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
- Bucks at 76ers
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
- Pacers at Knicks
Toppin has been back to play the Knicks a bunch of time since theyc traded him to Indiana, including in last year's New York-Indiana conference seminfinals 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
- Wizards at 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.
- 76ers at Clippers
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
- Mavericks at Warriors
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
- Nets at 76ers
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
- Clippers at 76ers
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
- Pelicans at Hawks
There shouldn't be much animosity here. Things just didn't work out with Murray in Atlanta, but he had just about nothing to 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. He mostly did what he could; in fact, it's fair to wonder whether the Hawks might've preferred to keep him over Young but it was Murray who had more trade value.
Either way, everyone likes to show out in their former building (New Orleans hosts Atlanta earlier in the season). Murray will be up for this one.
Dec. 23: Barrett, Quickley face Knicks
- Raptors at Knicks
This isn't the first trip back to Madison Square Garden for Immanuel Quickley and R.J. Barrett, who were traded to Toronto last December in the OG Anunoby deal, but there will still be a little point to prove for the two guys who were casualties of New York's higher aspirations (with the team the Knicks have put together, the fans probably couldn't care less about Barrett and Quickley).
Barrett played well in first game back at the Garden, putting up 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists while Quickley added 12 points. They'll be looking to do more damage this time around.
Jan. 10: I-Hart will feel MSG love
- Thunder at Knicks
Absolutely no hard feelings here. The Knicks couldn't afford Isaiah Hartenstein, who landed an $87M deal from the Thunder. But he'll get a heck of an ovation from the Knicks faithful. He was awesome for them.
Jan. 12: DeRozan in Chicago
- Kings at Bulls
The Chicago fans should've have anything but love for DeMar DeRozan when he returns with the Kings. He was awesome in his time with the Bulls. The only thing the fans should be mad about is that the Bulls didn't trade DeRozan earlier. Instead, they somehow shipped off DeRozan, Alex Caruso and Andre Drummond without bringing back a single first-round draft pick. DeRozan will get a deserved ovation.
Jan. 21: Bridges at Barclays
- Knicks at Nets
The biggest trade of the summer was Mikal Bridges to the Knicks, who sent five first-round picks, four of which are unprotected, plus another pick swap and Bojan Bogdanovic to the Nets. With that kind of haul, Brooklyn, which also got its own picks back from Houston that it sent out in the James Harden trade, does not have any hard feelings over Bridges' desire to play across town. This was a major win-win deal, but it'll still be fun to see Bridges back at Barclays Center, which will always be the place where he grew into an All-Star level player.
Jan. 28: Dame goes to Portland
- Bucks at Blazers
Damian Lillard had already been back to Portland as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. It didn't go all that well as he shot just 3 of 13 from 3 and the Bucks lost to the Blazers, but given his impact on that franchise and city, it is going to be a story every time he goes back there for the rest of his career. He'll get his next chance to show out in front of his old fans as the 2024-25 season moves toward the All-Star break.
Feb. 6: KCP in Denver
- Magic at Nuggets
The Nuggets let Kentavious Caldwell-Pope walk to Orlando for nothing in a pure money-saving/second-apron avoiding move. Whether a team like the Nuggets -- who had their dominant starting lineup in place and probably could've afforded to compromise some future flexibility to maximize this window with Nikola Jokic -- should've bitten the bullet and retained KCP is a matter of debate, but no doubt Caldwell-Pope is looking forward to the chance to show his former team they chose wrong.
March 19: Westbrook takes on Lakers
- Nuggets at Lakers
The Lakers aren't the most recent team Russell Westbrook played for, but his stay with the Clippers was pretty positive. He played well and the fans didn't groan when he touched the ball. Westbrook was like a pariah for most of his time with the Lakers. He was blamed for everything. His family was getting harassed in their seats. Westbrook goes full tilt every time he steps on any court, and this won't be the first time he's played the Lakers since he was traded. But my guess is there will always be a little extra vinegar in the tank when he plays in front of the Lakers fans from here on out.
March 24: Kyrie returns to Brooklyn
- Mavericks at Nets
Again, the Kyrie Irving saga in Brooklyn is old news. But it was just so toxic that emotions still linger. Like Ben Simmons going back to Philly, Kyrie going back to Brooklyn is going to be a thing for a long while.
March 31: Giddey hits OKC
- Bulls at Thunder
The Thunder took Josh Giddey with the No. 6 overall pick in 2021. This summer, they traded him for Alex Caruso. It made sense. Giddey needs the ball in his hands to be his best and he was never going to get that opportunity in Oklahoma City with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at the helm. Giddey wanted the trade, reportedly, and he should get his chance to control the offense in Chicago like he did in the Olympics, where he was terrific for Australia. I;m sure he would love nothing more than to hang a triple-double in Oklahoma City.
