bottom of the standings:
- 1 — 14.0%
- 2 — 14.0%
- 3 — 14.0%
- 4 — 12.5%
- 5 — 10.5%
- 6 — 9.0%
- 7 — 7.5%
- 8 — 6.0%
- 9 — 4.5%
- 10 — 3.0%
- 11 — 2.0%
- 12 — 1.5%
- 13 — 1.0%
- 14 — 0.5%
When do the NBA Finals start?
- NBA Finals Game 1 — June 1, 2023
- NBA Finals Game 2 — June 4, 2023
- NBA Finals Game 3 — June 7, 2023
- NBA Finals Game 4 — June 9, 2023
- NBA Finals Game 5 (if necessary) — June 12, 2023
- NBA Finals Game 6 (if necessary) — June 15, 2023
- NBA Finals Game 7 (if necessary) — June 18, 2023
When is the NBA Draft?
The 2023 NBA Draft will be held on June 22, 2023.
When are NBA awards announced?
NBA Awards are announced on a rolling schedule between the first round of the playoffs and the beginning of the NBA Finals.