2024-2025 NBA Schedule: National Analyst Names Hawks vs Wizards As One Of The Top Rookie Matchups to Circle

Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr will play their first game against each other on Oct 28th

Jul 12, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Washington Wizards guard Jules Bernard (14) attempts to block a shot by Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) during the second half at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024-2025 NBA Schedule was released yesterday and every matchup that will be played this year was revealed. One of the first things that fans look at when the schedule comes out is when do the top two picks play each other? French phenoms Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr had a primetime matchup in NBA Summer League, but that won't be quite the treatment they are given when they matchup for the first time in their NBA careers on Oct. 28th in Atlanta.

ESPN's Andrew Lopez has that game as one to watch when it comes to rookie showdowns this year:

"It may not have the same cachet as some of the recent No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchups, but (likely) future French national teammates Risacher and Sarr will first meet in October. The two did square off in summer league -- Risacher had 18 points, but Sarr and his Wizards got the win. Both players are going to be out to prove they belong in the league after the constant talk about it being a down year for the top of the draft"

The Hawks are going to open the season against the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 23rd at home and that should be a favorable game for the Hawks. Brooklyn is projected to be one of the worst teams in the league and this is a great opportunity for the Hawks to start the year with a win.

Some other notable dates for Atlanta include a home game against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 2nd (Dejounte Murray's first game back in Atlanta), a New Year's day game in Denver against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, and a game against the Knicks on MLK day in January. Atlanta is not going to host a game on MLK day and instead will travel to New York to face the Knicks.

The Hawks are only going to have two nationally televised games this season, both games against the Spurs. One will be broadcast on TNT and the other will be on ESPN. Atlanta is also going to have six games broadcast on NBATV.

In mid-November, the Hawks take to the road for their first West Coast trip of the season, including games at Portland (Nov. 17, 6 p.m.), Sacramento (Nov. 18, 10 p.m.), Golden State (Nov. 20, 10 p.m.) and Chicago (Nov. 22, 8 p.m.).

As announced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, the Hawks will compete in four Group Play games as part of the NBA Cup 2024 during November – Nov. 12 at Boston (7 p.m.), Nov. 15 vs. Washington (7:30 p.m.), Nov. 22 at Chicago (8 p.m.) and Nov. 29 vs. Cleveland (2:30 p.m., NBA TV).

Other notable early-season home opponents include the defending Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks (Nov. 25, 7:30 p.m., NBA TV), Dejounte Murray and the New Orleans Pelicans (Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m.), LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers (Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m.) and Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets (Dec. 8, 6 p.m.).

In mid-December, Atlanta plays at San Antonio (Dec. 19, 9:30 p.m., TNT) before a four-game homestand (Memphis, Minnesota, Chicago, Miami). Following that stretch, the Hawks venture out for their longest road trip of the season, a 12-day, six-game trip from Dec. 29 – Jan. 9, including contests at Toronto (Dec. 29, 6 p.m.), Denver (Jan. 1, 9 p.m.), the Lakers (Jan. 3, 10:30 p.m., NBA TV), LA Clippers (Jan. 4, 10:30 p.m., NBA TV), Utah (Jan. 7) and Phoenix (Jan. 9, 9 p.m.).

Overall, Atlanta will partake in 10 road games in January, including an MLK Day game at New York (Jan. 20, 3 p.m.).

On February 5, Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs come to Atlanta for their sole visit of the season (7:30 p.m., ESPN).

The 2025 NBA All-Star Game will take place on Feb. 16 at Chase Center in San Francisco.

Coming out of the break, the Hawks play 10-of-12 at State Farm Arena, featuring matchups with Miami (Feb. 24, 7:30 p.m.), Shai-Gilgeous Alexander and Oklahoma City (Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m.) and two vs. Indiana (Mar. 6 and 8, 7:30 p.m.). Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors visit State Farm Arena on Mar. 22 (7 p.m.).

Atlanta finishes the regular season with three-of-four on the road, closing with Orlando at State Farm Arena (Apr. 13, 1 p.m.).

The Hawks play 16 sets of back-to-backs this season, including four home/home, five home/road, four road/home and three road/road sets. Excluding NBA Cup games, Atlanta plays every Western Conference team twice and each Eastern Conference opponent four times, except Indiana, Philadelphia and Toronto (two home/one road) as well as Boston, Brooklyn and Cleveland (one home/two road).

The broadcast schedule on Bally Sports Southeast will be announced at a later date. All games will be aired on the Hawks’ radio flagship, Sports Radio 92-9 The Game and the Hawks Radio Network, with Voice of the Hawks Steve Holman and pregame, halftime and postgame host Mike Conti.