Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are no longer in Celtics green, but the name of the city across their chest doesn't change the feelings they have for the Miami Heat. Words have already been shared during the preseason, and now they square off for the first time in the 2013-14 season.
2013 NBA schedule: Miami heads to Brooklyn, San Antonio visits Los Angeles for nightcap
There’s plenty to watch with 13 games on the Friday NBA slate.
Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE
The defending champs visit Brooklyn to kick off an ESPN doubleheader on Friday night and highlight a 13-game NBA schedule that ends with a 10:30 p.m. nightcap between the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers in L.A. No love has been lost between the Heat and Nets since Brooklyn made its new acquisitions this offseason. The two sides shared words in recent weeks, setting the stage for quite an entertaining rivalry atop the Eastern Conference going forward.
Tim Duncan, who suffered a chest contusion in the team's opener against the Grizzlies on Wednesday, is questionable to play against the Lakers in the second game of the doubleheader. But L.A. will be without its superstar as well. Kobe Bryant isn't expected back in the lineup for another several weeks as the Lakers try to tread water without him.
Elsewhere, the Cleveland Cavaliers look to make it 2-0 against the Charlotte Bobcats. The Cavs grabbed a season-opening win against the Nets that featured the return of Andrew Bynum after an 18-month absence from the game. The New Orleans Pelicans play the Orlando Magic, and the UNDEFEATED Philadelphia 76ers visit the Washington Wizards to round out the 7 p.m. time slot.
In the Western Conference, the new-look Dallas Mavericks will get their first test against Dwight Howard and the Rockets in Houston at 8 p.m., and the Oklahoma City Thunder go north to visit the Minnesota Timberwolves in two matchups of 1-0 teams.
Here are all 13 games on the Friday night schedule (all times ET):
Friday, Nov. 1.
Cleveland Cavaliers at Charlotte Bobcats, 7 p.m.
New Orleans Pelicans at Orlando Magic, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia 76ers at Washington WIzards, 7 p.m.
Toronto Raptors at Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m.
Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics, 7:30 p.m.
Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets, 8 p.m.
Detroit Pistons at Memphis Grizzlies, 8 p.m.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves, 8 p.m.
Miami Heat at Brooklyn Nets, 8 p.m.
Portland Trail Blazers at Denver Nuggets, 9 p.m.
Utah Jazz at Phoenix Suns, 10 p.m.
Los Angeles Clippers at Sacramento Kings, 10 p.m.
San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m.
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