The NBA released its full 2024-25 regular-season schedule on Thursday. We’ve covered the schedule from a lot of different angles, including 10 must-see games, ranking the Christmas Day games, and a rundown of who has the most nationally televised games.
Here’s one more: Homecoming games. We’re not going to call these revenge games, although that would aptly characterize some of these matchups (Klay Thompson returning to play the Warriors and Paul George getting his first shot at the Clippers after they refused to pay him max money), because there weren’t a ton of bad-blood moves this summer.
Still, even in amicable splits, athletes will find any source of juice they can, and going back to the old stomping grounds to play a former team never fails to rev the engine. It was not a coincidence that Bradley Beal dropped a season-high 43 points on the Wizards last year.
So, call these homecoming games or revenge games or whatever you’d like, but circle them on your calendar if you’re an NBA nut. They’re not all “big” games, but they’ll feel plenty big to those involved.
Oct. 23: Doc returns to Philly
This is a coach revenge game, as Doc Rivers was fired two days after the 76ers lost in the 2023 Eastern Conference semifinals to the Boston Celtics, a series they once led 3-2. Rivers’ teams are no strangers to blowing playoff leads, and this was the third straight season he had failed to get the Sixers past the second round. So they brought in Nick Nurse … and failed to get out of the first round. Rivers caught a lot of flak for Philadelphia’s shortcomings, and regardless of whether he would ever acknowledge it, he would love to go into Philadelphia on opening night and beat the Sixers.
Oct. 25: Obi Toppin back at MSG
Toppin has been back to play the Knicks a bunch of time since they traded him to Indiana, including in last year’s New York-Indiana conference semifinals in which Toppin, who was just rewarded with a $60M deal, played well. Still, I don’t think a guy like Toppin, who was the No. 8 overall pick and was never really given a full opportunity to show what he could do under Tom Thibodeau, will ever not want to come to New York and stick it to the Knicks a little.
Oct. 28: Alex Sarr faces Hawks
For a long time, Sarr was seen as the guy who would go No. 1 overall to the Hawks. But that changed as the draft drew closer and Atlanta wound up going with Zaccharie Risacher. These guys have egos. Sarr is going to want to show the Hawks they made a mistake. To do so, he’ll have to look a whole lot better than he did in Summer League, where he looked, frankly, like a mess on the offensive end.
Nov. 6: Paul George returns to L.A.
The Clippers are opening their new arena this season without George, whom they chose to let walk to Philly for nothing rather than pay him max money. The threat of the second apron and George’s advancing age were understandable concerns for the Clippers, but George surely doesn’t see it that way. He might not have been able to get them to pay off the court, but he’ll certainly be looking to make them pay on it.
Nov. 12: Klay returns to Bay
This is going to be the most emotional homecoming game of the season by a long shot. What Thompson did in his 13 years with the Warriors doesn’t need to be recited over and over. Dude is a legend. But there’s no doubt it ended on a pretty sour note, with Thompson watching the Warriors sign Jordan Poole and and Draymond Green to for a combined $240 million while being unwilling to offer him more than the reported $48 million he turned down.
Who knows what the actual numbers or official offers were, if there even was one by the end, but you can bet Thompson feels like the Warriors pushed him out the door. He’s not close to the player he used to be. The Warriors were justified in drawing a hard line on his contract. But Thompson is as competitive as any player in the league and he’s going to be looking to burn Chase Center to the ground.
Nov. 22: Ben Simmons back in Philly
It doesn’t matter how irrelevant Simmons has become, as long as he’s in the NBA, it’s going to be a story every time he goes back to Philadelphia.
Nov. 24: Harden back in Philly
Harden forced his way out of Philly on a pretty nasty note as well. He’s already been back since the trade to the Clippers, putting up 16 points and 14 assists in a one-point Clippers win last season, but this remains a fresh enough situation that fans will still be into harassing Harden as they hope to show him how much better off they are without him.
Dec. 2: Murray returns to Atlanta
There shouldn’t be much animosity here. Things just didn’t work out with Murray in Atlanta, but he had just about nothing to do with that. Yeah, his defense slipped in that environment, but he tried to play off ball so Trae Young could keep control of the offense, and he did a pretty good job of it.
When it comes to his time with the Hawks, Murray did his best, and some may even speculate that the Hawks would have preferred to keep him over Young. However, it was Murray’s trade value that ultimately led to his departure.
Regardless, former players often aim to impress when playing in their old arena, as seen when New Orleans faces Atlanta earlier in the season. Murray will surely be motivated for this matchup.
On December 23, Immanuel Quickley and R.J. Barrett will once again step onto the court at Madison Square Garden, where they were traded to Toronto in a deal involving OG Anunoby last year. Despite the Knicks’ new roster, Barrett and Quickley may have something to prove to their former team.
Isaiah Hartenstein will be welcomed back with open arms at MSG on January 10, after signing a lucrative deal with the Thunder. The Knicks fans will surely appreciate his contributions during his time with the team.
DeMar DeRozan’s return to Chicago on January 12 will be met with love and admiration from the Bulls faithful, given his stellar performance with the team. Although some fans may question the timing of his trade, DeRozan is expected to receive a warm ovation.
Mikal Bridges’ trade to the Knicks was one of the biggest moves of the offseason, with Brooklyn acquiring several first-round picks in return. Despite the mutually beneficial nature of the trade, it will be exciting to see Bridges back at Barclays Center, where he honed his skills to become an All-Star caliber player.
Damian Lillard’s visits to Portland as a member of the Bucks will always be a significant event, given his impact on the city and the franchise. Despite a less-than-stellar performance in his last game there, Lillard’s return will continue to be a major storyline.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s return to Denver on February 6 will give him a chance to prove the Nuggets wrong for letting him go. While the decision was based on financial considerations, Caldwell-Pope will be eager to show his former team what they are missing.
Russell Westbrook’s return to face the Lakers on March 19 will be filled with emotion, as his time with the team was tumultuous. Despite his best efforts, Westbrook faced criticism and negativity during his stint with the Lakers, making this matchup a personal one for him.
Kyrie Irving’s return to Brooklyn on March 24 will bring back memories of his controversial tenure with the Nets. Similar to Ben Simmons’ return to Philadelphia, Irving’s presence in Brooklyn will continue to be a topic of discussion for the foreseeable future.
Josh Giddey’s return to Oklahoma City on March 31 will be a chance for him to showcase his skills after being traded to Chicago. With the opportunity to lead the offense, Giddey will be looking to make a statement against his former team.
These upcoming matchups are sure to provide plenty of excitement and storylines as former players face their old teams and seek to make an impact on the court. Rewrite the given sentence.