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NBA Season Preview 2017-18: 5 things to watch for on Opening Night

By Dre Elder

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 2: Gordon Hayward #20 and Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics are seen during the game against the Charlotte Hornets during a preseason game on October 2, 2017 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 2: Gordon Hayward #20 and Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics are seen during the game against the Charlotte Hornets during a preseason game on October 2, 2017 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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2. Eastern Conference Finals preview

The Cavaliers and Celtics were already scheduled to face each other on opening night. Then, the game got more interesting once the Celtics signed All-Star forward Gordon Hayward. Well, intrigue further escalated after the Kyrie Irving-Isaiah Thomas trade. No one saw that coming. These two teams had just dueled in the 2017 East Finals. And now they’re trading players with one another? Best of all, we won’t even have to wait for the entree on Oct. 17. It’s coming out first.

Kyrie Irving will lead a young Boston team into Quicken Loans Arena to square off with a reloaded Cleveland team. In addition to Isaiah Thomas, the Cavaliers also got Jae Crowder from Boston in exchange for Irving. The addition of Crowder will be huge for a team that lacked reliable depth at both forward positions. Cleveland also signed Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Jeff Green and Jose Calderon to veteran’s minimum deals. The Cavaliers will deploy a smaller lineup with Kevin Love at center, which could make them tougher to defend.

Comparatively, the Celtics’ roster was also overhauled. Boston returns just four players last season. Almost everything these teams knew about each other from a personnel standpoint has to be thrown out. The players are familiar, but the jerseys and schemes are different. And you know there will be bad blood even if no one other than Isaiah Thomas (who won’t play) admits it.

Look for this game to involve some trash talking, physical play, and playoff-like intensity. Yes, it’s the first game of the regular season, but don’t tell these guys that. Boston wants to put Cleveland on notice, but LeBron James is certainly looking to show someone they made a mistake.

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