The 2020/21 NBA season is almost here, and the league has released a partial schedule to make things more exciting. The reigning champions Los Angeles Lakers have a packed few months ahead of them, including an opening night duel against city rivals LA Clippers! 

This is once again no ordinary regular-season as we’ll only witness a 72-game season starting on December 22. The pandemic’s impact has resulted in shortened games and a slight change in how teams play their fixtures. 

The first half’s schedule iterates how the league is looking at safety as a priority. For instance, the Lakers have several back-to-back games against opponents, and it makes sense. These fixtures are quite mouth-watering, and here are a few such games that already have us on the edge of our seats! 

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Los Angeles Lakers: Blockbuster games in the first half of the season

The Lakers take on the LA Clippers on opening night (Dec 22) at 7:00 pm P.T. This will be a home game for the Lake Show and indeed a special one, as one can expect the ring presenting ceremony to take place on game day. 

Moving on, the Los Angeles Lakers will continue their tradition of playing Christmas Day games, in fact, it will be their 22nd consecutive season. LeBron and co. take on the feisty Dallas Mavericks at the Staples Center (5:00 pm P.T.) 

This is indeed an exciting matchup considering the quality of athletes who’ll battle it out for glory on Christmas day. Luka Doncic has elevated his status and would definitely look to ruin the party in Los Angeles when he and the Mavericks take on the champions during Christmas. 

The purple and gold then face the Golden State Warriors on January 18, once again a home game. This fixture will be a proving ground to determine the conference favorites, but Klay Thompson’s injury has certainly handicapped the Warriors. 

Next comes LeBron James versus the ‘Greek Freak!’ , as Giannis Antetokounmpo will host the Lakers at the Fiserv Forum on January 21. The Milwaukee Bucks will be on a redemption run after a poor end to their 2020 season, but do they have enough to outshine the defending champs? 

Who wants to see a recap of the 2020 NBA Finals? Well, everyone does! The Miami Heat take on the Lakers on February 20 and it is a road game for Jimmy Butler and the team. Both teams have added reinforcements from last season, and it would definitely be an exciting clash when these two incredible teams meet on the court! 

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Lakers’ partial schedule for the 2021 season

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