The NBA 2015-16 season schedule starts on Tuesday with the Chicago Bulls hosting the Cavs in the opener and that will have TV coverage on TNT for the first game of a doubleheader. The Golden State Warriors open hosting the New Orleans Pelicans and the start times for the games are at 8 pm ET and 10:30 pm ET as the new season kicks off.
The first games of the NBA season include the Detroit Pistons visiting the Atlanta Hawks, while the Cavs will visit the Chicago Bulls. The Cavaliers-Bulls game is the first of the TNT doubleheader, while the Hawks and Pistons will have local coverage. Those games begin at 8 pm ET and will officially start the NBA season. The Cavaliers are playing the Bulls at the United Center and there will be three total games on Tuesday for opening night.
The Cavaliers and Bulls both are coming into the game with injuries, but it appears that LeBron James and Derrick Rose will start on Tuesday for their respective teams. James was able to practice ahead of the game on Sunday after having a back injection earlier in the month and all signs point to him playing. James has never missed a season opener before and he doesn't want to sit this one out. The Bulls confirmed that Derrick Rose will play after dealing with an orbital fracture at the start of training camp.
The Bulls starting lineup will look a bit different to open the season, as head coach Fred Hoiberg reportedly will bring Joakim Noah off the bench. KC Johnson at the Chicago Tribune reports that the team likely will start Rose, Jimmy Butler, Pau Gasol, Tony Snell and Nikola Mirotic, who will be starting in place of Noah.
The Warriors will host the Pelicans in the late game and that will be at Oracle Arena starting at 10:30 pm ET as Golden State opens its title defense. The Warriors have Stephen Curry as the reigning MVP and Anthony Davis is a candidate this year for the Pelicans. The schedule continues on Wednesday for the rest of the league and the first game of the nigh has the Washington Wizards and Orlando Magic playing.
The Bulls will be playing back to back games and they have the Brooklyn Nets on the road and that will be at 7:30 pm ET at the Barclays Center. The first national game on Wednesday will have the San Antonio Spurs taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder and that will be on at 8 pm ET on ESPN. The network has a doubleheader, as the Lakers will be playing the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Check here for the NBA schedule and TV coverage for the openers on Tuesday.