NBA Schedule: Top 5 games from Week 1 of the 2019-20 season

#1 Lakers vs Clippers: October 22nd, 2019, 10:30 PM

Los Angeles Clippers introduce Kawhi Leonard and Paul George

The schedule makers did not waste any time lining a marquee matchup right at the start of the NBA season. Before the NBA Draft, a deal in principle was arranged between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Lakers to send center Anthony Davis to LA.

He joins Kyle Kuzma and LeBron James, but the Lakers had to clear the decks to make the Davis deal work and free up just enough cap room to play in the free agent market.

They have added several new faces like Avery Bradley, Danny Green, DeMarcus Cousins (left ACL injury), and Quinn Cook among others. It will be interesting to see if this team gels and whether they are truly championship caliber.

The Clippers traded Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and a plethora of draft picks to get Paul George from OKC to ensure they could get Kawhi Leonard’s name on a contract. They have built up a superior roster after an 8th place finish in the West and a playoff appearance in 2019.

Surely, the Clippers will need an adjustment period, like the Lakers, but with the Sixth Man of the Year award winner and a runner up to that award in Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell respectively, the Clippers were working with more of a team concept than the Lakers to start with.