NBA schedule 2014: Defending champion Spurs host Mavericks on opening night

The 2014-15 NBA season is finally here. There are three games on the menu Tuesday, including a big in-state battle between the defending champion San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks. Let's preview the action for opening night.

Prior to the game, the Spurs will hold a ring ceremony and unveil their fifth championship banner at the AT&T Center. After that, it's all business as the Spurs begin their title defense against a Mavericks team that almost ruined everything last year. Dallas took San Antonio to seven games in the first round of the postseason and return with an even better roster. Tyson Chandler is back after a three-year stint in the Big Apple, while Chandler Parsons makes his Mavericks debut after spending the first three seasons of his career in Houston

The Spurs will be without Kawhi Leonard (eye), Tiago Splitter (calf) and Patty Mills (shoulder), but being short-handed doesn't usually deter Gregg Popovich's group.

Option B: Magic at Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET

While this isn't exactly a marquee matchup, there are reasons to tune in. For one, there's never a good reason not to watch Anthony Davis. The Pelicans' big man was superb in both his second season and the FIBA Basketball World Cup, and he's on the verge of becoming one of the best players in the NBA. Omer Asik joins Davis on a frontline that'll be a nightmare for opponents to score on inside. Jrue Holiday, Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon are also back healthy, so New Orleans is a darkhorse playoff contender in the loaded Western Conference.

The Magic are in the midst of a rebuilding project and have a host of talented young players on the roster, including No. 4 pick Aaron Gordon. Unfortunately, Victor Oladipo, one of the key youngsters, is out due to a facial fracture. Channing Frye is also out with a knee injury.

Rockets at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. ET

On paper, this is a complete mismatch. The Rockets, despite a disappointing offseason that saw them miss out on Chris Bosh and lose Parsons to the Mavericks, remain one of the more dangerous teams in the West due to the presence of James Harden and Dwight Howard. Meanwhile, the Lakers are expected to suffer through another rough season, even with Kobe Bryant back in the fold. Los Angeles is already dealing with a host of injuries and Bryant's health is a major question mark after suffering two major injuries the past two years.

However, don't chalk this up as an automatic Rockets win. The Lakers inexplicably beat the Clippers by 13 points on opening night last season, using a 41-point fourth quarter to secure the victory. So, tune in to see if history can be repeated. Or. if you really dislike the Lakers, there's always the high chance for Lakers schadenfreude.