For those that don't know how the schedule gets put together, I wanted to share the master spreadsheet that I used. Every team plays the rest of their conference once, then they play 7 teams in the West. If there are any cross-conference match-ups of significance (which really boils down to NBA Finals rematches), then I try to make sure those teams are playing each other (for example, TB-Houston, Houston-Washington, Portland-Brooklyn; however, I should note that it's not a guarantee to happen). Other than that, it's really just done at random. Here's what the schedule looks like after it's been put together:
It's a small image, but if you click it, then it will expand. The whole process, if I start from scratch, which I prefer to do, takes around 2-2.5 hours. Now, onto the games!
THE FINALS REMATCHESCleveland @ Atlanta (week 2) - the 2010 Finals rematch gets us started as the Hawks look to improve on last year's 3-13 season
Tampa Bay @ Utah (week 4) - a rematch of 2012 caps a tough 4-week stretch for Utah (@hou, @mem, SEA, TB) to start the season
Washington @ Houston (week 4) - this 2017 rematch kicks off three straight weeks for Houston against EC playoff hopefuls
Houston @ Tampa Bay (week 5) - the Bull Sharks get two of their three Finals opponents in the first five weeks (they do not play the third - Vegas)
Portland @ Brooklyn (week 7) - last year's Finals takes place as the first half of the season winds down
Brooklyn @ Utah (week 11) - the only teams that have played against one another in the Finals more than once, a battle of the 13 and 14 finalists
Brooklyn @ OKC (week 15) - this figures to be a massive game for two teams that have a shot at the playoffs
THE WEST TRIUMVIRATEMemphis @ Portland (week 1) - the Grizzlies, Blazers and Rockets figure to be the top-3 in the West, and this 2018 WCF rematch kicks off the season
Houston @ Memphis (week 12) - this game figures to decide the top seed...
Portland @ Houston (week 14) - but if the above game doesn't, it'll be this one
THE WIDE OPEN EASTColorado @ Atlanta (week 1) - with so many challengers in the East, one of the games likely to decide the SE division is this season opener
Boston @ Chicago (week 3) - an early season measuring stick game for both the Bulls and Celtics
Orlando @ Tampa Bay (week 6) - the Bull Sharks will look to get the inside track on their in-state rival
Washington @ Brooklyn (week 14) - the 2018 ECF rematch takes place in the thick of the playoff race
Washington @ Orlando (week 16) - quite possibly the SE division championship game in the last week of the season
THE WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF HOPEFULSSeattle @ Houston (week 2) - the Sonics are loaded with all kinds of young talent, and they'll look to knock off Houston for the 2nd straight year
OKC @ Portland (week 2) - speaking of loaded with young talent, the Thunder are the first challenger to get a crack at the defending WC champs
Minnesota @ Las Vegas (week 3) - much like BOS-CHI in the East, this is a hugely important early season game for these two
Golden St. @ Utah (week 7) - six of the first seven games for Utah are against Western Conference teams
OKC @ Seattle (week 13) - the two teams loaded with young talent finally square off with four weeks to go
THE RIVALRY GAMESBrooklyn @ Toronto (week 1) - both teams have been in the playoffs in 8 of the 9 years in this league, and they've faced off in 4 of those appearances
Tampa Bay @ Brooklyn (week 2) - the two best teams in EC history square off early in the year
Utah @ Memphis (week 2) - they've faced each other in the playoffs two consecutive years, could this be the third?
Utah @ Portland (week 6) - these two have owned the Pacific division since the league's inception, and this year looks like more of the same
Tampa Bay @ Atlanta (week 8) - this game has decided the division several times in league history, and this year could be no different
Las Vegas @ Kansas City (week 12) - everyone's favorite smack-talking match-up resumes in week 12
Seattle @ Portland (week 16) - it's been a while since this game had playoff implications, but that could change this year