Alright, going to go week by week here. There's going to be some prognostication here, and the goal isn't necessarily to highlight key games for every team. Some teams are going to have more key games than others.
WEEK 1Tampa Bay @ ChicagoBoston @ Brooklyn - lumping these two games together as they're the four EC playoff teams from last year, and we're jumping right in to the action
Colorado @ Washington - if any EC team is going to break into the group of 4 above, it figures to be one of these two
Kansas City @ Memphis - a rematch of last year's WCF, and an early test for both
WEEK 2Brooklyn @ Memphis - the first Finals rematch of the season
Seattle @ Utah - an early Pacific Division showdown between last year's division winner and this year's big mover
Toronto @ Atlanta - there's a good chance that this game will determine who has the #1 lotto odds in May
Tampa Bay @ Houston - a rematch of the 2016 NBA Finals
WEEK 3Memphis @ Utah - the Grizzlies start off the season with all three of their 2019 playoff opponents
Minnesota @ Golden State - both teams are hopeful they can sneak into the playoffs, and these are the games one HAS to win to do that
WEEK 4Seattle @ Oklahoma City - the Sonics and Thunder were right there for the playoff race last season, this game will go a long way in this year's race
WEEK 5Brooklyn @ Portland - a rematch of the 2018 NBA Finals
Houston @ Memphis - while these two Western powers have never played in the playoffs, this will be a HUGE regular season showdown
Tampa Bay @ Boston - a rematch of last year's thrilling first round match-up out East
Seattle @ Kansas City - the Kings winning this match-up last year is what springboarded them to the playoffs
WEEK 6Tampa Bay @ Brooklyn - the two winningest teams in the East face off
WEEK 7Toronto @ Cleveland - if the Atlanta/Toronto game doesn't decide the #1 lotto odds, then this one might
Portland @ Utah - another Pacific Division showdown
WEEK 8Las Vegas @ Houston - a rematch of the 2015 WCF
Tampa Bay @ Washington - a critical Southeast Division game and a 2017 ECF rematch
Utah @ Kansas City - these two faced off in back-to-back WCFs in 2013 and 2014
WEEK 9Minnesota @ Utah - the Wolves have only made the playoffs once, back in 2012, when they faced the Utah Jazz
Orlando @ Atlanta - while neither team is likely to make the playoffs, both have played against each other in the playoffs multiple times
WEEK 10Chicago @ Houston - in last year's match-up between these two, the Bulls pulled a major upset to stay in the playoff hunt
Utah @ Brooklyn - a rematch of the 2013 and 2014 NBA Finals
WEEK 11Houston @ Washington - a rematch of the 2017 NBA Finals
Memphis @ Tampa Bay - a late-season battle between two of the league's best
WEEK 12Utah @ Tampa Bay - a rematch of the 2012 NBA Finals
Houston @ Minnesota - likely to be a must-win game for the Wolves
Kansas City @ Golden State - if the Warriors are still in the playoff hunt at this point, this game looms large
WEEK 13Atlanta @ Tampa Bay - one of the league's underrated rivalries
Houston @ Kansas City - the Kings upset the Rockets in last year's first round
Chicago @ Colorado - four of Colorado's last five games are against last year's EC playoff teams
WEEK 14Portland @ Houston - one of the best match-ups in the last quarter of the season
Seattle @ Memphis - either the torch is passed, or goliath stays alive
WEEK 15Kansas City @ Oklahoma City - a key WC match-up
Memphis @ Portland - a rematch of the 2018 WCF
Seattle @ Houston - WC battles up and down the schedule
WEEK 16Cleveland @ Atlanta - believe it or not, this was the first Finals match-up in league history
Seattle @ Portland - a game that could decide the Pacific Division champion
Las Vegas @ Kansas City - THE rivalry, saving the best for last