u200bThe NBA champion Warriors will open the 2017-18 NBA season on Oct. 17 against the Houston Rockets at Oracle Arena, the NBA announced Thursday.
The 7:30 p.m. nightcap of TNT’s opening night doubleheader will lead off with the Warriors receiving their NBA championship rings and the raising of the championship banner.
The Warriors also will be featured on Christmas Day when they play host to the Cleveland Cavaliers at noon in a rematch of the previous three NBA Finals.
The starting date is the earliest in the NBA since Oct. 10, 1980 as the league attempts to stretch out the schedule to help coaches avoid having to rest players too often during the regular season.