Key Dates, Matchups On Cleveland Cavaliers 2024-25 Regular Season Schedule

The Cleveland Cavaliers play their first home game of the season against the Detroit Pistons and former head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

Mar 1, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) dribbles against Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports / Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Cavaliers 2024-25 schedule has officially been released, and there’s a lot to dissect. For now, here are a few key dates and matchups to keep an eye on for the upcoming season

October 25 Vs. Detroit Pistons

The Cavaliers kick off their first home game of the season by welcoming an old friend to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. 

Cleveland will play the Detroit Pistons on Friday, October 25, and it’ll be their first time going up against former head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who is now at the helm of the Pistons. Bickersstaff was the Cavaliers’ coach for five years before he was dismissed and replaced by Kenny Atkinson over the offseason.

It’s unlikely that any players will admit the game means more, but there always has to be a little extra motivation from both sides after such a long partnership ends.

October 30 Vs. Los Angeles Lakers

It will always be a big deal when LeBron James comes to town, and it happens fairly early in the season this year. The hometown hero returns to Cleveland on Wednesday, October 30, which is Cleveland’s second home game of the season.

LeBron always gets an ovation when he comes to town, and we should expect nothing less this time around. Who knows how many more times we’ll get to watch James play in Cleveland before his career is over? This will certainly be a date to circle on the schedule.

Apr 6, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) moves the ball against Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell (1) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

November 1 Vs. Orlando Magic

Cleveland had an intense seven-game series with the Orlando Magic in the first round of last year’s playoffs. Like any good playoff series, there were close games, a little bit of bad blood, and drama throughout the two weeks they played one another.

Orlando is trying to prove they are a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference, so each of their matchups is bound to be intense. 

The two rosters have gone largely unchanged this offseason, and they’ll go up against one another for the first time in Cleveland on November 1. 

April 2, April 11 Vs. New York Knicks

The Cavaliers were the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference the past two seasons. The New York Knicks were the fifth seed two years ago and the second seed last season. The two teams have been intertwined and close in the rankings the last two seasons, and that could be the same once again this year. 

Cleveland will see the Knicks twice during the final two weeks of the season. Given that these matchups could potentially determine playoff seeding for next year’s postseason, these matchups could be crucial.

There’s also the Donovan Mitchell-New York connection, which will always be the storyline whenever these two teams meet.